A first network device may receive a protocol data unit (PDU) session establishment or modification request, and may perform one or more actions based on the PDU session establishment or modification request. The first network device may receive, based on performing the one or more actions, a first message indicating that the PDU session is authenticated and authorized, and may select a second network device associated with establishing or modifying a management policy for the PDU session. The first network device may receive, from the second network device, a second message indicating whether to wait for receipt of a charging data response, to a charging data request, before interacting with a third network device, and may provide the charging data request to a fourth network device while interacting with the third network device when the second message indicates not to wait for receipt of the charging data response.

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.

A communication system includes: a first communication apparatus configured to control a first wireless communication and a second wireless communication different from the first wireless communication; a second communication apparatus configured to communicate using the second communication; and a third communication apparatus configured to perform data communication with the first communication apparatus via the first wireless communication or the second wireless communication, wherein the third communication apparatus transmits to the first communication apparatus a control message that includes an available address of the third wireless communications apparatus used in the second wireless communication, the first communication apparatus notifies the second communication apparatus of the available address of the third communication apparatus, and the second communication apparatus communicate with the third communication apparatus using the address.

A core network for mobile communication system is provided. The core network includes a first network function (NF) element, a second NF element, and an operations, administration and maintenance (OAM) element. The OAM element periodically transmits a resource quota status message to the second NF element to obtain a count number of the resource of first NF element and a limit value of the count number via the second NF element, and adjusts the limit value of the resource of the first NF element according to the count number and the limit value of the resource of the first NF element.

Asynchronous and/or synchronous zero charge telephony protocol systems and methods may include an asynchronous signaling switch and/or a call duration time quota from a synchronous charging onset to place and complete a call. A first device call request is received with a second device mobile address. The asynchronous systems include instructions to automatically modify the mobile address with a routing prefix when the first device has insufficient balance or independent of balance, route to the asynchronous signaling switch based on an associated modified address trunk path, revert the modified call signal at the asynchronous signaling switch to the call signal, and deliver and automatically disconnect the call immediately when the call is completed. The synchronous systems include instructions to automatically set the call duration time quota upon insufficient balance, and deliver and automatically disconnect the call from the second user mobile device when the call is completed and the call duration time quota is exceeded.

A policy control method performed by an enforcement function network element, where the enforcement function network element receives an update request to modify or remove a target packet flow description (PFD) associated with a target application identifier. For a session for which a first policy rule including the target application identifier is installed or activated, the enforcement function network element determines that data about an application corresponding to the target application identifier has been detected using the target PFD. The enforcement function network element further determines that start indication information of the application has been reported to a control function network element, and sends stop indication information of the application to the control function network element, which adjusts the first policy rule.

An example communications routing system includes a prediction engine to, for each user account, generate a predicted cost of communications events using a gamma-gamma cost model, generate a predicted revenue of presented advertisements using a gamma-gamma revenue model, generate a margin based on the predicted cost and the predicted revenue, and, when the margin for a given user account is below a margin threshold, restrict a status associated with the given user account.

Asynchronous and/or synchronous zero charge telephony protocol systems and methods may include an asynchronous signaling switch and/or a call duration time quota from a synchronous charging onset to place and complete a call. A first device call request is received with a second device mobile address. The asynchronous systems include instructions to automatically modify the mobile address with a routing prefix when the first device has insufficient balance or independent of balance, route to the asynchronous signaling switch based on an associated modified address trunk path, revert the modified call signal at the asynchronous signaling switch to the call signal, and deliver and automatically disconnect the call immediately when the call is completed. The synchronous systems include instructions to automatically set the call duration time quota upon insufficient balance, and deliver and automatically disconnect the call from the second user mobile device when the call is completed and the call duration time quota is exceeded.

A method and an apparatus for information exchange in online charging in order to reduce frequency of information exchange between a Charging Trigger Function (CTF) device and an Online Charging System (OCS), and reduce a pressure of information transmission between the CTF device and the OCS, where the method includes receiving, by a CTF device, a credit control answer (CCA) message that carries a non-real-time Trigger and sent by an OCS, recording, by the CTF device, charging information before and after a corresponding event of the non-real-time Trigger happens each time before sending a credit control request (CCR) message to the OCS next time, and sending, by the CTF device, the CCR message to the OCS.

A system for generating and applying a secure token in a resource distribution network is provided. For example, a headend system generates a time-based token based on a time duration specified for a meter. The time-based token indicates the time duration for the meter. The time-based token is further generated based on an identifier of the meter. The headend system transmits the time-based token to the meter via at least a mesh network. After receiving the time-based token, the meter validates the time-based token to determine that the time-based token is generated for the meter based on information related to the identifier of the meter. If the meter determines that the time-based token is valid, the meter connects premises associated with the meter to a resource distribution network for at least the time duration specified in the time-based token.