Communication system, communication apparatus, communication method, terminal, and non-transitory medium

A data center comprising:

• an apparatus that connects to a core network connected with a base station;
• an apparatus that connects to a wireless LAN (Local Area Network) without going through the core network;
• a virtual core network that virtualizes at least a part of functions of the core network;
• and
• a control apparatus that controls a charging method provided to a terminal, which is enabled to select connection to either the wireless LAN or the base station by a user input, in accordance with a type of a network to which the terminal connects, the type of the network corresponding to whether the terminal connects to the virtual core network via the base station and the core network, or the terminal connects to the wireless LAN,
• wherein in a case where the terminal connects to the wireless LAN, the control apparatus controls the charging method provided to the terminal in accordance with whether an access point of the wireless LAN is provided by a first operator of the virtual core network, and
• wherein the first operator is different from a second operator which provides the base station.

A communication method comprising:

• connecting to a core network connected with a base station and to a wireless LAN (Local Area Network) without going through the core network,
• providing a virtual core network that virtualizes at least a part of functions of the core network;
• controlling a charging method provided to a terminal, which is enabled to select connection to either the wireless LAN or the base station by a user input, in accordance with a type of a network to which the terminal connects, the type of the network corresponding to whether the terminal connects to the virtual core network via the base station and the core network, or the terminal connects to the wireless LAN;
• and
• in a case where the terminal connects to the wireless LAN, controlling the charging method provided to the terminal in accordance with whether an access point of the wireless LAN is provided by a first operator of the virtual core network, and
• wherein the first operator is different from a second operator which provides the base station.

A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing therein a program causing a computer that connects to a core network connected with a base station and to a wireless LAN (Local Area Network) without going through the core network to execute processing comprising;

• operating a virtual core network that virtualizes at least a part of functions of the core network;
• controlling a charging method provided to a terminal, which is enabled to select connection to either the wireless LAN or the base station by a user input, in accordance with a type of a network to which the terminal connects, the type of the network corresponding to whether the terminal connects to the virtual core network via the base station and the core network, or the terminal connects to the wireless LAN;
• and
• in a case where the terminal connects to the wireless LAN, identifying that an access point of the wireless LAN is provided by a first operator of the virtual core network, and controlling the charging method provided to the terminal in accordance with whether the access point of the wireless LAN is provided by the first operator, and
• wherein the first operator is different from a second operator which provides the base station.