Methods and systems for differential billing of services used during a mobile data service session

An apparatus, comprising:

• a computer readable memory unit;
• one or more processors coupled to said memory unit, said one or more processors for executing a method for differential billing of services used during a mobile data service user session, comprising:
• identifying a user session;
• identifying a user profile that is associated with said user session;
• identifying a plurality of service parameters of said user session;
• identifying a plurality of different types of mobile Internet data services associated with said plurality of service parameters, wherein each of said different types of mobile Internet data services is identified by a different one of said plurality of service parameters, wherein said plurality of different types of mobile Internet data services are provided on a General Packet Radio Service/Universal Mobile Telecommunication System (GPRS/UMTS) network, and wherein said plurality of different types of mobile Internet data services are provided using a specific data protocol of said GPRS/UMTS network;
• accessing an online charging server to obtain triggers and thresholds for generating a plurality of service usage reports;
• generating a service usage report for each of said plurality of different types of mobile Internet data services, wherein said service usage report is generated at a gateway support node of said GPRS/UMTS network, wherein said service usage report comprises a billing rate that is based on both said user profile and at least one of said plurality of service parameters, and wherein said plurality of different types of mobile Internet data services are associated with different billing rates;
• and
• determining a total charge for said user profile, wherein said total charge is determined by compiling said plurality of service usage reports associated with said plurality of different types of mobile Internet data services.

A system for differential billing of services used during a mobile data service user session, comprising:

• means for identifying a user session;
• means for identifying a user profile associated with said user session;
• means for identifying a plurality of service parameters for said user session;
• means for identifying a plurality of services provided during said user session, wherein each of said plurality of services is associated with a different one of said plurality of service parameters, wherein said plurality of services are provided on a General Packet Radio Service/Universal Mobile Telecommunication System (GPRS/UMTS) network, and wherein said plurality of services are provided using a same data protocol of said GPRS/UMTS network;
• means for accessing an online charging server to obtain triggers and thresholds for generating a plurality of service usage reports;
• means for generating a service usage report for each of said plurality of services, wherein said service usage report comprises a billing rate that is based on both said user profile and at least one of said plurality of service parameters, and wherein said plurality of services are associated with different billing rates;
• and
• means for determining a total charge for said user profile, wherein said total charge is determined by compiling said plurality of service usage reports associated with said plurality of services provided during said user session.