Advice of charge (AoC) enforcement is implemented in a content centric networking (CCN) gateway. The AoC enforcement receives a CCN interest packet from a user equipment in a network external to the CCN network and looks up a prefix of the CCN name in an AoC table. The AoC enforcement further, in response to determining a match between the prefix of the CCN name and an entry in the AoC table, generates an AoC request and forwarding the AoC request toward an AoC server identified by the entry in the AoC table determined to be the match with the prefix of the CCN name. In response to not determining the match between the prefix of the CCN name and the entry in the AoC table or in response to receiving a purchase accepted response from the AoC server, a CCN object identified by the CCN name is retrieved and forwarded to the user equipment.

Methods, a policy node and a charging node for enabling spending limit control for a user equipment in a telecommunication network. The policy node obtains an identifier related to the user equipment, an identifier of a policy counter and a set of policy counter statuses to be monitored by the policy node. The set of policy counter statuses are related to the identifier of the policy counter. The policy node sends, a request for reporting of policy counter statuses related to the user equipment for the policy counter. The request includes the identifier related to the user equipment, the identifier of the policy counter and the set of policy counter statuses. A policy counter status of the set of policy counter statuses is determined. The policy counter status has changed as determined by the charging node. A response to the request is sent and includes the policy counter status that has changed.

Computer-implemented method for online charging telecommunication services in real time, comprising: (i) running a money-to-time algorithm, computing a time balance based on charging parameters and a wallet balance; (ii) if greater than zero, creating a charging data record, CDR, and writing a start timestamp therein, setting a terminate session timer based on the time balance, and confirming the communication session; (iii) if not greater than zero, or upon expiration of the terminate session timer, instructing to terminate the communication session, wherein upon expiration of the terminate session timer an end timestamp is written in the CDR. Online charging system, OCS, implementing the method.

An API management device includes: a reception unit configured to receive a selection of a charging condition when using an API; a receiver configured to receive a request for the API from the application; a transmitter configured to transmit a response according to the request to the application; and a history storage configured to store a history of the request for the API and the response for each of the applications that use the API. A charging management device includes: a charging condition storage configured to store the charging condition received by the reception unit for each of the applications that use the API when using the API; an acquisition unit configured to acquire information on the history from the history storage; and a determination unit configured to determine a charge value for the application that uses the API based on the charging condition and the information on the history.

Methods, a policy node and a charging node for enabling spending limit control for a user equipment in a telecommunication network. The policy node obtains an identifier related to the user equipment, an identifier of a policy counter and a set of policy counter statuses to be monitored by the policy node. The set of policy counter statuses are related to the identifier of the policy counter. The policy node sends, a request for reporting of policy counter statuses related to the user equipment for the policy counter. The request includes the identifier related to the user equipment, the identifier of the policy counter and the set of policy counter statuses. A policy counter status of the set of policy counter statuses is determined. The policy counter status has changed as determined by the charging node. A response to the request is sent and includes the policy counter status that has changed.

A system for generating and applying a secure token in a resource distribution network is provided. For example, a headend system generates a time-based token based on a time duration specified for a meter. The time-based token indicates the time duration for the meter. The time-based token is further generated based on an identifier of the meter. The headend system transmits the time-based token to the meter via at least a mesh network. After receiving the time-based token, the meter validates the time-based token to determine that the time-based token is generated for the meter based on information related to the identifier of the meter. If the meter determines that the time-based token is valid, the meter connects premises associated with the meter to a resource distribution network for at least the time duration specified in the time-based token.

Computer-implemented method for online charging telecommunication services in real time, comprising: (i) running a money-to-time algorithm, computing a time balance based on charging parameters and a wallet balance; (ii) if greater than zero, creating a charging data record, CDR, and writing a start timestamp therein, setting a terminate session timer based on the time balance, and confirming the communication session; (iii) if not greater than zero, or upon expiration of the terminate session timer, instructing to terminate the communication session, wherein upon expiration of the terminate session timer an end timestamp is written in the CDR. Online charging system, OCS, implementing the method.

A method, computing system, and computer program product are provided. A processor of a computer system estimates an amount of bandwidth to be used to complete a transaction based on a usage history. Responsive to determining that the amount of the estimated bandwidth to be used exceeds a predefined threshold of an amount of available bandwidth and to determining that an account has any offers for additional bandwidth at no additional cost, the amount of available bandwidth is automatically recharged using at least some of the any offers until either the any offers are exhausted or the estimated amount of the bandwidth to be used would be less than the predefined threshold. When the estimated amount of the bandwidth to be used continues to exceed the predefined threshold, the bandwidth is automatically recharged using an advanced amount of bandwidth to increase a likelihood that the transaction will complete successfully.

Computer-implemented method for online charging telecommunication services in real time, comprising: (i) running a money-to-time algorithm, computing a time balance based on charging parameters and a wallet balance; (ii) if greater than zero, creating a charging data record, CDR, and writing a start timestamp therein, setting a terminate session timer based on the time balance, and confirming the communication session; (iii) if not greater than zero, or upon expiration of the terminate session timer, instructing to terminate the communication session, wherein upon expiration of the terminate session timer an end timestamp is written in the CDR. Online charging system, OCS, implementing the method.

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.