Charging in a MIN

Chapter 8

OBJECTIVES:
Upon completion of this chapter the student will be able to:

• Describe the general principle of charging in a mobile

network (using GSM as a basis)
• Describe the general principle of charging in a Mobile
Intelligent Network (MIN)
GSM Mobile IN Overview

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EN/LZT 123 3974 R3B

 8 Charging in a MIN

8 Charging in a MIN
Table of Contents

Topic Page

INTRODUCTION TO CHARGING......................................................145
THE ADVANTAGES OFFERED BY MIN IN CHARGING?........................................ 146

CHARGING FOR A MOBILE INTELLIGENT NETWORK .................147

INTEGRATION OF MOBILE AND MIN CHARGING FUNCTIONS ........................... 148
INPUTS TO CHARGING ANALYSIS ......................................................................... 149
OUTPUT FROM CHARGING ANALYSIS.................................................................. 150

CHARGING DETAILS OF INTELLIGENT NETWORK......................153

SSFAM CHARGING ANALYSIS................................................................................ 153
INPUT TO SSF CHARGING ANALYSIS ................................................................... 153
OUTPUT FROM SSF CHARGING ANALYSIS.......................................................... 154

EN/LZT 123 3974 R3B –i–

GSM Mobile IN Overview

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 8 Charging in a MIN

INTRODUCTION TO CHARGING
Charging is important in an MIN as many MIN services are
based on the idea of applying different charges to different calls
or subscribers.

The method of charging most commonly used in an MIN is toll

ticketing. This method enables different call “components” or
legs to be charged separately, as a Call Data Record (CDR) (or
TT record) is output separately for each leg. Charging can be
defined separately for the incoming and outgoing legs in an MIN
call.

MIN Toll Ticket - TT

MIN SCP CF PLMN #2

PLMN #1
HLR
SSP
MO MSC MT
MSC/VLR Gateway

Connection Party
B number
Eric Mobil Eva Mobil

Calling party Connected party

A number C number

Figure 8-1 Connection legs in IN

In Figure 8-1 a charging record may be output by the MSC of

PLMN #1. This charging is being performed by the existing
GSM network. In addition, there may be charging performed in
the MIN, perhaps on the outgoing leg (from B to C). Finally, the
MSC in PLMN #2 may also apply a charge for the connection of
C.

Freephone is another example of using IN functions to charge

differently in specific cases. The incoming leg is not charged,
and then the outgoing leg is charged for the whole call from the
calling to connected party.

These examples highlight the potential complexity in number

manipulation for charging purposes. The requirements for the
design of a service logic should specify clearly, the format that
various numbers used for charging will be in.

EN/LZT 123 3974 R3B – 145 –

GSM Mobile IN Overview

THE ADVANTAGES OFFERED BY MIN IN CHARGING?

MIN

MIN SCP
PLMN #1

SSP
MO
MSC/VLR

Connection Party
B number
Eric Mobil

Calling party
A number

Figure 8-2 Charging Control Types

The Control Types, (CHARDAT, CHARLIM and CHARREP)

offer a high degree of charging data manipulation, based upon
the logic of the controlling program and the information
supplied by the SSF.

• CHARDAT: Manipulate Charging Information : the

charging of a specified call party can be manipulated by
either adding charging information to an existing charging
record or ordering the SSF to send charging information.

• CHARLIM: Check Charging Limit: the function Charging

Limit Check supervises the number of charging units used
by a call party and compares them with a specified charging
limit.

• CHARREP: Collect Charging Information : with this

function it is possible to request charging information of a
specified call party.

– 146 – EN/LZT 123 3974 R3B

 8 Charging in a MIN

CHARGING FOR A MOBILE INTELLIGENT NETWORK

For what may seem like a relatively simple call from Eric Mobil
to Eva Mobil, a total of 4 charging records are generated across
three networks.

1. PLMN #1: mobile originating for the calling party

2. Mobile Intelligent Network: IN for the service subscriber
3. PLMN #2: call forward and mobile terminating for the
connected party
MIN

4
SCP
3 -5
SDP
SSP
6
MIN CF
2
PLMN #1 Eric Mobil PLMN #2
OOICK
HLR 8 MT
7- 9
MO
MSC/VLR MSC
Gateway
10

1 11

Eric Mobil Eva Mobil

Figure 8-3 Charging records

Out of the four charging records, the one from the MIN is the
most complex, due to the number of factors that can influence
what data is stored in the charging record.

With charging records spread across different networks for one

single call, there can be problems in the area of system
integration. In order to link all records together, normally a
reference number or tag is used. However, there are no
international regulations as to the format of the tag. So it is up to
the operator to decide which format to use.

One solution is to tie the charging records together, with the

MIN and mobile function on the same platform.

EN/LZT 123 3974 R3B – 147 –

GSM Mobile IN Overview

INTEGRATION OF MOBILE AND MIN CHARGING FUNCTIONS

INAP

MSC SSFAM MSC

Charging Analysis
Incoming Data Collection
Outgoing
Source Filtering

CHS CHSS FOAM

Charging Coordination Data Recording Common Charging Output
Charging Analysis Tariff Administration Source Filtering
Source Filtering Administration

Figure 8-4 Integration of the SSF

The integration of the MIN’s SSF within the mobile platform

has many advantages, one of which affects charging.

• Charging records from the mobile and MIN functions can be

tied together within a single record. With no standard
international format to tie charging records across different
networks together, the combining of the charging records on
a single platform, offers better system integration for the
charging records.
• Post processing of TT files from one source is easier and less
prone to error in calculating charges, when compared with
TT files from different networks, using various tags formats
for a single call.

– 148 – EN/LZT 123 3974 R3B

 8 Charging in a MIN

MIN

3
SCP

SDP

CF
MO MIN 2 -4
PLMN #2
PLMN #1

HLR 7 MT
6- 8
Eric Mobil 5
MSC/VLR SSP MSC
OOICK Gatew ay
9

1 10

Eric Mobil Eva Mobil

Figure 8-5 Linking of mobile and MIN charging records

INPUTS TO CHARGING ANALYSIS

1. New Charging Case (CC): from traffic activity-dependent
charging analysis.

2. Mobile Subscriber Type (MST): is used to indicate the

power capability class used by the mobile subscriber. A hand
held 2 watt phone is GSM class 4.

3. Charging Origin (CO): is used to indicate which is the

originating charging zone. The information can be from a
marking on the incoming trunk or the cell used by the
mobile subscriber.

4. Origin for Charging from A-number Analysis (ACO):

this is the result from A-number analysis. This value can be
used to provide different charging for subscribers of
different PLMNs.

5. Type of subscriber (TCL): indicates the type of subscriber,

such as pay phone, normal subscriber, etc.

6. Immediate Service Category (ISE): is system dependent

data that indicates whether Immediate Call Itemization is
active for the subscriber.

EN/LZT 123 3974 R3B – 149 –

GSM Mobile IN Overview

7. Charging Indicator: (not visible in the exchange data) is

received in the ISUP/TUP Address Complete Message. In
case the charging indicator is ‘no charging’, either B-party or
no-party charging will be used as the charged party
independent of what is specified in the charging analysis
data.

8. User Group Call (UGC): this category can be assigned to a

member of a Closed User Group. UGC is only valid for
CME20.

9. Region Dependent Charging Origin (RCO): allows the

charging of a subscriber who has regional services to differ
from that of a normal subscriber.

10. Radio Channel Property (RCP): allows the charging of a

subscriber depending on the radio channel. Determination of
the Radio Channel Property is based on preference of the
subscriber and the preference per basic service of the
operator.

11. Subscription Type (ST): is a parameter used for

differentiating subscriber groups independent of IMSI and
MSISDN number series.

OUTPUT FROM CHARGING ANALYSIS

1. Charging Determination Point (CD): determines the
exchange where it is decided how the charging shall be
performed and where the charging should be recorded. If the
charging point and charging determination point are not in
the same exchange, a tariff message must be sent to the
charging point (subordinate exchange) from the charging
determination point.
2. Charging Method (TT): determines if a normal Toll
Ticketing record should be output or not.

3. Charged Party: determines who is to be charged for the

call. The charged party can be A-party, B-party or no-party
(AP/BP/NP).

4. Tariff Class (TC): is used to determine the charge rate of a

call.

– 150 – EN/LZT 123 3974 R3B

 8 Charging in a MIN

5. Immediate Call Itemization (ICI): is a system dependent

charging service for the A-subscriber and/or B-subscriber.
ICI is invoked if it is supported by the exchange and if the
subscriber has access to the service.

6. Outgoing Trunk Information (OTI): indicates if meter

pulses or hook signals are allowed to be received from a
superior exchange. This information is used differently in
different types of outgoing trunks.

7. Incoming Trunk Information (ITI): indicates if the B-

subscriber’s hook signals are to be sent to the subordinate
exchange. This information is used differently in different
types of incoming trunks.

8. New Charging Case (NCC): If this parameter is received, it

indicates that the charging analysis (not the traffic activity-
dependent charging analysis) should be performed again
with the new charging case as input.

9. Output Suppression (OS): is an optional piece of data in

the charging analysis. It enables the suppression of a call
record. If the OS parameter is specified, the call record is not
output in the case when chargeable call related
supplementary service invocations are not connected to the
record.

10. Miscellaneous Information (MIS1): can be given as a

command parameter as a part of the charging program. The
parameter gives the operator the possibility to use toll
ticketing for accounting purposes.

EN/LZT 123 3974 R3B – 151 –

GSM Mobile IN Overview

Mobile Subscriber Type Traffic Activity Code

Charging Origin Charging Case
Origin for Charging from A-number
Analysis
Traffic Activity Dependent
Type of Subscriber
Charging Analysis
Immediate Service Category
Region Dep. Charging Origin
Radio Channel Property
New Charging Case
User Group Call

CHARGING ANALYSIS

Charging Determination
Point
Charging Method
Charged Party
Tariff Class
Immediate Service
Outgoing Route Information
Incoming Route Information
Output Suppression

Figure 8-6 Output from charging analysis

– 152 – EN/LZT 123 3974 R3B

 8 Charging in a MIN

CHARGING DETAILS OF INTELLIGENT NETWORK

SSFAM CHARGING ANALYSIS

SSF Charging Analysis is performed when a set-up message is
received. It provides the possibility to charge IN services. The
input to SSF charging analysis is the SSF incoming or outgoing
charging case and routing type. The output from SSF charging
analysis is the SSF charging program, possibly the default
charging program.

The incoming and outgoing charging cases along with other

parameters are defined in the Trigger Network Signaling (TNS)
table, which holds data pertinent to a whole IN service. In order
to define incoming and outgoing charging cases it is necessary
that the IN Service Trigger (IST) points out the active TNS for
the IN service related to the IST. IST is received from B-number
analysis in the MSC and is used to access the IN Service Trigger
Data Table.

INPUT TO SSF CHARGING ANALYSIS

1. Incoming Charging Case (ISCC) is a result of the
Triggering and Data Administration function and is used to
obtain the charging program for IN incoming call
components.

2. Outgoing Charging Case for Basic Routing (OSBCC) is a

result of the Triggering and Data Administration function
and is used to obtain the charging program for IN outgoing
call components in the case when the call is in basic routing.

3. Outgoing Charging Case for Direct Routing (OSDCC) is

a result of the Triggering and Data Administration function
and is used to obtain the charging program for IN outgoing
call components in the case when the call is in direct routing.

4. Routing Type (ROUTTYP). In order to perform SSF

charging analysis for outgoing legs, it is necessary to
determine which outgoing charging case should be used,
either OSBCC or OSDCC. This is decided by the routing
type. Although the original routing type value is defined in
the TNS table in TASI, from the SSF charging point of view,
the routing type is provided by SSF Basic Call, which can
drop from direct routing to basic routing during call set-up
if, e.g. an announcement is played for the A-subscriber and

EN/LZT 123 3974 R3B – 153 –

GSM Mobile IN Overview

an answer message is sent backwards before the call is

routed to the B-subscriber.

OUTPUT FROM SSF CHARGING ANALYSIS

1. Associated Call Data (ACD) indicates whether the IN
service data collected by the SSF outgoing IN service
charging is to be associated with the data collected by the
subordinate call components. ACD is only applicable to the
IN outgoing call component.

2. Output Function (OF) defines if Toll Ticketing output is to

be generated for the call component. OF is applicable to both
IN incoming call components and IN outgoing call
components.

3. Reduced Call Data Output (RCDO) defines whether the

outgoing side MSC should generate reduced output of call
data. The value of this parameter is passed to the outgoing
side MSC in the set-up message. RCDO is only applicable to
the IN outgoing call component.

ISCC,
OSBCC,
SSF ACD,
Charging Analysis OF,
OSDCC,
RCDO
Routing Type

Figure 8-7 SSF charging analysis

In addition to the resulting charging programs from ISCC,

OSBCC, and OSDCC, there exists three default charging
programs:

• Default Incoming Charging Program

The default incoming charging program is defined for IN
incoming call components in the case when an ISCC is not
obtainable in the TASI table due to congestion in DBS or
congestion in the table that data is being read from.

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 8 Charging in a MIN

• Default Outgoing Charging Program For Basic Routing

The default outgoing charging program for basic routing is
defined for IN outgoing call components in the case when an
OSBCC is not obtainable in the TASI table due to
congestion in DBS or congestion in the table that data is
being read from.

• Default Outgoing Charging Program For Direct Routing

The default outgoing charging program for direct routing is
defined for IN outgoing call components in the case when an
OSDCC is not obtainable in the TASI table due to
congestion in DBS or congestion in the table that data is
being read from.

EN/LZT 123 3974 R3B – 155 –

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