A method performed by an application function, AF, for a communication network, wherein the AF has been informed, in a first notification, about an out-of-credit event associated with a user of a service provided by the AF, the method comprising sending subscription request, to a network function, NF, for requesting notifications about reallocation-of-credit events associated with one or more users of a service provided by the AF; receiving, from the NF, a second notification of a reallocation-of-credit event associated with the user of the service provided by the AF for which the AF has been informed about the out-of-credit event, such that the AF can perform one or more second actions with respect to the service.

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.

In one aspect of the teachings herein, an Application Function (AF) in a wireless communication network is configured to support online charging for the consumption of content that has been pre-fetched to a wireless device via the network. The AF functionality thus provides a mechanism by which content may be pre-fetched to a wireless device in advance of charging for that content, while reliably conditioning the later consumption of that content at the wireless device on the online charging decisions made by an online charging system. In another aspect, a wireless device is configured to send a consumption request for pre-fetched content towards such an AF and condition its consumption of the pre-fetched content on the consumption response returned to it.

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 system for multiple network usage tracking, the system having a policy management platform having one or more processors able to receive and to calculate account usage data associated with an account profile, the policy management platform arranged externally from a network of at least one wireless carrier.

Asynchronous and/or synchronous zero charge telephony protocol systems and methods may include an asynchronous signaling switch and/or a call duration time quota from a synchronous charging onset to place and complete a call. A call request is received with a second device mobile address. The asynchronous systems include instructions to automatically modify the mobile address with a routing prefix when the first device has insufficient balance or independent of balance, route to the asynchronous signaling switch based on an associated modified address trunk path, revert to the call signal at the asynchronous signaling switch, and deliver and automatically disconnect the call immediately when the call is completed. The synchronous systems include instructions to automatically set the call duration time quota upon insufficient balance, and deliver and automatically disconnect the call from the second user mobile device when the call is completed and the call duration time quota is exceeded.

The present disclosure is directed to using distributed ledger architectures. In one example, a distributed ledger system includes a first wireless provider and a second wireless provider configured to provide wireless services to one or more of end users of the first wireless provider to roam on; and a plurality of nodes associated with one or more of the wireless providers. Each of the plurality of nodes is configured to access a digital record of an exchange of wireless services between the first wireless provider and the second wireless provider; enable roaming of the one or more of the end users on the second wireless provider upon detecting a first triggering condition; monitor usage of the wireless services; verify the roaming based on the monitoring of the wireless services; and terminate the roaming of the one or more of the end users upon detecting a second triggering condition.

A system and method to facilitate communication between telecommunications participants in a telecommunications network is disclosed. In one aspect, a method of determining a time to permit a communication session by telecommunications participants to be conducted includes causing a telecommunications processor to retrieve, from a data storage: a free time value that is representative of a free time attributed to a participant in the communications session, a funds balance held by the participant, a pre-stored cost per unit time value, and a representation of a billing pattern for the participant. The method also includes causing the telecommunications processor to determine a maximum time to permit the communication session to be conducted as a function of the free time value, the funds balance, the cost per unit time value and the billing pattern. The telecommunications processor initiates ending the communication session when the time to permit the communication session to be conducted expires.

Asynchronous and/or synchronous zero charge telephony protocol systems and methods may include an asynchronous signaling switch and/or a call duration time quota from a synchronous charging onset to place and complete a call. A call request is received with a second device mobile address. The asynchronous systems include instructions to automatically modify the mobile address with a routing prefix when the first device has insufficient balance or independent of balance, route to the asynchronous signaling switch based on an associated modified address trunk path, revert to the call signal at the asynchronous signaling switch, and deliver and automatically disconnect the call immediately when the call is completed. The synchronous systems include instructions to automatically set the call duration time quota upon insufficient balance, and deliver and automatically disconnect the call from the second user mobile device when the call is completed and the call duration time quota is exceeded.

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.