A method of a roaming user equipment (UE) according to an embodiment of the disclosure includes obtaining billing information of the roaming UE from a message received from a communication carrier server, sending a billing information authentication request message including the obtained billing information to an authentication server, and receiving an authentication result regarding whether the billing information is valid.

A process of operating a wireless device and a wireless device operative for obtaining at least one of data usage or an amount of data usage available by a wireless access point with a processor. The process and device further connecting to the wireless access point and transferring data to and from the wireless access point with a transceiver and displaying on a display the at least one of data usage or an amount of data usage available by the wireless access point.

A method for monitoring and controlling session traffic usage, includes: receiving traffic usage increment information of a first session and a second session reported by a first PCF and a second PCF; accumulating a total traffic usage of the first session and the second session according to the received traffic usage increment information; determining whether a current total traffic usage reaches a threshold value of a total issued traffic usage; and sending the total traffic usage information of the first session and the second session to the first PCF and the second PCF in response to that the current total traffic usage reaches the threshold value of the total issued traffic usage, and in response to that the current total traffic usage does not reach the threshold value of the total issued traffic usage, repeating above steps.

A method for monitoring and controlling session traffic usage, includes: receiving traffic usage increment information of a first session and a second session reported by a first PCF and a second PCF; accumulating a total traffic usage of the first session and the second session according to the received traffic usage increment information; determining whether a current total traffic usage reaches a threshold value of a total issued traffic usage; and sending the total traffic usage information of the first session and the second session to the first PCF and the second PCF in response to that the current total traffic usage reaches the threshold value of the total issued traffic usage and in response to that the current total traffic usage does not reach the threshold value of the total issued traffic usage, repeating above steps.

A method and system of restoring a functionality of a mobile user device. A lock screen is displayed on the display of the user device. An international mobile subscriber identity (IMSI) of a subscriber identity module (SIM) card presently installed in the user device is determined. The IMSI is sent to a Remote Recovery Server (RRS). A message is received from the RRS indicating whether the IMSI is authorized for the user device and whether an account of the user device is replenished at least in part. Upon determining that the IMSI is authorized for the user device and the account of the user device is replenished at least in part, at least one function that was previously restricted is restored.

The disclosure provides a system and method for metering on a prepaid wireless access point the amount of data transferred between a wireless device and the Internet and inhibiting further data transmission when the amount of prepaid data available reaches or drops below a pre-determined threshold. Specifically, the wireless access point includes a metering client to track one of data usage or an amount of prepaid data available. When the metering client indicates that the amount of data available has dropped below a pre-determined threshold, the wireless access point inhibits further data transmission.

A device may receive, from a user device, a hypertext transfer protocol (HTTP) CONNECT request that includes a uniform resource locator (URL). The device may determine, using a data structure, whether the URL is a sponsored URL or a non-sponsored URL. The data structure may include one or more sponsored URLs associated with a toll-free data service campaign. The device may establish an HTTP CONNECT tunnel for transferring traffic, associated with the URL, between the user device and another device. The device may monitor data use, associated with the HTTP CONNECT tunnel, based on determining whether the URL is a sponsored URL or a non-sponsored URL. The device may generate a traffic information record based on monitoring the data use, and the device may provide the traffic information record to the user device.

The present invention discloses methods and systems for sharing data usage by a plurality of SIM cards at a plurality of network devices. 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.

The present invention discloses methods and systems for sharing data usage by a plurality of SIM cards at a plurality of network devices. 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.

This disclosure sets forth techniques that aggregate and analyze data usage of a client device over a communications network. Particularly, data usage may be quantified over a predetermined time interval and used to provide recommendations that instruct a client on techniques for reducing a data usage rate. Recommendations may be presented as visual and/or audible alerts. This disclosure further describes techniques to dynamically alter data usage characteristics of particular data usage events to reduce a current rate of data usage. Computational instructions may dynamically reduce a file size of a multimedia/data file, limit a capability to download a multimedia/data file, or reduce a data usage rate of a multimedia stream via trans-rating or pacing techniques. Additionally, exemplary user interfaces may facilitate customizing data usage monitoring settings. The exemplary user interfaces may enable a client to customize a graphical representation of data usage over a predetermined period of time.