SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR PROVIDING VIRTUAL USER GROUPS IN A NETWORK ENVIRONMENT

摘要

A method is provided in one example and includes communicating an access request to a network element, the access request is associated with network authentication relating to a subscriber. The method also includes receiving an access response that includes a profile associated with the subscriber. The profile can include a group attribute that defines the subscriber as being part of a group of subscribers sharing a network data plan, which defines a data allotment assigned to the group over a specified time interval. In more detailed embodiments, a unique data string sent by an Authentication, Authorization, and Accounting element is received, where the unique data string identifies a full set of subscribers belonging to the group. Data underutilization of a first subscriber is offset by data overutilization of a second subscriber, where a summation of the data underutilization and the data overutilization do not exceed the data allotment assigned.