The invention relates to a method performed by a network node of managing online charging, and a network node performing the method. In an aspect of the invention, a method performed by a network node of managing online charging of sponsored data connectivity is provided. The method comprises receiving (S101) a user request for service related to the sponsored data connectivity, estimating (S102) a number of users that are expected to use said service, and acquiring (S103), from an Online Charging System authorizing access to the sponsored data connectivity, authorisation for the estimated number of users that are expected to use said service. The method further comprises granting (S104) the user access to the requested service with quota received with the authorisation from said Online Charging System, said quota being valid for a specified time period, and further granting (S104b) any further user requesting (S101b) said service access to the requested service with quota received with the authorisation until total quota authorised by the Online Charging System for the estimated number of users has been apportioned.

A method (20) of enabling improved efficiency in a first communications network (10A) based on relation metrics on a relation between a first operator (A) of the first communications network (10A) and a second operator (B) of a second communications network (10A, 10B). The method (20) is performed in a network entity (7) and comprises: obtaining (21) data relating to users having a subscription with the first operator (A) and data relating to users having a subscription with the second operator (B); determining (22), based on the obtained data relating to users, a first metric IAB giving number of users roaming to the first operator (A) from the second operator (B) and a second metric OAB giving number of users roaming from the first operator (A) to the second operator (B); and providing (23) the first and second metrics IAB, OAB as relation metrics to a network device (9A) of the first communications network (10A) for use in improving efficiency in the first communications network (10A). A method (50) in a network device (9A) is also provided, and a network entity, a network device, computer programs and computer program products.

A system and method for monitoring account usage on a platform that includes creating an account on a platform; assigning a usage model of the account; running an application of the account on the platform; monitoring usage of the application of the account; identifying a usage event of the usage model in the monitored usage; and generating an event response based on the usage event.

Embodiments provision captive portals on network access points (NAPs). In response to a request from a NAP owner, a cloud service associates a NAP with the NAP owner and provides a control channel for configuring the NAP. The NAP owner inputs configuration settings describing the captive portal. The cloud service processes the configuration settings to generate configuration data. The cloud service transmits the configuration data to the NAP. The NAP applies the configuration data to configure the NAP. Some embodiments configure Wi-Fi hotspots with captive portals for gated access to the Internet.

Methods for implementing different pricing configurations by a server system are disclosed. The server system provides an application programming interface (API) for one or more network operators and receives, from a network operator via the API, a first request for a pricing configuration for network access for one or more internet protocol (IP) addresses hosted by the network operator. The server system retrieves the pricing configuration and provides a response to the first request to the network operator via the API that includes the pricing configuration.

Embodiments of the present disclosure relate to a method for obtaining information and resources of SDN networks of different operators and a corresponding device. The method includes UE of the first operator transmits a resource request to an SDN controller of the first operator. Afterwards, the SDN controller of the first operator transmits a resource request to an SDN controller of the second operator via an interface newly introduced by the present invention, obtains information of the SDN network of the second operator and utilizes resources of the SDN network of the second operator based on the information. The present invention also discloses a device capable of implementing the above method.

A method (20) of enabling improved efficiency in a first communications network (10A) based on relation metrics on a relation between a first operator (A) of the first communications network (10A) and a second operator (B) of a second communications network (10A, 10B). The method (20) is performed in a network entity (7) and comprises: obtaining (21) data relating to users having a subscription with the first operator (A) and data relating to users having a subscription with the second operator (B); determining (22), based on the obtained data relating to users, a first metric IAB giving number of users roaming to the first operator (A) from the second operator (B) and a second metric OAB giving number of users roaming from the first operator (A) to the second operator (B); and providing (23) the first and second metrics IAB, OAB as relation metrics to a network device (9A) of the first communications network (10A) for use in improving efficiency in the first communications network (10A). A method (50) in a network device (9A) is also provided, and a network entity, a network device, computer programs and computer program products.

The invention relates to a method performed by a network node of managing online charging, and a network node performing the method. In an aspect of the invention, a method performed by a network node of managing online charging of sponsored data connectivity is provided. The method comprises receiving (S101) a user request for service related to the sponsored data connectivity, estimating (S102) a number of users that are expected to use said service, and acquiring (S103), from an Online Charging System authorizing access to the sponsored data connectivity, authorisation for the estimated number of users that are expected to use said service. The method further comprises granting (S104) the user access to the requested service with quota received with the authorisation from said Online Charging System, said quota being valid for a specified time period, and further granting (S104b) any further user requesting (S101b) said service access to the requested service with quota received with the authorisation until total quota authorised by the Online Charging System for the estimated number of users has been apportioned.

The invention relates to a roaming method for an electrical charging system with at least two subsystems. In the method, a charging data set is received through a communication module of a gateway device from a charging station assigned to the gateway device. The charging data set is forwarded by a peer-to-peer module assigned to the gateway device to a peer-to-peer application of a peer-to-peer network, and a roaming action is controlled by a roaming controlling means of the peer-to-peer application executed by at least a part of the nodes of the peer-to-peer network based on the received charging data set.

A modified end user network access point includes a switching module and a controller to track usage of the end user network access point by wirelessly connected end user devices. The tracked usage information is transmitted from the end user network access point to a remotely coupled data center. The data center collects usage information from a plurality of different end user network access points. The collected usage information is in turn transmitted from the data center to a network carrier. The network carrier uses the received usage information to bill users for accessing the end user network access points and using any services provided by the end user network access points. An owner of each end user network access point is compensated by the network carrier each instance that an end user device utilizes the end user network access point to access the network carrier's communications network.