Device Assisted Services (DAS) for protecting network capacity is provided. In some embodiments, DAS for protecting network capacity includes monitoring a network service usage activity of the communications device in network communication; classifying the network service usage activity for differential network access control for protecting network capacity; and associating the network service usage activity with a network service usage control policy based on a classification of the network service usage activity to facilitate differential network access control for protecting network capacity.

A spectrum access system (SAS) grants one or more channels of a shared spectrum to a base station, e.g., in response to receiving a registration request from the base station. The SAS increments a usage of a connection between the base station and the SAS in response to the SAS receiving information indicating that the base station has an active connection with the apparatus during a service time interval. The processor does not increment the usage if the base station does not have an active connection with the apparatus during the service time interval. In some cases, the active connection is indicated by heartbeat messages exchanged between the base station and the SAS. A customer associated with the base station is charged a cost based on the usage determined by the SAS.

A method for accessing a local network includes: subscribing, by a network device, to service area change information of user equipment, where the service area change information of the user equipment indicates that the user equipment enters or leaves a service area of the local network; receiving, by the network device, the service area change information of the user equipment; and performing, based on the received service area change information, policy control for the user equipment accessing or leaving the local network. In this way, access to the local network is accurately controlled, and is not affected by wireless network planning and adjustment, which greatly enhances user experience in use of the local network.

Device group partitions and a settlement platform are provided. In some embodiments, device group partitions (e.g., partitions of devices based on associated device groups) are provided. In some embodiments, a settlement platform service is provided. In some embodiments, a settlement platform service is provided for partitioned devices. In some embodiments, collecting device generated service usage information for one or more devices in wireless communication on a wireless network; and aggregating the device generated service usage information for a settlement platform for the one or more devices in wireless communication on the wireless network is provided. In some embodiments, a settlement platform implements a service billing allocation and/or a service/transactional revenue share among one or more partners. In some embodiments, service usage information includes micro-CDRs, which are used for CDR mediation or reconciliation that provides for service usage accounting on any device activity that is desired. In some embodiments, each device activity that is desired to be associated with a billing event is assigned a micro-CDR transaction code, and a service processor of the device is programmed to account for that activity associated with that transaction code. In some embodiments, a service processor executing on a wireless communications device periodically reports (e.g., during each heartbeat or based on any other periodic, push, and/or pull communication technique(s)) micro-CDR usage measures to, for example, a service controller or some other network element for CDR mediation or reconciliation.

A control plane entity selects a subset of a plurality of user plane entities to support a charging session associated with a user based on charging policies for the plurality of user plane entities. The control plane entity allocates portions of a quota for the charging session to the control plane entity and the subset of the plurality of user plane entities based on the charging policies. In some cases, the control plane entity modifies the quotas that are allocated to the control plane entity or the subset of the plurality of user plane entities. Modifying the quotas can include redistributing unused portions of the quotas among the control plane entity and the subset of the plurality of user plane entities, e.g., in response to handover of the user equipment between user plane entities.

A method performed by an application function, AF, for a communication network, wherein the AF has been informed, in a first notification, about an out-of-credit event associated with a user of a service provided by the AF, the method comprising sending subscription request, to a network function, NF, for requesting notifications about reallocation-of-credit events associated with one or more users of a service provided by the AF; receiving, from the NF, a second notification of a reallocation-of-credit event associated with the user of the service provided by the AF for which the AF has been informed about the out-of-credit event, such that the AF can perform one or more second actions with respect to the service.

In a 6G network, microservices can be utilized in the absence of a core network. For example, after a mobile device has authenticated, through its carrier network, with a transport service layer, microservices can be allocated to the mobile device without having to be transmitted via the core network. Thus, removing the core network from the process can generate a direct line of microservices from the transport layer to the end-user. Furthermore, additional microservices and/or resources can be access through a microservices library. Consequently, packets can be securely transmitted be a wireless network facilitating sending packet profile data from one to many node devices in anticipation of the packet traversing the various node devices.

There is provided an apparatus, method and computer program for an apparatus for a first policy control function, that causes to apparatus to: receive, from a session management function, a request for a policy to be established for a session for a subscriber, wherein the subscriber is subscribed in a second domain and the first policy control function is configured to operate in a first domain; determine a policy for the requested session, the determined policy comprising an indication of an allowed usage for the subscriber and at least one trigger condition for the policy to be updated; signal the at least one trigger condition to the session management function; and monitor the allowed usage for the subscriber by updating the policy in response to receipt of an indication that the at least one trigger condition has been met.

Embodiments of this application disclose a background data transfer policy formulation method, an apparatus, and a system. The method includes: A first policy control network element sends, to a first network element, a first message used to request a background data transfer policy stored in the first network element, and obtains, from the first network element, the background data transfer policy stored in the first network element and second decision information that is used to formulate a second background data transfer policy. The first policy control network element formulates a first background data transfer policy based on first decision information used to formulate the first background data transfer policy and the second decision information and according to the background data transfer policy stored in the first network element.

A network device may receive a request for determination of a first non-session management policy control decision for a UE, and may provide an account limits request to another network device based on the request. The network device may receive, from the other network device, account limits for the UE, and may determine a first non-session management policy control service for the UE based on the account limits. The network device may cause the UE to be provisioned with a service based on the first non-session management policy control service, and may receive a request for determination of a second non-session management policy control decision for the UE. The network device may determine a second non-session management policy control service for the UE based on the account limits, and may cause the UE to be provisioned with a service based on the second non-session management policy control service.