Abstract: Charging interval authorizations according to the techniques disclosed herein provide for credit reservation and charging of whole charging intervals across two or more credit containers (36) in or linked to a subscriber account (34), without the need for redefining the charging interval size, even where the types of credit units differ between or among the credit containers (36) used to authorize the charging interval. Among the various advantages, the disclosed techniques preserve the original charging interval size, which may be defined for reasons of signaling efficiency, while simultaneously allowing the reservation or consumption of credit units from credit containers (36) having insufficient remaining credit for authorization of the full charging interval.

Abstract: Charging interval authorizations according to the techniques disclosed herein provide for credit reservation and charging of whole charging intervals across two or more credit containers(36) in or linked to a subscriber account (34), without the need for redefining the charging interval size, even where the types of credit units differ between or among the credit containers (36) used to authorize the charging interval. Among the various advantages, the disclosed techniques preserve the original charging interval size, which may be defined for reasons of signaling efficiency, while simultaneously allowing the reservation or consumption of credit units from credit containers (36) having insufficient remaining credit for authorization of the full charging interval.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method performed by a policy control server of a communication network to facilitate provisioning of service-related products in the communication network. The method comprises receiving, from a node of the communication network, a policy settings request message, requesting charging policy settings for service-related products of a subscriber of the communication network, the message comprising a subscriber identity, obtaining, based on the received subscriber identity, information of a number of first service-related products that are provision-capable for the subscriber, and selecting, based on the information of the obtained number of first products, a number of second service-related products that are tentative for the subscriber. The method further comprises obtaining, in response to the selection, policy settings for the number of second products, and sending, to the communication network node, the obtained policy settings for the number of second products.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method performed by a policy control server of a communication network to facilitate provisioning of service-related products in the communication network. The method comprises receiving, from a node of the communication network, a policy settings request message, requesting charging policy settings for service-related products of a subscriber of the communication network, the message comprising a subscriber identity, obtaining, based on the received subscriber identity, information of a number of first service-related products that are provision-capable for the subscriber, and selecting, based on the information of the obtained number of first products, a number of second service-related products that are tentative for the subscriber. The method further comprises obtaining, in response to the selection, policy settings for the number of second products, and sending, to the communication network node, the obtained policy settings for the number of second products.

Abstract: Methods in a charging system (20), in a charging node or charging server comprise associating plural telecommunications services (S) with a product (P) and creating a product instance, the product instance being available to a subscriber entity and having a product instance lifecycle. The methods further comprise, upon receiving a service reservation, checking whether the service reservation is for a first reserved service of the plural telecommunication services associated with the product instance and, if so, reserving a fee for the product instance against a payor account. The methods further comprise, upon receiving a first notification of use by the subscriber entity of any of the plural services associated with the product instance, posting the fee to the payor account.

Abstract: According to one aspect of the teachings herein, a method and apparatus provide for dynamic, service-triggered provisioning of products, for use in authorizing product-related services to subscribers in a communication network. This approach obviates the need to pre-provision products to cover the possible usage of such services by eligible subscribers, which in turn means that the subscriber database memory requirements are reduced to the extent that the database does not need to hold potentially large numbers of pre-provisioned products. In an example embodiment, the number of products needed to cover an initial usage quota is speculatively generated responsive to a charging trigger and service to the involved subscriber is authorized using those speculatively generated products. Unused products are deleted and new products are generated as needed, to cover continued or subsequent usage of the service by the subscriber.

Abstract: According to one aspect of the teachings herein, a method and apparatus provide for dynamic, service-triggered provisioning of products, for use in authorizing product-related services to subscribers in a communication network. This approach obviates the need to pre-provision products to cover the possible usage of such services by eligible subscribers, which in turn means that the subscriber database memory requirements are reduced to the extent that the database does not need to hold potentially large numbers of pre-provisioned products. In an example embodiment, the number of products needed to cover an initial usage quota is speculatively generated responsive to a charging trigger and service to the involved subscriber is authorized using those speculatively generated products. Unused products are deleted and new products are generated as needed, to cover continued or subsequent usage of the service by the subscriber.

Abstract: Methods in a charging system (20), in a charging node or charging server comprise associating plural telecommunications services (S) with a product (P) and creating a product instance, the product instance being available to a subscriber entity and having a product instance lifecycle. The methods further comprise, upon receiving a service reservation, checking whether the service reservation is for a first reserved service of the plural telecommunication services associated with the product instance and, if so, reserving a fee for the product instance against a payor account. The methods further comprise, upon receiving a first notification of use by the subscriber entity of any of the plural services associated with the product instance, posting the fee to the payor account.