Content for TR 23.800 Word version: 12.0.0

1 Scope p. 8

This Technical Report defines key issues and studies PCEF/TDF charging solutions for the network usage of services and applications when TDF performs application detection and control. Both online and offline charging aspects will be considered. The work will be based on the Rel 11 Policy and charging control architecture, including the specification for application detection and control and the corresponding TDF functionality definition, as defined in TS 23.203.

Based on the technical analysis, any needed enhancements/updates to 3GPP functions and interfaces will be identified.

The agreed solutions will be evaluated for subsequent normative specification.

2 References p. 9

The following documents contain provisions which, through reference in this text, constitute provisions of the present document.

References are either specific (identified by date of publication, edition number, version number, etc.) or non specific.
For a specific reference, subsequent revisions do not apply.
For a non-specific reference, the latest version applies. In the case of a reference to a 3GPP document (including a GSM document), a non-specific reference implicitly refers to the latest version of that document in the same Release as the present document.

[1]

TR 21.905: "Vocabulary for 3GPP Specifications".

[2]

TR 41.001: "GSM Release specifications".
→ to date, withdrawn by 3GPP

[3]

TS 23.203: "Policy and charging control architecture".

[4]

TS 23.139: "3GPP system - fixed broadband access network interworking; Stage 2".

[5]

TS 32.299: "Telecommunication management; Charging management; Diameter charging applications".

[6]

TS 32.240: "Telecommunication management; Charging management; Charging architecture and principles".

3 Definitions and abbreviations p. 10

3.1 Definitions p. 10

For the purposes of the present document, the terms and definitions given in TR 21.905 and in TS 23.203 apply.

3.2 Abbreviations p. 10

For the purposes of the present document, the abbreviations given in TR 21.905 and in TS 23.203 apply.

4 Architectural Requirements p. 10

It shall be possible to apply charging for network usage per detected application in the system when TDF performs application detection, according to rules received from the PCRF.

Both online and offline charging shall be supported.

The application based charging shall support the following charging models:

Volume based charging;
Time based charging;
Volume and time based charging;
Event based charging;
No charging.

In case of Event based charging, it shall be configured at TDF, per each Application Identifier, which events to count.

In case of Time or Volume&time based charging, the time shall be measured following the same principles as defined by the TS 32.299.

Application based charging shall be applicable when the TDF applies enforcement actions to the detected application's traffic: gating, bandwidth limitation and redirection and the corresponding charging shall be provided properly e.g. gated traffic is not to be counted. When the TDF performs these actions, the architecture shall ensure that there is accurate charging for the network usage by an application (i.e. network usage should not be charged as part of both a service data flow and as part of an application).

It shall be possible to apply different rates and charging models per detected application when a user is identified to be roaming from when the user is in the home network. Furthermore, it shall be possible to apply different rates and charging models based on the location of a user, beyond the granularity of roaming.

It shall be possible to apply a separate rate to the network usage for a specific detected application, e.g. allow the user to access an application deemed by the operator as no charge and another application with a rate causing a charge.

It shall be possible to change the rate per detected application based on the time of day.

It shall be possible to enforce per-detected application usage limits for the network usage by an application using online charging on a per user basis (may apply to prepaid and post-paid users).

It shall be possible for the online charging system to set and send the thresholds (time and/or volume based) for the amount of remaining credit per detected application. In case it is detected that any of the time based or volume based credit falls below the threshold, a request for credit re-authorization to the OCS with the remaining credit (time and/or volume based) shall be sent.

It shall be possible for the charging system to select the applicable rate based on:

Home/visited network;
Time of day;
IP CAN specific parameters.

The charging system maintains the tariff information, determining the rate based on the above input. Thus the rate may change e.g. as a result of IP CAN session specific parameters change.

The charging model applicable to a detected application may change as a result of events identified by the OCS (e.g. after having spent a certain amount of time and/or volume, the user gets to use some application for free).

The charging rate or charging model applicable to a detected application may change as a result of having used the application for a certain amount of time and/or volume.

In the case of online charging, it shall be possible to apply an online charging action upon Application Start/Stop events.

It shall be possible to indicate that interactions with the charging systems are not required for a specific detected application, i.e. to perform neither accounting nor credit control for this application, and then no offline charging information is generated.