When a capillary network device connects to user equipment and the user equipment establishes or modifies a bearer to support traffic from the capillary device, the user equipment may request that the network provide some indication that the user equipment will not be charged for the traffic. The network may indicate to the user equipment that the flow is sponsored or that the user equipment will otherwise not be charged for the flow. Existing messages between a UE/GW, P-GW, PCRF, and an application server (AS) may be modified and new messages may be used so that the user equipment can request a guarantee of sponsorship or of non-charging and so that the AS may indicate to the user equipment that the flow is sponsored. The messaging can also be used by user equipment on its own behalf.