Method and apparatus for charging operations in a communication network supporting virtual network customers

An electronic device in a network, the electronic device comprising a processor, a network interface and a memory and configured to:

• instantiate or operate a monitoring function at a location in a communication network, the location selected to allow monitoring of traffic flows associated with usage, by a plurality of UEs, of a service accessed via a network slice instantiated in the network, the location being within the network slice, the plurality of UEs using the network slice to access the service and the traffic flows being within the network slice and due to usage of the service, the monitoring function configured to:
• monitor the traffic flows for the plurality of UEs;
• generate indications of the traffic flows, wherein the indications of the traffic flows include indications of one or more of:
• traffic volume for the traffic flows;
• and flow rate of the traffic flows;
• and
• generate and provide charging information for use in charging a Virtual Network Operator (VNO) customer based on the indications of the traffic flows, the VNO customer separate from an operator of the communication network, wherein the plurality of UEs are subscribed to the VNO customer or operated by the VNO customer, and wherein the VNO customer offers the plurality of UEs access to the service.

A method for collecting network usage information, comprising:

• instantiating a monitoring function at a location in a communication network, the location selected to allow monitoring of traffic flows associated with usage, by one or more UEs, of a network slice instantiated in the network, the location being within the network slice, the plurality of UEs using the network slice to access a service provided by a Virtual Network Operator (VNO) and the traffic flows being within the network slice and due to usage of the service, the VNO separate from an operator of the network, and wherein the VNO is a VNO customer offering the plurality of UEs access to the service, the monitoring function configured to monitor the traffic flows, wherein the one or more UEs use the network slice in accordance with a subscription to the service provided by the VNO;
• generating, by the monitoring function, network usage information based on indications of one or more of:
• traffic volume for the traffic flows;
• and flow rate of the traffic flows;
• and
• providing the network usage information to the VNO for use by the VNO in charging for usage of the network slice by the one or more UEs.

An electronic device in a network, the electronic device comprising a processor, a network interface and a memory and configured to:

• instantiate or operate a monitoring function at a location in a communication network, the location selected to allow monitoring of traffic flows associated with usage, by one or more UEs, of a service accessed via a network slice instantiated in the network, the one or more UEs subscribed to the service via a Virtual Network Operator (VNO), the location being within the network slice, the plurality of UEs using the network slice to access the service and the traffic flows being within the network slice and due to usage of the service, the VNO separate from an operator of the communication network, and wherein the VNO is a VNO customer offering the plurality of UEs access to the service, the monitoring function configured to:
• monitor the traffic flows for the one or more UEs;
• generate network usage information based on indications of one or more of:
• traffic volume for the traffic flows;
• and flow rate of the traffic flows;
• and
• provide the network usage information to the VNO, for use by the VNO in charging for usage of the network slice by the one or more UEs.