A system and method of performing automated reconciliation of devices and features in telecom expense management systems prior to running programs to optimize expense relative to usage or procuring new lines. The reconciliation accessing and carrier systems and devices and using enterprise configurable rules and live data from end point management systems. The system ensures accurate and up to date data is available for processing by downstream robotic process automation systems that perform the procurement/modification of plans and devices.

The method comprises the steps of: the Policy and Charging Rules Function (PCRF) receiving (Step 1) user's subscription information, in order to determine an initial policy; the Policy and Charging Enforcement Function (PCEF) applying (Step 2) the initial rules; the Policy and Charging Enforcement Function (PCEF) triggering (Step 3) the Extended Online Charging System (EOCS) for the user's service/network resource usage; the Extended Online Charging System (EOCS) rating and charging (step 4) the user, in real time; the Extended Online Charging System (EOCS) triggering (Step 5) a change of policy in the Policy and Charging Rules Function (PCRF); the Policy and Charging Rules Function (PCRF) determining (Step 6) new rules for the new policy; the Policy and Charging Enforcement Function (PCEF) receiving (Step 7) the new rules and applying them.

A computer-implemented method for provisioning a feature associated with a brand of a wireless communication network may include loading a trigger condition in a catalog for triggering the feature, wherein an in-memory cache of the catalog is accessible by a network provisioning engine of the wireless communication network. At the network provisioning engine, the method may further include receiving, from a billing system computer, a transaction request for a subscriber having a rate plan associated with the brand, using a brand indication in the transaction request to locate the in-memory cache of the catalog, and determining whether the transaction request meets the trigger condition. If the transaction request meets the trigger condition, the method may further include determining a network node for provisioning the feature, and sending instructions to the network node to provision the feature in the subscriber's rate plan.

Computer-implemented method for online charging telecommunication services in real time, comprising: (i) running a money-to-time algorithm, computing a time balance based on charging parameters and a wallet balance; (ii) if greater than zero, creating a charging data record, CDR, and writing a start timestamp therein, setting a terminate session timer based on the time balance, and confirming the communication session; (iii) if not greater than zero, or upon expiration of the terminate session timer, instructing to terminate the communication session, wherein upon expiration of the terminate session timer an end timestamp is written in the CDR. Online charging system, OCS, implementing the method.

Systems and methods are described for managing services of a computing device over a mobile network where requests for managed or unmanaged services are translated to corresponding IP addresses sent to the computing device and corresponding requests sent to the translated IP addresses are either permitted, rated, quality controlled or secured if the computing device has a valid data plan or is otherwise permissioned for using the mobile network, are denied if filtered and if the computing device does not have a valid data plan or is not otherwise permissioned and the request corresponds to the first address, and are permitted, rated, quality controlled or not secured even if the computing device does not have a valid data plan or is not otherwise permissioned if the request corresponds to the second address.

A method performed by a first intermediate node in an ongoing communication session between a first network node and a second network node in a communication network is provided. The method comprises: receiving an indication that handover of a first network node from a first radio access network to a second radio access network has occurred during the ongoing communication session; generating a message comprising a header, wherein the header identifies the second radio access network; and transmitting the message to a second intermediate node in the ongoing communication session.

Aspects described herein relate to various methods, systems and apparatuses that can be used to configure and manage a network slice based on billing rate information. By selecting a network slice based on billing rate information, the system may further be able to respond to billing rate changes by reselecting network slices. For example, changes in the usage of the network slice or the usage of the overall network infrastructure may cause a change to a billing rate associated with the network slice. These aspects, and others described herein, may result in improved network performance by, for example, offloading extra usage from an overloaded network slice to a network slice that is currently less used.

A data center adapted to connect via a first wide area network to a core network connected with a base station and to a wireless LAN, variably controls service provided in a virtual core network of the data center to a terminal enabled to select connection to either a wireless LAN or a base station and connect to the data center.

Embodiments of the present invention provide a method for processing a rate group, a method for charging for a data service, and a related device and system, so as to enable a charging system to accurately charge for the data service when the rate group changes. The method includes: determining, by a gateway device, whether a rate group of a service data stream changes; and if the rate group of the service data stream changes, reporting, by the gateway device, charging data to the charging system, so that the charging system performs charging according to the charging data, where the charging data includes service usage information and a reporting reason for reporting the charging data, and the reporting reason indicates a change of the rate group.

The present disclosure is directed to using distributed ledger architectures to for exchange of wireless communication services. In one example, a distributed ledger system for facilitating an exchange among wireless service providers includes a plurality of wireless service providers and a plurality of nodes. Each of the plurality of nodes is configured to facilitate an exchange between a first wireless service provider and a second wireless service provider for roaming services; generate a recording of terms and conditions of the exchange between the first wireless service provider and the second wireless service provider to yield an agreement; record the agreement on the distributed ledger system; facilitate independent evaluation of performance parameters of the exchange by each of the first wireless service provider and the second wireless service provider to independently evaluate performance parameters of the exchange; and trigger settlement for the exchange based on the independent evaluation of the performance parameters by the first and second wireless service providers.