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.

Disclosed in one embodiment of the present invention is a method for a user staying in a first country to be authorized in advance, before entering a second country which is different from the first country, to use a network service on a user terminal in the second country, without buying a local USIM after arriving in the second country or using a roaming service.

Structures and protocols are presented for signaling a status or decision concerning a wireless service or device within a region to a communication device (smartphone or wearable device, e.g.) or other wireless communication participant (motor vehicle having a wireless communication capability, e.g.).

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.

Methods and apparatus for dynamic pricing and scheduling of network data transfers are disclosed. A system a plurality of network-accessible resources and a data transfer coordinator. In response to a client request for a network transfer of a data set, the coordinator determines, based at on a network-related metric of one or more resources, at least one time window during which a portion or all of the data set is transferable for a pricing rate below a threshold. The coordinator notifies the client of the time window and provides a duration-limited token authorizing data transfer during the window. The coordinator determines whether a network transmission of data on behalf of the client is valid based at least in part on a time at which the transmission is initiated and at least in part on a use of the token.

Embodiments are disclosed that provision a cloud-based service together with a dedicated network connection to provision a cloud-based service element. In response to the request both the cloud-based service element and a dedicated network connection are provisioned. Provisioning the cloud-based service element together with the dedicated network connection enables the cloud-based service element to utilize the dedicated network connection.

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.

A user equipment (UE) a packet core system and method for common charging of network connectivity and cloud resource utilization for the UE. Upon receipt of a service request from the UE the packet core system sends a service definition of common network connectivity and cloud service classes. The UE sends a request for a network connectivity and cloud resource service with a common network connectivity and cloud service classes. The common class is translated into a first network connectivity class and a second cloud service class. A request for a cloud service comprising the second cloud service class is sent to a cloud node, and charging event is received from the cloud node. The charging event is merged with a charging event of network connectivity according to the first network connectivity class. A merged charging event, according to the requested common network connectivity and cloud service class, is achieved.

A method includes receiving a request to launch a deployable instance, a resource requirement profile for the deployable instance, and corresponding cost model information for each cloud of a plurality of clouds. The method further includes calculating a corresponding deployment cost for the deployable instance for each cloud of the plurality of clouds by using at least a portion of the resource requirement profile for the deployable instance and the corresponding cost model information. The method further includes ranking the plurality of clouds in view of the corresponding deployment cost for each cloud of the plurality of clouds to determine a priority ranking. Responsive to identifying a lowest cost cloud of the plurality of clouds in view of the priority ranking, the method further includes launching the deployable instance on the lowest cost cloud.

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.