3GPP Work Item description

This page contains informal descriptive text only.  See master WID page for further details.

Feature:     Charging management

The 3GPP specifications need to evolve in Rel-6 to allow additions and enhancements in the field of charging.  This area comprises both the enhancements to existing services, and access technologies, and the provision of charging capabilities for new Rel-6 services and access technologies.

The objective of this Feature is to continue to lay down the Charging Framework (stage 2 and stage 3 descriptions) for 3GPP Release 6 covering all aspects of Bearer, IMS and Service Charging as required by all other 3GPP Release 6 work items, as well as enhancements to the existing framework. Harmonization of interfaces and protocols across all domains and subsystems is sought. To better reflect the emerging network and service enhancements, this work also includes a definition of the future structure of the charging TSs.

The structure of the SA5.CB charging specifications (TSs) comprises:

• a set of Implementers’ Guides (stage3 level descriptions) and 

• an “umbrella” specification (TS 32.240) that applies to all of the Implementers’ Guides. 

TS 32.240 is a tutorial (stage2 level description) to the charging systems to which the stage3 TSs apply and describes charging principles, scenarios, architecture, and requirements.

Implementers’ Guides will be generate for the CS Domain (TS 32.250), the PS domain (TS 32.251), the IMS (TS 32.260), and MMS (TS 32.270).  Further Implementers Guides are foreseen for the new Rel-6 services, i.e. LCS (TS 32.271) and new WLAN access technology TS 32.252 as well as the addition of online charging, both for some existing and the new services and access technologies.  The stage 2 description for charging, i.e. TS 32.240, will have to be enhanced and aligned accordingly.

Work to be led by S5.