Component-based charging in a next-generation multimedia network

In classical networks, charging and billing are important tools for customer care to fight competition and to assure the operator's revenue. If charging is to remain a prime competitive tool in next-generation networks, it must be functionally intelligent and flexible, and able to optimize operator and service provider revenues while providing a fair policy toward the end users. Multimedia sessions can be considered as being composed of a number of call components, each of which might consist of different bearer and service objects. The NGN multimedia network structure and its business model define four players involved in charging: access provider, connection provider, telecommunication service provider, and value-added service provider. Often charging components must be correlated to create a clear postpaid bill and ensure correct treatment of prepaid accounts, as well as settlement between the providers involved.