S.6 Functional Entities

23.2033GPPPolicy and charging control architectureRelease 17TS

The functional entities listed in clause 6.2 apply, except BBERF. Those functional entities that have specific values or specific functionality for Fixed Broadband Access are described in this clause.

NOTE: Support for MPS Services and IMS Emergency is not specified in this Release.

S.6.1 Policy Control and Charging Rules Function (PCRF)

S.6.1.1 General

The PCRF functionality defined in clause 6.2.1.0 shall apply, with the following exceptions:

– No negotiation of IP-CAN bearer establishment mode applies.

– No subscription to changes of IP-CAN type, RAT type or Access Network Information applies to the PCEF.

– No event triggers that the TDF can subscribe to need to be monitored by the PCRF.

– Usage Monitoring Control as defined in clause 6.6 applies with the following exceptions:

– In the routed RG with NAT mode, the IP-CAN session is per RG in the PCEF/IP-Edge, the PCRF retrieves the usage monitoring related information from the SPR using the subscriber-id provided over Gx. The PCRF decides how to allocate a usage threshold to each existing IP-CAN session and/or MK.

– In the bridge RG mode and in routed RG mode without NAT there may be a separate fixed subscriber session (i.e. IP-CAN session) for the each device behind the RG. The PCRF retrieves usage monitoring related information from the SPR using the subscriber-id and, if the request is for a 3GPP UE, the NSWO APN provided over Gx. The PCRF decides how to allocate a usage threshold to each existing IP-CAN session and/or Monitoring Key.

S.6.1.1.1 Input for PCC decisions

The PCEF may provide a subset of the information listed in clause 6.2.1.1 with the following fixed broadband specific values:

– Subscriber Identifier in the form of an IMSI, MSISDN for a 3GPP UE or in the form of a user-name or Access Line Identifier (physical and logical circuit ID) for fixed device or RG;

– Location of the subscriber; that may include Access line id (physical and logical circuit ID), SSID of the AP, BSSID of the AP;

NOTE: How the location information becomes available to the PCEF/IPEdge is out of the scope of 3GPP.

– PLMN id of the PCEF located in the IPEdge, if available;

– IPv4/IPv6 address or IPv6 prefix of the UE;

– Type of IP‑CAN (i.e. Fixed Broadband Access);

– A PDN ID in the form of the NSWO-APN for a 3GPP UE.

The SPR may provide the information listed in clause 6.2.1.1 for a UE and optionally for NSWO-APN.

The OCS may provide the information listed in clause 6.2.1.1 for a UE.

The TDF may provide the information listed in clause 6.2.1.1 for a UE and optionally for NSWO-APN.

The AF, if involved, may provide the information listed in clause 6.2.1.1 with the following Fixed Broadband Access Specific values:

– Subscriber Identifier;

– IPv4/IPv6 address or IPv6 prefix of the UE.

S.6.1.2 Policy and Charging Enforcement Function (PCEF)

The PCC requirements for the PCEF is located in the Fixed Broadband Access are defined in TR-300 [37]. The PCEF performs the following Fixed Broadband specific functions:

QoS enforcement:

– The PCEF shall be able to convert a QoS parameters sent from PCRF to Fixed Broadband Access to specific QoS attribute and determine the QoS parameters sent to PCRF from the PCEF from a set of Fixed Broadband Access specific QoS attribute.

Application Detection:

– The support of Application Detection functionality is considered a network operator choice in Fixed Broadband Access. If supported, the functionality defined in clause 6.2.2.5 applies.

In addition, the following functions are not supported:

– No UE and/or NW initiated bearer procedures and no enforcement of the authorized QoS for an IP-CAN bearer is supported for Fixed Broadband Access.

S.6.1.3 Application Function (AF)

The AF functionality defined in clause 6.2.3 shall apply, except for the following functionality:

– No subscription to changes of IP-CAN type, RAT type or Access Network Information applies.

S.6.1.4 Subscriber Profile Repository (SPR)

The SPR functionality defined in clause 6.2.4 shall apply. For Fixed Broadband Access the SPR may provide the subscription profile information per subscriber and PDN in case of a 3GPP UE or per subscriber in case of a fixed device or RG:

– Subscriber Identifier in the form of an IMSI, MSISDN for a 3GPP UE or in the form of a user-name or Access Line Identifier (physical and logical circuit ID) for fixed device or RG;

– A PDN ID in the form of the NSWO-APN.

S.6.1.5 Online Charging System (OCS)

The OCS functionality defined in clause 6.2.5 shall apply.

For Fixed Broadband Access the PCEF provides the Subscriber Identifier that may be e.g. IMSI for a 3GPP UE or a user name or Access line identifier for a fixed devices or RG to the OCS. The PCEF or TDF also sends Access line id (physical and logical circuit ID) to the OCS when the subscriber ID identifies a 3GPP UE or a fixed device behind the RG.

NOTE: An operator may also apply this solution with both PCEF and TDF performing enforcement and charging for a single IP-CAN session as long as the network is configured in such a way that the traffic charged and enforced in the PCEF does not overlap with the traffic charged and enforced by the TDF.

S.6.1.6 Offline Charging System (OFCS)

The OCS functionality defined in clause 6.2.6 shall apply.

For Fixed Broadband Access the PCEF provides the Subscriber Identifier that may be e.g. IMSI for a 3GPP UE or a user name or Access line identifier for a fixed devices or RG to the OFCS. The PCEF or TDF also sends Access line id (physical and logical circuit ID) to the OFCS when the subscriber ID identifies a 3GPP UE or a fixed device behind the RG.

NOTE: An operator may also apply this solution with both PCEF and TDF performing enforcement and charging for a single IP-CAN session as long as the network is configured in such a way that the traffic charged and enforced in the PCEF does not overlap with the traffic charged and enforced by the TDF.

S.6.1.7 User Data Repository (UDR)

The SPR data listed in clause 6.2.3 are stored in the UDR, the subscriber identifier and the PDN ID defined in S.6.1.4 applies.

S.6.1.8 Traffic Detection Function (TDF)

The TDF functionality defined in clause 6.2.9 shall apply. For Fixed Broadband Access, the TDF does not subscribe to event triggers indication from the PCRF at any IP-CAN session procedure.