This appendix describes the specifications and standards that are used in Oracle Communications Billing and Revenue Management (BRM) Elastic Charging Engine (ECE).
The ECE charging API aligns with the Remote Authentication Dial In User Service (RADIUS) Accounting Request for Comments (RFC) specifications and with the standards described in the 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) Technical Specifications (TS). ECE charging supports any 3GPP sub-domain; some are listed here as examples:
PS (Packet Switched) connections
CS (Circuit Switched) connections
WLAN (Wireless Local Area Network)
IMS (IP-Multimedia Subsystem)
PCRF (Policy and Charging Rules Function) and Sy/Sp (Sh) interfaces
The ECE charging API is extensible; it can accommodate proprietary extensions of the standards.
The ECE Java API aligns with the Diameter Ro, Diameter CCA, Diameter Rf, and RADIUS message formats. Network mediation software programs (client applications) that support these protocols can send usage requests to ECE.
The following 3GPP Technical Specifications (TS) relate to ECE charging functionality.
"3GPP TS 32.240 Telecommunication management; Charging management; Charging architecture and principles" at:
http://www.3gpp.org/ftp/Specs/html-info/32240.htm
For online charging, ECE exposes a Java API based on Diameter Ro, which is extensible for supporting any extension or variation. Online mediation systems use this interface to send usage requests to ECE. The online mediation system processes the Diameter requests and maps the content of the Diameter requests into ECE usage requests.
ECE implements the following functionality for online charging as described in 3GPP TS 32.240:
Online Charging Function modules:
Session Based Charging Function (SBCF)
Event Based Charging Function (EBCF)
Rating Function (RF)
Account Balance Management Function (ABMF)
"3GPP TS 32.260 Telecommunication management; Charging management; IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS) charging":
"3GPP TS 32.299 Telecommunication management; Charging management; Diameter charging applications":
http://www.3gpp.org/ftp/Specs/html-info/32299.htm
For offline charging, ECE exposes a Java API based on DIAMETER Rf, which can be called from the offline mediation system. The Java interface has functionality close to that of the Rf interface described in 3GPP 32.299 and is extensible for supporting any extension or variation.
Oracle Communications Offline Mediation Controller uses this interface to load CDRs into ECE for charging.
GB922 TM Forum Information Framework (SID) documents can be downloaded from the following location:
https://www.tmforum.org/resources/suite/gb922-information-framework-r14-5-1-pdf/
The following RADIUS RFCs relate to ECE charging functionality.
RFC 2865, "Remote Authentication Dial In User Service (RADIUS)," June 2000, RADIUS. Updated by: RFC 2868, RFC 3575, RFC 5080.
RFC 2866, RFC 2867, RFC 2868, RFC 2869, RFC 3579
ECE aligns with the Diameter Credit-Control Application charging functionality described in Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF) Network Working Group RFC 4006.
The following 3GPP Technical Specifications (TS) relate to the Policy and Charging Rules Function (PCRF) and ECE.
"3GPP TS 29.219 Policy and charging control: Spending limit reporting over Sy reference point":
http://www.3gpp.org/ftp/Specs/html-info/29219.htm
The Sy interface is located between the PCRF and Online Network Mediation Controller. It enables the transfer of customer spending information.
"3GPP TS 29.329 Sh interface based on the Diameter protocol":
http://www.3gpp.org/ftp/Specs/html-info/29329.htm
The Sp (implemented as Sh) interface is located between the SPR (Subscription Profile Repository) and PCRF. It enables the retrieval of customer identities and profile information.