Abstract: The proposed solution relates to a method and an apparatus in a communication system. The solution comprises creating (400) a bearer for user terminal communication; transmitting (402) a credit control request message to Online Charging System, storing (404) the message to a transmission buffer, receiving (406) a credit control answer message as a reply to the request message and, if the credit control answer message comprises an error code: opening (412) a charging data record and timestamping the opening with the time the bearer was created, copying (414) the message from the transmission buffer to the charging data record, adding (416) information regarding rating groups affected by the error to the charging data record as containers and closing the containers and updating (418) result code-field of the charging data record according to the error code.

Abstract: A method, apparatus and computer program product are provided in accordance with example embodiments in order to provide methods, apparatuses, and/or systems that reduce and/or eliminate network inefficiencies caused by the traffic profile associated with narrow band Internet-of-Things (NB-IoT) devices and similar devices, by applying and optimizing protocols governing the allocation of network resources to such devices. In some example implementations, a serving gateway (SGW) and/or a packet data network gateway (PGW) is locally configured with a threshold set that includes limits on the permissible traffic associated with a NB-IoT device and/or a similar device over a given unit of time. To the extent that the traffic remains within such limits, generation of charging data records (CDRs) and signaling to an online charging server may be reduced or eliminated.

Abstract: The present invention provides apparatuses, methods, and computer program products regarding overload control handling in case of an overload state of a charging entity. The method comprises controlling a charging control session with a charging entity, receiving an overload report from the charging entity, and preventing to send any charging related request messages to the charging entity until a predetermined period has elapsed.

Abstract: A method, apparatus and computer program product are provided in accordance with example embodiments in order to provide methods, apparatuses, and/or systems that reduce and/or eliminate network inefficiencies caused by the traffic profile associated with narrow band Internet-of-Things (NB-IoT) devices and similar devices, by applying and optimizing protocols governing the allocation of network resources to such devices. In some example implementations, a serving gateway (SGW) and/or a packet data network gateway (PGW) is locally configured with a threshold set that includes limits on the permissible traffic associated with a NB-IoT device and/or a similar device over a given unit of time. To the extent that the traffic remains within such limits, generation of charging data records (CDRs) and signaling to an online charging server may be reduced or eliminated.

Abstract: The proposed solution relates to a method and an apparatus in a communication system. The solution comprises creating (400) a bearer for user terminal communication; transmitting (402) a credit control request message to Online Charging System, storing (404) the message to a transmission buffer, receiving (406) a credit control answer message as a reply to the request message and, if the credit control answer message comprises an error code: opening (412) a charging data record and timestamping the opening with the time the bearer was created, copying (414) the message from the transmission buffer to the charging data record, adding (416) information regarding rating groups affected by the error to the charging data record as containers and closing the containers and updating (418) result code-field of the charging data record according to the error code.

Abstract: The present invention provides apparatuses, methods, computer programs, computer program products and computer-readable media regarding enhanced congestion control by means of selective restart of credit control sessions. The present invention comprises storing an identifier of each of a plurality of credit control sessions handled by the charging entity when a failure has occurred at the charging entity and the plurality of credit control sessions has been terminated and a bearer associated with each of the plurality of the credit control session is to be maintained; and sending a message for requesting restart of at least one of the plurality of credit control sessions to a gateway entity handling the plurality of credit control sessions, the message including an identifier of the at least one of the plurality of credit control sessions to be restarted.

Abstract: The present invention provides apparatuses, methods, and computer program products regarding overload control handling in case of an overload state of a charging entity. The method comprises controlling a charging control session with a charging entity, receiving an overload report from the charging entity, and preventing to send any charging related request messages to the charging entity until a predetermined period has elapsed.

Abstract: The present invention provides apparatuses, methods, computer programs, computer program products and computer-readable media regarding enhanced congestion control by means of selective restart of credit control sessions. The present invention comprises storing an identifier of each of a plurality of credit control sessions handled by the charging entity when a failure has occurred at the charging entity and the plurality of credit control sessions has been terminated and a bearer associated with each of the plurality of the credit control session is to be maintained; and sending a message for requesting restart of at least one of the plurality of credit control sessions to a gateway entity handling the plurality of credit control sessions, the message including an identifier of the at least one of the plurality of credit control sessions to be restarted.