The method comprises the steps of: the Policy and Charging Rules Function (PCRF) receiving (Step 1) user's subscription information, in order to determine an initial policy; the Policy and Charging Enforcement Function (PCEF) applying (Step 2) the initial rules; the Policy and Charging Enforcement Function (PCEF) triggering (Step 3) the Extended Online Charging System (EOCS) for the user's service/network resource usage; the Extended Online Charging System (EOCS) rating and charging (step 4) the user, in real time; the Extended Online Charging System (EOCS) triggering (Step 5) a change of policy in the Policy and Charging Rules Function (PCRF); the Policy and Charging Rules Function (PCRF) determining (Step 6) new rules for the new policy; the Policy and Charging Enforcement Function (PCEF) receiving (Step 7) the new rules and applying them.

One embodiment relates to a method for sharing consumption of an electronic communication service by a mobile terminal, a session for consuming the service being established initially between the terminal and a gateway between the mobile network and a packet-switched network, remaining credit for consuming the service being attributed initially to the terminal. The terminal periodically requests authorisation to consume a predetermined quota of the remaining credit. A request to track the credit of the terminal is received and a message, intended for launching a credit request for the terminal is transmitted to the gateway. A credit request message for the terminal including information relating to a portion of the predetermined quota consumed by the terminal is received from the gateway. The remaining credit is updated accordingly. A response to track the credit of the terminal for the service, including the updated value of the remaining credit is transmitted.

The present disclosure relates to a method related to an online charging system for a cellular radio communication system. The method includes obtaining a notification that a refill action of a user account for the communication system is pending. The notification includes an identifier (vid) of a refill resource for the refill action. The method also includes inspecting a refill database updated by an account management function of the online charging system to determine whether the refill resource identifier is included therein, indicating whether or not the user account has been refilled based on the refill resource.

Systems and methods are described herein for recharging prepaid accounts within a telecommunications provider, such as a network carrier, using information provided by postpaid account subscribers. For example, the systems and methods facilitate the receipt of instructions from mobile devices associated with postpaid accounts. Upon receipt of the messages, the systems and methods (such as systems within a charging system of the network carrier or provider) identify intended or recipient mobile devices associated with prepaid accounts. Once identified, the systems and methods recharge the prepaid accounts, based on the instructions received from the postpaid account mobile devices.

Online charging within an IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS). A method comprises, at an IMS charging node: (a) receiving a credit control request message from an IMS service network node over a service charging interface provided between the IMS service node and the IMS charging node; (b) determining with reference to one or more triggering conditions that an announcement is to be provided to a user associated with the credit control request message and/or another user; and (c) following such a determination, initiating an announcement service in the IMS service node by sending an announcement request in a credit control answer message over the service charging interface to the IMS service node, the credit control answer message being in response to the credit control request message and the announcement request comprising announcement information relating to the announcement to be provided.

The present disclosure provides a band usage information generating and reporting method, a charging method, an eNB, a CN, a MME and a UE. The eNB and the UE can generate band usage information for charging, and report the band usage information to the CN, wherein the band usage information involves band usage of at least a first band and a second band, and traffic is assigned to respective bands by the eNB. The Counting entity at the eNB or UE can count the data volume of each band or ratio of data volume via different bands as the band usage information based on the scheduling information of the data. The Charging system located in the CN can process the charging and generate a bill according to the reported band usage information.

The present disclosure provides a band usage information generating and reporting method, a charging method, an eNB, a ON, a MME and a UE. The eNB and the UE can generate band usage information for charging, and report the band usage information to the CN, wherein the band usage information involves band usage of at least a first band and a second band, and traffic is assigned to respective bands by the eNB. The Counting entity at the eNB or UE can count the data volume of each band or ratio of data volume via different bands as the band usage information based on the scheduling information of the data. The Charging system located in the CN can process the charging and generate a bill according to the reported band usage information.

A Computer Network Service Providing System including Self Adjusting Volume enforcement functionality and methods for diminishing or minimizing volume leakage.

In order for charging SDT and MTC device trigger over control plane, there is provided a network node (40) that relays messages over a control plane (T5 and Tsp) between an MTC device (10) and an SCS (50). The network node (40) counts the number of messages successfully relayed, and generates a CDR in accordance with the counted number. The messages are SDT messages delivered from the MTC device (10) to the SCS (50), SDT messages delivered from the SCS (50) to the MTC device (10), or MTC device trigger messages delivered from the SCS (50) to the MTC device (10). The network node (40) transfers the CDR to an OCF (31) or a CDF (32).

Systems and methods for improving efficiency in a mobile communications network are described. In one embodiment, a method granting data resources to one or more subscribers belonging to a group in a communications network comprises receiving a request to create an online charging session, wherein the request identifies a designated user group (DUG) associated with one or more subscribers. If the DUG is not associated with an existing online charging session, the DUG identifier can be used to request a new online charging session and receive from the online charging node policy data assigned to the DUG. In another embodiment, the method includes grating data resources to the one or more subscribers based on the policy data, which are shared by the one or more subscribers.