Advantages of Harmonized IMS-Based Charging Architecture in Different Access Technologies

摘要

Independent standards organizations are currently developing accounting mechanisms such as session-based charging that often require interworking between different networks. A harmonized IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS)-based charging architecture simplifies interworking. Harmonization provides cost-efficient product development by allowing implementation of common products in networks that are based on different access technologies such as wideband code division multiple access (W-CDMA)-based UMTS~*- and CDMA2000~*-based high rate packet data (HRPD, formerly 1xEVDO). Since IMS allows for a wide variety of services irrespective of access technologies, as new functions are added, IMS provides the flexibility for a rich suite of charging functions and promotes the natural evolution of features with functional forward compatibility. The 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP), the standards organization promoting UMTS, has developed IMS-based architecture for offline and online charging. The 3rd Generation Partnership Project 2 (3GPP2), the standards organization promoting HRPD, has opted to harmonize charging based on 3GPP architecture. This harmonization effort continues as 3GPP and 3GPP2 develop their next releases. More recently the Open Mobile Alliance~* (OMA) has begun identifying all common charging fields and triggers that can be developed in a single plan, thereby eliminating duplication and potential for error. This effort at convergence is in the early stages, and will affect next-generation network evolution. Its success depends on the willingness of the majority of vendors and operators to support its goals.