Abstract:
A method of detecting the context of a mobile station for use in processing usage data corresponding to usage of a network service provided by a cellular mobile telephone network, the network being capable of providing the mobile station with said network service via a first terrestrial radio access technology and being arranged to generate a usage data record in respect of said usage of said network service, the method comprising the steps of: detecting a mobile station during a detection period via a second terrestrial access technology, said second access technology being different to said first terrestrial radio access technology; receiving data indicative of said detected mobile station; and for any usage data records generated in respect of usage of said network service occurring during said detection period, adjusting usage data derived from said usage data records on the basis of the received data. Embodiments of the invention are concerned with identifying the context of a subscriber via a technology different to that utilised to provide the subscriber with network services, and using the context information to determine a charge for the usage of network services; and/or to track the movements of a subscriber; and/or to determine a next task to be performed by the subscriber; and/or to verify access to various network services.