Implementation of access service

A method for implementing an access service in a telecommunications network including an access network, a services network providing services, and user-operated terminals connected to the access network, the method comprising the steps of

• providing the access service by connecting, through interface elements, the user terminal to the services network providing the services,
• generating at least one charging record as a response to the access service, said record being relayed to billing means for charging a subscriber of the access service for the access service,
• using the terminal to generate charging messages provided with subscriber-specific digital signatures to the network,
• using at least one separate charging server so that each terminal has an assigned charging server that receives the charging messages generated by the terminals, wherein at least the network address of each terminal in question is transferred to the charging server, when the user starts the connection,
• verifying outside the terminal the signatures generated by the terminal,
• connecting the terminal to the services network providing the services, if said messages provided with subscriber-specific digital signatures are successfully verified, and
• sending from the terminal data concerning the current user of the terminal, and using said data to verify validity of the signatures and to target the charging messages received from the terminal in order to bill the subscriber in question.

A method for implementing an access service in a telecommunications network including an access network, a services network providing services, and user-operated terminals connected to the access network, the method comprising the steps of

• providing the access service by connecting, through interface elements, the user terminal to the services network providing the services,
• generating at least one charging record as a response to the access service, said record being relayed to billing means for charging a subscriber of the access service for the access service,
• using the terminal to generate charging messages provided with subscriber-specific digital signatures to the network, and on a service-specific basis for each service which is being used from the services network providing the services,
• verifying outside the terminal the signatures generated by the terminal,
• connecting the terminal to the services network providing the services, if said messages provided with subscriber-specific digital signatures are successfully verified, and
• sending from the terminal data concerning the current user of the terminal, and using said data to verify validity of the signatures and to target the charging messages received from the terminal in order to bill the subscriber in question.

A method for implementing an access service in a telecommunications network including an access network, a services network providing services, and user-operated terminals connected to the access network, the method comprising the steps of

• providing the access service by connecting, through interface elements, the user terminal to the services network providing the services,
• generating at least one charging record as a response to the access service, said record being relayed to billing means for charging a subscriber of the access service for the access service,
• using the terminal to generate charging messages provided with subscriber-specific digital signatures to the network,
• using at least one separate charging server so that each terminal has an assigned charging server that receives the charging messages generated by the terminals, wherein the terminal displays a list of access services available for the current user of each terminal,
• verifying outside the terminal the signatures generated by the terminal,
• connecting the terminal to the services network providing the services, if said messages provided with subscriber-specific digital signatures are successfully verified, and
• sending from the terminal data concerning the current user of the terminal, and using said data to verify validity of the signatures and to target the charging messages received from the terminal in order to bill the subscriber in question.

A system for implementing an access service in a telecommunications network, the system including an access network, a network providing services, and user-operated terminals connected through the access network to the network providing services, the system comprising

• connection means for connecting, through interface elements, the user terminal to the services network providing the services, and
• charging record generation means for generating at least one charging record (CDR) whenever a connection is made between the user and the services network providing the services,
• message generation means in the terminals, for generating charging messages from the terminals, said means being provided with signature means for adding a subscriber-specific digital signature to a charging message,
• verification elements, for verifying the charging messages generated by the terminals,
• identification means, for identifying the subscriber associated with the current user of the terminal, and
• the connection means being responsive to the verification means for connecting the terminal to the services network providing the services when the terminal sends charging messages that are successfully verified, and if said messages are received according to a predefined rate and the signatures included in the messages are verified as valid.