ONLINE CHARGING IN IMS NETWORKS FOR SESSIONS HANDED OVER BETWEEN DIFFERENT OPERATOR NETWORKS

摘要

IMS networks and methods are disclosed for providing online charging for a session of an IMS device that is seamlessly handed over between a first IMS network and a second IMS network that are different operator networks. A roaming charging identifier (RCID) is assigned to the session that is global to a dialog of the session over the first IMS network and to a dialog of the session over the second IMS network. A network element is able to correlate online charging information for the different dialogs of the session based on the RCID, and send an online charging request for a quota of service units to an online charging system that includes the correlated online charging system. The online charging system can thus rate the session and grant the quota based on the correlated online charging information.