Nortel Networks Corporation

Akram M Hosain

Haseeb Akhtar

Emad A Qaddoura

Mary Barnes

Raja P Narayanan

Lakshminarasimhan Aravamudhan

An accounting framework is provided for a communications system having a plurality of service providers, including cellular service providers and/or data network service providers, e.g., Internet service providers. Accounting units containing accounting information are exchanged between service providers to allow the service providers to charge for usage of services. The accounting units have a predetermined format to allow them to be exchanged between different service providers. Each accounting unit includes a plurality of fields, including a service type field, a usage of radio interface field, a usage of a visited or external network field, a usage of mobility management field, a quality of service field, a usage of a packet data protocol field, and other fields. Users may be charged for services based on these fields.

Accounting method and apparatus for communications network

A method and apparatus in a communications system for processing control messages for a session in a packet-based network within the communications system. A first indicator is set in a control message for handling a session within the communications system through the packet-based network. The control message is sent to a destination within the packet-based network. The control message is provided priority processing within the packet-based network based on the presence of the first indicator. A second indicator is set in a header of a packet used to transport the control message, such that nodes within the packet based network, which do not examine the control message, provide priority processing of the packet in sending the packet through the packet-based network to the destination.

Method and apparatus for processing control messages in a communications system

A network, system and method for merging a packet service such as GPRS with a mobile IP is disclosed. The GPRS network includes a first base station for providing wireless access to a mobile node, a GPRS support node (GSN) connected to the base station, and a security gateway for connecting the GPRS network to a second network that may use mobile IP. The GSN is capable of creating an IP tunnel connecting it to the second network through the security gateway. The GSN is also capable of handling mobile IP specific messaging and converting the wireless access to mobile IP specific messaging.

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Richardson, TX, United States of America

Akram M Hosain