IEs Supported for Online Charging Reporting

The following IEs support online charging:

  • Volume Quota – The SMF requests the UPF to stop forwarding packets or allow forwarding some limited user plane traffic (based on the operator policy in UPF) with this IE. If no Volume Threshold is provisioned – to generate a usage report – and when the measured traffic reaches the quota, this IE is used.

  • Time Quota - The SMF requests the UPF to stop forwarding packets or allow forwarding some limited user plane traffic (based on operator policy in UPF) with this IE. If no Volume Threshold is provisioned – to generate a usage report – and when the measured traffic reaches the quota, this IE is used.

  • Monitoring Time – This IE is used by the SMF to send the time (UTC format) at which the UPF can re-apply the volume or time threshold. Also, the SMF sends any one of the Subsequent Volume, Time, Volume Quota, Time Quota, and Quota IEs, which is re-applied at the Monitoring Timestamp.

  • FAR (Forwarding Action Rule) ID for Quota Action – This IE is used by the SMF to identify the substitute FAR the UPF applies – for the traffic that is associated to the URR – when any of the Volume, Time or quota is exhausted. This FAR requires the UPF to drop the packets or redirect the traffic toward a redirect destination.

  • Subsequent Volume Threshold – When volume-based measurement is used and Monitoring Time IE is available, this IE is also present. The presence of this IE indicates the existence of the traffic volume value (the network resources usage reported by the UPF to the SMF) for this specific URR and the period after the Monitoring Time.

  • Subsequent Time Threshold - When time-based measurement is used and Monitoring Time IE is available, this IE is also present. The presence of this IE indicates the existence of the time usage (the network resources usage reported by the UP function to the CP function) for this specific URR and the period after the Monitoring Time.

  • Linked URR ID – When the linked usage reporting is required, this IE is used. It is possible to link multiple URR-IDs with an URR. Also, linked usage reporting is also sent in the Reporting Trigger IE.

  • Measurement Method – The SMF specifies the measurement method of the network usage with the presence of this IE. The measurement method is based on volume and duration.

  • Measurement Period – This IE is present to modify the measurement period.

  • Periodic Reporting - When this trigger is set, the UPF sends resource usage report periodically to the SMF. The intervals that are required for periodic reporting are sent with the measurement period IE. When the trigger is set to 1, a request for periodic reporting is sent.

  • Volume Threshold – This trigger is set when volume-based measurement is required. The SMF sends the traffic volume value along with the volume threshold IE, while the UPF sends the traffic usage report when the traffic volume is reached for the specific Usage Reporting Rule (URR). When the trigger is set to 1, a request for reporting – when the data volume usage reaches a volume threshold – is sent.

  • Time Threshold - This trigger is set when time-based measurement is set. The SMF sends the time threshold value along with the time threshold IE, while the UPF sends resource usage report when the time threshold is reached for the specific URR. When the trigger is set to 1, a request for reporting – when the time usage reaches a time threshold - is sent.

  • Start of Traffic – The UPF sends the Usage Report once the traffic starts for an application, when this trigger is set.

  • Linked Usage Reporting - The UPF sends the usage report of this specific URR when this trigger is set. In addition, the usage report is sent to any of the URRs linked to UPF when this trigger is set. The UPF sends the linked URR-Id along with the linked URR-Id IE. When the trigger is set to 1, a request for linked usage reporting is sent.