Optimized IP-CANs to support best charged IMS scenarios
Abstract
The pricing and charging mechanisms used in Next
Generation Network (NGN) deployments will influence the profitability
of network operators. NGNs present an opportunity for
the success of service delivery platforms designed for IP multimedia
communications, like the IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS).
Moreover, they present a platform for the delivery of a multitude
of applications and services to users with different expectations
and budgets. Although usage-based charging schemes are more
meaningful, some recent successful Internet-based applications
and services have attracted widespread usage due to enforcement
of flat-rate pricing. The choice of a pricing scheme often has
a one-to-one relation to the access network technology and the
quality of service guarantee. Flat-rate pricing may easily be
associated with best effort transport. This implies that some
users opt for services without QoS guarantee when favoured by
the pricing methodology. This paper explores scenarios where
services with different QoS requirements available to users with
varying pricing preferences can be provided over a set of IP
connection access networks (IP-CANs) of the IMS.We explore the
use of different pricing schemes for different IP-CANs of the IMS.
We perform testbed evaluations and present results depicting
the income patterns of networks enforcing different pricing and
charging schemes for VoIP and IPTV services. Moreover, we emphasize
the use of simplified pricing schemes on communication
networks.
Description
conference paper Published in Personal, Indoor and Mobile Radio Communications, 2009 IEEE 20th International Symposium by IEEE.
The pricing and charging mechanisms used in Next Generation Network (NGN) deployments will influence the profitability of network operators. NGNs present an opportunity for the success of service delivery platforms designed for IP multimedia communications, like the IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS). Moreover, they present a platform for the delivery of a multitude of applications and services to users with different expectations and budgets. Although usage-based charging schemes are more meaningful, some recent successful Internet-based applications and services have attracted widespread usage due to enforcement of flat-rate pricing. The choice of a pricing scheme often has a one-to-one relation to the access network technology and the quality of service guarantee. Flat-rate pricing may easily be associated with best effort transport. This implies that some users opt for services without QoS guarantee when favoured by the pricing methodology. This paper explores scenarios where services with different QoS requirements available to users with varying pricing preferences can be provided over a set of IP connection access networks (IP-CANs) of the IMS.We explore the use of different pricing schemes for different IP-CANs of the IMS. We perform testbed evaluations and present results depicting the income patterns of networks enforcing different pricing and charging schemes for VoIP and IPTV services. Moreover, we emphasize the use of simplified pricing schemes on communication networks.
The pricing and charging mechanisms used in Next Generation Network (NGN) deployments will influence the profitability of network operators. NGNs present an opportunity for the success of service delivery platforms designed for IP multimedia communications, like the IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS). Moreover, they present a platform for the delivery of a multitude of applications and services to users with different expectations and budgets. Although usage-based charging schemes are more meaningful, some recent successful Internet-based applications and services have attracted widespread usage due to enforcement of flat-rate pricing. The choice of a pricing scheme often has a one-to-one relation to the access network technology and the quality of service guarantee. Flat-rate pricing may easily be associated with best effort transport. This implies that some users opt for services without QoS guarantee when favoured by the pricing methodology. This paper explores scenarios where services with different QoS requirements available to users with varying pricing preferences can be provided over a set of IP connection access networks (IP-CANs) of the IMS.We explore the use of different pricing schemes for different IP-CANs of the IMS. We perform testbed evaluations and present results depicting the income patterns of networks enforcing different pricing and charging schemes for VoIP and IPTV services. Moreover, we emphasize the use of simplified pricing schemes on communication networks.
Keywords
Charging, IMS, IP-CAN, IPTV, Pricing, VoIP