Abstract: Systems, methods, and computer readable media for application-level authentication in a telecommunications network are disclosed. According to one aspect, the subject matter described herein includes a method for application-level authentication of messages in a telecommunications network. The method includes, at a node in a telecommunications network, receiving, from a personal communications device having a user, a message requiring application-level authentication, the message including information associated with the user and incorporating first authentication information associated with the user, the first authentication information being provided from a source that is not the user of the personal communications device. A request for second authentication information associated with the user is sent to an authentication server.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and computer readable media for distributing Diameter network management information are disclosed. According to one method, a first Diameter node obtains Diameter network management subscription information. The first Diameter node obtains Diameter network management information. The first Diameter node determines, using the Diameter network management subscription information, whether at least one second Diameter node is subscribed to receive the obtained Diameter network management information. In response to determining that the at least one second Diameter node is subscribed to receive the obtained network management information, the first Diameter node sends the obtained Diameter network management information to the at least one second Diameter node.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and computer program products for clustering and communicating between Internet protocol multimedia subsystem (IMS) entities and for supporting database access in an IMS network environment. According to one aspect, an IMS cluster node includes a serving call state control function (S-CSCF) for controlling media sessions between IMS users. The cluster node further includes a home subscriber service (HSS) function for storing and providing IMS subscription information to the S-CSCF function. A shared memory is operatively associated with the S-CSCF function and the HSS function. The S-CSCF function obtains IMS subscription information from the HSS function via the shared memory.

Abstract: According to one aspect, the subject matter described herein includes a method for subscriber activated policy enhancement. The method may include receiving a policy enhancement code from a user device at a policy enhancement server (PES). The method may further include obtaining at least one policy enhancement corresponding to the policy enhancement code in response to receiving the policy enhancement code from the user device. The method may further include enhancing at least one policy aspect of a policy for the user device based on the policy enhancement.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and computer readable media for managing the flow of signaling traffic entering a signaling system 7 (SS7) based network having a plurality of gateways for connecting the SS7 network to a non-SS7 network are disclosed. According to one aspect, a method for managing the flow of signaling traffic entering the SS7 based network includes generating, at a signaling node within the SS7 network, a route management message including information for identifying one of the plurality of gateways as the preferred gateway for traffic into the SS7 network. The message is sent to a node in the non-SS7 network for directing traffic into the SS7 network via the identified gateway.

Abstract: Systems, methods, and computer readable media for providing dynamic steering of roaming in a telecommunications network are disclosed. According to one aspect, a method for providing dynamic steering or roaming in a telecommunications network includes a method for providing dynamic steering or roaming in a telecommunications network. The method includes, at a mobile telecommunications device, the device being associated with a subscriber of a first network, detecting a trigger condition for updating a roaming preference, where the trigger condition is not controlled by the operator of the first network, determining an identity of a second network, and performing at least one of: making a change to a preferred roaming network for the device by setting the second network as a preferred roaming network for the device, and connecting to the second network.

Abstract: The subject matter described herein includes methods, systems, and computer readable media for network metadata based policy control. According to one aspect, a system for network metadata based policy control is provided. The system includes a network metadata directed policy server for obtaining network information for a plurality of subscribers, for deriving network metadata from the network information, for applying a network metadata policy manipulation rule for changing a value of a network an operator assigned policy control parameter for the subscribers, and for generating an instruction for changing the value of the network operator assigned policy control parameter for the subscriber. The system further includes a policy control and charging rules function (PCRF) node for detecting the instruction and for instructing a policy and charging enforcement function (PCEF) node to change value of the operator assigned policy control parameter for the subscribers.

Abstract: According to one aspect, the subject matter described herein includes a system for providing a Diameter signaling router with integrated monitoring functionality. The system includes a Diameter signaling router comprising a network interface for receiving, from a first Diameter node, a first Diameter message having Diameter information. The system also includes an integrated monitoring module located within the Diameter signaling router for copying at least a portion of the first Diameter message and providing the copied information associated with the first Diameter message to an application.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and computer readable media for PCRF fault tolerance are disclosed. One exemplary method for PCRF fault tolerance includes sending, from the PCRF to a Diameter peer, a message concerning Diameter application session state information associated with Diameter application sessions currently or previously managed by the PCRF. The method further includes receiving, by the PCRF, a message from the Diameter peer in response to the message concerning the Diameter application session state information. The method further includes, determining, by the PCRF and based on the response, whether the Diameter application session state information maintained by the PCRF is accurate. The method further includes, in response to determining that the Diameter application session state information maintained by the PCRF is not accurate, requesting, by the PCRF, Diameter application session state information.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and computer readable media for for provisioning a Diameter binding repository (DBR) are disclosed. In one example, the method comprises receiving, at a Diameter routing node, a Diameter signaling message that is associated with a mobile subscriber and includes mobile subscriber related information. The method also includes selecting a network service node from a plurality of network service nodes configured to process the Diameter signaling message and querying a subscriber data management (SDM) node using the mobile subscriber related information to obtain additional information associated with the mobile subscriber. The method further includes generating Diameter binding record information using the mobile subscriber related information, the additional information, and an identifier corresponding to the selected network service node and providing the Diameter binding record information to a Diameter binding repository.

Abstract: According to one aspect, the subject matter described herein includes a method for sharing Diameter binding data. The method includes receiving, by a first Diameter signaling router (DSR), a first Diameter message requiring processing. The method also includes selecting, by the first DSR, a processing element to perform the required processing from a plurality of processing elements. The method further includes routing, by the first DSR, the received first Diameter message to the selected processing element. The method further includes creating, by the first DSR, a binding record associating the selected processing element with information associated with the received first Diameter message. The method further includes communicating, by the first DSR, the binding record to a second DSR.

Abstract: Methods and systems for automatic time-based routing rule administration are disclosed. According to one method, routing data for routing messages between a source address and a destination address is stored in a network routing table. A time period is associated with the routing data based on agreements between service providers. Messages are routed between the service providers during the time period. Outside of the time period, routing of messages between the source address and the destination address is automatically inhibited.

Abstract: According to one aspect, the subject matter described herein includes a method for user controlled policy sharing. The method includes receiving, from a first user device, a request to share with a second user device a policy attribute associated with the first user device. The method also includes generating a signaling message containing instructions to modify the policy attribute. The method further includes communicating the signaling message to a policy control function associated with the second user device.

Abstract: According to one aspect, the subject matter described herein includes a method for Diameter-based steering of mobile device network access. The method includes receiving a Diameter message associated with a mobile device. The method also includes determining, based on the Diameter message, whether the mobile device should be steered to access a radio access network or a radio access network type that is different from a radio access network or radio access network type currently supporting network access of the mobile device. The method further includes, in response to determining that the mobile device should access the different radio access network or radio access network type, steering the mobile device to access the different radio access network or radio access network type.

Abstract: According to one aspect, the subject matter described herein includes a method for SDF based subscription profile repository selection. The method includes receiving a first signaling message. The first signaling message includes service data flow information for identifying a service data flow. The method also includes selecting, using the service data flow information, an SPR from a plurality of SPRs, the SPR containing policy information associated with the service data flow.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and computer readable media for controlling the delivery of a social networking service originated message directed to a mobile device are disclosed. According to one example, the method performed at a routing node includes intercepting a mobility management message that includes location information associated with a mobile device, storing the location information associated with the mobile device in a location database, and receiving a social networking service originated message directed to the mobile device, wherein the message includes media content. The method further includes extracting the location information associated with the mobile device from the location database and delivering the media content to the mobile device using the extracted location information from the location database.

Abstract: Systems, methods, and computer readable media for communicating calling name information between signaling system 7 (SS7) and non-SS7 networks are disclosed. According to one aspect, the subject matter described herein includes a method for communicating calling name information between signaling system 7 (SS7) and non-SS7 networks. An entity for processing signaling messages receives an SS7 message that includes a calling party identifier, and uses the calling party identifier to obtain calling name information associated with the calling party. The SS7 message is modified to include the calling name information and sent to a gateway network element for communicating messages between SS7 networks and non-SS7 networks.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and computer program products for providing variable rate prepaid telecommunication services utilizing a weighting function are disclosed. The method includes intercepting a signaling message that includes an available credit value associated with a prepaid communications session. A credit adjustment factor based on at least one call parameter associated with the prepaid communications session is determined. The method also includes applying the credit adjustment factor to the available credit value to generate an adjusted available credit value. The signaling message is modified to include the adjusted available credit value.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and computer readable media for dynamically learning Diameter binding information are disclosed. According to one method, the method comprises receiving one or more response messages associated with the one or more Diameter signaling messages, determining, based on information contained in the one or more response messages, whether at least one of the one or more network service nodes was able to successfully process the one or more Diameter signaling messages, and generating, in response to determining that at least one of the one or more network service nodes was able to successfully process at least one of the one or more Diameter request messages, a Diameter binding record that associates the identification information and the at least one of the one or more network service nodes.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and computer readable media for performing triggerless mobile location-based screening and routing are disclosed. According to one aspect, the subject matter described herein includes a method for performing triggerless mobile location-based screening and routing. A telecommunications network element receives a mobility management message associated with a mobile subscriber, extracts from the mobility management message information identifying the mobile subscriber and location information associated with the mobile subscriber, and stores the extracted location information associated with the mobile subscriber. The network element receives a call setup message associated with a call from the mobile subscriber, extracts from the call setup message information identifying the mobile subscriber, retrieves the stored location information associated with the mobile subscriber, and performs a screening or routing function based on the location information associated with the mobile subscriber.