Coordinating cellular and cable/fiber broadband networks

A method comprising:

• detecting, at a cable/fiber broadband network termination unit of a cable/fiber broadband multi-service operator, an interruption in service to a cable/fiber broadband network customer unit-small cell pair by determining that said cable/fiber broadband network customer unit—small cell pair has not consumed data for a predetermined time period, responsive to said determining, said cable/fiber broadband network termination unit initiating a periodic ping of said cable/fiber broadband network customer unit—small cell pair, and responsive to said periodic ping not being returned, concluding that said interruption in service has occurred;
• responsive to detecting said interruption, said cable/fiber broadband network termination unit advising a charging server of said cable/fiber broadband multi-service operator of said interruption in service, a corresponding identifier of said cable/fiber broadband network customer unit—small cell pair, and a corresponding account identifier;
• responsive to said cable/fiber broadband network termination unit advising said charging server, said charging server of said cable/fiber broadband multi-service operator advising a backend server of an associated cellular network of a customer identifier corresponding to said account identifier;
• and
• responsive to said charging server advising said backend server, said backend server of said associated cellular network advising a policy control function of said associated cellular network to modify network parameters of said associated cellular network to compensate for said interruption in service wherein, responsive to said cable/fiber broadband network termination unit advising said charging server of said interruption, said charging server turns on a timer, further comprising:
• said cable/fiber broadband network termination unit continuing said periodic ping of said cable/fiber broadband network customer unit—small cell pair until said cable/fiber broadband network customer unit—small cell pair responds;
• said cable/fiber broadband network termination unit advising said charging server when said cable/fiber broadband network customer unit—small cell pair responds;
• and
• responsive to said cable/fiber broadband network termination unit advising said charging server when said cable/fiber broadband network customer unit—small cell pair responds, said charging system turning off said timer.

A system comprising:

• a cable/fiber broadband network customer unit-small cell pair;
• a cable/fiber broadband network termination unit of a cable/fiber broadband multi-service operator, coupled to said cable/fiber broadband network customer unit-small cell pair;
• a charging server of said cable/fiber broadband multi-service operator, coupled to said cable/fiber broadband network termination unit;
• a backend server of a cellular network associated with said cable/fiber broadband multi-service operator, coupled to said charging server;
• and
• a policy control function server of said associated cellular network, coupled to said backend server;
• wherein:
• said cable/fiber broadband network termination unit is configured to detect an interruption in service to said cable/fiber broadband network customer unit-small cell pair by determining that said cable/fiber broadband network customer unit—small cell pair has not consumed data for a predetermined time period, responsive to said determining, initiating a periodic ping of said cable/fiber broadband network customer unit—small cell pair, and, responsive to said periodic ping not being returned, concluding that said interruption in service has occurred;
• said cable/fiber broadband network termination unit is configured, responsive to detecting said interruption, to advise said charging server of said interruption in service, a corresponding identifier of said cable/fiber broadband network customer unit—small cell pair, and a corresponding account identifier;
• said charging server is configured, responsive to said cable/fiber broadband network termination unit advising said charging server, to advise said backend server of a customer identifier corresponding to said account identifier;
• and
• said backend server is configured, responsive to said charging server advising said backend server, to advise said policy control function server to modify network parameters of said associated cellular network to compensate for said interruption in service.

A system comprising:

• a cable/fiber broadband network customer unit-small cell pair;
• a cable/fiber broadband network termination unit of a cable/fiber broadband multi-service operator, coupled to said cable/fiber broadband network customer unit-small cell pair;
• a charging server of said cable/fiber broadband multi-service operator, coupled to said cable/fiber broadband network termination unit;
• a backend server of a cellular network associated with said cable/fiber broadband multi-service operator, coupled to said charging server;
• and
• a policy control function server of said associated cellular network, coupled to said backend server;
• wherein:
• said cable/fiber broadband network termination unit is configured to detect an interruption in service to said cable/fiber broadband network customer unit-small cell pair by determining that said cable/fiber broadband network customer unit—small cell pair has not consumed data for a predetermined time period, responsive to said determining, said cable/fiber broadband network termination unit initiating a periodic ping of said cable/fiber broadband network customer unit—small cell pair, and responsive to said periodic ping not being returned, concluding that said interruption in service has occurred;
• said cable/fiber broadband network termination unit is configured, responsive to detecting said interruption, to advise said charging server of said interruption in service, a corresponding identifier of said cable/fiber broadband network customer unit—small cell pair, and a corresponding account identifier;
• said charging server is configured, responsive to said cable/fiber broadband network termination unit advising said charging server, to advise said backend server of a customer identifier corresponding to said account identifier;
• and
• said backend server is configured, responsive to said charging server advising said backend server, to advise said policy control function server to modify network parameters of said associated cellular network to compensate for said interruption in service, wherein:
• said charging server is configured to, responsive to said cable/fiber broadband network termination unit advising said charging server of said interruption, turn on a timer;
• said cable/fiber broadband network termination unit is configured to continue said periodic ping of said cable/fiber broadband network customer unit—small cell pair until said cable/fiber broadband network customer unit—small cell pair responds;
• said cable/fiber broadband network termination unit is configured to advise said charging server when said cable/fiber broadband network customer unit—small cell pair responds;
• and
• said charging system is configured to turn off said timer responsive to said cable/fiber broadband network termination unit advising said charging server when said cable/fiber broadband network customer unit—small cell pair responds.