13.

CHARGING AND ACCOUNTING IN GSM

Contents
Objectives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 240 Principles for charging . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 241 Structures for tariffs and charging . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 241 Network components . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 241 Call components . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 243 Reception and processing of charging data . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 245 Toll ticketing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 245 A traffic case . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 250 Accounting between operators in GSM . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 252

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Objectives
After this chapter the student will be able to describe:

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Concept of charging in GSM Registration of call related data What is a TT-record Which subscriber will or might be charged for what part of the call

Preface Introduction to GSM Subscriber services System overview Digital radio transmission problems and solutions Mobile Station Digital radio air interface

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Principles for charging

The basic principles for charging in a GSM network is the same as for charging in a PSTN, i.e. the calling subscriber, Asubscriber, pays for the call. There is one major difference though; in PSTN we always know where the subscriber, or at least the subscription, is located. In a mobile network the only thing we know about the B-subscriber is in which country he or she has placed the subscription. In general this means that the A subscriber pays the part of the call to this country and, if the subscriber is located in the home PLMN, also the part of the call within this country. This is valid as long as there is no call forwarding service activated by the B subscriber. The Bsubscriber has to pay for those parts of a call which emerge from the Bsubscriber roaming in another network. The GSM recommendation deals with the charging mechanisms related to call from a GSM mobile (mobile originated calls) and with the forwarded to element (when the mobile subscriber is roaming) of a call to a GSM subscriber (mobile terminated calls).

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Structures for tariffs and charging

Network components
The tariff structure consists of two parts: 1. The network access component 2. The network utilization component. The network access component, intended to cover the cost of making a service available, represents the cost of the service which is not dependent on the time the network is used. It corresponds to what is generally known as the network connection charges. The network utilization component covers the costs which are dependent on the use of the network.

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Network access component

Access charges are levied for each subscription, and may consist of An initial fee (nonrecurring) A subscription charge (payable at certain time intervals, e.g. monthly or quarterly, until the subscription is terminated)

The access charges varies according to the entitlement of the subscription and the number of basic and supplementary services subscribed to.

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The network access charges are based on data registered in the subscription handling procedures, and are collected by the home PLMN operator from his subscribers.

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Network utilization component

The network utilization component is registered on a per call basis. The basic working principle is to start charging the moment the Bsubscriber (or the Csubscriber if call forwarding is activated) answers, or on connection to an answering machine internally in the network. The main elements are: Use of GSM/PLMNs Use of national / international PSTNs Use of connection between different networks Use of the signalling system no.7
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The different call components are described and dened below. The network utilization charges vary according to, for instance, from which country / regional area the call is originated, its destination, day and time when the call is established, use of supplementary services, if the calling party is roaming internationally and the telecommunication service used.

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Call components
The reason for dividing the call into different components is because we want to be able to charge the Asubscriber and Bsubscriber separately for different call components. See Figure 116.

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VLR

HLR

Network of A and B's home PLMN

RBS Asubscriber

BSC

MSC

GMSC

Originating Component VLR MSC

Roaming or Call Forwarding component BSC RBS Bsubscriber Terminating Call Component
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Mobile Station Digital radio air interface Identity numbers Switching System Base Station System Traffic cases Cell planning for CME 20 Operation and Support System Charging and accounting

Network of PLMN where B is roaming or has call forwarding to.

BSC GMSC HLR MSC RBS VLR Base Station Controller Gateway Mobile Service Switching Centre Home Location Register Mobile Service Switching Centre Radio Base Station Visitor Location Register

Figure 116 Originating, Roaming, Call Forwarding and Terminating Components

Originating call component

The originating call component is the part of a mobile originated call from the MSC/VLR to the network entity pointed out by the MSISDN. Mobile A subscriber pays for this component.

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Roaming component
The roaming component is the part of a call to a mobile subscriber from the home PLMN to the MSC/VLR pointed out by the MSRN, Mobile Station Roaming Number. Depending on the application of the operator, A or B pays for this component. If roaming internationally, this component is often payed by B.

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Call forwarding component

The call forwarding component is the part of a call to a mobile subscriber from the GMSC or MSC/VLR to the network entity pointed out by a forwardedto number. A or B pays for this component. If call forwarding to an international number, this component is often payed by B.

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Terminating call component

This is the part of the call from serving MSC/VLR to the mobile subscriber. Also here it depends on the application of the operator who pays, A or B. See Figure 116.

Transiting call component

The originating, the roaming and/or the call forwarding call component might of course include a transiting component using the PSTN. This depending on the network structure between serving MSC and GMSC for A and B respectively.
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Identity numbers Switching System Base Station System

Transiting Components RBS BSC MSC GMSC

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MSC BSC RBS

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Figure 117 Transiting Call Component

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Reception and processing of charging data

In order to charge a subscriber a lot of data is requested from the system. In CME 20 the Charging Subsystem, CHS, in the MSC/VLR or GMSC handles charging matters. The storage of data is performed in the function block Charging Data Recording, CDR (see Figure 118)

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incoming side

outgoing side

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MTS TSS

TSC

MTS TSS

DATA TRANSFER

Digital radio air interface

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CHS
DATA REGISTRATION Function block

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CDR
DATA OUTPUT

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Function block TOLL TICKETING

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Figure 118 Charging function in MSC

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Toll ticketing
All charging within a PLMN is performed by means of toll ticketing, TT. TT is a charging method which provides a detailed output information for all, or certain, types of calls, as dened by the charging analysis function. When a call is charged with TT, information of interest for the charging of the call is collected, formatted into a record and then transferred to an output medium, see Figure 119.

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Billing centre

Preface Introduction to GSM Subscriber services System overview Digital radio transmission problems and solutions

MSC

Mobile Station Digital radio air interface

Customer's Monthly Statement
Data Time Called Charges 92.06.01 08.30 08-6529717 6.75 92.06.04 14.15 08-7193114 3.20

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Identity numbers Switching System Base Station System

Figure 119 Billing procedure The TT records are output to a hard disk on a support processor group in the MSC. From this support processor group the TT data can be sent to a data link (X.25/MTP) for transfer to a billing centre or to magnetic tapes, which can then be brought to the billing centre. When a data link is used, data can either be sent automatically when a predened amount has been registered or it can be pooled from the billing centre. The charging can be performed in the originating MSC/VLR, the GMSC and the terminating MSC/VLR, depending on the result of the charging analysis. The different call components can be charged separately, and to separate subscribers (called / calling) depending on the trafc case. The types of call records that can be output correspond to the different call components plus two new types of records - Short message service record and Supplementary services procedures record.

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Short message service

There are separate call records for the short message service. One call record for mobile originated SMS and one call record for mobile terminated SMS. The principle for generating these call records are similar to the one for normal voice calls. The charging for SMS can be performed in the originating MSC/VLR, the SMSIWMSC (SMS interworking MSC), the SMSGMSC or the terminating MSC/VLR.

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Supplementary services
The number of supplementary services are increasing and for the same call there can be more than one service used. Each service action connected to the call is registered and output as a module is connected to the main record of the call. For Supplementary services subscriber procedures and Supplementary services invocation, the charging is performed in the serving MSC/VLR. Depending on the network entity performing the charging procedures and the type of call or short message transfer, different TT records can be output.

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When is data transformed into a record?

Data from a call is output when one of the following conditions is fullled: The call is disconnected The time limit for partial output is reached The limit for call related events has been reached

The basis of toll ticketing is the charging analysis function. This analysis is performed by the exchange to determine whether or not TT shall be used. It is possible to charge with TT for outgoing, incoming, internal and transit calls. The TT function puts together output data into a detailed output record. The subscriber is provided with a detailed bill and can check single amounts, and the operator will decrease the number of complaints on the bill since the customer knows what the specic charge for a call will be. On the following pages a couple of toll ticketing examples are shown.

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TT 1

TT 2

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MS A
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VLR MSC II HLR

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VLR
MS B

TT 3

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MSC III

First TT-record: Second TT-record: Third TT-record:

MS A MSC II MSC III

MSC II (ouput in MSC II) MSC III (output in MSC II) MS B (output in MSC III)

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Figure 120 MS A calls MS B

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TT 1

TT 2

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MS B1
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VLR MSC II HLR

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VLR
MS B2

TT 3

Charging and accounting

MSC III

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a b c

First TT-record: Second TT-record: Third TT-record:

MS A MSC II (ouput in MSC II) MSC II MSC III (output in MSC II) MSC III MS B2 (output in MSC III)

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Figure 121 MS A (not in the picture) calls MS B1, which has the service Call forwarding activated to MS B2

A trafc case
Below there is an example of a case where a lot of subscribers are involved, and not residing in their home PLMNs. The task is to nd out who pays what.

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Note: the case is ctive, and whether or not the MSCs mentioned in the case are existing or not is not taken into account when creating the case.

Case
4 mobile subscribers: Mr. Schmitt, from Frankfurt in Germany, is driving a car in Norway. Mr. McNeill, from Glasgow in Scotland, has rented a mobile phone together with the car. Mr. McNeill has brought his own SIM. He is currently in France. Mr. Bianchi, from Torino in Italy, is on vacation. The service Call forwarding on no reply is activated. Mr. Hakkonen, from Helsinki in Finland, is on a train in Holland
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Identity numbers Switching System Base Station System

Where the business man is currently registered Where the businessman has his subscribtion S M H B Schmitt McNeill Hakkonen Bianchi

Traffic cases

9 6 2 4 3 7 5
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1 5 B

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Figure 122 Charging case

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1. Schmitt calls Bianchi in Torino. 2. Bianchi has the service Call Forwarding on no reply activated, to McNeill in Glasgow. 3. But McNeill is in south of France (roaming internationally) and speaking. Schmitt activates the service Completion of calls to busy subscribers (the MS will automatically set up the call when McNeill is not busy anymore). McNeill is talking very much, but at last he hangs up. Schmitt is still in Norway. 4. Schmitt MS tries to place the call. 5. MSC in Oslo initiates the call to the original number, which is Bianchi in Torino, Italy. 6. The call is forwarded to Glasgow, Scotland 7. and then to Perpignan, France. 8. During the call McNeill has to consult Hakkonen from Finland. He activates Three-party-call service. 9. Hakkonen is on a train in Holland and not in Finland, so the call is connected to the MSC in Amsterdam. Hakkonen, Schmitt and McNeill nish talking, and hang up. See Figure 122. Question: Who pays what? Some components depend on the agreement between the operators. One suggested solution is: Schmitt: Oslo to Torino, (originating component payed by A), Activation of the service Call completion to busy subscriber Bianchi: Torino to Glasgow (call forwarding component payed by B), Activation of the service Call forwarding (if not included in the subscription) McNeill: Glasgow to Perpignan (roaming component payed by B), Perpignan to Helsinki (originating component payed by A, which is McNeill in this case), activation of the service Three-party call Hakkonen: Helsinki to Amsterdam (roaming component payed by B).

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Accounting between operators in GSM

Accounting is the procedure when different operators get paid from each other because visiting subscribers have used their PLMNs. As a subscriber you only pay bills to your own operators. Every operator who has a roaming agreement with other PLMNs must have the possibility to follow the transferred account procedures, allowing the visited PLMN to get paid by the subscribers home PLMN. The visited PLMN compiles regularly, e.g. twice a month, a bill which is sent to a clearing house administered by CEPT (Confrence Europene de Postal et Tlcommunications) The accounting analysis covers Destination Outgoing route Incoming route Calling subscriber number, received language / discriminating digit.

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If the result of the analysis indicates that accounting is to be performed, an accounting class to be used for the call is pointed out. Accounting data collection starts upon the called subscribers answer. The collected data is e.g. Number of calls Call duration Number of sent meter pulses, if used

All these are stored in counters per accounting class. The time of the day and the interval between output of all, or part of the accounting classes, may also be ordered and performed directly as an answer to a command.

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