The
DIAMETER protocol is used by all entities to communicate billing details (but not
the CDRs themselves). The DIAMETER protocol then communicates usage data for
the various services provided by the reporting entity.
This is a departure from earlier models where the switches supporting voice services
also created a call detail record. The call detail record was formatted using one of many
standard variations, and forwarded to a mediation platform that ???normalized??? all of the
disparate billing formats into one consistent format supported by the billing presentment
system.
This new charging architecture consists of functions that are dedicated to charging.
These functions may be integrated into other network elements, or they may be standalone
devices. Rather than create the CDR at the network entity itself, and then hope
that the CDR format is supported by the billing system, the network entity coveys billing
details to another centralized function responsible for creating the actual charging
record for the billing presentment system.
The processes and procedures for these functions are still being defined, but there is
enough defined in the 3GPP standards to understand how charging will work, and how
these various functions interact with other IMS entities.
Charging Architecture
There are two aspects to charging in the IMS; online and offline charging.
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