A computer-implemented method for managing a billing policy for mobile phone associated with a first phone number corresponding to a first account and a second phone number corresponding to a second account is described herein. The billing policy defines actions performed by the mobile phone to be charged to the first account, and defines actions performed by the mobile phone to be charged to the second account. Charges are allocated to one of the first account and second account based on the billing policy. A user can configured to phone to operate in a private mode, in response to which actions are charged to a default account of the two accounts, and information about the action is not provided to an external entity.

A device may determine a subscriber identifier associated with a subscriber device. The device may obtain a service indicator based on the subscriber identifier. The service indicator may identify a network service to which a subscriber, associated with the subscriber identifier, is subscribed. The device may obtain a charging data function (CDF) identifier based on the service indicator. The CDF identifier may identify a destination CDF for charging messages associated with the network service. The device may establish a communication session associated with the subscriber device and the network service. The device may transmit one or more charging messages, associated with the communication session, to the destination CDF identified by the CDF identifier.

A duration of time a communications device is connected to a first network is monitored. A signal of a second network is detected. Next, it is determined whether a predetermined amount of time has elapsed such that the communications device makes efficient use of the first network, and in response to a determination that the predetermined amount of time has elapsed, a connection of the communications device to the second network is initiated.

Systems and methods that provide charging for supplemental content in a data flow separately from other content in the data flow. One embodiment comprises a network element of a Packet-Switched (PS) network that serves mobile User Equipment (UE). The network element receives a data flow of packets for a download of content requested by the UE, and identifies supplemental content in the data flow not requested by the UE, such as advertising content. The network element generates a charging request, inserts charging information for the supplemental content in the charging request, and transmits the charging request to a charging system so that the supplemental content can be charged separately from other content of the data flow.

Usage information is determined that describes usage of different services by a user device. A combined usage of the different services utilized by the user device is determined and compared to monitoring criteria. When the monitoring criteria are satisfied, an electronic message is sent to an address associated with the user device.

An approach is provided for pooling bandwidth provided by mobile devices in an ad hoc group. Based on information in data plans provided by wireless carriers to the mobile devices, amounts of data that will be unused at the end of respective billing cycles are estimated. Based on the estimated amounts, contributions of data from the mobile devices are determined. Based on capabilities of the mobile devices, time periods during which the respective mobile devices are subscripted for providing at least some of the respective contributions of data are determined. Hand-offs among the mobile devices are coordinated to provide a cooperative usage of the bandwidth among the mobile devices which minimizes redundant streaming or downloading of content to more than one of the mobile devices. The streamed or downloaded content is presented to the ad hoc group of mobile devices.

A device may determine a subscriber identifier associated with a subscriber device. The device may obtain a service indicator based on the subscriber identifier. The service indicator may identify a network service to which a subscriber, associated with the subscriber identifier, is subscribed. The device may obtain a charging data function (CDF) identifier based on the service indicator. The CDF identifier may identify a destination CDF for charging messages associated with the network service. The device may establish a communication session associated with the subscriber device and the network service. The device may transmit one or more charging messages, associated with the communication session, to the destination CDF identified by the CDF identifier.

A device may determine a subscriber identifier associated with a subscriber device. The device may obtain a service indicator based on the subscriber identifier. The service indicator may identify a network service to which a subscriber, associated with the subscriber identifier, is subscribed. The device may obtain a charging data function (CDF) identifier based on the service indicator. The CDF identifier may identify a destination CDF for charging messages associated with the network service. The device may establish a communication session associated with the subscriber device and the network service. The device may transmit one or more charging messages, associated with the communication session, to the destination CDF identified by the CDF identifier.

A method of providing location-related charging information to a charging system associated with an IP Multimedia Subsystem, IMS, network, where the location-related charging information relates to a session or session initiation or an event involving at least two users. The method comprises, at a Charging Trigger Function, CTF, within the IMS network, receiving a Session Initiation Protocol, SIP, message from each of said users, each message containing a SIP header identifying a location of the sending user. Location information of each user is added to a charging message sent from the CTF to said charging system, location information being, or being derived from, the content of the SIP header received from the user or being derived from that SIP header.

An approach is provided for pooling bandwidth provided by mobile devices in an ad hoc group. Based on information in data plans provided by wireless carriers to the mobile devices, amounts of data that will be unused at the end of respective billing cycles are estimated. Based on the estimated amounts, contributions of data from the mobile devices are determined. Based on capabilities of the mobile devices, time periods during which the respective mobile devices are subscripted for providing at least some of the respective contributions of data are determined. Hand-offs among the mobile devices are coordinated to provide a cooperative usage of the bandwidth among the mobile devices which minimizes redundant streaming or downloading of content to more than one of the mobile devices. The streamed or downloaded content is presented to the ad hoc group of mobile devices.