The 5G Standard

Network Slice charging based on 5G Data Connectivity

Aug 08, 2022

By Gerald Görmer, 3GPP WG SA5 Charging Chair

When Network Slices allocated to third party providers are deployed by Mobile Network Operators, the means by which providers can be charged for usage of assigned Network Slice(s) is not yet described.

The objective of this work item is to provide the functional description of network slice charging based on 5G data connectivity charging performed between the Session Management Function (SMF) and Charging Function (CHF) in the 5GS, as an informative Annex in TS 32.255: ‘Telecommunication management; Charging management; 5G data connectivity domain charging; Stage 2 Details of 5G Data Connectivity charging information for Networks Slice’.

5G Data Connectivity charging specified in 5GS between SMF and CHF for individual UEs PDU sessions from Rel-15, is used with Converged Charging System (CCS) hosting the CHF extended to also cover the third-party provider (addressed under the tenant concept).

By receiving the S-NSSAI for each UE PDU session, the enhanced CCS is able to perform per tenant charging based on tenant's Network Slice total UEs data connectivity usage, the Network Slice being identified by the S-NSSAI.

The internal behaviour of the enhanced CCS is not specified in this release.

950038 Network Slice charging based on 5G Data Connectivity NETSLICE_DC_CH S5 SP-220158

 

Acronyms:

NSSAI Single Network Slice Selection Assistance Information
PDU Protocol Data Unit
UE User Equipment

3GPP Work Plan:

See a listing of all work & study items here: https://www.3gpp.org/ftp/Information/WORK_PLAN/ and search for ‘NETSLICE_DC_CH’ in the acronym field of the Excel sheet there.

Working Groups:

SA5

3GPP Release:

Rel-19
Rel-18
Rel-17
Rel-16
Rel-15

See also:

  • List of related CRs: SP-220157: "Introduction of Annex on Network slice charging"
  • TS 32.255: "Telecommunication management; Charging management; 5G Data connectivity domain charging; stage 2".
  • 3GPP TR 32.847 provides the investigation on network slice converged charging for Network Slices enabled over 3GPP 5GS based on system aspects for network slicing described in 3GPP TS 23.501 (System architecture for the 5G System) and TS 23.502 (Procedures for the 5G System).
  • Also from WG SA5:
    • Rel-17 Study item to investigate and propose the potential network slice information model and management service enhancements to support cross-operator network slice management use cases. (SP-200766)
    • Study on Charging Aspects for Network Slicing Phase 2 (SP-201082)
    • Study on network slice management capability exposure (S5-221230)

IMPORTANT NOTE: Please be aware that these pages are a snapshot of the work going on in 3GPP. The full picture of all work is contained in the Work Plan (https://www.3gpp.org/ftp/Information/WORK_PLAN/)