DEEKSHA TECH GROUP

Module 13

Policy and Charging

Control
 Agenda
 Introduction to Policy Control & Charging
 PCC Architecture
 PCC Functionality
 PCC Flows & Interfaces
 IP-CAN Session Establishments
 PCC Rules
 Roaming Scenarios
 Wireless Evolution
• The wireless network was originally designed for voice traffic.
• New IP data devices & applications have increased bandwidth
requirements in the wireless network
• Increased bandwidth demand requires a different & less
expensive approach than just expanding networks

Voice Voice, Multimedia &

simultaneous use
applications
Significance of Policy Management
• Traffic demand & resulting network growth are not same
throughput the day or every location in the network
• Congestion can be the result of a few number of subscriber
using devices (such as iPads & iPhones) for high bandwidth
application (such as Skype & YouTube)
• Use Policy Management technology to control network costs,
increase revenue with high assurance delivery.
 Policy Management
• Policy management enables the network to make decisions
based on network conditions and subscriber services.
• For LTE, PGW performs policy enforcement, Packet filtering
for each user, charging support, lawful interception and
packet screening.
Policy management- Policies
 Policy Control – 3GPP Standards
• Policy operate on the control plane and are used to manage
and control.
 Quality of Services (QoS)
 Charging
 Quotas (Subscriber’s volume and/or time limits)
 Network Optimization
 Admission to the network
• Some 3GPP policy functional components are shown below
PCC Architecture
•
PCC Functionalities
Policy Control and Rules Functions (PCRF) :
 Provides policy control decision and flow-based charging control functionalities
 Does not operate on the data being sent or received over the network (solely a control function)
• Policy and Charging Enforcement Function (PCEF) :
 Perform Service Data Flow (SDF) detection, policy enforcement and flow based charging functionalities
 The GGSN and DPI (Deep Packet Inspection) perform 3GPP PCEF functions in wireless network
 PDN Gateways (PGW) for LTE can also perform PCEF function.
• Subscription Profile Repository (SPR) :
 Contains all subscriber/subscription related information needed by PCRF to evaluate subscription-based
policies and set IP-CAN (IP-Connectivity Access Network) bearer parameters.
• Application Function (AF)
 interacts with applications or services that require dynamic PCC. The AF extracts session information from
the application signalling and provides it to the PCRF. The Rx reference point resides between AF and PCRF.
• Online Charging System (OCS)
 It is a credit management system for pre-paid charging. Within OCS lies a functional entity called Service Data
Flow Based Credit Control Function which performs online credit control function. The PCEF interacts with OCS
to check out credit and report credit status over Gy interface.
• The Offline Charging System (OFCS)
 It is used for offline charging. The OFCS receives charging events from PCEF over Gz interface and generates
Charging Data Records (CDRs) which are sent to the billing system.
• Bearer Binding and Event Reporting Function (BBERF )
 Its location depends on the access technology. For 3GPP, the BBERF is located in the Serving-GW, whereas for
eHRPD, the BBERF is located in the HSGW. The association between PCC rule and a bearer is referred to as
bearer binding.
 The bearer binding is done by the Bearer Binding Function (BBF). The BBF is located either in the PCEF (if GTP
is used as the protocol on S5/S8 interface aka. on-path model) or the BBERF (if Mobile IP is used as the
protocol on S5/S8 interface aka. off-path model).
PCC Interfaces
 PCC Interfaces
• Sp Interface (PCRF-SPR):
3GPP introduced the Sp access point between the PCRF and the SPR. Some vendor
implements the Sp access point as a diameter Sh interface. Used by PCRF to lookup a
subscriber’s profile or subscribe to the SPR for notifications of changes.
• Gx Interface (PCRF-PCEF):
Policy & Charging Control by the PCRF (QoS & Charging); authorization requests and
event notifications from the PCEF to the PCRF.
• Gy Interface (PCEF-OCS):
Quota management for prepaid users and for online-charging based service.
• Gz Interface (PCEF-OFCS):
Transport of service data flow based offline charging information.
• Sd Interface (PCRF-TDF):
It enables the PCRF to have dynamic control over the Application Detection and
Control behavior at the TDF.
• Sy Interface (PCRF-OCS):
Sy Interface is defined between the PCRF and the On Line Charging System.
PCC Basic Flow
Example PCC Detailed Flow
IP-CAN Session Establishment

IP-CAN (IP-Connectivity Access Network)

 FLOW
1.BBERF initiates Gateway Control Session Establishment procedure if involved

2.GW(PCEF) receives request for IP-CAN Bearer establishment and assigns IP address for UE

3.PCEF determines that the PCC authorization is required, requests the authorization of allowed service(s) and PCC Rules
information. The PCEF may also include e charging ID information.

4.If the PCRF does not have the subscriber's subscription related information, it sends a request to The SPR in order to receive the
information related to the IP-CAN session.

5.PCRF stores the subscription related information containing the information about the allowed service(s) and PCC Rules
information.

6.PCRF makes the authorization and policy decision.

7.PCRF sends the decision(s), including the chosen IP-CAN bearer establishment mode, to the PCEF which enforces the decision.

8.If online charging is applicable, and at least one PCC rule was activated, the PCEF activates the Online charging session,
providing relevant input information for the OCS decision.

9.The OCS provides the possible credit information to the PCEF and may provide re-authorisation Triggers for each of the credits.

10.If at least one PCC rule was successfully activated and credit was not denied by the OCS, The GW(PCEF) acknowledges the IP-
CAN Bearer Establishment Request.

11.The GW may initiate the establishment of additional IP-CAN bearers.

12.If the PCRF in step7 requested an acknowledgement based on PCC rule operations ,the GW(PCEF) sends the IP-CAN Session
Establishment Acknowledgement to the PCRF in order to Inform the PCRF of the activated PCC rules result.
 PCC Procedures over Gx Interface
• Push-Pull Request between PCRF & PCEF on Gx Interface
 PCC Procedures over Gx Interface
There are 2 procedures through which the PCRF can communicate PCC rules to PCEF over Gx interface. They
are -
• Pull Procedure: In this procedure the PCEF request for PCC rules from PCRF in following instances.
– At IP-CAN Session Establishment - The PCEF sends a Credit Check Request (CCR) message with CCR-
Type value set to "Initial_Request" . It also includes user subscription and IP-CAN session related
information to allow the PCRF to identify the rules to be applied. The PCRF validates the request
message and responds with a Credit Check Answer (CCA) message. If the PCRF rejects the request, it
includes the Error cause in the CCA message.
– At IP-CAN Session Modification - This can occur when an IP-CAN bearer is being
established/modified/terminated, or UE requests network resources to be modified, or an event
triggers. The PCEF sends a Credit Check Request (CCR) message with CCR-Type value set to
"Update_Request". The PCEF also includes the Event Trigger (could be UE requested) that caused the
IP-CAN bearer modification, any previously provisioned PCC rules that needs to be modified and
charging information. The PCRF validates the request message and responds with a Credit Check
Answer (CCA) message.

• Push Procedure: In this procedure, the PCRF may decide to provision PCC rules without obtaining any
request from the PCEF. This could be in response to information provided by AF over Rx interface, or
internal trigger within the PCRF. The PCRF sends these PCC rules in Re-Auth Request (RAR) message. The
RAR message also includes the Event Trigger and Event Report indications for the session. The PCEF
sends Re-Auth Answer (RAA) message in response to the RAR message.
 PCC Rules
 PCC Rules and its Purposes
• to detect a packet belonging to an SDF to map that packet to proper IP-CAN bearer in
downlink and uplink direction
• to identify the service
• to provide appropriate applicable charging
• to provide policy control

 A PCC rules consists of -

• a rule name - the rule name is used to reference a PCC rule during communication between PCRF
and PCEF
• service identifier - the service identifier is used to identify a service or service component the SDF
relates to
• SDF filter(s) - the SDF filters are used to select the traffic for which the rule applies
• precedence - order of the SDF filter; dynamic rule takes precedence over pre-defined rule in case of
same precedence
• gate status - whether the SDF detected should be allowed to pass or blocked
• QoS parameters - includes the QCI (Quality Class Identifier) , Priority and bitrates for uplink and
downlink
• charging key and charging parameters – Related to online or offline charging
• monitoring key - identifies a monitoring control instance that shall be used for usage monitoring
control of the SDFs
 PCC Rules
• There are two Type of PCC Rules
1) Dynamic PCC Rules 2) Pre Defined PCC Rules
PCC Rules
 LTE Architecture
HSS OCS/
OFCS
EPC
MME DRA PCRF SBC
IMS Core &
Applications

S-GW External
GW
P-GW Internet
(PCEF)

eNodeB

LTE CPE

HGW Wi-fi

LTE Dongle VoLTE

Roaming
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“Thank you”