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.

Charging operations carried out in relation to service consumption by users of a communication network reduce signaling overhead and memory or storage requirements by adopting a bifurcated approach to structuring and accessing the data containers used for controlling and tracking service consumption by individual users commonly governed by the same consumption control information. With bifurcation, a parent data container holds the common consumption control information commonly applicable to each user, while an individual child data container for each user holds consumption-tracking information specific to the user. The approach reduces signaling overhead inasmuch as operations involving only the consumption control information need not retrieve or access the child data containers, and the approach reduces overall storage requirements by eliminating redundant inclusion of the common information in the child data containers.

Various communication systems may benefit from appropriate prioritization of users and/or devices. For example, wireless communication systems may benefit from multi-subscription network prioritization, such as systems for prioritizing subscribers with multiple subscriptions that are using fewer devices than they have subscriptions. A method can include determining that a device is associated with a plurality of subscriptions. The method can also include determining at least one related device is not in use, wherein the at least one related device is associated with same plurality of subscriptions. The method can further include assigning a higher priority to the device based on the determinations that the device has the plurality of associated subscriptions and has at least one related device not in use.

The present invention provides a bandwidth-sharing, intelligent network switching system, wherein the system comprises a control processing unit, a network sharing user device, and a network user device. The control processing unit is connected to a third-party payment system, a location search module, a WiFi hotspot search module, bandwidth analysis module, and an authentication module. The control processing unit is further connected to the network sharing user device and the network user device. The network sharing user device shares network access with the network user device via the control processing unit, sets a price for bandwidth, and charges the network user device the price for the shared network access.

A network device executes an account management function that pre-authorizes network service unit consumption by multiple subscribers that are members of a same, shared network service account. The account management function receives, from multiple charging systems distributed within the network, network unit consumption charges associated with each of the multiple subscribers, where the network device is centrally located within a network relative to multiple locations associated with the plurality of charging systems. The account management function updates a consumption counter for the same, shared network service account based on the network unit consumption charges associated with the multiple subscribers received from the multiple charging systems distributed within the network.

Methods and systems for sharing data usage by a plurality of SIM cards at a plurality of network devices are disclosed. Each of the plurality of network devices is capable of housing at least one SIM card from the plurality of SIM cards. The method comprises the steps of determining the total data usage allowance. A remaining total data usage allowance is determined by either retrieving it from a carrier server or by subtracting aggregated data usage information from the total data usage allowance. The method further comprises restricting use of one or more of the plurality of SIM cards when the remaining total data usage allowance is below a first threshold until the remaining total data usage allowance is above the first threshold. The total data usage allowance is changed to a first value periodically or according to an administrator's instruction.

A method includes communicating, by an application executed by a processor of a first mobile communication device, with a server system. A first phone number corresponding to the first mobile communication device is determined or verified based on the communicating with the server system, the first phone number corresponding to a particular shared operating plan enabled by a particular mobile operator. A request is transmitted to a computing system corresponding to the particular mobile operator for a second phone number corresponding to a second mobile communication device and corresponding to the particular shared operating plan of the first mobile communication device. The second phone number is received from the computing system. The processor of the first mobile communication device determines user identifying information corresponding to the second phone number based on data accessible via the first mobile communication device, and the user identifying information is provided to a user.

A method of adapting quotas for a shared resource in a network includes: retrieving, at a charging server, a usage level and a time period for each of a plurality of communication sessions associated with the shared resource, the communication sessions corresponding to respective client devices connected to the network; determining, at the charging server, whether the shared resource can support each of the communication sessions for the corresponding retrieved usage level and time period; when the determination is negative, determining a common reduced time period for each of the communication sessions at the charging server; and at the charging server, when the reduced time period exceeds a predefined threshold, allocating quotas to each of the communication sessions from the shared resource based on the usage levels and the reduced time period.

Systems and methods for managing a set of electronic assets from a single location are disclosed. The method includes providing a portal with a network security access control. The method includes determining that login credentials input to the access control are associated with a set of electronic assets corresponding to a plurality of third-party computing systems with application programming interface (API) gateways configured to accept API calls directed to changes in functionality of the electronic assets. The method includes presenting, via the portal, a virtual icon to identify a coordinated action with respect to the set of electronic assets and, in response to a selection of the virtual icon, executing a set of API calls that include an asset-specific API call to each third-party computing system in the plurality of third-party computing systems to implement the coordinated action on all electronic assets in the set of electronic assets.

Methods, apparatuses, and computer program products for enforcing time and usage limits are provided. One method includes allocating a usage allowance and time allowance for a group subscription to a network, and receiving a notification when a minimum threshold is reached for either the usage allowance or the time allowance within a certain duration. The method may further include determining a remainder of the usage allowance and a remainder of the time allowance by querying at least one policy and charging enforcement function, and reallocating the usage allowance and the time allowance based on the determined remainder of the usage allowance and the determined remainder of the time allowance.