Techniques for zero rating through redirection

An apparatus, comprising:

• a processor circuit on a proxy server device;
• a network interface on the proxy server device;
• a client proxy component operative on the processor circuit to receive, from the network interface, a proxy network packet from a local gateway application on a client device, the proxy network packet containing an application network packet for delivery to a network server device;
• and forward the application network packet to the network server device based on a determination that a local user application is authorized to use the proxy server device;
• and
• a proxy access component operative on the processor circuit to determine that the application network packet is associated with the local user application on the client device;
• and determine that the local user application is authorized to use the proxy server device.

At least one computer-readable storage medium comprising instructions that, when executed, cause a system to:

• receive, at a network interface on a proxy server device, a proxy network packet from a local gateway application on a client device, the proxy network packet containing an application network packet for delivery to a network server device;
• determine that the application network packet is associated with a local user application on the client device;
• determine that the local user application is authorized to use the proxy server device;
• and
• determine the application network packet to the network server device based on the determination that the local user application is authorized to use the proxy server device.