WO2002021819A1

WO2002021819A1 - Procedure for charging in telecommunication networks

Info

Publication number: WO2002021819A1
Application number: PCT/SE2001/001946
Authority: WO
Inventors: Robert Frank
Original assignee: Telia Ab (Publ)
Priority date: 2000-09-07
Filing date: 2001-09-07
Publication date: 2002-03-14
Also published as: SE0003162D0; SE0003162L; WO2002021819A8

Abstract

A procedure for charging for calls which have been forwarded from a first subscriber in a first operator's network via a forwarding point to a second subscriber is described. According to the procedure, the forwarding point is located in a second operator's mobile telephone network. Further, the second operator transmits charging information related to intercommunication traffic charges from the first operator to the second operator serve as payment for the second operator's costs for the call.

Description

PROCEDURE FOR CHARGING IN TELECOMMUNICATION NETWORKS

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a procedure for charging for calls which have been forwarded from a first subscriber in a first operator' s network via a forwarding point to a second subscriber.

TECHNICAL BACKGROUND At charging for calls in a telephone network charging information is collected which then is utilized at the charging for calculation of the amount that shall be charged for the call and which subscriber that shall be charged. Generally, the calling subscriber, the so called A-subscriber, is charged for the call, whereas the subscriber who is called, the so called B-subscriber, is charged nothing. In certain cases, such as when the B- subscriber has requested forwarding to a subscriber C, the B-subscriber, on the other hand, can be charged for a share of the charge for a call; usually that part of the cost which relates to the forwarding between B and C.

Irrespective of which subscriber who pays for a call, charging information for this call in some way has to be transferred/transmitted to the operator who can charge the subscriber who is to pay. For calls which have been forwarded within one and the same network this is no problem. If forwarding on the other hand is done from a subscriber number in an operator's network to a subscriber number in another operator' s network, charging information, which is associated with each specific call and with the subscriber or subscribers who shall pay, has to be transferred/transmitted between charging systems of different operators. This results in that the charging systems of the different operators have to be coordinated which is both complex and expensive. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The aim of the present invention is to clear away above mentioned problem that charging information which is associated with each specific call and with the subscriber or subscribers who are to pay must be transferred/ transmitted between operators, which requires a complex and expensive coordination of charging systems of different operators. This object is achieved according to the invention by procedures according to the following patent claims .

The invention is based on the knowledge that already existing systems for settlement of intercommunication traffic accounts to and from mobile telephone networks can be used to cover the costs which will arise at forwarding of a call. By the forwarding point being located in a mobile telephone network and by settlement of intercommunication traffic accounts being used, that part of the call which relates to the forwarding need not be associated with any subscriber from a charging point of view, and for that reason charging information which is associated with each specific call and with the subscriber or subscribers who shall pay, need not be transferred/ transmitted between networks of different operators.

According to one aspect of the invention, a procedure for charging for a call which has been forwarded from a first subscriber in a first operator' s network is effected via a forwarding point to a second subscriber. According to the procedure, the forwarding point is located in a second operator's mobile telephone network. Further, the second operator transmits charging information related to intercommunication traffic charges to the first operator. The intercommunication traffic charges from the first operator to the second operator serve as payment for the second operator's costs for the call. By the forwarding point being located in a second operator's mobile telephone network, the first operator will have to pay intercommunication traffic charges to the second operator for the call. These intercommunication traffic charges serve as payment for the second operator's costs for the call. Thus, no subscriber need to be charged to have the second operator being paid for his/her costs for the call. This in its turn means that that no subscriber or call associated charging information related to that part of the call which is located behind the forwarding point need to be collected and transmitted/ transferred to that operator who can charge respective subscriber. Instead, charging information related to intercommunication traffic charges is transmitted between the operators. This is not associated with any call or any subscriber, but settles payments between the operators for the number of conversation minutes in different directions between the networks of the operators. This is a big advantage because the transmission/transfer of subscriber or call associated charging information between different operators requires a detailed coordination between the charging systems of the different operators, which is both complex and expensive.

According to one embodiment of a procedure according to the invention, at which the second subscriber is located in a third operator' s network, the third operator transmits charging information related to intercommunication traffic charges to the second operator. According to this embodiment, the third operator's network can either be a network for fixed telephony or a network for mobile telephony. In the case that the third operator's network is a network for fixed telephony, the internal production costs in the second operator's mobile telephone network, together with intercommunication traffic charges from the second operator to the third operator, will be lower than the intercommunication traffic charges from the first operator to the second operator. In the case that the third operator's network is a network for mobile telephony, the internal production costs in the second operator' s mobile telephone network, together with intercommunication traffic charges from the second operator to the third operator will, on the other hand, be higher than the intercommunication traffic charges from the first operator to the second operator. Provided that the quotient between the conversation time for the calls which have been forwarded to a network for fixed telephony and the conversation time for the calls which are forwarded to a network for mobile telephony is sufficiently high, this, however, will result in a net income for the second operator.

In another embodiment where the second subscriber is located in a third operator's fixed network, and the second operator pays intercommunication traffic charges to the third operator for the call, internal production costs in the second operator' s mobile telephone network, together with the intercommunication traffic charges from the second operator to the third operator, will always be lower than the intercommunication traffic charges from the first operator to the second operator. This embodiment has the further advantage that the second operator will have a guaranteed net income.

According to another aspect of the invention, a procedure for charging for call from a first subscriber is effected via a first leg to a second subscriber in a first operator' s network, which call has been forwarded in a forwarding point via a second leg to a third subscriber. According to the invention, the forwarding point is located in a second operator's network for mobile telephony.

Further, the second operator transmits charging information related to intercommunication traffic charges to the first operator. The intercommunication traffic charges from the first operator to the second operator serve as payment for that part of the call that relates to said second leg. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention will be described more in detail in the following with reference to enclosed drawings, in which:

Figure 1 schematically shows a system in which a procedure according to the present invention can be realized;

Figure 2 more in detail shows a first system in which an embodiment of a procedure according to the present invention can be realized; Figure 3 more in detail shows a second system in which another embodiment of a procedure according to the present invention can be realized; and

Figure 4 shows a flow chart for an embodiment of a procedure according to the present invention.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

In Figure 1 is schematically shown a system in which a procedure according to the present invention can be realized. A first subscriber 100 in a first operator's network 102 has requested that incoming calls shall be forwarded to a second subscriber 110. The forwarding is done in a forwarding point 120 which, according to the procedure according to the invention, is located in a second operator' s mobile telephone network 122. That the first subscriber 100 and the second subscriber 110 in

Figure 1 are connected to different networks shall not be regarded as a limitation of the invention, but the case that the first subscriber 100 and the second subscriber 110 are connected to the same network is also covered by the invention. Incoming calls to the first subscriber 100 now will be connected via the forwarding point 120 in the second operator's mobile telephone network 122 to the second subscriber 110. By existing systems for settlement of accounts for intercommunication traffic being utilized, the first operator now will pay intercommunication traffic charges to the second operator for incoming calls to the first subscriber. These intercommunication traffic charges will, according to the procedure according to the invention, serve as payment for the costs which the second operator has for the incoming calls. Because these settlements of accounts for intercommunication traffic charges are done between operators, no call or subscriber associated charging information, however, will be needed, which implies that no coordination between the first operator's and the second operator's charging systems, in excess of settlements of accounts for intercommunication traffic charges, is needed.

In Figure 2 is shown more in detail a first system in which an embodiment of a procedure according to the present invention can be realized. A first subscriber 200 who is connected to a first exchange 202 calls a second subscriber 210 who is connected to an exchange 212 in a first operator's network 214. The second subscriber 210 has requested forwarding to a third subscriber 220 who is connected to an exchange 222 in a third operator' s network 224 for fixed telephony. The forwarding is done in a forwarding point in an exchange 230 in a second operator's mobile telephone network 232. Calls from the first subscriber 200 to the second subscriber 210 now will be connected via the forwarding point in the exchange 230 in the second operator's mobile telephone network 232. That the first subscriber 200, the second subscriber 210, and the third subscriber 220 in Figure 2 are connected to different networks shall not be regarded as a limitation of the invention, but the cases that some or all subscribers (200, 210, 230) are connected to the same network are also covered by the invention. Because the forwarding point is located in the second operator's mobile telephone network 232, the call will be connected from the first operator's network 214 to the second operator's mobile telephone network 232. This results in that the second operator charges the first operator with intercommunication traffic charges for forwarding the call. The intercommunication traffic charges from the first operator to the second operator then serve as payment for that part of the call which is utilizing the second operator's mobile telephone network. Further, the call which has been forwarded will be connected to the third subscriber 220, who is located in a third operator's network 224. This results in that the third operator charges the second operator with intercommunication traffic charges for the call. In this embodiment the third operator' s network is a network for fixed telephony. Consequently, those intercommunication traffic charges which the third operator charges the second operator for the call will be lower than the intercommunication traffic charges which the second operator charges the first operator. Further, the internal production costs in the second operator' s mobile telephone network 232 will, because only the fixed part of the second operator's mobile telephone network 232 is used, be lower than the second operator' s net income of intercommunication traffic charges. Consequently the call will totally generate a net income to the second operator. Any charging in excess of settlement of accounts for intercommunication traffic charges is for that reason not necessary, and no charging information which is associated with the call or with any subscriber need to be transmitted to any other operator for that part of the call which is utilizing the second operator's network.

In Figure 3 is shown more in detail a second system in which another embodiment of a procedure according to the present invention can be realized. The system is identical with the system which is shown in Figure 2 apart from that the second subscriber 210 has requested forwarding to a third subscriber 320, which is connected to an exchange 322 in a third operator's network 324 for fixed telephony. That the first subscriber 200 and the second subscriber 210 are connected to different networks shall not be regarded as a limitation of the invention, but the cases that these subscribers are connected to the same network are also covered by the invention. The most important difference of this embodiment is that the intercommunication traffic charges which the third operator charges the second operator for the call will be equal to the intercommunication traffic charges which the second operator charges the first operator. The internal production costs in the second operator's mobile telephone network 232 consequently will generate a net loss for the call. If the ratio between the number of times this situation occur and the number of times the situation which is described with reference to Figure 2 is sufficiently low, the second operator, however, will get a net income for all forwarded calls. Any charging in excess of settling of accounts for intercommunication traffic charges for that reason will not be necessary in this case, and no charging information which is associated with the call or with any subscriber need to be transmitted to any other operator for that part of the call which utilizes the second operator's network.

In Figure 4 is shown a flow chart for an embodiment of a procedure according to the present invention. The procedure is intended for charging for a call which has been forwarded from a first subscriber in a first operator' s network via a forwarding point to a second subscriber in a third operator's network. In a step 410 the forwarding point is located in a second operator' s mobile telephone network. This implies that the information about where the first subscriber has forwarded his/her calls is at/with the second operator, and the actual forwarding is done in an exchange in the second operator's network. Further, the second operator transmits charging information related to intercommunication traffic charges to the first operator in a step 420, and the third operator transmits charging information related -to intercommunication traffic charges to the second operator in a step 430. The difference' between the intercommunication traffic charges from the first operator to the second operator, and the intercommunication traffic charges from the second operator to the third operator serve as payment for said second operator's costs for the call.

It is realized that a plurality of modifications of the embodiments above are possible within the frame of the invention, as it is defined by the following patent claims.

Claims

PATENT CLAIMS

1. Procedure for charging for a call which has been forwarded from a first subscriber in a first operator' s network via a forwarding point to a second subscriber, including the steps: to locate said forwarding point in a second operator' s mobile telephone network; and that said second operator transmits charging information related to intercommunication traffic charges to said first operator, at which said intercommunication traffic charges from said first operator to said second operator serve as payment for said second operator' s costs for said call.

2. Procedure as claimed in patent claim 1, at which said second subscriber is located in a third operator's network, further including the step: that said third operator transmits charging information related to intercommunication traffic charges to said second operator.

3. Procedure as claimed in patent claim 2, at which said third operator's network is a network for fixed telephony, at which internal production costs in said second operator's mobile telephone network together with said intercommunication traffic charges from said second operator to said third operator are lower than said intercommunication traffic charges from said first operator to said second operator.

4. Procedure as claimed in any of the patent claims 1- 3, further including the steps: that said first operator charges said first subscriber charges, at which said charges from said first subscriber to said first operator serve as payment for said first operator's costs for the call.

5. Procedure as claimed in any of the patent claims 1- 4, at which said intercommunication traffic charges from said first operator to said second operator serve as the only payment for said second operator's costs for the call

6. Procedure as claimed in any of the patent claims 1- 5, at which said first operator's network is a network for fixed telephony.

7. Procedure for charging for calls from a first subscriber via a first leg to a second subscriber in a first operator' s network, which call has been forwarded in a forwarding point via a second leg to a third subscriber, including the steps: to locate the forwarding point in a second operator's network for mobile telephony; and that said second operator transmits charging information related to intercommunication traffic charges to said first operator, at which said intercommunication traffic charges from said first operator to said second operator serve as payment for that part of the call which, relates to said second leg.

8. Procedure as claimed in patent claim 7, at which said third subscriber is located in a third operator's network, further including the step that said third operator transmits charging information related to intercommunication traffic charges to said second operator.

9. Procedure as claimed in patent claim 8, at which said third operator's network is a network for fixed telephony, at which internal production costs in said /21819

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second operator's mobile telephone network together with said intercommunication traffic charges from said second operator to said third operator are lower than said intercommunication traffic charges from said first operator to said second operator.

10. Procedure as claimed in any of the patent claims 7-9, further including the steps: to associate/connect charging information only for said first leg to any subscriber.

11. Procedure as claimed in any of the patent claims 7-10, further including the steps: to charge said first subscriber for that part of the call which relates to said first leg.

12. Procedure as claimed in any of the patent claims 7-11, at which said intercommunication traffic charges from said first operator to said second operator serve as the only payment for said second operator's costs for the call.

13. Procedure as claimed in any of the patent claims 7-12, at which said second operator's network is a network for fixed telephony.