Congestion control in a telecommunications network

A telecommunications network configured for enabling data sessions between a server and at least a first and a second communication terminal by providing at least a first and a second bearer, respectively, the telecommunications network comprising:

• a first storage node storing a common group identifier assigned to a group comprising the at least first and second communication terminal;
• a second storage node storing a first individual bit rate for the first bearer and a second individual bit rate for the second bearer of the first and second communication terminals, respectively, wherein the first and second individual bit rates correspond to first and second maximum bit rates allowed on the first and second bearers, respectively;
• a monitoring module configured to monitor a group load indicator defined for the group of the at least first and second communication terminal corresponding to the common group identifier, wherein the group load indicator corresponds to a measure of total traffic load carried on the at least first and second bearers;
• an analyzer configured to compare the group load indicator with a group load condition of the group of the at least first and second communication terminal corresponding to the common group identifier;
• and
• a congestion controller configured to control congestion in the telecommunications network by reducing at least one of the first individual bit rate of the first bearer and the second individual bit rate of the second bearer when the group load indicator satisfies the group load condition;
• wherein the group load indicator is a measured aggregate bit rate of the group, wherein the group load condition is an aggregate bit rate threshold of the group, and wherein a case in which the group load indicator satisfies the group load condition is a case in which the measured aggregate bit rate of the group exceeds the aggregate bit rate threshold of the group.

A non-transitory computer readable medium having stored thereon software instructions that, if executed by one or more processors of a telecommunications network, cause the telecommunications network to carry out operations, wherein the telecommunications network supports one or more active data sessions between a server and at least a first and second communication terminal by providing at least a first and a second bearer, respectively, and wherein the operations include:

• storing a common group identifier assigned to a group comprising the at least the first and second communication terminal;
• storing a first individual bit rate for the first bearer and a second individual bit rate for the second bearer of the first and second communication terminals, respectively, wherein the first and second individual bit rates correspond to first and second maximum bit rates allowed on the first and second bearers, respectively;
• monitoring in the telecommunications network a group load indicator defined for the group of at least the first and the second terminal corresponding to the common group identifier, wherein the group load indicator corresponds to a measure of total traffic load carried on the at least first and second bearers;
• comparing the group load indicator of the group with a group load condition of the group of the at least first and second communication terminals corresponding to the common group identifier;
• and
• in response to determining that the group load indicator satisfies the group load condition, controlling congestion in the telecommunications network by reducing at least one of the first individual bit rate of the first bearer and the second individual bit rate of the second bearer;
• wherein the group load indicator is a measured aggregate bit rate of the group,
• wherein the group load condition is an aggregate bit rate threshold of the group, and
• wherein a case in which the group load indicator satisfies the group load condition is a case in which the measured aggregate bit rate of the group exceeds the aggregate bit rate threshold of the group.