Systems and methods discussed herein are directed to combining multiple network flows with respect to usage of applications into sessions. A record of a plurality of network flows may be obtained where the record relates to usage of the application by a user device in a wireless communication network. The plurality of network flows may be combined into a session, where an earliest start time of a network flow represents a session start time for the session and a latest end time of a network flow represents a session end time for the session. Based at least in part on the session start time and the session end time, a usage of the application during the session by the user device may be determined. Based at least in part on a plurality of sessions, usage of the application in the wireless communication network may be estimated.

A service processing method and a related product is applied to the charging field. A policy control device generates a first policy of a user service, and sends the first policy to a session management function device to indicate the session management function device to perform a first quota management mode on the user service. The policy control device receives related information of a second quota management mode of a user or the user service, and determines the second quota management mode. The policy control device generates a second policy of the user service based on the second quota management mode, where the second policy is for updating or replacing the first policy. According to this method, the quota management mode of the user service is time-effective, ensuring a balance between a latency condition and credit control risks.

Techniques for allowing access based online charging in cases of multiple user agents (multi-UAs) scenarios where the instances are registered to different telephony application servers (TASs) are discussed herein. For example, a user device may support a native number and multiple virtual numbers linked via a user account. When servicing a call, the user device may determine a served number to service the call from. If the served number is not the native number but a virtual number, the native-line server may handle the call session, but the online charging session will be handled by the virtual-line server. The native-line server may use session initiation protocol (SIP) information to send updated information for charging parameters to the virtual-line server, including network access transfer for accuracy in online charging logic.

An AMF of a communications system responds to receipt of a network attach request message of a UE requesting attachment to a network of the communication system, by sending a charging data request message toward a CHF containing a notification for the CHF to keep a charging data resource to track charging for network resources used for communications associated with UE while attached to the network. The AMF receives a response message of the CHF containing a reference for the charging data resource associated with the UE while attached to the network. The AMF responds to receiving a PDU session establishment request message of the UE, by sending a PDU session establishment request message containing the reference for the charging data resource toward a SMF. Related SMF and CHF of the communications system are disclosed.

An example communications system for providing communication services between communications devices may employ multiple usage rates for metered communication services. A method for adjusting usage amounts to account for multiple usage rates may include determining a usage adjustment factor for a communications event; determining a metered usage amount for the communications event; and determining an adjusted usage amount based on the usage adjustment factor and the metered usage amount for the communications amount. Thus, a billing system in the communications system may determine an invoice amount based on the adjusted usage amount and a predetermined bill rate.

Systems, methods, and software of managing bandwidth allocated to User Equipment (UE). In one embodiment, a bandwidth management system collects cell load information for a plurality of cells within a Radio Access Network (RAN), and processes the cell load information to determine a cell load status for each of the cells. The system performs bandwidth throttling for the UE by determining a location of the UE, identifying the cell load status for one or more cells in a region of the RAN corresponding with the location of the UE, determining whether the region of the RAN is overloaded based on the cell load status, and controlling a downgrade of bandwidth allocated to the UE in the RAN responsive to a determination that the region is overloaded.

A method in a network node comprises: detecting a Quality of Service (QoS) Violated Event in respect of a particular QoS flow of a Protocol Data Unit (PDU) session; and sending a corresponding QoS violated event report to any one or more of: a Session Management Function (SMF) of the network; a Policy Control Function (PCF) of the network; an Application Function (AF) of the network; and a third party service provider.

A charging function (CHF) receives, from a policy control function (PCF), a first request for charging policy information for a packet data unit (PDU) session of a wireless device. The charging policy information is determined for the PDU session of the wireless device. The charging policy information indicates a charging method comprising one or more of: online charging; offline charging; and converged charging. A message comprising the charging policy information is sent to the PCF. The CHF receives from a session management function (SMF), a second request to establish a charging session. The second request comprises the charging method. A confirmation for the charging method is sent to the SMF.

A system and method of a telephony application platform can include receiving a communication session request specifying a destination endpoint, connecting the communication session through a first application module according to the destination endpoint, receiving an instruction to transition communication control to a second application module, transitioning communication control of the communication session to the second application module, independently metering resource usage of the communication session of each application module, and accounting the metered usage of the communication session.

A method is disclosed of managing the reporting of the presence of a communications terminal in a communication network including a control rules application entity able to implement a presence reporting mechanism and a credits management entity configured to transmit a request for subscription to the presence reporting mechanism to the control rules application entity. The method includes verifying, during the establishment of a communication session between the terminal and a packet communication network, involving a control entity providing control rules to the control rules application entity, that the control entity is configured to trigger a subscription to the presence reporting mechanism with the control rules application entity. When the control entity is configured to trigger a subscription to the presence reporting mechanism, an indicator of intervention of the presence reporting mechanism is dispatched to the credits management entity, to inhibit a subscription to the mechanism by the credits management entity.