Abstract:
A user interface of a wireless user terminal provides a forecast of a future rate discount that may apply at a future time and/or at a possible future location of the wireless user terminal. The forecast may be displayed as a map and/or as textual or graphical information, and may be provided in response to a user request, in response to receipt of a message from the wireless network and/or automatically at a given time. Related systems, methods and devices are described.
Abstract:
A method and apparatus for invoking online charging of a service requested via a communications network and to be accessed according to a first protocol, wherein subscriber information is received from a first network element (102) including information for invoking the online charging, and the received subscriber information is interpreted and in response to a service request online charging is invoked from a second network element (103) for the service by means of a second protocol.
Abstract:
A method and apparatus for controlling a present service charging session for charging service usage in a communication network. The method comprises receiving a first request for grant of a reservation service unit quota from a charging client, the first request including at least data identifying an account to charge for the service usage. A first granted service unit quota for the first request is determined and a first carry-over service units quota from a previous service charging session associated with the identified account is accessed. A first reservation service unit quota is determined by deducting the first carry-over service units quota from the first granted service unit quota. According to the method it is reserved for the first reservation service unit quota from the account and the first granted service unit quota is sent to the charging client. Further, a clearing request is received from the charging client including data enabling a first used amount of service units to be determined. An outstanding service unit quota is determined by deducting the first carry-over service unit quota from the first used amount of service unit and the outstanding service unit quota from the account is deducting for. An advantage is that for example mechanisms for reducing resource usage in the communication network, such as for example Quota-Holding-Time defined in 3GPP 32.299, may be used and still get a correct charging of used services thereby avoiding premature denial of service when the account is extinct.
Abstract:
A method and apparatus for controlling data transmission in a communication system is provided. In one aspect of the invention relates to a method performed by a data transmission control node in a communication system. The method comprises receiving a request for a transmission rule for a device; determining a transmission impacting parameter for the device based on information received in the request and based on the transmission impacting parameter further determining a device transmission rule governing the data transmission by the device. A transmission rule deployment message is transmitted to the device enabling the device to govern transmission in accordance with the device transmission rule. Another aspect of the invention relates to a transmission control node apparatus and a further aspect relates to a user equipment device. An advantage is that enabling a sending device to optimize its traffic allows a better performing network with higher utilization.
Abstract:
A method and arrangement for enabling a mobile terminal user currently roaming in a visited mobile network (300), to execute a purchase by means of an SMS payment mechanism. An SMS message (302) containing a purchase request is received from the mobile terminal (A) . After detecting that the SMS message is addressed to an external SMS centre in a home mobile network different from the visited one, the address of the external SMS centre in the SMS message is changed into the address of an internal SMS centre (310) in the visited network. The modified SMS message is then routed towards the internal SMS centre where the purchase can be confirmed if a called number in the message matches a product/service provider (314) registered as being authorised to offer said SMS payment mechanism.
Abstract:
A method and system of facilitating service delivery to a first user (A) registered with a home network (home PLMN) for a particular service having an associated announcement accessible to a service subsystem (4,9) of the home network in a communications system while the user is roaming in a visited network (visited PLMN) of the communications system. The user is identified for the home network and a connection is initiated from the first user (A) to a second user (B) registered with any network of the communications system. The initiated connection is routed to the service subsystem (9) of the home network, the service subsystem (9) of the home network delivers the announcement to the first user, and the service subsystem (9) of the home network establishes a connection between the first and second user (A and B).
Abstract:
The present invention relates to a system and a method for charging in a communication network and to a communication network charging server. The system comprises a client (1) associated with the network for providing services to subscribers associated with the network. The charging server (2) is adapted to handle subscriber account information, and the said client (1) is adapted to send a first charging request message for a service, to the charging server (2) before the service is provided, using an on-line charging protocol (3) .The charging server (2) is also adapted to perform pre- reservation of an amount of resources from the subscriber's account, wherein the amount depends on a requested amount included in the message about the service, and to return an answer message including information indicating whether an amount of resources is pre-reserved from said subscriber account for enabling usage of the service to the client (1) using the on-line charging protocol (3).
Abstract:
A method of controlling use of electronic communication services in an electronic communications network (103), the method comprising: receiving (301) a first credit control request for usage quota from a system providing service (104) for an electronic communication service requested by a first subscriber (101-1); retrieving (302) subscriber account information for the first subscriber (101-1) to be charged for the requested service by a first charging device (105); determining (303a) based on the retrieved subscriber account information at least a second subscriber (102-1) to be charged for at least part of the requested service; determining (303c) a first hash of a rate plan for the first subscriber; setting (305a) a status to indicate that control of the subscriber account information of the first subscriber (101-1) is temporary transferred to the second charging device (106); sending (306) to the second charging device (106) a second credit control request for the electronic communication service (101-1; 102-1), receiving (307) from the second charging device (106): -modified subscriber account information of the first subscriber (101-1) including the requested usage quota; and sending (310) a credit response message including the usage quota to the requesting system providing service (104).
Abstract:
A method of service rating in a service providing network is described. The method comprises: - a service entity performing (S10) a service provision action towards a user, - said service entity sending (SIl) a rating trigger message to a rating entity, - said rating entity determining from said rating trigger message a reference to service related information related to said service provision action, and sending (S12) a request for service related information to a dedicated agent entity of said service providing network, said request comprising said reference, - said dedicated agent entity performing (S13) a data procurement operation towards a destination entity on the basis of said reference, - said destination entity sending (S14) response data to said dedicated agent entity, - said dedicated agent entity extracting (S15) one or more pieces of information from said response data and sending said one or more pieces of information to said rating entity as a response to said request for service related information.
Abstract:
A communications system (20) and method of operation thereof charges a call to at least one of plural customer accounts. A basic method comprises receiving a user identifier from a communications network in conjunction with a communications call or session, using an account-based filter to make a determination whether the call, having a user identifier which is associated with a first account, should be alternatively or partially associated with a second account instead of the first account. The filter can make the determination based on a characteristic of the call. In differing or combinations of embodiments, the characteristic of the call can be (by way of non- limiting example) at least one of type of service utilized by the call; time of the call; location of a party to the call; particular user identity employed at authentication of the call.