CHARGING IN A COMMUNICATIONS NETWORK

摘要

A method of charging a subscriber for using GPRS services provided by a mobile communications network. The method comprises including in PDP activation messages sent from a UE used by the subscriber to a GGSN of the network, a flag indicating whether the PDP context is to be used for signalling data or user data. This flag is examined within the network or at a node external to the network, and if the flag indicates that the PDP context is to be used for carrying signalling data, a first charging regime is applied to the subscriber for establishing and using the context, and if the flag indicates that the PDP context is to be used for carrying user data, a different charging regime is applied to the subscriber for establishing and/or using the context. The flag may be distributed by the GGSN to other network nodes for inclusion in charging messages.