An electronic apparatus is disclosed, including a touch screen display; a communication unit configured to transceive data via a network; a processor; and a memory configured to store instructions to, which when executed, instruct the processor to identify a total data usage transceived through the communication unit if the data usage transceived through the communication unit reaches a predetermined reference value, determine whether a difference value between the total data usage and a predetermined warning value satisfies a condition to change the reference value, and change the reference value based on the determination result.

The present disclosure provides a method (200) in a network entity for control of a Value Added Service (VAS) to be provided for a user. The method (200) comprises: receiving (S210) from another network entity an indication of an account status of a VAS related account associated with the user; determining (S220) a VAS control policy for the VAS based on the account status; and transmitting (S230) the VAS control policy to a network controller that controls provision of the VAS.

Aspects of the subject disclosure may include, for example, a method including instantiating a virtual network function to provide a network resource in the network, accessing data usage information associated with facilitation of a service to a communication device via the network, determining whether the communication device exceeds a data limit threshold according the data usage information, accessing a data limit instruction associated with the communication device responsive to determining that the communication device exceeds the data limit threshold, determining a modification to the virtual network function associated with the facilitation of the service according to the data limit instruction, and communicating with the network to cause the modification to the virtual network function. Other embodiments are disclosed.

A node of a wireless communication network (150; 160; 170; 210; 220; 230; 240) receives an indication from a user equipment (10). The indication indicates that a limitation of volume charged packet data services is required for the user equipment (10). Depending on the received indication, the node (150; 160; 170; 210; 220; 230; 240) prevents transmission of packet data associated with the volume charged packet data services and allows transmission of packet data associated with one or more other packet data services.

A method, performed in a Policy and Charging Rules Function (PCRF) for managing subscription to a policy counter maintained at an Online Charging System (OCS) is disclosed. The PCRF is operable to communicate with the OCS over an Sy reference point. The method comprises receiving an All Users subscription trigger from a network operator (202), the All Users subscription trigger identifying a network policy, and sending a Spending Limit Request (SLR) command to the OCS (208), the SLR command specifying an identifier of a policy counter for the network policy and specifying application of the SLR command to all ongoing Sy sessions between the PCRF and the OCS. Also disclosed is a method, performed in an OCS, for managing subscription by a PCRF to a policy counter maintained at the OCS. The method comprises receiving an SLR command from the PCRF (302), the SLR command specifying an identifier of a policy counter and specifying application of the SLR command to all ongoing Sy sessions between the PCRF and the OCS, and applying the received SLR command with respect to the specified policy counter identifier to each ongoing Sy session between the OCS and the PCRF (306 314). Also disclosed are a PCRF, an OCS and a computer program product.

A technique involves modular storage of network service plan components and provisioning of same. A subset of the capabilities of a service design system can be granted to a sandbox system to enable customization of service plan offerings or other controls.

Technologies for converting mobile communications network billing records include a billing record converter system. The billing record converter system receives a data usage billing record associated with a mobile computing device communicatively coupled to a long term evolution wireless communications network. The received data usage billing record is formatted according to a real-time data usage billing record format. The received data usage billing record is converted into a new data usage billing record formatted according to a roaming data usage billing record format that corresponds to a legacy wireless communications network. The new data usage billing record is transmitted to a billing system of the legacy wireless communications network for processing. In some embodiments, the billing record converter system cumulates and converts multiple data usage billing records associated with the mobile computing device into the new data usage billing record. Other embodiments are described and claimed.

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.

An approach is provided for adjusting a characteristic of a data stream. A rate of data usage provided by one or more data streams within a time period that has not ended is determined. An amount of time remaining in the time period is determined. Based at least in part on the amount of time remaining in the time period and the rate of data usage, an expected amount of data usage within the entire time period is determined. Whether the expected amount of data usage exceeds a limit on data usage within the entire time period is determined. If the expected amount of data usage exceeds the limit, the characteristic of the data stream is adjusted so that actual data usage within the entire time period does not exceed the limit. The actual data usage is based in part on the adjusted characteristic.

The present invention provides a method and system for trading exchange to facilitate local data services for roaming users. The trading exchange includes an ecosystem of a plurality of operators, having home network (HPMN) and visited network (VPMN) operators. The trading exchange further includes a gateway for facilitating local data services for users, where the user is roaming in VPMN, by configuring a Domane Name Resolution (DNS) of the VPMN's Gateway General Packet Radio System (GPRS) Support Node (GGSN) for its users. The trading exchange further includes an interface maintaining a bi-directional connection with the gateway to exchange information related to the roaming services, and a bi-directional connection with users via their mobile devices' user interface.