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Working with Active Charging Service
Enhanced Charging Service (ECS), also known as Active Charging Service (ACS), is an in-line service, 
which is integrated within the platform and provides mobile operators the ability to offer tiered, detailed, 
and itemized billing to subscribers. Data packets flow through the ECS subsystem and relevant actions 
are performed based on the configured rules. Charging records (xCDRs) will be generated and forwarded 
to ESS or billing systems for prepaid and post paid billing. 
The major components and functions of an ECS solution are given below.
Content Service Steering
Content Service Steering (CSS) enables directing selective subscriber traffic into the ECS subsystem. 
CSS uses Access Control Lists (ACLs) to redirect selective subscriber traffic flows. ACLs control the 
flow of packets into and out of the system. ACLs consist of rules (ACL rules) or filters that control the 
action taken on packets matching the filter criteria.
ACLs are configurable on a per-context basis and apply to a subscriber through either a subscriber profile 
(for PDSN) or an APN profile (for GGSN) in the destination context.
Protocol Analyzer
Protocol analyzer stack is responsible for analyzing the individual protocol fields during packet 
inspection. The analyzer supports the following types of packet inspection:
Shallow Packet Inspection—Inspection of the Layer 3 (IP header) and Layer 4 (for example, UDP 
or TCP header) information.
Deep Packet Inspection—Inspection of Layer 7 and above information. This functionality includes:
–Detection of Uniform Resource Identifier (URI) information at level 7 (example, HTTP)
–Identification of true destination in the case of terminating proxies, where shallow packet 
inspection only reveals the destination IP address/port number of a terminating proxy
Rule Definitions
Rule definitions (ruledefs) are user-defined expressions, based on protocol fields and protocol states, 
which define what actions to take when specific field values are true.
Most important rule definitions are related to Routing and Charging as explained below:
Routing Ruledefs—Routing ruledefs are used to route packets to content analyzers. Routing 
ruledefs determine which content analyzer to route the packet to, when the protocol fields and/or 
protocol states in ruledef expression are true.  QoS Class Background Indicates whether background traffic class of service is enabled or not.
QoS Class Interactive Indicates whether interactive traffic class of service is enabled or not.
QoS Class Streaming Indicates whether streaming traffic class of service is enabled or not.
QoS Class 
ConversationalIndicates whether conversational traffic class of service is enabled or not.
Table 27-121 APN Profile Additional Characteristics (continued)
Field Description 
						

							  
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Charging Ruledefs—Charging ruledefs are used to specify what action to take based on the analysis 
done by the content analyzers. Actions can include redirection, charge value, and billing record 
emission. 
Rule Base
A rule base is a collection of rule definitions and their associated billing policy. The rule base determines 
the action to be taken when a rule is matched. Rule bases can also be used to apply the same rule 
definitions for several subscribers, which eliminate the need to have unique rule definition for each 
subscriber. We can set priority, default bandwidth policy, type of billing for subscriber sessions, for a 
rule definition or group of rule definitions in the rule base.
Content Filtering
ACS also offers a content filtering mechanism. Content filtering is an in-line service available for 3GPP 
and 3GPP2 networks to filter HTTP and WAP requests from mobile subscribers, based on the URLs in 
the requests. Content filtering uses the DPI feature of ECS to discern HTTP and WAP requests. This 
enables operators to filter and control the content that an individual subscriber can access, so that 
subscribers are inadvertently not exposed to universally unacceptable content and/or content 
inappropriate as per the subscribers’ preferences.
The content filtering service offers the following solutions:
URL Blacklisting—With this solution, all HTTP/WAP URLs in subscriber requests are matched 
against a database of blacklisted URLs. If there is a match, the flow is discarded, redirected, or 
terminated as configured. If there is no match, subscribers view the content as they would normally.
Category-based Content Filtering
–Category-based Static Content Filtering—In this method, all HTTP/WAP URLs in subscriber 
requests are matched against a static URL categorization database. Action is taken based on a 
URL’s category, and the action configured for that category in the subscriber’s content filtering 
policy. Possible actions include permitting, blocking, redirecting, and inserting content.
–Category-based Static-and-Dynamic Content Filtering—In this method, each URL first 
undergoes static rating. If the URL cannot be rated by the static database or if the URL static 
rating categorizes a URL as either Dynamic or Unknown, the requested content is sent for 
dynamic rating; wherein the requested content is analyzed and categorized. Action is taken 
based on the category determined by dynamic rating, and the action configured for that category 
in the subscriber’s content filtering policy. Possible actions include permitting, blocking, 
redirecting, and inserting content.
NoteACS is applicable only for the ‘local’ context in the logical inventory.
The following topics explain how to work with ACS in the Vision client:
Viewing Active Charging Services, page 27-189
ACS Commands, page 27-202 
						

							  
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Viewing Active Charging Services
You can view the active charging services in logical inventory as shown in Figure 27-21. 
Figure 27-21 Mobile Technology Setup Nodes
Additionally, you can also perform the following for each ACS:
Viewing Content Filtering Categories, page 27-191
Viewing Credit Control Properties, page 27-191
Viewing Charging Action Properties
Viewing Rule Definitions
Viewing Rule Base for the Charging Action
Viewing Bandwidth Policies
Viewing Fair Usage Properties
To view ACS details in logical inventory:
Step 1Right-click the required device in the Vision client and choose Inventory.
Step 2In the Logical Inventory window, choose Logical Inventory > local> Mobile >  Active Charging 
Services.
The Vision client displays the list of active charging services configured under the container. You can 
view the individual ACS details from the table on the right pane or by choosing Logical Inventory > 
local> Mobile > Active Charging Services > ACS.
Table 27-122 describes the details available for each ACS. 
						

							  
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Table 27-122 Active Charging Services in Logical Inventory
Field Description
Service Name Name of the active charging service.
TCP Flow Idle Timeout Maximum duration, in seconds, a TCP flow can remain idle.
UDP Flow Idle Timeout Maximum duration, in seconds, a UDP flow can remain idle.
ICMP Flow Idle 
TimeoutMaximum duration, in seconds, an Internet Control Message Protocol 
(ICMP) flow can remain idle.
ALG Media Idle 
TimeoutMaximum duration, in seconds, an application level gateway (ALG) media 
flow can remain idle.
TCP Flow Mapping Idle 
TimeoutThe time for which the TCP flow mapping timer holds the resources.
UDP Flow Mapping 
Idle TimeoutThe time for which the UDP flow mapping timer holds the resources.
Deep Packet Inspection Indicates whether configuration of DPI is enabled or disabled in the mobile 
video gateway.
Passive Mode Indicates whether the ACS is in or out of passive mode operation.
CDR Flow Control Indicates whether flow control is enabled or disabled between the ACS 
Manager (ACSMGR) and Charging Data Record Module (CDRMOD).
CDR Flow Control 
Unsent Queue SizeFlow control unsent queue size at ACSMGR level.
Unsent Queue High 
Wa t e r m a r kHighest flow control unsent queue size at ACSMGR level.
Unsent Queue Low 
Wa t e r m a r kLowest flow control unsent queue size at ACSMGR level.
Content Filtering Indicates whether content filtering is enabled or disabled for the ACS.
Dynamic Content 
FilteringIndicates whether dynamic content filtering is enabled or disabled for the 
ACS.
URL Blacklisting Indicates whether URL blacklisting is enabled or disabled for the ACS.
URL Blacklisting 
Match MethodMethod to look up the URLs in the URL blacklisting database.
Content Filtering Match 
MethodMethod to look up the URLs in the category-based content filtering database.
Interpretation of 
Charging Rulebase 
NameCharging rulebase configured for the ACS.
Selected Charging 
Rulebase Name for AVPCharging rulebase name for attribute value pair (AVP) configured for the 
ACS. 
						

							  
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Viewing Content Filtering Categories
To view content filtering categories in logical inventory:
Step 1Right-click the required device in the Vision client and choose Inventory.
Step 2In the Logical Inventory window, choose Logical Inventory > local> Mobile > Active Charging 
Services > ACS> Content Filtering Categories.
The Vision client displays the list of content filtering categories configured under the container. You can 
view the individual content filtering category details from the table on the right pane or by choosing 
Logical Inventory > local> Mobile > Active Charging Services > ACS> Content Filtering 
Categories> Content Filtering Category.
Table 27-123 describes the details available for each content filtering category.
Viewing Credit Control Properties
In a prepaid environment, the subscribers pay for a service prior to using it. While the subscriber is using 
the service, credit is deducted from subscriber’s account until it is exhausted or the call ends. In prepaid 
charging, ECS performs the metering function. Credits are deducted in real time from an account balance 
or quota. A fixed quota is reserved from the account balance and given to the system by a prepaid rating 
and charging server, which interfaces with an external billing system platform. The system deducts 
Table 27-123 Content Filtering Categories in Logical Inventory
Field Description
Policy ID ID of the content filtering policy.
Failure Action Action to take for the content filtering analysis result.
EDR File The EDR file name.
Content Category Name of the content filtering category.
Content Insert Content string to insert in place of the message returned from prohibited or 
restricted site or content server.
Content Priority Precedence of the category in the content filtering policy.
Content  Failure  Action Action to take for the indicated result of the content filtering analysis, which 
could be one of the following:
allow
content-insert
discard
redirect URL
terminate flow
www-reply-code-and-terminate-flow
Content Redirect Content string to redirect the subscriber to a specified URL.
Content Reply Code Reply code to terminate flow.
EDR File Format Predefined EDR file format. 
						

							  
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volume from the quota according to the traffic analysis rules. When the subscriber’s quota gets to the 
threshold level specified by the prepaid rating and charging server, system sends a new access request 
message to the server and server updates the subscribers quota. The charging server is also updated at 
the end of the call.
ECS supports the following credit control applications for prepaid charging:
RADIUS Credit Control Application—RADIUS is used as the interface between ECS and the 
prepaid charging server. 
Diameter Credit Control Application—The Diameter Credit Control Application (DCCA) is used to 
implement real-time credit control for a variety of services, such as networks access, messaging 
services, and download services.
To view credit control properties in logical inventory:
Step 1Right-click the required device in the Vision client and choose Inventory.
Step 2In the Logical Inventory window, choose Logical Inventory > local> Mobile > Active Charging 
Services > ACS> Credit Control.
The Vision client displays the list of credit control groups configured under the container. You can view 
the individual credit control group details from the table on the right pane or by choosing Logical 
Inventory > local> Mobile > Active Charging Services > ACS> Credit Control> Credit Control 
Group.
You can also view the following details by clicking the respective node under the credit control group:
Diameter
Failure Handling
Pending Traffic Treatment
Quota
Server Unreachable Failure Handling
Table 27-124 describes the details available for each credit control group. 
						

							  
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Table 27-124 Credit Control Properties in Logical Inventory
Field Description
Group Name of the credit control group for the subscriber.
Mode Prepaid charging application mode, which could be Diameter or Radius.
APN Name to be 
IncludedType of APN name sent in the credit control application (CCA) message.
Trigger Type Condition based on which credit reauthorization is triggered from the server.
Diameter MSCC Final 
Unit Action TerminateIndicates whether to terminate a PDP session immediately when the 
Final-Unit-Action (FUA) in a particular multi service credit control (MSCC) 
is set as Terminate and the quota is exhausted for that service, or to terminate 
the session after all MSCCs (categories) have used their available quota.
Diameter Peer Select table
Peer Primary hostname.
Realm Realm for the primary host.
Secondary Peer Secondary hostname.
Secondary Realm Realm for the secondary host.
IMSI Range Mode Mode of peer selection based on IMSI prefix or suffix.
IMSI Start Value Starting value of the IMSI range for peer selection.
IMSI End Value Ending value of the IMSI range for peer selection.
Diameter
End Point Name Name of the diameter endpoint.
End Point Realm Realm of the diameter endpoint.
Pending Timeout Maximum time to wait for response from a diameter peer.
Session Failover Indicates whether diameter session failover is enabled or not.
Dictionary Diameter credit control dictionary for the ACS.
Failure Handling
Initial Request Failure handling behavior, if failure takes place during initial session 
establishment. Value could be continue, retry-and-terminate, and terminate.
Update  Request Failure handling behavior, if failure takes place during update request. Value 
could be continue, retry-and-terminate, and terminate.
Terminate Request Failure handling behavior, if failure takes place during terminate request. 
Value could be continue, retry-and-terminate, and terminate.
Pending Traffic Treatment
Trigger Indicates whether to allow or drop a trigger while waiting for the credit 
information from the server. Value could be pass or drop.
Forced Reauth Indicates whether to allow or drop reauthorization while waiting for the 
credit information from the server. Value could be pass or drop.
NoQuota Indicates whether to allow or drop traffic, if there is no quota present. Value 
could be pass, drop, or buffer.
Quota Exhausted Indicates whether to allow or drop traffic, if quota is exhausted. Value could 
be pass, drop, or buffer. 
						

							  
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Viewing Charging Action Properties
Charging Action is an action taken on the incoming data packets once the data packets are treated by the 
routing and charging rule components. User can configure independent actions such as allow, forward, 
and block traffic, and bind these actions with other routing and charging rule components. 
To view charging action properties in logical inventory:
Step 1Right-click the required device in the Vision client and choose Inventory.
Step 2In the Logical Inventory window, choose Logical Inventory > local> Mobile > Active Charging 
Services > ACS> Charging Action.
The Vision client displays the list of charging actions configured under the container as shown. You can 
view the individual charging action details from the table on the right pane or by choosing Logical 
Inventory > local> Mobile > Active Charging Services > ACS> Charging Action> Charging 
Action.
You can also view the following details by clicking the respective node under the Charging Action node:
Allocation Retention Priority
Bandwidth
Flow Action
QoS Validity Expired Indicates whether to allow or drop traffic, if quota validity is expired. Value 
could be pass or drop.
Quota
Request Trigger Action taken on the packet that triggers the credit control application to 
request quota. Value could be exclude-packet-causing-trigger or 
include-packet-causing-trigger.
Holding Time Duration for which ECS can hold the quota before returning to the credit 
control server.
Validity  Time Lifetime for which subscriber quota retrieved from the billing server is valid.
Time Threshold Time threshold limit for subscriber quota in the prepaid credit control 
service.
Units  Threshold Unit threshold limit for subscriber quota in the prepaid credit control service.
Volume Threshold Volume threshold limit for subscriber quota in the prepaid credit control 
service.
Server Unreachable Failure Handling
Initial Request Failure handling behavior if server is unreachable during initial session 
establishment. Value could be continue or terminate.
Update Request Failure handling behavior if server is unreachable during update request. 
Value could be continue or terminate.
Table 27-124 Credit Control Properties in Logical Inventory (continued)
Field Description 
						

							  
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Vi d e o
Billing Action
Table 27-125 describes the details available for each charging action record.
Table 27-125 Charging Action Properties in Logical Inventory
Field Description
Name Name of the charging action.
Content ID Content ID to use in the generated billing records as well the AVP used by 
the credit control application.
Service ID Configured service ID used to associate the charging action in rule 
definitions configuration.
Charging EDR Name Name of the EDR format for the billing action in the ACS.
EGCDRs Indicates whether eG-CDRs must be generated when the subscriber session 
ends or an interim trigger condition occurs.
Rf Indicates whether Rf accounting is enabled or not.
UDRs Indicates whether UDRs must be generated based on the UDR format 
declared in the rule base.
Flow Idle Timeout Maximum duration a flow can remain idle after which the system 
automatically terminates the flow.
Limit for Flow Type 
StateIndicates whether the limit for flow type is configured or not.
Limit for Flow Type 
Va l u eMaximum number of flows of a particular type.
Limit for Flow Type 
ActionAction to be taken, if the number of flows exceeds the maximum limit.
IP Type of Service IP Type of Service (ToS) octets used in the charging action.
Retransmission Count Indicates whether to count the number of packet retransmissions when the 
charging action is applied on the incoming data packets.
Content Filtering Indicates whether content filtering must be applied on the incoming packets 
or not.
Credit Control Indicates whether to apply credit control or not.
Credit Rating Group Coupon ID used in prepaid charging as rating group.
Charge Volume Method used for charge volume calculation based on the protocol and 
packet.
Next Hop Forwarding 
AddressNext hop forwarding address for a charging action.
VLAN ID VLAN ID configured for the subscriber
Flow Mapping Idle 
TimeoutMaximum duration, in seconds, a flow can remain idle after which the 
system automatically terminates the flow.
Allocation Retention Priority
Priority Level Priority value that indicates whether to accept or reject a request for 
establishment or modification of a bearer in a limited resource condition. 
						

							  
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Priority Vulnerability 
IndicatorDefines whether an active bearer can be preempted by a preemption-capable 
high priority bearer.
Priority Capability 
IndicatorDefines whether the bearer request can preempt the resources from the Low 
Priority Pre-empatable Active Bearers. 
Bandwidth
Bandwidth ID The bandwidth policy ID for the ACS.
Uplink Indicates whether uplink flow limit is configured for the subscriber or not.
Downlink Indicates whether downlink flow limit is configured for the subscriber or not.
Charging Action Bandwidth Direction
Direction Direction of the packet flow: Uplink or Downlink
Peak Data Rate Peak data rate configured for the uplink or downlink packet flow.
Peak Burst Size Peak burst size allowed for the uplink or downlink packets.
Committed Data Rate Committed data rate for the uplink or downlink packet flow.
Committed Burst Size Committed burst size allowed for the uplink or downlink packets.
Exceed Action Action to take on packets that exceed committed data rate but do not violate 
the peak data rate.
Violate Action Action to take on packets that exceed both committed and peak data rates.
Bandwidth Limiting ID Identifier for bandwidth limiting.
Flow Action
Redirect URL Indicates whether packets matched to the rule definition must be redirected 
to a specified URL or not.
Clear Quota Retry 
TimerIndicates whether to reset the CCA quota retry timer for a specific subscriber 
upon redirection of data packets.
Conditional Redirect Indicates whether packets matching to a configured user agent must be 
conditionally redirected to a specified URL.
Discard Discards packets associated with the charging action.
Random Drop Indicates whether to degrade voice quality and specify the time interval in 
seconds at which the voice packets will be dropped. 
Readdress Redirects unknown gateway traffic based on the destination IP address of the 
packets to known or trusted gateways.
Terminate Flow Indicates whether to terminate the flow by terminating the TCP connection 
gracefully between the subscriber and external server.
Terminate Session Indicates whether to terminate the session.
QoS
Traffic Class QoS traffic class for the charging action, which could be background, 
conversational, interactive, or streaming.
Class Identifier The QCI value.
Video
Bit Rate Bits per second, at which the TCP video flow must be paced during video 
pacing.
Table 27-125 Charging Action Properties in Logical Inventory (continued)
Field Description