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Diameter Credit-Control Application
draft-ietf-aaa-diameter-cc-06

The information below is for an old version of the document that is already published as an RFC.
Document Type
This is an older version of an Internet-Draft that was ultimately published as RFC 4006.
Authors Juha-Pekka Koskinen , Leena Mattila , Marco Stura , John A. Loughney , Harri Hakala
Last updated 2015-10-14 (Latest revision 2004-08-13)
Replaces draft-hakala-aaa-diameter-cc
RFC stream Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF)
Intended RFC status Proposed Standard
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IESG IESG state Became RFC 4006 (Proposed Standard)
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Responsible AD Bert Wijnen
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draft-ietf-aaa-diameter-cc-06
AAA Working Group                                                   
   Internet Draft                                         Harri Hakala 
   Document: draft-ietf-aaa-diameter-cc-06.txt           Leena Mattila 
   Expires: February 12, 2005                                 Ericsson 
                                                   Juha-Pekka Koskinen 
                                                           Marco Stura 
                                                         John Loughney 
                                                                 Nokia 
                                                       August 12, 2004 
 
 
                  Diameter Credit-Control Application  
                                     
    
Status of this memo  
     
   By submitting this Internet-Draft, I certify that any applicable 
   patent or other IPR claims of which I am aware have been disclosed, 
   and any of which I become aware will be disclosed, in accordance 
   with RFC 3668. 
    
   Internet-Drafts are working documents of the Internet Engineering 
   Task Force (IETF), its areas, and its working groups.  Note that 
   other groups may also distribute working documents as Internet-
   Drafts. 
    
   Internet-Drafts are draft documents valid for a maximum of six 
   months and may be updated, replaced, or obsoleted by other documents 
   at any time.  It is inappropriate to use Internet-Drafts as 
   reference material or to cite them other than as "work in progress." 
    
   The list of current Internet-Drafts can be accessed at 
   http://www.ietf.org/ietf/1id-abstracts.txt. 
    
   The list of Internet-Draft Shadow Directories can be accessed at 
   http://www.ietf.org/shadow.html. 
        
   This document is a product of the Authentication, Authorization and 
   Accounting (AAA) Working Group of the Internet Engineering Task 
   Force (IETF). Comments are welcome should be submitted to the 
   mailing list aaa-wg@merit.edu.  
     
Abstract  
     
   This document specifies a DIAMETER application that can be used to 
   implement real-time credit-control for a variety of end user 
   services such as network access, Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) 
   services, messaging services, download services etc.  
 

 
 
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   1. Introduction...................................................5 
      1.1 Requirements language......................................5 
      1.2 Terminology................................................6 
      1.3 Advertising application support............................7 
   2. Architecture Models............................................8 
   3. Credit-Control Messages.......................................10 
      3.1 Credit-Control-Request (CCR) Command......................10 
      3.2 Credit-Control-Answer (CCA) Command.......................11 
   4. Credit Control Application Overview...........................12 
      4.1 Service-Specific Rating Input and Interoperability........13 
   5. Session Based Credit-control..................................16 
      5.1 General Principles........................................16 
      5.2 First Interrogation.......................................21 
      5.3 Intermediate Interrogation................................27 
      5.4 Final Interrogation.......................................29 
      5.5 Server-Initiated Credit Re-Authorization..................30 
      5.6 Graceful Service Termination..............................32 
      5.7 Failure Procedures........................................37 
   6. One Time Event................................................40 
      6.1 Service Price Enquiry.....................................41 
      6.2 Balance Check.............................................41 
      6.3 Direct Debiting...........................................42 
      6.4 Refund....................................................43 
      6.5 Failure Procedure.........................................44 
   7. Credit Control Application State Machine......................45 
   8. Credit Control AVPs...........................................54 
      8.1 CC-Correlation-Id AVP.....................................57 
      8.2 CC-Request-Number AVP.....................................57 
      8.3 CC-Request-Type AVP.......................................57 
      8.4 CC-Session-Failover AVP...................................58 
      8.5 CC-Sub-Session-Id AVP.....................................58 
      8.6 Check-Balance-Result AVP..................................59 
      8.7 Cost-Information AVP......................................59 
      8.8 Unit-Value AVP............................................60 
      8.9 Exponent AVP..............................................60 
      8.10 Value-Digits AVP.........................................60 
      8.11 Currency-Code AVP........................................61 
      8.12 Cost-Unit AVP............................................61 
      8.13 Credit-Control AVP.......................................61 
      8.14 Credit-Control-Failure-Handling AVP......................61 
      8.15 Direct-Debiting-Failure-Handling AVP.....................62 
      8.16 Multiple-Services-Credit-Control AVP.....................63 
      8.17 Granted-Service-Unit AVP.................................64 
      8.18 Requested-Service-Unit AVP...............................65 
      8.19 Used-Service-Unit AVP....................................65 
      8.20 Tariff-Time-Change AVP...................................66 
      8.21 CC-Time AVP..............................................66 
      8.22 CC-Money AVP.............................................66 
      8.23 CC-Total-Octets AVP......................................67 
 
 
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      8.24 CC-Input-Octets AVP......................................67 
      8.25 CC-Output-Octets AVP.....................................67 
      8.26 CC-Service-Specific-Units AVP............................67 
      8.27 Tariff-Change-Usage AVP..................................67 
      8.28 Service-Identifier AVP...................................68 
      8.29 Rating-Group AVP.........................................68 
      8.30 G-S-U-Pool-Reference AVP.................................69 
      8.31 G-S-U-Pool-Identifier AVP................................69 
      8.32 CC-Unit-Type AVP.........................................69 
      8.33 Validity-Time AVP........................................70 
      8.34 Final-Unit-Indication AVP................................70 
      8.35 Final-Unit-Action AVP....................................71 
      8.36 Restriction-Filter-Rule AVP..............................72 
      8.37 Redirect-Server AVP......................................72 
      8.38 Redirect-Address-Type AVP................................72 
      8.39 Redirect-Server-Address AVP..............................73 
      8.40 Multiple-Services-Indicator AVP..........................73 
      8.41 Requested-Action AVP.....................................73 
      8.42 Service-Context-Id AVP...................................74 
      8.43 Service-Parameter-Info AVP...............................75 
      8.44 Service-Parameter-Type AVP...............................75 
      8.45 Service-Parameter-Value AVP..............................76 
      8.46 Subscription-Id AVP......................................76 
      8.47 Subscription-Id-Type AVP.................................76 
      8.48 Subscription-Id-Data AVP.................................77 
      8.49 User-Equipment-Info AVP..................................77 
      8.50 User-Equipment-Info-Type AVP.............................77 
      8.50 User-Equipment-Info-Value AVP............................78 
   9. Result Code AVP values........................................78 
      9.1 Transient Failures........................................78 
      9.2 Permanent Failures........................................79 
   10. AVP Occurrence Table.........................................79 
      10.1 Credit Control AVP Table.................................79 
      10.2 Re-Auth-Request/Answer AVP Table.........................81 
   11. RADIUS/Diameter Credit-control Interworking Model............81 
   12. IANA Considerations..........................................84 
      12.1 Application Identifier...................................84 
      12.2 Command Codes............................................84 
      12.3 AVP Codes................................................84 
      12.4 Result-Code AVP Values...................................84 
      12.5 CC-Request-Type AVP......................................84 
      12.6 CC-Session-Failover AVP..................................84 
      12.7 CC-Unit-Type AVP.........................................85 
      12.8 Check-Balance-Result AVP.................................85 
      12.9 Credit-Control AVP.......................................85 
      12.10 Credit-Control-Failure-Handling AVP.....................85 
      12.11 Direct-Debiting-Failure-Handling AVP....................85 
      12.12 Final-Unit-Action AVP...................................85 
      12.13 Multiple-Services-Indicator AVP.........................86 
 
 
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      12.14 Redirect-Address-Type AVP...............................86 
      12.15 Requested-Action AVP....................................86 
      12.16 Subscription-Id-Type AVP................................86 
      12.17 Tariff-Change-Usage AVP.................................86 
      12.18 User-Equipment-Info-Type AVP............................86 
   13. Credit-control Application Related Parameters................87 
   14. Security Consideration.......................................87 
      14.1 Direct Connection with Redirects.........................88 
   15. References...................................................89 
      15.1 Normative................................................89 
      15.2 Non-Normative............................................90 
   16. Acknowledgement..............................................91 
      A.1  Flow I..................................................92 
      A.2  Flow II.................................................94 
      A.3  Flow III................................................96 
      A.4  Flow IV.................................................97 
      A.5  Flow V..................................................98 
      A.6  Flow VI.................................................99 
      A.7  Flow VII...............................................100 
      A.8  Flow VIII..............................................102 
      A.9 Flow IX..................................................104 
   Author's Address................................................108 
   Intellectual Property Considerations...Error! Bookmark not defined. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 
 
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1.  Introduction  
  
   This document specifies a DIAMETER application that can be used to 
   implement real-time credit-control for a variety of end user 
   services such as network access, Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) 
   services, messaging services, download services etc. It provides a 
   general solution to the real-time cost and credit control. 
     
   The prepaid model has been shown to be very successful for instance 
   in GSM networks where network operators offering prepaid services 
   have experienced a substantial growth of their customer base and 
   revenues. Prepaid services are now cropping up in many other 
   wireless and wire line based networks as well. 
    
   In next generation wireless networks, additional functionality is 
   required beyond that specified in the Diameter base protocol. For 
   example, the 3GPP Charging and Billing requirements [3GPPCHARG] 
   state that an application must be able to rate service information 
   in real-time. In addition, it is necessary to check that the end 
   user's account provides coverage for the requested service, prior to 
   initiation of that service. When an account is exhausted or expired, 
   the user must be denied the ability to compile additional chargeable 
   events. 
    
   A mechanism needs to be provided to allow the user to be informed of 
   the charges to be levied for a requested service. In addition, there 
   are services such as gaming and advertising that may credit as well 
   as debit from a user account. 
    
   The other Diameter applications provide service specific 
   authorization and they do not provide credit authorization for 
   prepaid users. The credit authorization shall be generic and 
   applicable to all the service environments required to support 
   prepaid services.  
     
   To fulfill these requirements, it is necessary to facilitate credit-
   control communication between the network element providing the 
   service (e.g. Network Access Server, SIP Proxy, Application Server 
   etc.) and a credit-control server.  
    
   The scope of this specification is the credit authorization. Service 
   specific authorization and authentication is out of the scope. 
    
1.1   Requirements language  
     
   In this document, the key words "MAY", "MUST, "MUST NOT", 
   "OPTIONAL",  "RECOMMENDED", "SHOULD", and "SHOULD NOT", are to be 
   interpreted as described in [KEYWORDS].  
 
 
 
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1.2   Terminology  
  
   AAA  
    
   Authentication, Authorization and Accounting  
        
   AA answer 
    
   AA answer generically refers to a service specific authorization and 
   authentication answer. AA answer commands are defined in service 
   specific authorization applications e.g. [NASREQ] and [DIAMMIP]. 
    
   AA request 
    
   AA request generically refers to a service specific authorization 
   and authentication request. AA request commands are defined in 
   service specific authorization applications e.g. [NASREQ] and 
   [DIAMMIP]. 
    
   Credit-control  
    
   Credit-control is a mechanism, which directly interacts in real-time 
   with an account and controls or monitors the charges, related to the 
   service usage. Credit-control is a process of: checking if credit is 
   available, credit-reservation, deduction of credit from the end user 
   account when service is completed and refunding of reserved credit 
   not used.  
        
   Diameter Credit-control Server  
    
   Diameter Credit-control server acts as a prepaid server, performing 
   real-time rating and credit control. It is located in the home 
   domain and is accessed by service elements or Diameter AAA servers 
   in real-time for purpose of price determination and credit-control 
   before the service event is delivered to the end-user. It may also 
   interact with business support systems.  
    
   Diameter Credit-control Client  
    
   A Diameter credit-control client is an entity that interacts with a 
   credit-control server. It monitors the usage of the granted quota 
   according to instructions returned by credit-control server.    
     
   Interrogation 
    
   The Diameter credit-control client uses interrogation to initiate a 
   session based credit-control process and during the credit-control 
 
 
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   process to report the used quota and request a new one. An 
   interrogation maps to a request/answer transaction.    
    
     
   One-time event 
    
   Basically a request/answer transaction of type event.  
    
   Rating  
    
   The act of determining the cost of the service event.  
     
   Service  
    
   A type of task that is performed by a service element for an end 
   user.  
     
   Service Element  
    
   A network element that provides a service to the end users.  The 
   Service Element may include the Credit-control Client, or another 
   entity (e.g. RADIUS AAA server) can act as a Credit-control Client 
   on behalf of the Service Element. In the latter case the interface 
   between the Service Element and the Diameter Credit-control Client 
   is outside the scope of this specification. Examples of the Service 
   Elements include Network Access Server (NAS), SIP Proxy and 
   Application Servers such as messaging server, content server and 
   gaming server. 
           
   Service Event   
         
   An event relating to a service provided to the end user. 
    
   Session based credit-control 
    
   A credit-control process that makes use of several interrogations: 
   the first, possible intermediate and the final interrogation. The 
   first interrogation is used to reserve money from the user's account 
   and initiate the process. The intermediate interrogations may be 
   needed to request new quota while the service is being rendered. The 
   final interrogation is used to exit the process. The credit-control 
   server is required to maintain session state for session-based 
   credit-control. 
       
1.3   Advertising application support  
     
   Diameter nodes conforming to this specification MUST advertise 
   support by including the value of XXX [IANA please fill in XXX 
   (suggested value 4 in section 12.1) and remove this note] in the 
 
 
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   Auth-Application-Id of the Capabilities-Exchange-Request and 
   Capabilities-Exchange-Answer command [DIAMBASE]. 
    
2.  Architecture Models  
 
   The current accounting models specified in the Radius Accounting 
   [RFC2866] and Diameter base [DIAMBASE] are not sufficient for real-
   time credit control, where credit-worthiness is to be determined 
   prior to service initiation. Also, the existing Diameter 
   authorization applications [NASREQ] and [DIAMMIP] only provides 
   service authorization, but do not provide credit authorization for 
   prepaid users. In order to support real-time credit control a new 
   type of server is needed in the AAA infrastructure; Diameter credit-
   control server. The Diameter credit-control server is the entity 
   responsible of credit authorization for prepaid subscribers. 
    
   A service element may authenticate and authorize the end user with 
   the AAA server using AAA protocols, e.g. RADIUS or a Diameter base 
   protocol with a possible Diameter application. 
    
   Accounting protocols such as RADIUS accounting and the Diameter base 
   accounting protocol can be used to provide accounting data to the 
   accounting server after service is initiated, and to provide 
   possible interim reports until service completion. However, for 
   real-time credit control, these authorization and accounting models 
   are not sufficient.    
    
   When real-time credit-control is required, the credit-control client 
   contacts the credit-control server with possible service event 
   information. The credit-control process is performed in order to 
   determine potential charges and to verify whether the end user's 
   account balance is sufficient to cover the cost of the service being 
   rendered. 
 
   Figure 1 illustrates the typical credit-control architecture, which 
   consist of a Service Element with embedded Diameter credit-control 
   client, a Diameter credit-control server and an AAA server. A 
   Business Support System is usually deployed; it includes at least 
   the billing functionality. The credit-control server and AAA server 
   in this architecture model are logical entities. The real 
   configuration can combine them into a single host. The credit-
   control protocol is the Diameter base protocol with the Diameter 
   credit-control application. 
    
   When an end user requests services such as SIP services or messaging 
   services, the request is typically forwarded to a service element 
   (e.g. SIP Proxy) in the user's home domain. In some cases it might 
   be possible that the service element in the visited domain can offer 
   services to the end user, however a commercial agreement must exist 
 
 
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   between the visited domain and the home domain. Network access is an 
   example of a service offered in the visited domain where the NAS, 
   through an AAA infrastructure, authenticates and authorizes the user 
   with the user's home network. 
    
    
                   Service Element   AAA and CC 
   +----------+      +---------+     protocols+-----------+  +--------+  
   |  End     |<---->|+-------+|<------------>|    AAA    |  |Business| 
   |  User    |   +->|| CC    ||              |   Server  |->|Support |  
   |          |   |  || client||<-----+       |           |  |System  | 
   +----------+   |  |+-------+|      |       +-----------+  |        | 
                  |  +---------+      |             ^        +--------+ 
   +----------+   |                   | CC protocol |             ^     
   |  End     |<--+                   |       +-----v----+        |   
   |  User    |                       +------>|Credit-   |        | 
   +----------+                credit-control |control   |--------+ 
                               protocol       |server    | 
                                              +----------+ 
    
              Figure 1: Typical credit-control architecture 
    
   There can be multiple credit-control servers in the system for 
   reasons of redundancy and load balancing. The system can also 
   contain separate rating server(s) and accounts can be located in a 
   centralized database. For duplicate detection only one place in the 
   credit-control system should perform duplicate detection to ensure 
   that the end user's account is not debited or credited multiple 
   times for the same service event. System internal interfaces can 
   exist to relay messages between servers and an account manager. 
   However the detailed architecture of credit-control system and its 
   interfaces are implementation specific and are out of scope of this 
   specification.  
       
   There can exist protocol transparent Diameter relays between credit-
   control client and credit-control server. Also Diameter Redirect 
   agents, which refer credit control clients, to credit control 
   servers and allow them to communicate directly can exist. These 
   agents transparently support the Diameter credit-control 
   application. The different roles of Diameter Agents are defined in 
   Diameter base [DIAMBASE] section 2.8. 
     
   If Diameter credit-control proxies exist between the credit-control 
   client and the credit-control server, they MUST advertise the 
   Diameter credit-control application support.  
        

 
 
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3.  Credit-Control Messages 
 
   This section defines new Diameter message Command-Code values that 
   MUST be supported by all Diameter implementations that conform to 
   this specification. The Command Codes are: 
 
    Command-Name                  Abbrev.    Code     Reference 
    ----------------------------------------------------------- 
    Credit-Control-Request        CCR        xxx      3.1 
    Credit-Control-Answer         CCA        xxx      3.2 
    
   [IANA please fill in xxx (suggested value 272) and remove this note] 
    
   Diameter Base [DIAMBASE] defines in the section 3.2 the Command Code 
   ABNF specification. These formats are observed in Credit-Control 
   messages.  
    
3.1   Credit-Control-Request (CCR) Command 
    
   The Credit-Control-Request message (CCR), indicated by the command-
   code field set to xxx [IANA please fill in xxx (suggested value 272) 
   and remove this note] and the 'R' bit set in the Command Flags 
   field, is used between the Diameter credit-control client and the 
   credit-control server to request credit authorization for a given 
   service. 
    
   The Auth-Application-Id MUST be set to the value XXX [IANA please 
   fill in XXX (suggested value 4 in section 12.1) and remove this 
   note] indicating the Diameter credit-control application. 
    
   Message Format 
    
        <Credit-Control-Request> ::= < Diameter Header: xxx, REQ, PXY > 
                                     < Session-Id > 
                                     { Origin-Host } 
                                     { Origin-Realm } 
                                     { Destination-Realm } 
                                     { Auth-Application-Id } 
                                     { Service-Context-Id } 
                                     { CC-Request-Type } 
                                     { CC-Request-Number } 
                                     [ Destination-Host ] 
                                     [ User-Name ] 
                                     [ CC-Sub-Session-Id ] 
                                     [ Acct-Multi-Session-Id ] 
                                     [ Origin-State-Id ] 
                                     [ Event-Timestamp ] 
                                    *[ Subscription-Id ] 

 
 
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                                     [ Service-Identifier ]  
                                     [ Termination-Cause ] 
                                     [ Requested-Service-Unit ] 
                                     [ Requested-Action ] 
                                    *[ Used-Service-Unit ] 
                                     [ Multiple-Services-Indicator ] 
                                    *[ Multiple-Services-Credit-Control 
   ]  
                                    *[ Service-Parameter-Info ]  
                                     [ CC-Correlation-Id ] 
                                     [ User-Equipment-Info ] 
                                    *[ Proxy-Info ] 
                                    *[ Route-Record ] 
                                    *[ AVP ] 
    
   [IANA please fill in xxx (suggested value 272) and remove this note] 
    
3.2   Credit-Control-Answer (CCA) Command 
    
   The Credit-Control-Answer message (CCA), indicated by the command-
   code field set to xxx [IANA please fill in xxx (suggested value 272) 
   and remove this note] and the 'R' bit cleared in the Command Flags 
   field, is used between the credit-control server and the Diameter 
   credit-control client to acknowledge a Credit-Control-Request 
   command. 
    
  Message Format 
    
        <Credit-Control-Answer> ::= < Diameter Header: xxx, PXY > 
                                    < Session-Id > 
                                    { Result-Code } 
                                    { Origin-Host } 
                                    { Origin-Realm } 
                                    { Auth-Application-Id } 
                                    { CC-Request-Type } 
                                    { CC-Request-Number } 
                                    [ User-Name ] 
                                    [ CC-Session-Failover ] 
                                    [ CC-Sub-Session-Id ] 
                                    [ Acct-Multi-Session-Id ] 
                                    [ Origin-State-Id ] 
                                    [ Event-Timestamp ] 
                                    [ Granted-Service-Unit ] 
                                   *[ Multiple-Services-Credit-Control 
   ]  
                                    [ Cost-Information]  
                                    [ Final-Unit-Indication ]  
                                    [ Check-Balance-Result ]  
                                    [ Credit-Control-Failure-Handling ] 
 
 
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                                    [ Direct-Debiting-Failure-Handling 
   ] 
                                    [ Validity-Time] 
                                   *[ Redirect-Host] 
                                    [ Redirect-Host-Usage ] 
                                    [ Redirect-Max-Cache-Time ] 
                                   *[ Proxy-Info ] 
                                   *[ Route-Record ] 
                                   *[ Failed-AVP ] 
                                   *[ AVP ] 
    
   [IANA please fill in xxx (suggested value 272) and remove this note] 
 
4.  Credit Control Application Overview 
    
   The credit authorization process takes place before and during 
   service delivery to the end user and generally requires user's 
   authentication and authorization before any request is sent to the 
   credit-control server. The credit control application defined in 
   this specification supports two different credit authorization 
   models: credit authorization with money reservation and credit 
   authorization with direct debiting. In both the models, the credit 
   control client requests credit authorization to the credit control 
   server prior to allow any service to be delivered to the end user.  
    
   In the first model, the credit control server rates the request, 
   reserves a suitable amount of money from the user's account and 
   returns the corresponding amount of credit resources. Note that 
   credit resources may not imply actual monetary credit; credit 
   resources may be granted to the credit control client in form of 
   units (e.g. data volume or time) to be metered.  
    
   Upon reception of a successful credit authorization answer with a 
   certain amount of credit resources, the credit control client allows 
   service delivery to the end user and starts monitoring the usage of 
   the granted resources. When the credit resources granted to the user 
   have been consumed, or the service has been successfully delivered 
   or terminated, the credit control client reports back to the server 
   the used amount. The credit control server deducts the used amount 
   from the end user's account; it may perform rating and make a new 
   credit reservation if the service delivery is continuing. This 
   process is accomplished with session based credit control that 
   includes the first interrogation, possible intermediate 
   interrogations and the final interrogation. For session based credit 
   control, both the credit control client and the credit control 
   server are required to maintain credit control session state. 
   Session based credit control is described in more detail, with more 
   variations, in section 5. 
 
 
 
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   In contrast, credit authorization with direct debiting is a single 
   transaction process where the credit control server directly deducts 
   a suitable amount of money from the user's account as soon as the 
   credit authorization request is received. Upon reception of a 
   successful credit authorization answer, the credit control client 
   allows service delivery to the end user. This process is 
   accomplished with the One-time event. Session state is not 
   maintained. 
    
   In a multi-service environment, an end user may issue an additional 
   service request (e.g. data service) during an ongoing service (e.g. 
   voice call) towards the same account; or during an active multimedia 
   session an additional media type is added to the session causing a 
   new simultaneous request towards same account. Consequently this 
   needs to be considered when credit resources are granted to the 
   services. 
    
   The credit control application also supports operations such as 
   service price enquiry, user's balance check and refund of credit on 
   the user's account. These operations are accomplished with the One-
   time event. Session state is not maintained. 
    
   A flexible Credit control application specific failure handling is 
   defined  
   where the home service provider can model the credit control client 
   behavior according to its own credit risk management policy. 
                                      
   The Credit-Control-Failure-Handling AVP and the Direct-Debiting-
   Failure-Handling AVP are defined to determine what to do if the 
   sending of credit-control messages to the credit-control server has 
   been temporarily prevented. The usage of Credit-Control-Failure-
   Handling AVP and the Direct-Debiting-Failure- Handling AVP gives 
   flexibility to have different failure handling for credit-control 
   session and one time event direct debiting.  
    
4.1   Service-Specific Rating Input and Interoperability 
     
   The Diameter Credit-Control Application defines the framework for 
   credit control; it provides generic credit control mechanisms 
   supporting multiple service applications. The Credit Control 
   Application, therefore, does not define AVPs that could be used as 
   input in the rating process. Listing the possible services that 
   could use this Diameter application is seen as out of scope for this 
   generic mechanism as well. 
      
   Furthermore, it is reasonable to expect that there will exist a 
   service level agreement between providers of the credit-control 
   client and the credit-control server covering the charging, services 
   offered, roaming agreements, agreed rating input (i.e. AVPs), etc.  
 
 
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   Therefore, it is assumed that a Diameter credit control server will 
   provide service only for Diameter credit-control clients that have 
   agreed beforehand the content of credit control messages. Protocol 
   wise, it is naturally possible that any arbitrary Diameter credit-
   control client can interchange credit control messages with any 
   Diameter credit control server, but with a higher likelihood that 
   unsupported services/AVPs could be present in the credit-control 
   message causing the server to reject the request with an appropriate 
   result-code.  
 
4.1.1 Specifying Rating Input AVPs  
    
   There are two ways for providing rating input to the credit control 
   server, either by using AVPs or by including them in the Service-
   Parameter-Info AVP. The general principles for sending rating 
   parameters are:  
     
   1a. The service SHOULD re-use existing AVPs, if theservice can use 
   AVPs defined in existing Diameter applications (e.g. NASREQ for 
   network access services). Re-use of existing AVPs is strongly 
   recommended in [DIAMBASE]. 
   For AVPs of type Enumerated the service may require a new value to 
   be defined. Allocation of new AVP values is done as specified in 
   [DIAMBASE], section 1.2.  
    
   1b. New AVPs can be defined if the existing AVPs do not provide 
   sufficient rating information. In such a case, the procedures 
   defined in [DIAMBASE] for creating new AVPs MUST be followed.  
    
   1c. For services specific only to one vendor's implementation, a 
   Vendor-Specific AVP code for Private use can be used. Where a 
   Vendor-Specific AVP is implemented by more than one vendor, 
   allocation of global AVPs are encouraged instead, refer to 
   [DIAMBASE].  
     
   2. The Service-Parameter-Info AVP MAY be used as a container to pass 
   legacy rating information in its original encoded form (e.g. ASN.1 
   BER). This method can be used to avoid unnecessary data format 
   conversions from an existing format to an AVP format. In that case 
   the rating input is embedded in the Service-Parameter-Info AVP as 
   defined in section 8.43.  
   New service applications SHOULD favor the use of explicitly defined 
   AVPs as described in items 1a and 1b, to simplify interoperability. 
 
4.1.2 Service-Specific Documentation 
    
   The service specific rating input AVPs, the contents of the Service- 

 
 
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   Parameter-Info AVP or Service-Context-Id AVP (defined in section 
   8.42) are not within the scope of this document. To facilitate 
   interoperability, it is RECOMMENDED that the rating input and the 
   values of the Service-Context-Id are coordinated via an 
   informational RFC or other permanent and readily available reference 
   such as the specification of another cooperative standardization 
   body (e.g. 3GPP, OMA and 3GPP2) SHOULD be used. However, private 
   services may be deployed that are subject to agreements between 
   providers of the credit control server and client, in this case 
   vendor specific AVPs can be used. 
    
   This specification, together with the above service specific 
   documents, governs the credit control message. The rule is that 
   service specific documents define what existing AVPs or new AVPs are 
   used as input to the rating process (i.e. they do not define new 
   credit control applications), and thus need to be included in the 
   Credit-Control-Request command by a Diameter Credit Control Client 
   supporting a given service as *[AVP]. Should Service-Parameter-Info 
   be used, then the service specific document MUST specify the exact 
   content of this grouped AVP. 
    
   The Service-Context-Id AVP MUST be included at the command level of 
   a Credit Control Request to identify the service specific document 
   that applies to the request. The specific service or rating group 
   that the request relates to is uniquely identified by the 
   combination of Service-Context-Id and Service-Identifier or Rating-
   Group. 
 
4.1.3 Handling of Unsupported/Incorrect Rating Input 
    
   Diameter credit control implementations are required to support the 
   Mandatory rating AVPs defined in service specific documentation of 
   the services they support according to the 'M' bit rules in 
   [DIAMBASE]. 
   In case a rating input required for the rating process is incorrect 
   in the Credit control request, or the credit control server does not 
   support the requested service context (identified by the Service-
   Context-Id AVP at command level), the Credit control answer MUST 
   contain error code DIAMETER_RATING_FAILED. A CCA message with this 
   error MUST contain one or more Failed-AVP AVPs containing the 
   missing and/or unsupported AVPs that caused the failure. A Diameter 
   credit control client receiving error code DIAMETER_RATING_FAILED in 
   answer to a request MUST NOT send such similar requests in the 
   future. 
    
4.1.4 RADIUS Vendor-Specific Rating Attributes 
    
   When service specific documents include RADIUS vendor specific 
   attributes that could be used as input in the rating process, the 
 
 
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   rules described in [NASREQ] for formatting the Diameter AVP MUST be 
   followed. 
     
   For example, the AVP code used is the vendor attribute type code, 
   the Vendor-Specific flag MUST be set to 1 and the Vendor-ID MUST be 
   set to the IANA Vendor identification value. The Diameter AVP data 
   field contains only the attribute value of the RADIUS attribute. 
 
5.  Session Based Credit-control 
    
5.1   General Principles 
       
   For a session-based credit-control, several interrogations are 
   needed: the first, intermediate (optional) and the final 
   interrogation. This is illustrated in Figure 2 and Figure 3. 
    
   If the credit-control client performs credit-reservation before 
   granting service to the end user it MUST use several interrogations 
   towards the credit-control server (i.e. session based credit-
   control). In this case the credit-control server MUST maintain the 
   credit control session state. 
    
   Each credit-control session MUST have globally unique Session-Id as 
   defined in [DIAMBASE] and it MUST NOT be changed during the lifetime 
   of a credit-control session.  
    
   There are certain applications that require multiple credit control 
   sub-sessions. Such applications would send messages with a constant 
   Session-Id AVP, but a different CC-Sub-Session-Id AVP. If several 
   credit sub-sessions will be used, all sub-sessions MUST be closed 
   separately before closing the main session to be able to report used 
   units per sub-session. The absence of this AVP implies no sub-
   sessions are in use. 
    
   It should be noted that the service element might send a service 
   specific re-authorization message to the AAA server due to 
   expiration of the authorization-lifetime during an ongoing credit 
   control session. However, the service specific re-authorization does 
   not influence the credit authorization that is ongoing between 
   credit-control client and credit-control server since credit 
   authorization is controlled by the burning rate of the granted 
   quota. 
    
   In the event that service specific re-authorization fails the user 
   will be disconnected and the credit-control client MUST send a final 
   interrogation to the credit-control server. 
    
   The Diameter credit-control server may want to control the validity 
   time of the granted quota and/or the production of intermediate 
 
 
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   interrogations, thus it MAY include the Validity-Time AVP in the 
   answer message to the credit-control client. Upon expiration of the 
   Validity-Time, the credit-control client MUST generate a credit-
   control update request and report the used quota to the credit-
   control server. It is up to the credit-control server to determine, 
   the value of the Validity-Time to be used for consumption of the 
   granted service units. If the Validity-Time is used, its value 
   SHOULD be given as input to set the session supervision timer Tcc 
   (the session supervision timer MAY be set to two times the value of 
   the Validity-Time as defined in section 13). Since credit-control 
   update requests are also produced at the expiry of granted service 
   units and/or for mid-session service events the omission of 
   Validity-Time does not mean that intermediate interrogation for the 
   purpose of credit control are not performed. 
    
5.1.1 Basic Tariff-Time Change Support 
    
   The Diameter credit-control server and client MAY optionally support 
   a tariff change mechanism. The Diameter credit-control server may 
   include a Tariff-Time-Change AVP in the answer message. Note that 
   the granted units should be allocated based on the worst-case 
   scenario in case of forthcoming tariff change, so that the overall 
   reported used units would never exceed the credit reservation. 
     
   When the Diameter credit-control client reports the used units and a 
   tariff change has occurred during the reporting period then the 
   Diameter credit-control client MUST separately itemize the units 
   used before and after the tariff change.  In case the client is 
   unable to distinguish whether units that straddle the tariff change 
   are used before or after the tariff change, the credit-control 
   client MUST itemize those units in a third category.  
    
   If a client does not support the tariff change mechanism, and it 
   receives a CCA message carrying the Tariff-Time-Change AVP, it MUST 
   terminate the credit control session, giving a reason of 
   DIAMETER_BAD_ANSWER in the Termination-Cause AVP. 
    
   For time based services the quota is continuously consumed at the 
   regular rate of 60 seconds per minute, the server already knows at 
   the time when credit resources are allocated how many units will be 
   consumed before the tariff time change and how many units will be 
   consumed after. Similarly, the server can determine the units 
   consumed at the before rate and the units consumed at the rate 
   afterwards in the event that the end-user closes the session before 
   the consumption of the allotted quota.  There is no need for 
   additional traffic between client and server in case of tariff time 
   changes for continuous time based service, therefore the tariff 
   change mechanism is not used for continuous time based services. For 
   time-based services where the quota is NOT continuously consumed at 
 
 
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   a regular rate, the tariff change mechanism described for volume and 
   event units MAY be used.  
    
5.1.2 Credit-Control for Multiple Services within a (sub-)Session 
    
   When multiple services are used within one user session and each 
   service or group of services are subject to different cost, it is 
   necessary to perform credit-control for each of these services 
   independently. Making use of credit control sub-sessions to achieve 
   independent credit-control will result in increased signaling load 
   and resources usage in both the credit control client and the credit 
   control server. For instance, during one network access session the 
   end user may use several http-services subject to different access 
   cost, the network access specific attributes such as the quality of 
   service (QoS) are common to all the services carried within the 
   access bearer, but the cost of the bearer may vary depending on its 
   content.  
       
   To optimally support these scenarios, the credit control application 
   enables for independent credit control of multiple services in a 
   single credit control (sub-)session. This is achieved by including 
   the optional Multiple-Services-Credit-Control AVP in Credit-Control-
   Request/Answer messages. It is possible to request and allocate 
   resources as a credit pool that is shared between multiple services. 
   The services can be further grouped into rating groups in order to 
   achieve even further aggregation of credit allocation. It is also 
   possible to request and allocate quotas on a per service basis. 
   Where quotas are allocated to a pool by means of the Multiple-
   Services-Credit-Control AVP, the quotas remain independent objects 
   that can be re-authorized independently at any time. Quotas can also 
   be given independent result codes, validity times and Final-Unit-
   Indications. 
    
   A Rating-group groups a set of services, identified by a Service-
   Identifier, subject to the same cost and rating type (e.g. 
   $0.1/minute). It is assumed that the service element is provided, by 
   means outside the scope of this specification, with Rating-Groups, 
   with Service-Identifiers and their associated parameters that define 
   what need to be metered (example of parameters associated to 
   Service-Identifiers are IP 5-tuple, HTTP URL etc.). Service-
   identifiers enable on a per-service based credit authorization as 
   well as itemized reporting of service usage. It is up to the credit 
   control server whether to authorize credit for one or more services 
   or for the whole rating-group. However, the client SHOULD always 
   report used units at the finest level of granularity that it 
   supports. Where quota is allocated to a rating-group, all the 
   services belonging to that rating-group draw from the allotted 
   quota. The following is a graphical representation of the relation 

 
 
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   between service-identifiers, rating-groups, credit pools and credit-
   control (sub-)session. 
 
                          DCC (Sub-)Session 
                                  | 
         +------------+-----------+-------------+--------------- + 
         |            |           |             |                | 
   Service-Id a Service-Id b Service-Id c Service-Id d.....Service-Id z 
        \        /                 \         /                / 
         \      /                   \       /                / 
          \    /                  Rating-Group 1.......Rating-Group n 
           \  /                         |                    | 
          Quota       ---------------Quota                 Quota 
            |        /                                       | 
            |       /                                        | 
         Credit-Pool                                    Credit-Pool 
    
   In case independent credit control of multiple services is used, the 
   validity-time and final-unit-indication SHOULD be present either in 
   the Multiple-Services-Credit-Control AVP(s) or at command level as 
   single AVPs. However, the Result-Code AVP MAY be present both on the 
   command level and within the Multiple-Services-Credit-Control AVP. 
   If the Result-Code on the command level indicates other value than 
   SUCCESS then the Result-Code on command level takes precedence over 
   the one(s) included in the Multiple-Services-Credit-Control AVP. 
    
   The Credit-control client MUST indicate support for independent 
   credit control of multiple services within a (sub-)session by 
   including the Multiple-Services-Indicator AVP in the first 
   interrogation. A Credit-Control-server not supporting the feature 
   MUST treat the Multiple-Services-Indicator AVP and possibly received 
   Multiple-Services-Credit-Control AVPs as invalid AVPs. 
    
   If the client indicated support for independent credit control of 
   multiple services, a credit-control server that wishes to use the 
   feature MUST return the granted units within the Multiple-Services-
   Credit-Control AVP associated to the corresponding service-
   identifier and/or rating-group. 
    
   To avoid a situation where several parallel, and typically also 
   small, credit reservations must be made on the same account (i.e. 
   credit fragmentation) and also to avoid unnecessary load on the 
   credit control server, it is possible to provide service units as a 
   pool that applies to multiple services or rating groups. This is 
   achieved by providing the service units in the form of a quota for a 
   particular service or rating group in the Multiple-Services-Credit-
   Control AVP, but also including a reference to a credit pool for 
   that unit type. 

 
 
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   The reference includes a multiplier derived from the rating 
   parameter, which translates from service units of a specific type to 
   the abstract service units in the pool. For instance if the rating 
   parameter for service 1 is $1/MB and rating parameter for service 2 
   is $0.5/MB the multipliers could be 10 and 5 for service 1 and 
   service 2 respectively. 
    
   If S is the total service units within the pool, M1, M2, ... , Mn 
   are the multipliers provided for services 1, 2, ..., n and C1, 
   C2,... ,Cn are the used resources within the session, then the pool 
   credit is exhausted and re-authorization MUST be sought when:  
    
           C1*M1 + C2*M2 + ... + Cn*Mn >= S  
    
   The total credit in the pool, S, is calculated from the quotas which 
   are currently allocated to the pool as follows:  
    
           S = Q1*M1 + Q2*M2 + ... + Qn*Mn     
        
   If services or rating groups are added to or removed from the pool, 
   then the total credit is adjusted appropriately. Note that when the 
   total credit is adjusted because services or rating groups are 
   removed from the pool, the value that need to be removed is the 
   consumed one (i.e. Cx*Mx).   
    
   Re-authorizations for an individual service or rating group may be 
   sought at any time, for example if a 'non-pooled' quota is used up 
   or the Validity-Time expires.  
    
   Where multiple G-S-U-Pool-Reference AVPs (section 8.30) with the 
   same G-S-U-Pool-Identifier are provided within a Multiple-Services-
   Credit-Control AVP (section 8.16) together with the Granted-Service-
   Unit AVP, then these MUST have different CC-Unit-Type values and 
   they all draw on the credit pool separately. For instance, if one 
   multiplier for time (M1t) and one multiplier for volume (M1v) are 
   given, then the used resources from the pool is the sum C1t*M1t + 
   C1v*M1v, where C1t are the time units and C1v are the volume unit.  
    
   Where service units are provided within a Multiple-Services-Credit-
   Control AVP without a corresponding G-S-U-Reference AVP then these 
   are handled independently from any credit pool and from any other 
   services or rating groups within the session. 
      
  The credit pool concept is an optimal tool to avoid the over-
  reservation effect of the basic single quota tariff time change 
  mechanism (the mechanism described in section 5.1.1). Therefore, 
  Diameter credit-control clients and servers implementing the 
  independent credit control of multiple services SHOULD leverage the 
  credit pool concept when supporting the tariff time change. The 
 
 
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  Diameter credit-control server SHOULD include both the Tariff-Time-
  Change and Tariff-Change-Usage AVPs in two quota allocations in the 
  answer message (i.e. two instances of the Multiple-Services-Credit-
  Control AVP). One of the granted units is allocated to be used 
  before the potential tariff change while the second granted units 
  are used after a tariff change. Both granted unit quotas MUST 
  contain the same Service-Identifier and/or Rating-Group. This dual 
  quota mechanism ensures that the overall reported used units would 
  never exceed the credit reservation. The Diameter credit-control 
  client reports both the used units before and after the tariff 
  change in a single instance of the Multiple-Services-Credit-Control 
  AVP. 
      
  The failure handling for credit control sessions is defined in 
  section 5.7 and reflected in the basic credit-control state machine 
  in section 7 Credit-control clients and servers implementing the 
  independent credit control of multiple services in a (sub-)session 
  functionality MUST ensure failure handling and general behavior 
  fully consistent with the above mentioned sections while capable of 
  handling parallel ongoing credit re-authorization within a (sub-
  )session. It is then RECOMMENDED that Diameter credit-control 
  clients maintain a PENDING-U message queue and restarts the Tx timer 
  (section 13) every time a CCR message with value UPDATE_REQUEST is 
  sent while in PENDING-U state. When answers to all the pending 
  messages are received the state machine moves to OPEN and Tx is 
  stopped. Naturally the action performed when a problem is detected 
  for the session according to section 5.7, affect all the ongoing 
  services (e.g. failover to a backup server if possible affect all 
  the CCR messages with value UPDATE_REQUEST in the PENDING-U queue). 
      
   Since the client may send CCR messages with value UPDATE_REQUEST 
   while in PENDING-U (i.e. without waiting for an answer to ongoing 
   credit re-authorization), the time space between these requests may 
   be very short and the server may not have received the previous 
   request(s) yet. Therefore in this situation the server may receive 
   out of sequence requests and SHOULD NOT consider this as an error 
   condition, a proper answer is to be returned to each of those 
   requests. 
   
5.2   First Interrogation  
  
   When session based credit-control is required (e.g. the 
   authentication server indicated prepaid user), the first 
   interrogation MUST be sent before the Diameter credit-control client 
   allows any service event to the end user. The CC-Request-Type is set 
   to the value INITIAL_REQUEST in the request message. 
    
   If the Diameter credit-control client knows the cost of the service 
   event (e.g. a content server delivering ringing tones may know their 
 
 
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   cost) the monetary amount to be charged is included in the 
   Requested-Service-Unit AVP. If the Diameter credit-control client 
   does not know the cost of the service event, the Requested-Service-
   Unit AVP MAY contain the number of requested service events. Where 
   the Multiple-Services-Credit-Control AVP is used, it MUST contain 
   the Requested-Service-Unit AVP to indicate that quota for the 
   associated service/rating-group is requested. In case of multiple 
   services, the Service-Identifier AVP or the Rating-Group AVP within 
   the Multiple-Services-Credit-Control AVP, always indicates the 
   concerned service.  Additional service event information to be rated 
   MAY be sent as service specific AVPs or MAY be sent within the 
   Service-Parameter-Info AVP at command level. The Service-Context-Id 
   AVP indicates the service specific document applicable to the 
   request. 
     
   The Event-Timestamp AVP SHOULD be included in the request and 
   contains the time when the service event is requested in the service 
   element. The Subscription-Id AVP SHOULD be included to identify the 
   End-User in the credit-control server. The credit control client MAY 
   include the User-Equipment-Info AVP so that the credit control 
   server has some indication about the type and capabilities of the 
   end user access device. How the credit control server uses this 
   information is outside the scope of this document.  
        
   The credit-control server SHOULD rate the service event and make a 
   credit-reservation from the end user's account that covers the cost 
   of the service event. If the type of the Requested-Service-Unit AVP 
   is money, no rating is needed but the corresponding monetary amount 
   is reserved from end user's account. 
    
   The credit-control server returns the Granted-Service-Unit AVP in 
   the Answer message to the Diameter credit-control client. The 
   Granted-Service-Unit AVP contains the amount of service units that 
   the Diameter credit-control client can provide to the end user until 
   a new Credit-Control-Request MUST be sent to the credit-control 
   server. If several unit types are sent in the Answer message the 
   credit-control client MUST handle each unit type separately. The 
   type of the Granted-Service-Unit AVP can be time, volume, service 
   specific or money depending on the type of service event. The unit 
   type(s) SHOULD NOT be changed within an ongoing credit-control 
   session.   
        
   There MUST be maximum one instance of the same unit type in one 
   Answer message. However, in case multiple quotas are conveyed to the 
   credit control client in the Multiple-Services-Credit-Control AVPs, 
   it is possible to carry two instances of the same unit type 
   associated to a service-identifier/rating-group. This is typically 
   the case when a tariff time change is expected and the credit-

 
 
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   control server wants to make a distinction between the granted quota 
   before and after tariff change. 
    
   If the credit-control server determines that no further control is 
   needed for the service it MAY include the result code indicating 
   that the credit-control is not applicable (e.g. service is free of 
   charge). This result code at command level implies that the credit-
   control session is to be terminated. 
    
   The Credit-Control-Answer message MAY also include the Final-Unit-
   Indication AVP to indicate that the answer message contains the 
   final units for the service. After the end user has consumed these 
   units, the Diameter credit-control-client MUST behave as described 
   in section 5.6. 
    
   This document defines two different approaches to perform the first 
   interrogation to be used indifferent network architectures. The 
   first approach uses credit-control messages after user's 
   authorization and authentication took place. The second approach 
   uses service specific authorization messages to perform the first 
   interrogation during the user's authorization/authentication phase, 
   and credit-control messages for the intermediate and the final 
   interrogations. In case an implementation of the credit-control 
   client supports both the methods, it SHOULD be configurable what 
   method to use. 
    
   In service environments such as the Network Access Server (NAS), it 
   is desired to perform the first interrogation as part of the 
   authorization/authentication process for the sake of protocol 
   efficiency. Further credit authorizations after the first 
   interrogation took place are performed with credit control commands 
   defined in this specification. Implementations of credit-control 
   client operating in the mentioned environments SHOULD support this 
   method. In case the credit-control server and AAA server are 
   separate physical entities the service element sends the request 
   messages to the AAA server, which then issue an appropriate request 
   or proxy the received request forward to the credit-control server. 
    
   In other service environments, such as the 3GPP network and some SIP 
   scenario, there is a substantial decoupling between 
   registration/access to the network and the actual service request 
   (i.e. the authentication/authorization is executed once at 
   registration/access to the network and is not executed for every 
   service event requested by the subscriber). In such environments it 
   is more appropriate to perform the first interrogation after the 
   user has been authenticated and authorized. The first interrogation, 
   the intermediate and final interrogations are executed with credit 
   control commands defined in this specification. 
 
 
 
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   Other IETF standards or standards developed by other standardization 
   bodies may define what is the most suitable method in their 
   architecture. 
    
5.2.1 First Interrogation after Authorization and Authentication 
    
   The Diameter credit-control client in the service element may get 
   information from the authorization server whether credit-control is 
   required based on its knowledge of the end user. If credit-control 
   is required the credit-control server needs to be contacted prior to 
   initiating service delivery to the end user. The accounting protocol 
   and the credit-control protocol can be used in parallel, the 
   authorization server may also drive whether the parallel accounting 
   stream is required.  
    
   The following diagram illustrates the case where both protocols are 
   used in parallel and the service element sends credit-control 
   messages directly to the credit-control server. More credit-control 
   sequence examples are given in Annex A. 
                                            Diameter 
    End-User        Service Element        AAA Server         CC Server 
                      (CC Client) 
       | Registration      | AA request/answer(accounting,cc or both)| 
       |<----------------->|<------------------>|                    | 
       |        :          |                    |                    | 
       |        :          |                    |                    | 
       | Service Request   |                    |                    | 
       |------------------>|                    |                    | 
       |                   | CCR(Initial,Credit-Control AVPs)        | 
       |                  +|---------------------------------------->| 
       |         CC stream||                    |  CCA(Granted-Units)| 
       |                  +|<----------------------------------------| 
       | Service Delivery  |                    |                    |                
       |<----------------->| ACR(start,Accounting AVPs)              | 
       |         :         |------------------->|+                   | 
       |         :         |                ACA || Accounting stream | 
       |                   |<-------------------|+                   | 
       |         :         |                    |                    | 
       |         :         |                    |                    | 
       |                   | CCR(Update,Used-Units)                  | 
       |                   |---------------------------------------->| 
       |                   |                    |  CCA(Granted-Units)| 
       |                   |<----------------------------------------| 
       |         :         |                    |                    | 
       |         :         |                    |                    | 
       | End of Service    |                    |                    | 
       |------------------>| CCR(Termination, Used-Units)            | 
       |                   |---------------------------------------->| 
       |                   |                    |               CCA  | 
 
 
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       |                   |<----------------------------------------| 
       |                   | ACR(stop)          |                    | 
       |                   |------------------->|                    | 
       |                   |                ACA |                    | 
       |                   |<-------------------|                    | 
        
     Figure 2: Protocol example with first interrogation after user's 
                       authorization/authentication  
        
5.2.2 Authorization Messages for First Interrogation 
    
   The Diameter credit-control client in the service element MUST 
   actively co-operate with the authorization/authentication client in 
   the construction of the AA request by adding appropriate credit 
   control AVPs. The credit-control client MUST add the Credit-Control 
   AVP to indicate credit-control capabilities and MAY add other 
   relevant credit-control specific AVPs to the proper 
   authorization/authentication command to perform the first 
   interrogation towards the home Diameter AAA server. The Auth-
   Application-Id is set to the appropriate value as defined in the 
   relevant service specific authorization/authentication application 
   document (e.g. [NASREQ], [DIAMMIP]). The home Diameter AAA server 
   authenticates/authorizes the subscriber and determines whether or 
   not credit-control is required.  
    
   If credit-control is not required for the subscriber the home 
   Diameter AAA server will respond as usual with an appropriate AA 
   answer message. If credit-control is required for the subscriber and 
   the Credit-Control AVP with the value set to CREDIT_AUTHORIZATION 
   was present in the authorization request, the home AAA server MUST 
   contact the credit-control server to perform the first 
   interrogation. If credit-control is required for the subscriber and 
   the Credit-Control AVP was not present in the authorization request, 
   the home AAA server MUST send an authorization reject answer 
   message. 
   
  The Diameter AAA server supporting credit-control is required to 
  send the Credit-Control-Request command (CCR) defined in this 
  document to the credit-control server. The Diameter AAA server 
  populates the CCR based on service specific AVPs used for input to 
  the rating process and possibly credit-control AVPs received in the 
  AA request. The credit-control server will make money reservation 
  from the user's account, will rate the request and will send a 
  credit-control answer message to the home Diameter AAA server. The 
  answer message includes the Granted-Service-Unit AVP(s) and MAY 
  include other credit-control specific AVPs as appropriate. 
  Additionally, the credit-control server MAY set the Validity-Time 
  and MAY include the Credit-Control-Failure-Handling AVP and the 
  Direct-Debiting-Failure-Handling AVP to determine what to do if the 
 
 
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  sending of credit-control messages to the credit-control server has 
  been temporarily prevented. 
    
   Upon receiving the credit-control answer message from the credit-
   control server, the home Diameter AAA server will populate the AA 
   answer with the received credit-control AVPs and with usual service 
   attributes according to the authorization/authentication specific 
   application (e.g. [NASREQ], [DIAMMIP]) and forward the packet to the 
   credit-control client. If the home Diameter AAA server receives a 
   credit-control reject message, it will simply generate an 
   appropriate authorization reject message to the credit-control 
   client including the credit-control specific error code. 
    
   The credit-control client in this model sends further credit-control 
   messages to the credit-control server via the home Diameter AAA 
   server. Upon receiving successful authorization answer message with 
   the Granted-Service-Unit AVP(s), the credit-control client will 
   grant the service to the end user and will generate intermediate 
   credit-control request as required by using Credit-Control commands. 
   The CC-Request-Number of the first UPDATE_REQUEST MUST be set to 1 
   (for how to produce unique value for the CC-Request-Number AVP see 
   section 8.2).  
     
   If service specific re-authorization is performed (i.e. 
   authorization-lifetime expires), the credit-control client MUST add 
   to the service specific re-authorization request the Credit-Control 
   AVP with value set to RE-AUTHORIZATION to indicate that the credit-
   control server MUST NOT be contacted. When session based credit-
   control is used for the subscriber a constant Credit-Control 
   messages stream is flowing through the home Diameter AAA server. The 
   home Diameter AAA server can make use of this credit-control 
   messages flow to deduce that user's activity is ongoing; hence it is 
   recommended to set the authorization-lifetime to a reasonably high 
   value when credit-control is used for the subscriber. 
    
   In this scenario the home Diameter AAA server MUST advertise support 
   for the credit-control application to its peers during the 
   capability exchange process. 
    
   The following diagram illustrates the use of authorization / 
   authentication messages to perform the first interrogation. The 
   parallel accounting stream is not shown in the figure. 

 
 
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                                           Diameter 
   End-User        Service Element        AAA Server           CC 
   Server 
                    (CC Client)                         
      | Service Request   | AA Request (CC AVPs)                    | 
      |------------------>|------------------->|                    | 
      |                   |                    | CCR(Initial, CC AVPs) 
      |                   |                    |------------------->| 
      |                   |                    |    CCA(Granted-Units) 
      |                   |                    |<-------------------| 
      |                   | AA Answer(Granted-Units)                | 
      | Service Delivery  |<-------------------|                    | 
      |<----------------->|                    |                    | 
      |         :         |                    |                    | 
      |         :         |                    |                    | 
      |         :         |                    |                    | 
      |                   |                    |                    | 
      |                   | CCR(Update,Used-Units)                  | 
      |                   |------------------->| CCR(Update,Used-Units) 
      |                   |                    |------------------->| 
      |                   |                    |  CCA(Granted-Units)| 
      |                   |  CCA(Granted-Units)|<-------------------| 
      |                   |<-------------------|                    | 
      |         :         |                    |                    | 
      |         :         |                    |                    | 
      | End of Service    |                    |                    | 
      |------------------>| CCR(Termination,Used-Units)             | 
      |                   |------------------->| CCR(Term.,Used-Units) 
      |                   |                    |------------------->| 
      |                   |                    |                CCA | 
      |                   |                CCA |<-------------------| 
      |                   |<-------------------|                    | 
    
                Figure 3: Protocol example with use of the 
           authorization messages for the first interrogation. 
     
5.3   Intermediate Interrogation  
  
   When all of the granted service units for one unit type are spent by 
   the end user or the Validity-Time is expired, the Diameter credit-
   control client MUST send a new Credit-Control-Request to the credit-
   control server. In the event that credit control for multiple 
   services in one credit control session is applied (i.e. units are 
   granted associated to Service-Identifier(s) or Rating-Group), a new 
   Credit-Control-Request MUST be sent to the credit-control server 
   when the whole credit reservation has been consumed, or upon 
   expiration of the Validity-Time. It is always up to the Diameter 
   credit-control client to send a new request well in advance before 
 
 
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   the expiration of the previous request in order to avoiding 
   interruption in the service element. Even if the granted service 
   units reserved by the credit-control server have not been spent upon 
   expiration of the Validity-Time, the Diameter credit-control client 
   MUST send a new Credit-Control-Request to the credit-control server.  
         
   There can be also mid-session service events, which might affect the 
   rating of the current service events. In this case a spontaneous 
   updating (a new Credit-Control-Request) SHOULD be sent including 
   information related to the service event even if all the granted 
   service units have not been spent or the Validity-Time has not 
   expired.  
        
   When the used units are reported to the credit-control server, the 
   credit-control client will not have any units in its possession 
   before new granted units are received from the credit-control 
   server. When the new granted units are received from the credit-
   control server these units apply from the point where the 
   measurement of the reported used units stopped. Where independent 
   credit-control of multiple services is supported, this process may 
   be executed for one or more services, a single rating-group or for a 
   pool within the (sub)session. 
     
   The CC-Request-Type AVP is set to the value UPDATE_REQUEST in the 
   intermediate request message. The Subscription-Id AVP SHOULD be 
   included in the intermediate message to identify the end user in the 
   credit-control server. The Service-Context-Id AVP indicates the 
   service specific document applicable to the request.   
        
   The Requested-Service-Unit AVP MAY contain the new amount of 
   requested service units. Where the Multiple-Services-Credit-Control 
   AVP is used, it MUST contain the Requested-Service-Unit AVP if new 
   quota for the associated service/rating-group is requested. The 
   Used-Service-Unit AVP contains the amount of used service units 
   measured from the point when the service became active or, in case 
   of interim interrogations are used during the session, from the 
   point when the previous measurement ended. The same unit types that 
   are used in the previous message SHOULD be used. If several unit 
   types were included in the previous answer message the used service 
   units for each unit type MUST be reported. 
        
   The Event-Timestamp AVP SHOULD be included in the request and 
   contains the time of the event that triggered the sending of the new 
   Credit-Control-Request.  
        
   The credit-control server MUST deduct the used amount from the end 
   user's account. It MAY rate the new request and make a new credit-
   reservation from the end user's account that covers the cost of the 
   requested service event.   
 
 
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   The Credit-Control-Answer message with the CC-Request-Type AVP set 
   to the value UPDATE_REQUEST MAY include the Cost-Information AVP 
   containing the accumulated cost estimation for the session without 
   taking any credit-reservation into account. 
   The Credit-Control-Answer message MAY also include the Final-Unit-
   Indication AVP to indicate that the answer message contains the 
   final units for the service. After the end user has consumed these 
   units, the Diameter credit-control-client MUST behave as described 
   in section 5.6.  
     
   There can be several intermediate interrogations within a session. 
 
5.4   Final Interrogation 
  
   When the end user terminates the service session or according to the 
   graceful service termination as described in section 5.6, the 
   Diameter credit-control client MUST send a final Credit-Control-
   Request message to the credit-control server. The CC-Request-Type 
   AVP is set to the value TERMINATION_REQUEST. The Service-Context-Id 
   AVP indicates the service specific document applicable to the 
   request. 
        
   The Event-Timestamp AVP SHOULD be included in the request and 
   contains the time of the session was terminated.   
        
   The Used-Service-Unit AVP contains the amount of used service units 
   measured from the point when the service became active or, in case 
   of interim interrogations are used during the session, from the 
   point when the previous measurement ended. If several unit types 
   were included in the previous answer message the used service units 
   for each unit type MUST be reported.  
        
   After final interrogation the credit-control server MUST refund the 
   reserved credit amount not used to the end user's account and deduct 
   the used monetary amount from the end user's account.  
        
   The Credit-Control-Answer message with the CC-Request-Type set to 
   the value TERMINATION_REQUEST MAY include the Cost-Information AVP 
   containing the estimated total cost for the session in question. 
    
   If the user logoff during an ongoing credit-control session or some 
   other reason causes the user to be logged-off (e.g. final-unit 
   indication causes user logoff according to local policy) the service 
   element, according to application specific policy, may send a 
   session-termination-request (STR) to the home Diameter AAA server as 
   usual [DIAMBASE]. Figure 4 illustrates the case when the final-unit 
   indication causes the user logoff upon consumption of the final 
   granted units and STR is generated. 
 
 
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   End-User        Service Element        AAA Server           CC 
   Server 
                    (CC Client)                        
      | Service Delivery  |                    |                    | 
      |<----------------->|                    |                    | 
      |         :         |                    |                    | 
      |         :         |                    |                    | 
      |         :         |                    |                    | 
      |                   |                    |                    | 
      |                   | CCR(Update,Used-Units)                  | 
      |                   |------------------->| CCR(Update,Used-Units) 
      |                   |                    |------------------->| 
      |                   |                  CCA(Final-Unit, Terminate) 
      |              CCA(Final-Unit, Terminate)|<-------------------| 
      |                   |<-------------------|                    | 
      |         :         |                    |                    | 
      |         :         |                    |                    | 
      |  Disconnect user  |                    |                    | 
      |<------------------| CCR(Termination,Used-Units)             | 
      |                   |------------------->| CCR(Term.,Used-Units) 
      |                   |                    |------------------->| 
      |                   |                    |                CCA | 
      |                   |                CCA |<-------------------| 
      |                   |<-------------------|                    | 
      |                   | STR                |                    | 
      |                   |------------------->|                    | 
      |                   |               STA  |                    | 
      |                   |<-------------------|                    | 
          Figure 4: User disconnected due to account exhausted 
     
5.5   Server-Initiated Credit Re-Authorization 
    
   The Diameter Credit Control Application supports server-initiated 
   re-authorization. The credit control server MAY optionally initiate 
   the credit re-authorization by issuing a Re-Auth-Request (RAR) as 
   defined in the Diameter base protocol [DIAMBASE]. The Auth-
   Application-Id in the RAR message is set to XXX [IANA please fill in 
   XXX (suggested value 4 in section 12.1) and remove this note] to 
   indicate the Diameter Credit Control Application and the Re-Auth-
   Request-Type is set to AUTHORIZE_ONLY. 
    
   Section 5.1.2 defines the feature to enable credit-control for 
   multiple services within a single (sub-)session where the server can 
   authorize credit usage at a different level of granularity. Further, 
   the server may provide credit resources to multiple services or 
   rating groups as a pool (see section 5.1.2 for details and 
   definitions). Therefore the server, based on its service logic and 
   its knowledge of the ongoing session, can decide to request credit 
 
 
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   re-authorization for: a whole (sub-)session, a single credit pool, a 
   single service or a single rating-group. To request credit re-
   authorization for a credit pool, the server includes in the RAR 
   message the G-S-U-Pool-Identifier AVP indicating the affected pool. 
   To request credit re-authorization for a service or a rating-group, 
   the server includes in the RAR message the Service-Identifier AVP or 
   the Rating-Group AVP respectively. To request credit re-
   authorization for all the ongoing services within the (sub-)session 
   the server includes none of the above mentioned AVPs in the RAR 
   message.  
    
   If a credit re-authorization is not already ongoing (i.e. the credit 
   control session is in OPEN state), a credit control client that 
   receives such a RAR message with Session-Id equal to a currently 
   active credit control session MUST acknowledge the request by 
   sending the Re-Auth-Answer (RAA) message and MUST initiate the 
   credit re-authorization towards the server by sending a Credit-
   Control-Request message with the CC-Request-Type AVP set to the 
   value UPDATE_REQUEST. The Result-Code 2002 
   (DIAMETER_LIMITED_SUCCESS) SHOULD be used in the RAA message to 
   indicate an additional message (i.e. CCR message with value 
   UPDATE_REQUEST) is required to complete the procedure. If a quota 
   was allocated to the service, the credit control client MUST report 
   the used quota in the Credit-Control-Request. Note that the end user 
   does not need to be prompted for the credit re-authorization, since 
   the credit re-authorization is transparent to the user (i.e it takes 
   place exclusively between the credit control client and the credit 
   control server). 
    
   Where multiple services in a user's session are supported, the 
   procedure of the above paragraph will be executed at the granularity 
   as requested by the server in the RAR message. 
    
   If credit re-authorization is ongoing at the time when the RAR 
   message is received (i.e. RAR-CCR collision), the credit control 
   client successfully acknowledges the request but it does not 
   initiate a new credit re-authorization. The Result-Code 2001 
   (DIAMETER_SUCCESS) SHOULD be used in the RAA message to indicate a 
   credit re-authorization procedure is already ongoing (i.e. the 
   client was in PendingU state when the RAR was received). The credit 
   control server SHOULD process the Credit-Control-Request as if it 
   was received in answer to the server initiated credit re-
   authorization, and should consider the server initiated credit re-
   authorization process successful upon reception of the Re-Auth-
   Answer message. 
    
   Where multiple services in a user's session are supported, it may 
   happen that the server requests credit re-authorization for a credit 
   pool (or for the (sub-)session) and a credit re-authorization is 
 
 
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   already ongoing for some of the services or rating-groups. In this 
   case the client acknowledges the server request with a RAA message 
   and MUST send a new Credit-Control-Request message to perform re-
   authorization for the remaining services/rating-groups. The Result-
   Code 2002 (DIAMETER_LIMITED_SUCCESS) SHOULD be used in the RAA 
   message to indicate an additional message (i.e. CCR message with 
   value UPDATE_REQUEST) is required to complete the procedure. The 
   server processes the received requests and returns an appropriate 
   answer to both of the requests. 
    
   The above-defined procedures are enabled for each of the possibly 
   active Diameter credit-control sub-sessions. The server MAY request 
   re-authorization for an active sub-session by including the CC-Sub-
   Session-Id AVP in the RAR message in addition to the Session-Id AVP. 
    
5.6   Graceful Service Termination 
    
   When the user's account runs out of money the user may be denied to 
   compile additional chargeable events. However, the home service 
   provider may offer some services, for instance access to a service 
   portal where it is possible to refill the account, for which the 
   user is allowed to benefit for a limited amount of time. This time 
   is usually dependant on the home service provider policy. 
    
   This section defines the graceful service termination optional 
   feature that MAY be supported by the credit control server. Credit 
   control client implementations MUST support the Final-Unit-
   Indication with at least the tear down of the ongoing service 
   session upon the subscriber has consumed all the final granted 
   units. 
    
   Where independent credit control of multiple services in a single 
   credit control (sub-)session is supported, it is possible to use the 
   graceful service termination for each of the services/rating-groups 
   independently. Naturally, the graceful service termination process 
   defined in the following sub-sections will apply to the specific 
   service/rating-group as requested by the server. 
    
   In some service environments (e.g. NAS) the graceful service 
   termination may be used to redirect the subscriber to a service 
   portal for online balance refill or other services offered by the 
   home service provider. In this case the graceful termination process 
   installs a set of packet filters to restrict the user's access 
   capability only to/from the specified destinations, all the IP 
   packets not matching the filters will be dropped or possibly re-
   directed to the service portal. The user may also be displayed an 
   appropriate notification why the access has been limited. These 
   actions may be communicated explicitly from the server to client or 
   may be configured per-service at the client. Explicitly signaled 
 
 
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   redirect or restrict instructions always take precedence over 
   configured ones. 
    
   It is also possible use the graceful service termination to connect 
   the prepaid user to a top-up server that play an announcement and 
   prompt the user to replenish the account. In such a case the credit 
   control server sends only the address of the top-up server where the 
   prepaid user shall be connected after the final granted units have 
   been consumed. An example of this is given in Appendix A (Flow VII). 
    
   The credit control server MAY initiate the graceful service 
   termination by including the Final-Unit-Indication AVP in the Credit 
   Control Answer to indicate that the message contains the final units 
   for the service. 
    
   When the credit control client receives the Final-Unit-Indication 
   AVP in the answer from the server its behavior depends on the value 
   indicated in the Final-Unit-Action AVP. The server may request the 
   following actions: TERMINATE, REDIRECT and RESTRICT_ACCESS. 
    
   The following Figure illustrates the graceful service termination 
   procedure described in the following sub-sections. 
                                                                                      
                                            Diameter 
   End-User        Service Element         AAA Server          CC 
   Server 
                    (CC Client)                         
      |  Service Delivery |                    |                    | 
      |<----------------->|                    |                    | 
      |                   |CCR(Update,Used-Units)                   | 
      |                   |------------------->|CCR(Update,Used-Units) 
      |         :         |                    |------------------->| 
      |         :         |                    |CCA(Final-Unit,Action) 
      |         :         |                    |<-------------------| 
      |                   |CCA(Final-Unit,Action)                   | 
      |                   |<-------------------|                    | 
      |                   |                    |                    | 
      |         :         |                    |                    | 
      |         :         |                    |                    | 
      |         :         |                    |                    | 
      | ///////////////   |CCR(Update,Used-Units)                   | 
      |/Final Units End/->|------------------->|CCR(Update,Used-Units) 
      |/Action and    //  |                    |------------------->| 
      |/Restrictions //   |                    |  CCA(Validity-Time)| 
      |/Start       //    |  CCA(Validity-Time)|<-------------------| 
      | /////////////     |<-------------------|                    | 
      |         :         |                    |                    | 
      |         :         |                    |                    | 
      |                 Replenish Account            +-------+      | 
 
 
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      |<-------------------------------------------->|Account|      | 
      |                   |                    |     +-------+      |  
      |                   |                    |                RAR | 
      |                 + |                RAR |<===================| 
      |                 | |<===================|                    | 
      |                 | | RAA                |                    | 
      |  /////////////  | |===================>| RAA                | 
      | /If supported / | | CCR(Update)        |===================>| 
      | /by CC Server/  | |===================>| CCR(Update)        | 
      | /////////////   | |                    |===================>| 
      |                 | |                    |   CCA(Granted-Unit)| 
      |                 | |   CCA(Granted-Unit)|<===================| 
      |  Restrictions ->+ |<===================|                    | 
      |  removed          |                    |                    | 
      |         :         |                    |                    | 
      |        OR         | CCR(Update)        |                    | 
      |   Validity-Time ->|------------------->| CCR(Update)        |     
      |   expires         |                    |------------------->| 
      |                   |                    |   CCA(Granted-Unit)| 
      |                   |   CCA(Granted-Unit)|<-------------------| 
      |    Restrictions ->|<-------------------|                    | 
      |    removed        |                    |                    | 
         Figure 5: Optional graceful service termination procedure 
    
5.6.1 Terminate Action 
 
   The Final-Unit-Indication AVP with Final-Unit-Action TERMINATE does 
   not include any other information. When the subscriber has consumed 
   the final granted units, the service element MUST terminate the 
   service. This is the default handling applicable whenever the credit 
   control client receives an unsupported Final-Unit-Action value and 
   MUST be supported by all the Diameter credit control client 
   implementations conforming to this specification. A final Credit-
   Control-Request message to the credit control server MUST be sent if 
   the Final-Unit-Indication AVP indicating action TERMINATE was 
   present at command level. The CC-Request-Type AVP in the request is 
   set to the value TERMINATION_REQUEST. 
    
5.6.2 Redirect Action 
    
   The Final-Unit-Indication AVP with Final-Unit-Action REDIRECT 
   indicates to the service element supporting this action that, upon 
   consumption of the final granted units, the user MUST be re-directed 
   to the address specified in the Redirect-Server AVP as follows. 
 
   The credit control server sends the Redirect-Server AVP in the 
   Credit-Control-Answer message. In such a case the service element 
   MUST redirect or connect the user to the destination specified in 
   the Redirect-Server AVP, if possible. When the end user is 
 
 
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   redirected (by using other protocols than Diameter) to the specified 
   server or connected to the top-up server, an additional 
   authorization (and possibly authentication) may be needed before the 
   subscriber can replenish the account, however, this is out of the 
   scope of this specification. 
    
   In addition to the Redirect-Server AVP, the credit control server 
   MAY include one or more Restriction-Filter-Rule AVP or one or more 
   Filter-Id AVP in the Credit-Control-Answer message in order to 
   enable the user to access other services (for example zero-rated 
   services). In such a case the access device MUST drop all the 
   packets not matching the IP filters specified in the Credit-Control-
   Answer message and redirect the user to the destination specified in 
   the Redirect-Server AVP, if possible.  
    
   Another entity than the credit control server may provision the 
   access device with appropriate IP packet filters to be used in 
   conjunction with the Diameter credit control application. This case 
   is considered in section 5.6.3. 
    
   When the final granted units have been consumed the credit control 
   client MUST perform an intermediate interrogation. The purpose of 
   this intermediate interrogation is to indicate to the credit control 
   server that the specified action started and to report the used 
   units. The credit control server MUST deduct the used amount from 
   the end user's account but MUST NOT make a new credit reservation. 
   The credit control client, however, may send intermediate 
   interrogations before all the final granted units have been consumed 
   for which rating and money reservation may be needed, for instance 
   upon Validity-Time expires or upon mid-session service event that 
   affect the rating of the current service. Therefore, the credit 
   control client MUST NOT include any rating related AVP in the 
   request sent upon all the final granted units have been consumed as 
   an indication to the server that the requested final unit action 
   started, rating and money reservation are not required (when the 
   Multiple-Services-Credit-Control AVP is used, the Service-Identifier 
   or Rating-Group AVPs is included to indicate the concerned 
   services). Naturally, the Credit-Control-Answer message does not 
   contain any granted service unit and MUST include the Validity-Time 
   AVP to indicate to the credit control client how long the subscriber 
   is allowed to use network resources before a new intermediate 
   interrogation is sent to the server. 
    
   At the expiry of Validity-Time the credit control client sends a 
   Credit-Control-Request (UPDATE_REQUEST) as usual. This message does 
   not include the Used-Service-Unit AVP since there is no allotted 
   quota to report. The credit control server processes the request and 
   MUST perform the credit reservation. If during this time the 
   subscriber did not replenish his/her account whether he/she will be 
 
 
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   disconnected or will be granted access to services not controlled by 
   credit control server for unlimited time is dependent on the home 
   service provider policy (note: the latter option implies that the 
   service element should not remove the restriction filters upon 
   termination of the credit control). The server will return the 
   appropriate Result-Code (see section 9.1) in the Credit-Control-
   Answer message in order to implement the policy-defined action. 
   Otherwise new quota will be returned, the service element MUST 
   remove all the possible restrictions activated by the graceful 
   service termination process and continue the credit control session 
   and the service session as usual. 
    
   The credit control client may not wait until the expiration of the 
   Validity-Time and may send a spontaneous updating (a new Credit-
   Control-Request) if the service element can determine for instance 
   that communication between the end user and the top-up server took 
   place. An example of this is given in Appendix A (Figure A.8). 
    
   It is worth noting that the credit control server may initiate the 
   above-described process already for the first interrogation. 
   However, the user's account might be empty at the time when the 
   first interrogation is performed. In this case the subscriber can be 
   offered a chance to replenish the account and continue the service. 
   The credit control client receives a Credit-Control-Answer or 
   service specific authorization answer with the Final-Unit-Indication 
   AVP, Validity-Time AVP but no Granted-Unit. In such a case it 
   immediately starts the graceful service termination without sending 
   any message to the server. An example of this case is illustrated in 
   Appendix A. 
    
5.6.3 Restrict Access Action 
    
   The Final-Unit-Indication AVP with Final-Unit-Action RESTRICT_ACCESS 
   indicates to the access device supporting this action that the user 
   MUST be restricted access according to the IP packet filters given 
   in the Restriction-Filter-Rule AVP(s) or according to the IP packet 
   filters identified by the Filter-Id AVP(s). The credit control 
   server SHOULD include either the Restriction-Filter-Rule AVP or the 
   Filter-Id AVP in the Credit-Control-Answer message.  
    
   Another entity than the credit control server may provision the 
   access device with appropriate IP packet filters to be used in 
   conjunction with the Diameter credit control application. Such an 
   entity, for instance, may configure the access device with IP flows 
   that are to be passed when the Diameter credit control application 
   indicates RESTRICT_ACCESS or REDIRECT. The access device passes IP 
   packets according to the filter rules possibly received in the 
   Credit-Control-Answer message in addition to the filter rules 
   possibly configured by the other entity. However, the action to be 
 
 
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   taken when the user's account cannot cover the cost of the requested 
   service is the responsibility of the credit control server that 
   controls the prepaid subscriber.  
    
   If another entity working in conjunction with the Diameter Credit 
   Control application already provisions the access device with all 
   the required filter rules for the end user, it is presumably not 
   needed for the credit control server to send any additional filter. 
   Therefore it is RECOMMENDED that credit control server 
   implementations supporting the graceful service termination can be 
   configurable whether to send the Restriction-Filter-Rule AVP, the 
   Filter-Id AVP or none of the above.  
    
   When the final granted units have been consumed, the credit control 
   client MUST perform an intermediate interrogation. The credit 
   control client and the credit control server process this 
   intermediate interrogation and execute subsequent procedures as 
   specified in the previous section for the REDIRECT action.  
    
   The credit control server may initiate the graceful service 
   termination with action RESTRICT_ACCESS already for the first 
   interrogation as specified in the previous section for the REDIRECT 
   action. 
    
5.6.4 Usage of the Server-Initiated Credit Re-Authorization 
    
   Once the subscriber replenishes the account she presumably expects 
   all the restrictions placed by the graceful termination procedure be 
   immediately removed and unlimited services' access be resumed. For 
   the best user experience the credit control server implementation 
   MAY support the server-initiated credit re-authorization (see 
   section 5.5). In such a case, upon the successful account top-up 
   took place, the credit control server sends the Re-Auth-Request 
   (RAR) message to solicit the credit re-authorization. The credit 
   control client initiates the credit re-authorization by sending the 
   Credit- Control-Request message with the CC-Request-Type AVP set to 
   the value UPDATE_REQUEST. The Used-Service-Unit AVP is not included 
   in the request since there is no allotted quota to report. The 
   Requested-Service-Unit AVP MAY be included in the request. After the 
   credit control client successfully receives the Credit-Control-
   Answer with new Granted-Service-Unit all the possible restrictions 
   activated for the purpose of the graceful service termination MUST 
   be removed in the service element, the credit control session and 
   the service session continue as usual. 
 
5.7   Failure Procedures 
  
   The Credit-Control-Failure-Handling AVP (CCFH) as described in this 
   section determines the behavior of the credit control client in 
 
 
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   fault situations. The CCFH may be received from the Diameter home 
   AAA server, from the credit control server or may be locally 
   configured. The CCFH value received from the home AAA server 
   overrides the locally configured value and the CCFH value received 
   from the credit control server in the Credit-Control-Answer message 
   always override any already existing value.  
    
   The authorization server MAY include the Accounting-Realtime-
   Required AVP to determine what to do if the sending of accounting 
   records to the accounting server has been temporarily prevented as 
   defined in [DIAMBASE]. It is RECOMMENDED that the client complement 
   the credit-control failure procedures with backup accounting flow 
   towards an accounting server. Using different combinations of 
   Accounting-Realtime-Required and Credit-Control-Failure-Handling 
   AVPs different safety levels can be built. For example by choosing 
   the Credit-Control-Failure-Handling AVP equal to CONTINUE for the 
   credit control flow and Accounting-Realtime-Required AVP equal to 
   DELIVER_AND_GRANT for the accounting flow, the service can be 
   granted to the end user even if the connection to the credit-control 
   server is down but the accounting server is able to collect the 
   accounting information, provided that there is information exchange 
   taking place between the accounting server and credit-control 
   server. 
    
   Since the credit-control application is based on real-time bi-
   directional communication between the credit-control client and the 
   credit-control server, the usage of alternative destinations and the 
   buffering of messages may not be sufficient in the event of 
   communication failures. Since the credit-control server has to 
   maintain session states, moving the credit-control message stream to 
   a backup server requires a complex context transfer solution. 
   Whether the credit-control message stream is moved to a backup 
   credit-control server during an ongoing credit-control session 
   depends on the value of the CC-session-Failover AVP. However, 
   failover may occur at any point in the path between credit-control 
   client and credit-control server in the event that a transport 
   failure is detected with a peer, as described in [DIAMBASE]. As a 
   consequence the credit-control server might receive duplicate 
   messages. These duplicates or out of sequence messages can be 
   detected in the credit-control server based on the credit-control 
   server session state machine (section 7), Session-Id AVP and CC-
   Request-Number AVP.  
        
   If a failure occurs during an ongoing credit-control session, the 
   credit-control client may move the credit control message stream to 
   an alternative server if the CC-server indicated FAILOVER_SUPPORTED 
   in the CC-Session-Failover AVP. A secondary credit control server 
   name, received from the home Diameter AAA server or locally 
   configured, can be used as an address of the backup server. If the 
 
 
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   CC-Session-Failover AVP is set to FAILOVER_NOT SUPPORTED the credit 
   control message stream MUST NOT be moved to backup server.  
    
   For new credit control sessions, failover to an alternative credit-
   control server SHOULD be performed if possible. For instance, if an 
   implementation of the credit control client can determine primary 
   credit control server unavailability it can establish the new credit 
   control sessions with a possibly available secondary credit control 
   server. 
    
   The AAA transport profile [AAATRANS] defines the application layer 
   watchdog algorithm that enables failover from a peer that has failed 
   and is controlled by a watchdog timer (Tw) defined in [AAATRANS]. 
   The recommended default initial value for Tw (Twinit) is 30 seconds. 
   Twinit may be set as low as 6 seconds, however, according to 
   [AAATRANS] setting too low value for Twinit is likely to result in 
   an increased probability of duplicates, as well as an increase in 
   spurious failover and failback attempts. Since the Diameter base 
   protocol is common to several different types of Diameter AAA 
   applications that may be run in the same service element, tuning the 
   timer Twinit to a lower value in order to satisfy the requirements 
   of real-time applications, such as the Diameter Credit Control 
   application, will certainly materialize the above mentioned 
   problems. For prepaid services, however, the end user expects an 
   answer from the network in a reasonable time, thus the Diameter 
   credit control client shall react faster than the underlying base 
   protocol. Therefore this specification defines the timer Tx that is 
   used by the credit-control client (as defined in section 13) to 
   supervise the communication with the credit-control server. When the 
   timer Tx elapses the credit-control client takes an action to the 
   end user according to the Credit-Control-Failure-Handling AVP. 
    
   When Tx expires, the Diameter credit control client always 
   terminates the service if the Credit-Control-Failure-Handling (CCFH) 
   AVP is set to the value TERMINATE. The credit control session may be 
   moved to an alternative server only in case a protocol error 
   DIAMETER_TOO_BUSY or DIAMETER_UNABLE_TO_DELIVER is received before 
   Tx expires, therefore, the value TERMINATE is not appropriate if 
   proper failover behavior is desired. 
    
   If the Credit-Control-Failure-Handling AVP is set to the value 
   CONTINUE or RETRY_AND_TERMINATE, the service will be granted to the 
   end user upon the timer Tx expires. An answer message with granted-
   units may arrive later on due to the base protocol transport 
   failover occurred in the path to the Credit Control Server (Twinit 
   default value is 3 times more than the Tx recommended value). The 
   credit control client SHOULD grant the service to the end user, 
   start monitoring the resource usage and wait for the possible late 
   answer until the timeout of the request (e.g. 120 seconds).  If the 
 
 
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   request fails and the CC-Session-Failover AVP is set to FAILOVER_NOT 
   SUPPORTED, the credit control client terminates or continues the 
   service depending on the value set in the CCFH and MUST free all the 
   reserved resources for the credit control session. If a protocol 
   error DIAMETER_UNABLE_TO_DELIVER or DIAMETER_TOO_BUSY is received or 
   the request timeout and the CC-Session-Failover AVP is set to 
   FAILOVER SUPPORTED, the credit control client MAY send the request 
   to a backup server if possible. If the credit control client 
   receives a successful answer from the backup server, it continues 
   the credit control session with such a server. If also the re-
   transmitted request fails, the credit control client terminates or 
   continues the service depending on the value set in the CCFH and 
   MUST free all the reserved resources for the credit control session.  
    
   If a communication failure occurs during the graceful service 
   termination procedure, the service element SHOULD always terminate 
   the ongoing service session. 
       
   If the credit-control server detects a failure during an ongoing 
   credit-control session, it will terminate the credit-control session 
   and return the reserved units back to the end user's account.  
        
   The supervision session timer Tcc (as defined in section 13) is used 
   in the credit-control server to supervise the credit-control 
   session. 
    
   In order to support the failover between credit control servers 
   information transfer about the credit control session and account 
   state SHOULD take place between the primary and the secondary credit 
   control server. Implementations supporting the credit control 
   session failover MUST also ensure proper detection of duplicate or 
   out of sequence messages. The communication between the servers is 
   regarded as an implementation issue and is outside of the scope of 
   this specification. 
 
6.  One Time Event 
     
   The one-time event is used when there is no need to maintain any 
   state in the Diameter credit-control server, for example enquiring 
   the price of the service. The use of one-time event implies that the 
   user has been authenticated and authorized beforehand. 
   The one time event can be used when the credit-control client wants 
   to know the cost of the service event without any credit-reservation 
   or to check the account balance without any credit-reservation. It 
   can be used also for refunding service units on the user's account 
   or direct debiting without any credit-reservation. The one time 
   event is shown in Figure 6. 
 
                                           Diameter 
 
 
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   End-User        Service Element        AAA Server           CC 
   Server 
                     (CC Client)                        
      | Service Request   |                    |                    | 
      |------------------>|                    |                    | 
      |                   | CCR(Event)         |                    | 
      |                   |------------------->| CCR(Event)         | 
      |                   |                    |------------------->| 
      |                   |                    |  CCA(Granted-Units)| 
      |                   |  CCA(Granted-Units)|<-------------------| 
      |  Service Delivery |<-------------------|                    | 
      |<----------------->|                    |                    | 
    
                         Figure 6: One time event 
    
   In environments such as the 3GPP architecture the one time event can 
   be sent from the service element directly to the credit-control 
   server.      
       
6.1   Service Price Enquiry  
     
   The credit-control client may need to know the price of the service 
   event. There might exist services offered by application service 
   providers, whose prices are not known in the credit-control client. 
   End user might also want to get an estimation of the price of a 
   service event before requesting it.  
        
   A Diameter credit-control client requesting the cost information 
   MUST set the CC-Request-Type AVP equal to EVENT_REQUEST, include the 
   Requested-Action AVP set to PRICE_ENQUIRY and set the requested 
   service event information into the Service-Identifier AVP in the 
   Credit-Control-Request message. Additional service event information 
   may be sent as service specific AVPs or may be sent within the 
   Service-Parameter-Info AVP. The Service-Context-Id AVP indicates the 
   service specific document applicable to the request. 
        
   The credit-control server calculates the cost of the requested 
   service event, but it does not perform any account balance check or 
   credit-reservation from the account.  
        
   The estimated cost of the requested service event is returned to the 
   credit-control client in the Cost-Information AVP in the Credit-
   Control-Answer message.  
    
6.2   Balance Check  
  
   The Diameter credit-control client may need only to verify that the 
   end user's account balance covers the cost for a certain service 
   without reserving any units from the account at the time of the 
 
 
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   inquiry. This method does not guarantee that there would be credit 
   left when the Diameter credit-control client requests the debiting 
   of the account with a separate request.  
       
   A Diameter credit-control client requesting the balance check MUST 
   set the CC-Request-Type AVP equal to EVENT_REQUEST, include 
   Requested-Action AVP set to CHECK_BALANCE and include the 
   Subscription-Id AVP to identify the End-User in the credit-control 
   server. The Service-Context-Id AVP indicates the service specific 
   document applicable to the request.   
        
   The credit-control server makes the balance check, but it does not 
   do any credit-reservation from the account.  
        
   The result of balance check (ENOUGH_CREDIT/NO_CREDIT) is returned to 
   the credit-control client in the Check-Balance-Result AVP in the 
   Credit-Control-Answer message.  
     
6.3   Direct Debiting  
     
   There are certain service events for which service execution is 
   always successful in the service environment. The delay between the 
   service invocation and the actual service delivery to the end user 
   can be sufficiently long that the use of the session-based credit-
   control would lead to unreasonable long credit-control sessions. In 
   these cases the Diameter credit-control client can use the one-time 
   event scenario for direct debiting. The Diameter credit-control 
   client SHOULD be sure that the requested service event execution 
   would be successful, when this scenario is used.    
     
   The CC-Request-Type is set to the value EVENT_REQUEST and the 
   Requested-Action AVP set to DIRECT_DEBITING in the Credit-Control-
   Request message. The Subscription-Id AVP SHOULD be included to 
   identify the End-User in the credit-control server. The Event-
   Timestamp AVP SHOULD be included in the request and contains the 
   time when the service event is requested in the service element. The 
   Service-Context-Id AVP indicates the service specific document 
   applicable to the request. 
        
   The Diameter credit-control client MAY include the monetary amount 
   to be charged in the Requested-Service-Unit AVP, if it knows the 
   cost of the service event. If the Diameter credit-control client 
   does not know the cost of the service event, the Requested-Service-
   Unit AVP MAY contain the number of requested service events. The 
   Service-Identifier AVP always indicates the concerned service, 
   additional service event information to be rated MAY be sent as 
   service specific AVPs or MAY be sent within the Service-Parameter-
   Info AVP.   
        
 
 
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   The credit-control server SHOULD rate the service event and deduct 
   the corresponding monetary amount from end user's account. If the 
   type of the Requested-Service-Unit AVP is money, no rating is needed 
   but the corresponding monetary amount is deducted from the End 
   User's account.  
        
   The credit-control server returns the Granted-Service-Unit AVP in 
   the Answer message to the Diameter credit-control client. The 
   Granted-Service-Unit AVP contains the amount of service units that 
   the Diameter credit-control client can provide to the end user. The 
   type of the Granted-Service-Unit can be time, volume, service 
   specific or money depending on the type of service event.  
        
   If the credit-control server determines that no credit-control is 
   needed for the service it can include the result code indicating 
   that the credit-control is not applicable (e.g. service is free of 
   charge).   
     
   For informative purposes, the Credit-Control-Answer message MAY also 
   include the Cost-Information AVP containing the estimated total cost 
   of the requested service.   
     
6.4   Refund   
    
   Some services may refund service units to the end user's account, 
   for example gaming services.  
       
   The credit-control client MUST set CC-Request-Type to the value 
   EVENT_REQUEST and the Requested-Action AVP to REFUND in the Credit-
   Control-Request message. The Subscription-Id AVP SHOULD be included 
   to identify the End-User in the credit-control server. The Service-
   Context-Id AVP indicates the service specific document applicable to 
   the request.   
        
   The Diameter credit-control client MAY include the monetary amount 
   to be refunded in the Requested-Service-Unit AVP. The Service-
   Identifier AVP always indicates the concerned service. If the 
   Diameter credit-control client does not know the monetary amount to 
   be refunded, in addition to the Service-Identifier AVP it MAY send 
   service specific AVPs or the Service-Parameter-Info AVP containing 
   additional service event information to be rated. 
    
   For informative purposes, the Credit-Control-Answer message MAY also 
   include the Cost-Information AVP containing the estimated monetary 
   amount of refunded unit.  
     
 
 

 
 
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6.5   Failure Procedure  
  
   Failover to an alternative credit-control server is allowed for one 
   time event since the server is not maintaining session states, for 
   instance, if the credit control client receives a protocol error 
   DIAMETER_UNABLE_TO_DELIVER or DIAMETER_TOO_BUSY it can re-send the 
   request to an alternative server if possible. There MAY exist 
   protocol transparent Diameter relays and redirect agents or Diameter 
   credit-control proxies between credit-control client and credit-
   control server. Failover may occur at any point in the path between 
   credit-control client and credit-control server in the event that a 
   transport failure is detected with a peer, as described in 
   [DIAMBASE]. Because there can be duplicate requests for various 
   reasons the credit-control server is therefore responsible for the 
   real time duplicate detection. Implementation issues for duplicate 
   detection are discussed in [DIAMBASE] Appendix C. 
        
   When the credit-control client detects a communication failure to 
   the credit-control server, its behavior depends on the requested 
   action. The timer Tx (as defined in section 13) is used in the 
   credit-control client to supervise the communication with the 
   credit-control server.  
     
   In case the requested action is PRICE_ENQUIRY or BALANCE_CHECK and 
   communication failure is detected the credit-control client SHOULD 
   forward the request messages to an alternative credit-control 
   server, if possible. The secondary Credit control server name, if 
   received from the home Diameter AAA server, can be used as an 
   address of backup server. 
      
  If the requested action is DIRECT_DEBITING the Direct-Debiting-
  Failure-Handling AVP (DDFH) controls the credit control client 
  behavior. The DDFH may be received from the home Diameter AAA server 
  or may be locally configured. The credit control server may also 
  send the DDFH in any CCA message to be used for direct debiting 
  events compiled thereafter. The DDFH value received from the home 
  Diameter AAA server overrides the locally configured value and the 
  DDFH value received from the credit control server in a Credit-
  Control-Answer message always override any already existing value.  
   
  If the DDFH is set to TERMINATE_OR_BUFFER, the credit-control client 
  SHOULD NOT grant the service if it can determine, eventually after a 
  possible re-transmission attempt to an alternative credit control 
  server, from the result code or error code in the answer message 
  that units have not been debited. Otherwise the credit-control 
  client SHOULD grant the service to the end user and store the 
  request in the credit-control application level non-volatile storage 
  (Note that re-sending the request at a later time is not a guarantee 
  that the service will be debited, since the user's account may be 
 
 
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  empty at the time when the server successfully processes the 
  request). The credit-control client MUST mark these request messages 
  as possible duplicate by setting the T-flag in the command header as 
  described in [DIAMBASE] section 3.  
  If the Direct-Debiting-Failure-Handling AVP is set to CONTINUE, the 
  service SHOULD be granted even if credit-control messages cannot be 
  delivered and messages are not buffered.  
   
  If the timer Tx expires the credit-control client MUST continue the 
  service and wait for a possible late answer. If the request timeout 
  the credit control client re-transmit the request (marked with T-
  flag) to a backup credit control server if possible. In the event 
  that also the re-transmitted request timeout or a temporary error is 
  received in answer to such a request, the credit control client 
  buffers the request if the value of the Direct-Debiting-Failure-
  Handling AVP is set to TERMINATE_OR_BUFFER. If a failed answer is 
  received for the re-transmitted request, the credit control client 
  frees all the resources reserved for the event message and deletes 
  the request regardless the value of the DDFH. 
     
   The Credit-Control-Request with requested action REFUND should 
   always be stored in the credit-control application level non-
   volatile storage in case of temporary failure. The credit-control 
   client MUST mark the re-transmitted request message as possible 
   duplicate by setting the T-flag in the command header as described 
   in [DIAMBASE] section 3.   
        
   For stored requests, the implementation may choose to limit the 
   number of re-transmission attempts and define a re-transmission 
   interval.  
     
   It should be noted that only one place in the credit-control system 
   SHOULD be responsible for duplicate detection. If there is only one 
   credit-control server within the given realm, the credit-control 
   server may perform duplicate detection. In case when more than one 
   credit-control servers are serving a given realm, only one entity in 
   the credit control system should be responsible to ensure that the 
   end user's account is not debited or credited multiple times for the 
   same service event.    
 
7.  Credit Control Application State Machine  
    
   This section defines the credit control application state machine. 
       
   The first four state machines are to be observed by credit-control 
   clients. The first one describes the session-based credit-control 
   when the first interrogation is executed as part of the 
   authorization/authentication process. The second one describes the 
   session-based credit-control when the first interrogation is 
 
 
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   executed after the authorization/authentication process. The 
   requirements what state machine need to be supported are discussed 
   in section 5.2. 
    
   The third state machine describes the session-based credit-control 
   for intermediate and final interrogations. The fourth one describes 
   the event-based credit-control. These latter state machines are to 
   be observed by all the implementations that conform to this 
   specification. 
    
   The fifth state machine describes the credit-control session from a 
   credit-control server perspective.   
     
   Any event not listed in the state machines MUST be considered as an 
   error condition, and a corresponding answer, if applicable, MUST be 
   returned to the originator of the message.  
        
   In the state table, the event 'Failure to send' means that the 
   Diameter credit-control client is unable to communicate with the 
   desired destination or with a possibly defined alternative 
   destination in case failover procedure is supported (e.g. the 
   request timeout and the answer message is not received). This could 
   be due to the peer being down, or due to a physical link failure in 
   the path to/from the credit-control server. 
       
   The event 'Temporary error' means that the Diameter credit-control 
   client received a protocol error notification DIAMETER_TOO_BUSY, 
   DIAMETER_UNABLE_TO_DELIVER or DIAMETER_LOOP_DETECTED in the Result-
   Code AVP of the Credit-Control-Answer command. The above protocol 
   error notification may be ultimately received in answer to the re-
   transmitted request to a possibly defined alternative destination if 
   failover is supported.   
       
   The event 'Failed answer' means that the Diameter credit-control 
   client received non-transient failure (permanent failure) 
   notification in the Credit-Control-Answer command. The above 
   permanent failure notification may be ultimately received in answer 
   to the re-transmitted request to a possibly defined alternative 
   destination if failover is supported.    
   The action 'store request' means that a request is stored in the 
   credit-control application level non-volatile storage.  
       
   The event 'Not successfully processed' means that the credit-control 
   server could not process the message, e.g. due to unknown end user, 
   account being empty or due to errors defined in [DIAMBASE]. 
    
   The event 'User service terminated' can be triggered by various 
   reasons, e.g. normal user termination, network failure and ASR 

 
 
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   (Abort-Session-Request). The Termination-Cause AVP contains 
   information about the termination reason as specified in [DIAMBASE]. 
    
   The Tx timer, which is used to control the waiting time in the 
   Credit control client in the PENDING state, is stopped when exiting 
   the Pending state. The stopping of the Tx timer is omitted in the 
   state machine when the new state is Idle since moving to Idle state 
   implies the clearing of the session and all the variables associated 
   to it. 
     
   The states PendingI, PendingU, PendingT PendingE and PendingB stand 
   for pending states to wait for an answer to a credit control request 
   related to Initial, Update, Termination, Event or Buffered request 
   respectively. 
    
   The abbreviations CCFH and DDFH stand for Credit-Control-Failure-
   Handling and Direct-Debiting-Failure-Handling respectively. 
    
   In the following state machine table the failover to a possibly 
   secondary server upon 'Temporary error' or 'Failure to send' is not 
   explicitly described. Moving an ongoing credit control message 
   stream to an alternative server is, however, possible if the CC-
   Session-Failover AVP is set to FAILOVER_SUPPORTED as described in 
   section 5.7. 
    
   Re-sending a credit control event to an alternative server is 
   supported as described in section 6.5. 
    
    
    
    CLIENT, SESSION BASED for the first interrogation with AA request  
    
     State      Event                         Action       New State  
     ---------------------------------------------------------------  
     Idle       Client or device requests     Send          PendingI 
                access/service                AA request 
                                              with added 
                                              CC AVPs, 
                                              start Tx 
    
     PendingI  Successful AA req.             Grant         Open  
               answer received                service to 
                                              end user, 
                                              stop Tx 
    
     PendingI  Tx expired                     Disconnect    Idle  
                                              user/dev  
        
     PendingI  Failed AA answer received      Disconnect    Idle  
 
 
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                                              user/dev  
       
     PendingI  AA answer                      Grant         Idle  
               received with result code      service   
               equal to CREDIT_CONTROL_       to end user 
               NOT_APPLICABLE 
    
     PendingI  User service terminated        Queue         PendingI 
                                              termination  
                                              event   
       
     PendingI  Change in rating condition     Queue         PendingI  
                                              changed  
                                              rating   
                                              condition    
                                              event 
       CLIENT, SESSION BASED for the first interrogation with CCR  
    
     State      Event                          Action       New State  
     ----------------------------------------------------------------  
    
    
     Idle      Client or device requests      Send         PendingI  
               access/service                 CC initial 
                                              req.,  
                                              start Tx.  
       
     PendingI  Successful CC initial          Stop Tx      Open  
               answer received  
       
     PendingI  Failure to send, or            Grant        Idle  
               temporary error and            service to            
               CCFH equal to CONTINUE         end user  
       
     PendingI  Failure to send, or            Terminate    Idle  
               temporary error and            end user's  
               CCFH equal to TERMINATE        service 
               or equal to RETRY_AND_TERMINATE 
 
     PendingI  Tx expired and CCFH            Terminate    Idle  
               equal to TERMINATE             end user's 
                                              service 
     
     PendingI  Tx expired and CCFH equal      Grant        PendingI  
               to CONTINUE or equal to        service to    
               RETRY_AND_TERMINATE            end user 
    
     PendingI  CC initial answer              Terminate    Idle  
               received with result code      end user's  
 
 
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               SERVICE_ DENIED or             service 
               USER_UNKNOWN  
       
     PendingI  CC initial answer              Grant        Idle  
               received with result code      service   
               equal to CREDIT_CONTROL_       to end user 
               NOT_APPLICABLE  
     
     PendingI  Failed CC initial answer       Grant        Idle  
               received CCFH equal to         Service to  
               CONTINUE                       end user  
    
     PendingI  Failed CC initial answer       Terminate    Idle  
               received and CCFH equal        end user's  
               to TERMINATE or equal to       service 
               RETRY_AND_TERMINATE  
     
     PendingI  User service terminated        Queue        PendingI  
                                              termination  
                                              event   
       
     PendingI  Change in rating condition     Queue        PendingI  
                                              changed  
                                              rating   
                                              condition    
                                              event 
 
    
      CLIENT, SESSION BASED for intermediate and final interrogations  
    
     State     Event                          Action       New State  
     ----------------------------------------------------------------  
    
     Open      Granted unit elapses           Send         PendingU  
               and no final unit              CC update  
               indication received            req.,  
                                              start Tx.    
       
     Open      Granted unit elapses           Terminate    PendingT  
               and final unit action          end user's   
               equal to TERMINATE             service, send 
               received                       CC termination   
                                              req. 
       
     Open      Change in rating condition     Send         PendingU  
               in queue                       CC update  
                                              req.,  
                                              Start Tx. 
    
 
 
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                Diameter Credit Control Application    August 12, 2004 
 
 
                
     
     Open      Service terminated in queue    Send         PendingT  
                                              CC termination  
                                              req. 
     
     Open      Change in rating condition     Send         PendingU  
               or Validity-Time elapses       CC update  
                                              req.,  
                                              Start Tx.             
     
     Open      User service terminated        Send         PendingT  
                                              CC termination  
                                              req. 
    
     Open      RAR received                   Send RAA     PendingU 
                                              followed by    
                                              CC update req., 
                                              start Tx   
     
     PendingU  Successful CC update           Stop Tx      Open  
               answer received  
       
     PendingU  Failure to send, or            Grant        Idle  
               temporary error and            service to  
               CCFH equal to CONTINUE         end user  
       
     PendingU  Failure to send, or            Terminate    Idle  
               temporary error and            end user's  
               CCFH equal to TERMINATE        service 
               or equal to RETRY_AND_TERMINATE  
     
     PendingU  Tx expired and CCFH            Terminate    Idle  
               equal to TERMINATE             end user's 
                                              service  
    
     PendingU  Tx expired and CCFH equal      Grant        PendingU  
               to CONTINUE or equal to        service to    
               RETRY_AND_TERMINATE            end user. 
       
     PendingU  CC update answer               Terminate    Idle  
               received with result code      end user's  
               SERVICE_DENIED                 service 
     
     PendingU  CC update answer               Grant        Idle  
               received with result code      service   
               equal to CREDIT_CONTROL_       to end user 
               NOT_APPLICABLE  
     
 
 
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     PendingU  Failed CC update               Grant        Idle  
               answer received and            service to  
               CCFH equal to CONTINUE         end user.  
    
     PendingU  Failed CC update               Terminate    Idle  
               answer received CCFH           end user's  
               equal to TERMINATE or          service 
               equal to RETRY_AND_TERMINATE  
     
     PendingU  User service terminated        Queue        PendingU 
                                              termination  
                                              event  
       
     PendingU  Change in rating               Queue        PendingU  
               condition                      changed   
                                              rating  
                                              condition   
                                              event  
       
     PendingU  RAR received                   Send RAA     PendingU   
    
     PendingT  Successful CC                               Idle  
               termination answer received  
       
     PendingT  Failure to send, or temporary               Idle  
               error or failed answer  
                                 
     PendingT  Change in rating condition                  PendingT  
     
                           
                        CLIENT, EVENT BASED  
 
     State     Event                          Action        New State  
     ----------------------------------------------------------------  
     Idle      Client or device requests      Send          PendingE  
               a one-time service             CC event  
                                              req.,  
                                              Start Tx.  
       
     Idle      Request in storage             Send          PendingB  
                                              stored   
                                              request  
        
     PendingE  Successful CC event            Grant         Idle  
               answer received                service to 
                                              end user 
     
     PendingE  Failure to send, temporary     Indicate      Idle  
               error or failed CC event       service  
 
 
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                Diameter Credit Control Application    August 12, 2004 
 
 
               answer received, or            error  
               Tx expired, requested            
               action BALANCE_CHECK or  
               PRICE_ENQUIRY  
       
     PendingE  CC event answer                Terminate     Idle  
               received with result code      end user's  
               SERVICE_DENIED or              service 
               USER_UNKNOWN and Tx running     
     
     PendingE  CC event answer                Grant         Idle  
               received with result code      service  
               CREDIT_CONTROL_NOT_APPLICABLE, to end           
               requested action               user 
               DIRECT_DEBITING 
     
     PendingE  Failure to send, temporary     Grant         Idle  
               error or failed CC event       service  
               answer received, requested     to end  
               action DIRECT_DEBITING and     user 
               DDFH equal to CONTINUE         
    
     PendingE  Failed CC event                Terminate     Idle  
               answer received or temporary   end user's 
               error, requested action        service 
               DIRECT_DEBITING and             
               DDFH equal to           
               TERMINATE_OR_BUFFER and 
               Tx running  
 
     PendingE  Tx expired, requested          Grant         PendingE 
               action DIRECT_DEBITING         service 
                                              to end  
                                              user 
       
     PendingE  Failure to send, requested     Store         Idle  
               action DIRECT_DEBITING and     request with  
               DDFH equal to                  T-flag   
               TERMINATE_OR_BUFFER                                                    
    
     PendingE  Temporary error, requested     Store         Idle  
               action DIRECT_DEBITING and     request  
               DDFH equal to          
               TERMINATE_OR_BUFFER and 
               Tx expired 
    
     PendingE  Failed answer or answer                      Idle 
               received with result code 
               SERVICE DENIED or USER_UNKNOWN,  
 
 
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                Diameter Credit Control Application    August 12, 2004 
 
 
               requested action  
               DIRECT_DEBITING and Tx expired   
                             
     PendingE  Failed CC event answer         Indicate      Idle  
               received, requested            service   
               action REFUND_ACCOUNT          error and                   
                                              delete request                          
     
     PendingE  Failure to send or             Store         Idle  
               Tx expired, requested          request  
               action REFUND_ACCOUNT          with T-flag 
     
     PendingE  Temporary error                Store         Idle  
               and requested action           request  
               REFUND_ACCOUNT             
       
     PendingB  Successful CC answer           Delete        Idle  
               received                       request  
       
     PendingB  Failed CC answer               Delete        Idle  
               received                       request  
            
     PendingB  Failure to send or                           Idle                    
               temporary error 
    
                    SERVER, SESSION AND EVENT BASED   
    
     State     Event                          Action        New State  
     ----------------------------------------------------------------  
     
     Idle      CC initial request             Send          Open 
               received and successfully      CC initial 
               processed.                     answer, 
                                              reserve units, 
                                              start Tcc 
    
     Idle      CC initial request             Send          Idle 
               received, but not              CC initial 
               successfully processed.        answer with 
                                              Result-Code 
                                              != SUCCESS 
    
     Idle      CC event request               Send          Idle  
               received and successfully      CC event  
               processed.                     answer  
                                             
     Idle      CC event request               Send          Idle  
               received, but not              CC event  
               successfully processed.        answer with  
 
 
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                Diameter Credit Control Application    August 12, 2004 
 
 
                                              Result-Code  
                                              != SUCCESS  
     
     Open      CC update request              Send CC       Open  
               received and successfully      update answer, 
               processed                      debit used   
                                              units and   
                                              reserve  
                                              new units,  
                                              Restart Tcc  
     
     Open      CC update request              Send          Idle  
               received, but not              CC update  
               successfully processed.        answer with  
                                              Result-Code  
                                              != SUCCESS,  
                                              debit used  
                                              units  
     
     Open      CC termination request         Send          Idle  
               received, and successfully     CC termin.  
               processed                      answer,  
                                              Stop Tcc,  
                                              debit used  
                                              units  
     
     Open      CC termination request         Send          Idle  
               received, but not              CC termin.  
               successfully processed.        answer with  
                                              Result-Code  
                                              != SUCCESS,  
                                              debit used  
                                              units  
     
     Open      Session supervision timer Tcc  release       Idle  
               expired                        reserved   
                                              units  
                                                   
8.  Credit Control AVPs  
  
   This section defines the credit-control AVPs that are specific to 
   Diameter Credit-control Application and MAY be included in the 
   Diameter credit control messages. 
    
   The AVPs defined in this section MAY also be included in 
   authorization commands defined in authorization specific 
   applications, such as [NASREQ] and [DIAMMIP], in case the first 
   interrogation is performed as part of the authorization / 
   authentication process as described in section 5.2. 
 
 
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                Diameter Credit Control Application    August 12, 2004 
 
 
    
   The Diameter AVP rules are defined in the Diameter Base [DIAMBASE], 
   section 4. These AVP rules are observed in AVPs defined in this 
   section. 
    
   The following table describes the Diameter AVPs defined in Credit-
   control application, their AVP Code values, types, possible flag 
   values and whether the AVP MAY be encrypted. The Diameter base 
   [DIAMBASE] specifies in the section 4.5 the AVP Flag rules for AVPs. 
     
                                            +--------------------+  
                                            |    AVP Flag rules  |  
                                            |----+-----+----+----|----+  
                     AVP  Section           |    |     |SHLD|MUST|    |  
   Attribute Name    Code Defined Data Type |MUST| MAY | NOT|NOT |Encr|  
   -----------------------------------------|----+-----+----+----|----|  
   CC-Correlation-Id TBD  8.1    OctetString|    | P,M |    |  V | Y  |  
   CC-Input-Octets   TBD  8.24   Unsigned64 | M  |  P  |    |  V | Y  | 
   CC-Money          TBD  8.22   Grouped    | M  |  P  |    |  V | Y  |  
   CC-Output-Octets  TBD  8.25   Unsigned64 | M  |  P  |    |  V | Y  |  
   CC-Request-Number TBD  8.2    Unsigned32 | M  |  P  |    |  V | Y  |  
   CC-Request-Type   TBD  8.3    Enumerated | M  |  P  |    |  V | Y  |  
   CC-Service-       TBD  8.26   Unsigned64 | M  |  P  |    |  V | Y  |  
     Specific-Units                         |    |     |    |    |    |  
   CC-Session-       TBD  8.4    Enumerated | M  |  P  |    |  V | Y  | 
     Failover                               |    |     |    |    |    | 
   CC-Sub-Session-Id TBD  8.5    Unsigned64 | M  |  P  |    |  V | Y  |  
   CC-Time           TBD  8.21   Unsigned32 | M  |  P  |    |  V | Y  | 
   CC-Total-Octets   TBD  8.23   Unsigned64 | M  |  P  |    |  V | Y  | 
   CC-Unit-Type      TBD  8.32   Enumerated | M  |  P  |    |  V | Y  | 
   Check-Balance-    TBD  8.6    Enumerated | M  |  P  |    |  V | Y  |  
     Result                                 |    |     |    |    |    |  
   Cost-Information  TBD  8.7    Grouped    | M  |  P  |    |  V | Y  |  
   Cost-Unit         TBD  8.12   UTF8String | M  |  P  |    |  V | Y  | 
   Credit-Control    TBD  8.13   Enumerated | M  |  P  |    |  V | Y  | 
   Credit-Control-   TBD  8.14   Enumerated | M  |  P  |    |  V | Y  |  
     Failure-Handling                       |    |     |    |    |    |  
   Currency-Code     TBD  8.18   Unsigned32 | M  |  P  |    |  V | Y  | 
   Direct-Debiting   TBD  8.19   Enumerated | M  |  P  |    |  V | Y  |  
     Failure-Handling                       |    |     |    |    |    |  
   Exponent          TBD  8.9    Integer32  | M  |  P  |    |  V | Y  | 
   Final-Unit-Action TBD  8.35   Enumerated | M  |  P  |    |  V | Y  |  
   Final-Unit-       TBD  8.34   Grouped    | M  |  P  |    |  V | Y  |  
     Indication                             |    |     |    |    |    |  
   Granted-Service-  TBD  8.17   Grouped    | M  |  P  |    |  V | Y  |  
     Unit                                   |    |     |    |    |    |  
   G-S-U-Pool-       TBD  8.32   Unsigned32 | M  |  P  |    |  V | Y  | 
     Identifier                             |    |     |    |    |    | 
   G-S-U-Pool-       TBD  8.25   Grouped    | M  |  P  |    |  V | Y  | 
 
 
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                Diameter Credit Control Application    August 12, 2004 
 
 
     Reference                              |    |     |    |    |    | 
   Multiple-Services TBD  8.16   Grouped    | M  |  P  |    |  V | Y  | 
    -Credit-Control                         |    |     |    |    |    | 
   Multiple-Services TBD  8.40   Enumerated | M  |  P  |    |  V | Y  | 
    -Indicator                              |    |     |    |    |    | 
   Rating-Group      TBD  8.29   Unsigned32 | M  |  P  |    |  V | Y  | 
   Redirect-Address  TBD  8.38   Enumerated | M  |  P  |    |  V | Y  | 
     -Type                                  |    |     |    |    |    |  
   Redirect-Server   TBD  8.37   Grouped    | M  |  P  |    |  V | Y  | 
   Redirect-Server   TBD  8.39   UTF8String | M  |  P  |    |  V | Y  | 
     -Address                               |    |     |    |    |    |  
   Requested-Action  TBD  8.41   Enumerated | M  |  P  |    |  V | Y  |  
   Requested-Service TBD  8.18   Grouped    | M  |  P  |    |  V | Y  |  
     Unit                                   |    |     |    |    |    |  
   Restriction       TBD  8.36   IPFiltrRule| M  |  P  |    |  V | Y  | 
     -Filter-Rule                           |    |     |    |    |    | 
   Service-Context   TBD  8.42   UTF8String | M  |  P  |    |  V | Y  | 
     -Id                                    |    |     |    |    |    | 
   Service-          TBD  8.28   UTF8String | M  |  P  |    |  V | Y  |  
     Identifier                             |    |     |    |    |    |  
   Service-Parameter TBD  8.43   Grouped    |    | P,M |    |  V | Y  |  
     -Info                                  |    |     |    |    |    |  
   Service-          TBD  8.44   Unsigned32 |    | P,M |    |  V | Y  |  
     Parameter-Type                         |    |     |    |    |    |  
   Service-          TBD  8.45   OctetString|    | P,M |    |  V | Y  | 
     Parameter-Value                        |    |     |    |    |    |  
   Subscription-Id   TBD  8.46   Grouped    | M  |  P  |    |  V | Y  |  
   Subscription-Id   TBD  8.48   UTF8String | M  |  P  |    |  V | Y  | 
     -Data                                  |    |     |    |    |    |  
   Subscription-Id   TBD  8.47   Enumerated | M  |  P  |    |  V | Y  |  
     -Type                                  |    |     |    |    |    | 
   Tariff-Change     TBD  8.27   Enumerated | M  |  P  |    |  V | Y  | 
     -Usage                                 |    |     |    |    |    | 
   Tariff-Time       TBD  8.20   Time       | M  |  P  |    |  V | Y  | 
     -Change                                |    |     |    |    |    | 
   Unit-Value        TBD  8.8    Grouped    | M  |  P  |    |  V | Y  | 
   Used-Service-Unit TBD  8.19   Grouped    | M  |  P  |    |  V | Y  | 
   User-Equipment    TBD  8.49   Grouped    |    | P,M |    |  V | Y  | 
     -Info                                  |    |     |    |    |    | 
   User-Equipment    TBD  8.50   Enumerated |    | P,M |    |  V | Y  | 
     -Info-Type                             |    |     |    |    |    | 
   User-Equipment    TBD  8.51   OctetString|    | P,M |    |  V | Y  | 
     -Info-Value                            |    |     |    |    |    | 
   Value-Digits      TBD  8.10   Integer64  | M  |  P  |    |  V | Y  | 
   Validity-Time     TBD  8.33   Unsigned32 | M  |  P  |    |  V | Y  | 
    
   [IANA please fill in the TBD values in this table with appropriate 
   AVP codes, suggested values listed below and remove this note.] 
          
 
 
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                Diameter Credit Control Application    August 12, 2004 
 
 
8.1   CC-Correlation-Id AVP  
  
   The CC-Correlation-Id AVP (AVP Code XXX - IANA please fill in and 
   remove this note - suggested value 411) is of type OctetString and 
   contains information to correlate credit control requests generated 
   for different components of the service, e.g. transport and service 
   level. The one who allocates the Service-Context-Id, i.e. unique 
   identifier of a service specific document, is also responsible to 
   define the content and encoding of the CC-Correlation-Id AVP. 
 
8.2   CC-Request-Number AVP 
    
   The CC-Request-Number AVP (AVP Code XXX - IANA please fill in and 
   remove this note - suggested value 415) is of type Unsigned32 and 
   identifies this request within one session. As Session-Id AVPs are 
   globally unique, the combination of Session-Id and CC-Request-Number 
   AVPs is also globally unique, and can be used in matching credit 
   control messages with confirmations.  An easy way to produce unique 
   numbers is to set the value to 0 for credit control request of type 
   INITIAL_REQUEST and EVENT_REQUEST, and set the value to 1 for the 
   first UPDATE_REQUEST, 2 for the second, and so on until the value 
   for 
   TERMINATION_REQUEST. 
    
8.3   CC-Request-Type AVP 
    
   The CC-Request-Type AVP (AVP Code XXX - IANA please fill in and 
   remove this note - suggested value 416) is of type Enumerated and 
   contains the reason for sending the Credit-control request message. 
   It MUST be present in all CC-Request messages. The following values 
   are defined for the CC-Request-Type AVP: 
    
   INITIAL_REQUEST                 1 
     A Credit-control Initial request is used to initiate a credit 
     control session, and contains credit control information that is 
     relevant to the initiation of the session. 
      
   UPDATE_REQUEST                  2 
     An Update Credit-control request contains credit control 
     information for an existing credit control session. Update 
     Credit-control requests SHOULD be sent every time a credit- 
     control re-authorization is needed at the expiry of the allocated 
     quota or validity time. Further, additional service-specific  
     events MAY trigger a spontaneous Update request. 
    
   TERMINATION_REQUEST             3 
     A Credit-control Termination Request is sent to terminate a 
     credit-control session and contains credit control information 
     relevant to the existing session. 
 
 
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                Diameter Credit Control Application    August 12, 2004 
 
 
    
   EVENT_REQUEST                   4 
     A Credit Control Event Request is used when there is no need 
     to maintain any credit control session state in the credit- 
     control server. This request contains all information relevant to 
     the service, and is the only request of the service. The reason 
     for the Event request is further detailed in the Requested-Action 
     AVP. The Requested-Action AVP MUST be included in the Credit-
     Control-Request message when CC-Request-Type is set to 
     EVENT_REQUEST. 
    
8.4   CC-Session-Failover AVP 
 
   The CC-Session-Failover AVP (AVP Code XXX - IANA please fill in and 
   remove this note - suggested value 418) is type of Enumerated and 
   contains information whether the moving of the credit-control 
   message stream to a backup server during an ongoing credit-control 
   session is supported. In case of communication failures, the credit 
   control message streams can be moved to an alternative destination 
   if the credit control server supports failover to an alternative 
   server. The secondary credit control server name, if received from 
   the home Diameter AAA server, can be used as an address of the 
   backup server. An implementation is not required to support the 
   moving of credit control message stream to an alternative server, 
   since it requires also moving of information related to the credit 
   control session to backup server. 
 
   The following values are defined for the CC-Session-Failover AVP:  
     
   FAILOVER_NOT_SUPPORTED          0  
     When the CC-Session-Failover AVP is set to FAILOVER_NOT_SUPPORTED 
     the Credit control message stream MUST NOT to be moved to 
     alternative destination in case of communication failure. 
      
     This is the default behavior if the AVP isn't included in the 
     reply from the authorization or credit-control server.  
       
   FAILOVER_SUPPORTED              1  
     When the CC-Session-Failover AVP is set to FAILOVER_SUPPORTED, 
     the Credit control message stream SHOULD be moved to alternative 
     destination in case of communication failure. The moving the 
     credit control message stream to backup server MAY require that 
     information related to the credit control session should be also 
     forwarded to alternative server.  
    
8.5   CC-Sub-Session-Id AVP 
    

 
 
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   The CC-Sub-Session-Id AVP (AVP Code XXX - IANA please fill in and 
   remove this note - suggested value 419) is of type Unsigned64 and 
   contains the credit-control sub-session identifier. The combination 
   of the Session-Id and this AVP MUST be unique per sub-session, and 
   the value of this AVP MUST be monotonically increased by one for all 
   new sub-sessions. The absence of this AVP implies no sub-sessions 
   are in use. 
        
8.6   Check-Balance-Result AVP  
     
   The Check Balance Result AVP (AVP Code XXX - IANA please fill in and 
   remove this note - suggested value 422) is of type Enumerated and 
   contains the result of the balance check. This AVP is applicable 
   only when the Requested-Action AVP indicates CHECK_BALANCE in the 
   Credit-Control-Request command.   
       
   The following values are defined for the Check-Balance-Result AVP.  
       
   ENOUGH_CREDIT                   0  
     There is enough credit in the account to cover the requested 
     service.  
            
   NO_CREDIT                       1  
     There isn't enough credit in the account to cover the requested 
     service.    
     
8.7   Cost-Information AVP  
        
   The Cost-Information AVP (AVP Code XXX - IANA please fill in and 
   remove this note - suggested value 423) is of type Grouped and it is 
   used to return the cost information of a service, which the credit 
   control client can transfer transparently to the end user. The 
   included Unit-Value AVP contains the cost estimate (always type of 
   money) of the service in case of price enquiry or the accumulated 
   cost estimation in the case of credit-control session.   
    
   The Currency-Code specifies in which currency the cost was given.  
   The Cost-Unit specifies the unit when the service cost is a cost per 
   unit (e.g. cost for the service is $1 per minute). 
         
   When the Requested-Action AVP with value PRICE_ENQUIRY is included 
   in the Credit-Control-Request command the Cost-Information AVP sent 
   in the succeeding Credit-Control-Answer command contains the cost 
   estimation of the requested service, without any reservation being 
   made.  
        
   The Cost-Information AVP included in the Credit-Control-Answer 
   command with the CC-Request-Type set to UPDATE_REQUEST contains the 

 
 
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                Diameter Credit Control Application    August 12, 2004 
 
 
   accumulated cost estimation for the session without taking any 
   credit-reservation into account.   
        
   The Cost-Information AVP included in the Credit-Control-Answer 
   command with the CC-Request-Type set to EVENT_REQUEST or 
   TERMINATION_REQUEST contains the estimated total cost for the 
   requested service.   
     
      It has the following ABNF grammar:  
        
                  Cost-Information ::= < AVP Header: TBD >  
                                       { Unit-Value }  
                                       { Currency-Code } 
                                       [ Cost-Unit ] 
     
8.8   Unit-Value AVP  
  
   Unit-Value AVP is of type Grouped (AVP Code XXX - IANA please fill 
   in and remove this note - suggested value 445) and specifies the 
   units as decimal value. The Unit-Value is a value together with an 
   exponent, i.e. Unit-Value = Value-Digits AVP * 10^Exponent. This 
   representation avoids unwanted rounding off. For example the value 
   of 2,3 is represented as Value-Digits = 23 and Exponent = -1. The 
   absence of exponent part MUST be interpreted as exponent being equal 
   to zero.   
        
   It has the following ABNF grammar:  
        
                    Unit-Value ::= < AVP Header: TBD >  
                                   { Value-Digits }  
                                   [ Exponent ] 
    
8.9   Exponent AVP  
        
   Exponent AVP is of type Integer32 (AVP Code XXX - IANA please fill 
   in and remove this note - suggested value 429) and contains the 
   exponent value to be applied for the Value-Digit AVP within the 
   Unit-Value AVP. 
    
8.10    Value-Digits AVP  
  
   The Value-Digits AVP is of type Integer64 (AVP Code XXX - IANA 
   please fill in and remove this note - suggested value 447) and 
   contains the significant digits of the number. If decimal values are 
   needed to present the units, the scaling MUST be indicated with the 
   related Exponent AVP. For example for the monetary amount $ 0.05 the 
   value of Value-Digits AVP MUST be set to 5 and the scaling MUST be 
   indicated with the Exponent AVP set to -2. 
    
 
 
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8.11    Currency-Code AVP  
        
   The Currency-Code AVP (AVP Code XXX - IANA please fill in and remove 
   this note - suggested value 425) is of type Unsigned32 and contains 
   a currency code that specifies in which currency the values of AVPs 
   containing monetary units were given. It is specified using the 
   numeric values defined in the ISO 4217 standard [ISO4217]. 
 
8.12    Cost-Unit AVP 
    
   The Cost-Unit AVP (AVP Code XXX - IANA please fill in and remove 
   this note - suggested value 424) is of type UTF8String and it is 
   used 
   to display human readable string to the end user. It specifies the 
   applicable unit to the Cost-Information when the service cost is a 
   cost per unit (e.g. cost of the service is $1 per minute). The Cost-
   Unit can be for instance minute, hour, day, kilobytes, megabytes 
   etc. 
    
8.13    Credit-Control AVP 
    
   The Credit-Control AVP (AVP Code XXX - IANA please fill in and 
   remove this note - suggested value 426) is of type Enumerated and 
   MUST be included in AA requests when service element has credit 
   control capabilities.  
    
   CREDIT_AUTHORIZATION            0  
     If the home Diameter AAA server determines the user is a prepaid 
     user, this value indicates that credit-control server MUST be 
     contacted to perform the first interrogation. The value of the 
     Credit-Control AVP MUST always be set to 0 in AA request sent to 
     perform the first interrogation and initiate a new credit-control 
     session. 
    
   RE_AUTHORIZATION                1 
     This value indicates to the Diameter AAA server that a credit-
     control session is ongoing for the subscriber and the credit-
     control server MUST not be contacted. The Credit-Control AVP set 
     to the value of 1 is to be used only when the first interrogation 
     has been successfully performed and the credit-control session is 
     ongoing (i.e. re-authorization triggered by Authorization-
     Lifetime). This value MUST NOT be used in AA request sent to 
     perform the first interrogation. 
    
8.14    Credit-Control-Failure-Handling AVP  
     
   The Credit-Control-Failure-Handling AVP (AVP Code XXX - IANA please 
   fill in and remove this note - suggested value 427) is of type  

 
 
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   Enumerated. The credit-control client uses information in this AVP 
   to decide what to do if the sending of credit-control messages to 
   the credit-control server has been for instance temporarily 
   prevented due to a network problem. Depending on the service logic, 
   the credit-control server can order the client to terminate the 
   service immediately when there is a reason to believe that the 
   service cannot be charged, or to try failover to an alternative 
   server, if possible, and then either terminate or grant the service 
   should also the alternative connection fail. 
            
   TERMINATE                       0       
     When the Credit-Control-Failure-Handling AVP is set to TERMINATE 
     the service MUST only be granted as long as there is a connection 
     to the credit-control server. If the credit-control client does 
     not receive any Credit-Control-Answer message within the Tx timer 
     (as defined in section 13) the credit-control request is regarded 
     failed and the end user's service session is terminated. 
                    
     This is the default behavior if the AVP isn't included in the 
     reply from the authorization or credit-control server.   
         
    CONTINUE                       1     
       When the Credit-Control-Failure-Handling AVP is set to CONTINUE 
       the credit-control client SHOULD re-send the request to an 
       alternative server in case of transport or temporary failures, 
       provided that failover procedure is supported in the credit-
       control server and the credit-control client, and an alternative 
       server is available. Otherwise, the service SHOULD be granted 
       even if credit-control messages can't be delivered. 
          
    RETRY_AND_TERMINATE            2   
       When the Credit-Control-Failure-Handling AVP is set to    
       RETRY_AND_TERMINATE the credit-control client SHOULD re-send the 
       request to an alternative server in case of transport or 
       temporary failures, provided that failover procedure is 
       supported in the credit-control server and the credit-control 
       client, and an alternative server is available. Otherwise, the 
       service SHOULD not be granted when the credit-control messages 
       can't be delivered. 
        
8.15    Direct-Debiting-Failure-Handling AVP  
     
   The Direct-Debiting-Failure-Handling AVP (AVP Code XXX - IANA please 
   fill in and remove this note - suggested value 428) is of type 
   Enumerated. The credit-control client uses information in this AVP 
   to decide what to do if the sending of credit-control messages 
   (Requested-Action AVP set to Direct Debiting) to the credit-control 

 
 
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   server has been for instance temporarily prevented due to a network 
   problem.  
    
   TERMINATE_OR_BUFFER             0  
       When the Direct-Debiting-Failure-Handling AVP is set to 
       TERMINATE_OR_BUFFER the service MUST be granted as long as there 
       is a connection to the credit-control server. If the credit-
       control client does not receive any Credit-Control-Answer 
       message within the Tx timer (as defined in section 13) the 
       credit-control request is regarded failed. The client SHOULD 
       terminate the service if it can determine from the failed answer 
       that units have not been debited. Otherwise the credit-control 
       client SHOULD grant the service, store the request to 
       application level non-volatile storage and try to re-send the 
       request.  These requests MUST be marked as possible duplicate by 
       setting the T-flag in the command header as described in 
       [DIAMBASE] section 3.   
           
       This is the default behavior if the AVP isn't included in the 
       reply from the authorization server.  
           
   CONTINUE                                              1  
       When the Direct-Debiting-Failure-Handling AVP is set to CONTINUE 
       the service SHOULD be granted even if credit-control messages 
       can't be delivered and the request should be deleted. 
        
         
    
8.16    Multiple-Services-Credit-Control AVP  
            
   Multiple-Services-Credit-Control AVP (AVP Code XXX - IANA please 
   fill in and remove this note - suggested value 456) is of type 
   Grouped and contains the AVPs related to the independent credit 
   control of multiple services feature. Note that each instance of 
   this AVP carries units related to one or more services or related to 
   a single rating-group. 
        
   The Service-Identifier and the Rating-Group AVPs are used to 
   associate the granted units to a given service or rating group.  
   In case both the Service-Identifier and the Rating-Group AVPs are 
   included, the target of the service units is always the service(s) 
   indicated by the value of the Service-Identifier AVP(s). If only the 
   Rating-Group-Id AVP is present, the Multiple-Services-Credit-Control 
   AVP relates to all the services that belong to the specified rating 
   group.  
    
   The G-S-U-Pool-Reference AVP allows the server to specify a G-S-U-
   Pool-Identifier identifying a credit pool within which the units of 
   the specified type are considered to be pooled. If a G-S-U-Pool-
 
 
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   Reference AVP is present then actual service units of the specified 
   type MUST also be present. For example, if the G-S-U-Pool-Reference 
   AVP specifies Unit-Type TIME, then the CC-Time AVP MUST be present. 
    
   The Requested-Service-Unit AVP MAY contain the amount of requested 
   service units or the requested monetary value. It MUST be present in 
   the initial interrogation and within the intermediate interrogations 
   where new quota is requested. If the credit-control client does not 
   include the Requested-Service-Unit AVP in a request command, for 
   instance because it has determined that the end-user terminated the 
   service, the server MUST debit the used amount from the user's 
   account but MUST NOT return a new quota in the corresponding answer. 
   The Validity-Time, Result-Code and Final-Unit-Indication AVPs MAY be 
   present in an answer command as defined in section 5.1.2 and 5.6 for 
   the graceful service termination. 
    
   When both the Tariff-Time-Change and Tariff-Change-Usage AVPs are 
   present, the server MUST include two separate instances of the   
   Multiple-Services-Credit-Control AVP with the Granted-Service-Unit 
   AVP associated to the same Service-Identifier and/or Rating-Group. 
   Where the two quotas are associated to the same pool or to different 
   pools, the credit pooling mechanism as defined in section 5.1.2 
   applies. The Tariff-Change-Usage AVP MUST NOT be included in request 
   commands, to report used units before and after tariff time change 
   the Used-Service-Unit AVP MUST be used. 
   A server not implementing the independent credit control of multiple 
   services functionality MUST treat the Multiple-Services-Credit-
   Control AVP as invalid AVP.  
        
    
    
   The Multiple-Services-Control AVP has the following ABNF grammar:    
                 
       Multiple-Services-Credit-Control ::= < AVP Header: TBD >  
                                            [ Granted-Service-Unit ] 
                                            [ Requested-Service-Unit ]  
                                           *[ Used-Service-Unit ] 
                                            [ Tariff-Change-Usage ]  
                                           *[ Service-Identifier ]  
                                            [ Rating-Group ]  
                                           *[ G-S-U-Pool-Reference ]  
                                            [ Validity-Time ]  
                                            [ Result-Code ]  
                                            [ Final-Unit-Indication ] 
                                           *[ AVP ] 
    
8.17    Granted-Service-Unit AVP  
        

 
 
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   Granted-Service-Unit AVP (AVP Code XXX - IANA please fill in and 
   remove this note - suggested value 431) is of type Grouped and 
   contains the amount of units that the Diameter credit-control client 
   can provide to the end user until the service must be released or 
   the new Credit-Control-Request must be sent. A client is not 
   required to implement all of the unit types, and must treat unknown 
   or unsupported unit types in the answer message as an incorrect CCA 
   answer. In that case the client MUST terminate the credit control 
   session and indicate in the Termination-Cause AVP reason 
   DIAMETER_BAD_ANSWER.  
            
   The Granted-Service-Unit AVP has the following ABNF grammar:    
 
           Granted-Service-Unit ::= < AVP Header: TBD >  
                                      [ Tariff-Time-Change ]    
                                      [ CC-Time ]  
                                      [ CC-Money ]    
                                      [ CC-Total-Octets ]  
                                      [ CC-Input-Octets ]  
                                      [ CC-Output-Octets ]  
                                      [ CC-Service-Specific-Units ] 
                                     *[ AVP ] 
    
8.18    Requested-Service-Unit AVP  
     
   The Requested-Service-Unit AVP (AVP Code XXX - IANA please fill in 
   and remove this note - suggested value 437) is of type Grouped and 
   contains the amount of requested units specified by the Diameter 
   credit-control client. A server is not required to implement all of 
   the unit types, and must treat unknown or unsupported unit types as 
   invalid AVPs.  
    
    
    
   The Requested-Service-Unit AVP has the following ABNF grammar:    
                
              Requested-Service-Unit ::= < AVP Header: TBD >  
                                         [ CC-Time ]  
                                         [ CC-Money ]     
                                         [ CC-Total-Octets ]  
                                         [ CC-Input-Octets ]  
                                         [ CC-Output-Octets ]  
                                         [ CC-Service-Specific-Units ] 
                                        *[ AVP ] 
    
8.19    Used-Service-Unit AVP  
  
   The Used-Service-Unit AVP is of type Grouped AVP (AVP Code XXX - 
   IANA please fill in and remove this note - suggested value 446) and 
 
 
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   contains the amount of used units measured from the point when the 
   service became active or, in case of interim interrogations are used 
   during the session, from the point when the previous measurement 
   ended.  
            
   The Used-Service-Unit AVP has the following ABNF grammar:  
        
               Used-Service-Unit ::= < AVP Header: TBD >  
                                     [ Tariff-Change-Usage ]    
                                     [ CC-Time ]  
                                     [ CC-Money ]    
                                     [ CC-Total-Octets ]   
                                     [ CC-Input-Octets ]  
                                     [ CC-Output-Octets ]  
                                     [ CC-Service-Specific-Units ] 
                                    *[ AVP ] 
    
8.20    Tariff-Time-Change AVP 
    
   The Tariff-Time-Change AVP (AVP Code XXX - IANA please fill in and 
   remove this note - suggested value 451) is of type Time, it is sent 
   from the server to the client and includes the time in seconds since 
   January 1, 1900 00:00 UTC when the tariff of the service will be 
   changed. 
    
   The tariff change mechanism is optional for client and server and it 
   is not used for time-based services as defined in the section 5. 
   If a client does not support the tariff time change mechanism it 
   MUST treat Tariff-Time-Change AVP in the answer message as an 
   incorrect 
   CCA answer. In that case the client terminates the credit control 
   session and indicate in the Termination-Cause AVP reason 
   DIAMETER_BAD_ANSWER. 
    
   Omission of this AVP means that no tariff change is to be reported. 
    
    
8.21    CC-Time AVP  
    
   The CC-Time AVP (AVP Code XXX - IANA please fill in and remove this 
   note - suggested value 420) is of type Unsigned32, and indicates the 
   length of the requested, granted or used time in seconds. 
    
8.22    CC-Money AVP  
    
   The CC-Money AVP (AVP Code XXX - IANA please fill in and remove this 
   note - suggested value 413) is of type Grouped, and specifies the 
   monetary amount in the given currency. The Currency-Code AVP SHOULD 
   be included. It has the following ABNF grammar:   
 
 
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         CC-Money ::= < AVP Header: TBD >   
                      { Unit-Value }   
                      [ Currency-Code ] 
 
8.23    CC-Total-Octets AVP 
                           
   The CC-Total-Octets AVP (AVP Code XXX - IANA please fill in and 
   remove this note - suggested value 421) is of type Unsigned64, and 
   contains the total number of requested, granted or used octets 
   regardless of the direction (sent or received). 
    
8.24    CC-Input-Octets AVP  
    
   The CC-Input-Octets AVP (AVP Code XXX - IANA please fill in and 
   remove this note - suggested value 412) is of type Unsigned64, and 
   contains the number of requested, granted or used octets that can 
   be/have been received from the end user. 
    
8.25    CC-Output-Octets AVP 
    
   The CC-Output-Octets AVP (AVP Code XXX - IANA please fill in and 
   remove this note - suggested value 414) is of type Unsigned64, and 
   contains the number of requested, granted or used octets that can 
   be/have been sent to the end user. 
    
8.26    CC-Service-Specific-Units AVP  
    
   The CC-Service-Specific-Units AVP (AVP Code XXX - IANA please fill 
   in and remove this note - suggested value 417) is of type 
   Unsigned64, and specifies the number of service specific units (e.g. 
   number of events, points) given in a selected service. The service 
   specific units always refer to the service identified in the 
   Service-Identifier AVP (or Rating-Group AVP when the Multiple-
   Services-Credit-Control AVP is used).  
    
    
8.27    Tariff-Change-Usage AVP 
    
   The Tariff-Change-Usage AVP (AVP Code XXX - IANA please fill in and 
   remove this note - suggested value 452) is of type Enumerated and 
   defines whether units are used before or, after a tariff change, or 
   the units straddled tariff change when a tariff change has occurred 
   during the reporting period.  
   Omission of this AVP means that no tariff change has occurred. 
    
   In addition, when present in answer messages as part of the 
   Multiple-Services-Credit-Control AVP, this AVP defines whether units 
   are allocated to be used before or after a tariff change event. 
 
 

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   Omission of this AVP in answer messages when the Tariff-Time-Change 
   AVP is present means that the single quota mechanism applies. 
    
   Tariff-Change-Usage can be one of the following: 
    
   UNIT_BEFORE_TARIFF_CHANGE       0 
     When present in the Multiple-Services-Credit-Control AVP, this 
     value indicates the amount of the units allocated for use before 
     a tariff change occurs.  
      
     When present in the Used-Service-Unit AVP, this value indicates 
     the amount of resource units used before a tariff change had 
     occurred. 
      
   UNIT_AFTER_TARIFF_CHANGE        1 
     When present in the Multiple-Services-Credit-Control AVP, this 
     value indicates the amount of the units allocated for use after a 
     tariff change occurs.  
      
     When present in the Used-Service-Unit AVP, this value indicates 
     the amount of resource units used after tariff change had 
     occurred. 
    
   UNIT_INDETERMINATE              2 
     The used unit contains the amount of units that straddle the 
     tariff change (e.g. the metering process reports to the credit-
     control client in blocks of n octets and one block straddled the 
     tariff change). This value is to be used only in the Used-
     Service-Unit AVP. 
    
8.28    Service-Identifier AVP 
    
   The Service-Identifier AVP is of type Unsigned32 (AVP Code XXX - 
   IANA please fill in and remove this note - suggested value 439) and 
   contains the identifier of a service. The specific service that the 
   request relates to is uniquely identified by the combination of 
   Service-Context-Id and Service-Identifier AVPs. 
    
   A usage example of this AVP is illustrated in Appendix A (Flow IX). 
    
8.29    Rating-Group AVP 
    
   The Rating-Group AVP is of type Unsigned32 (AVP Code XXX - IANA 
   please fill in and remove this note - suggested value 432) and 
   contains the identifier of a rating group. All the services subject 
   to the same rating type are part of the same rating group. The 
   specific rating group that the request relates to is uniquely 
   identified by the combination of Service-Context-Id and Rating-Group 
   AVPs. 
 
 
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   A usage example of this AVP is illustrated in Appendix A (Flow IX). 
    
8.30    G-S-U-Pool-Reference AVP 
    
   The G-S-U-Pool-Reference AVP (AVP Code XXX - IANA please fill in and 
   remove this note - suggested value 457) is of type Grouped, it is 
   used in the Credit-Control-Answer message and associates the 
   Granted-Service-Units AVP within which it appears with a credit pool 
   within the session.  
    
   The G-S-U-Pool-Identifier AVP specifies the credit pool from which 
   credit is drawn for this unit type. 
    
   The CC-Unit-Type AVP specifies the type of units for which credit is 
   pooled.   
 
  The Unit-Value AVP specifies the multiplier, which converts between 
  service units of type CC-Unit-Type and abstract service units within 
  the credit pool (and hence to service units of any other service or 
  rating group associated with the same pool). 
    
   The G-S-U-Pool-Reference AVP has the following ABNF grammar: 
     
            G-S-U-Pool-Reference    ::= < AVP Header: TBD >  
                                        { G-S-U-Pool-Identifier }  
                                        { CC-Unit-Type } 
                                        { Unit-Value } 
    
8.31    G-S-U-Pool-Identifier AVP 
    
   The G-S-U-Pool-Identifier AVP (AVP Code XXX - IANA please fill in 
   and remove this note - suggested value 453) is of type Unsigned32 
   and identifies a 'credit pool' within the session. 
    
8.32    CC-Unit-Type AVP 
                             
   The CC-Unit-Type AVP (AVP Code XXX - IANA please fill in and remove 
   this note - suggested value 454) is of type Enumerated and specifies 
   the type of units which are considered to be pooled into a credit 
   pool. 
    
   The following values are defined for the CC-Unit-Type AVP: 
     TIME                         0  
     MONEY                        1  
     TOTAL-OCTETS                 2  
     INPUT-OCTETS                 3  
     OUTPUT-OCTETS                4  
     SERVICE-SPECIFIC-UNITS       5  
 
 
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8.33    Validity-Time AVP 
    
   The Validity-Time AVP is of type Unsigned32 (AVP Code XXX - IANA 
   please fill in and remove this note - suggested value 448) and it is 
   sent from the credit-control server to the credit-control client. 
   The AVP contains the validity time of the granted service units. The 
   measurement of the Validity-Time is started at reception of the 
   Credit-Control-Answer Message containing this AVP. If the granted 
   service units have not been consumed within the validity time 
   specified in this AVP, the credit-control client MUST send a Credit-
   Control-Request message to the server with CC-Request-Type set to 
   UPDATE_REQUEST. The value field of the Validity-Time AVP is given in 
   seconds. 
    
   The Validity-Time AVP is also used for the graceful service 
   termination (see section 5.6) to indicate to the credit control 
   client how long the subscriber is allowed to use network resources 
   after the specified action (i.e. REDIRECT or RESTRICT_ACCESS) 
   started. Upon the Validity-Time elapses a new intermediate 
   interrogation is sent to the server. 
    
8.34    Final-Unit-Indication AVP  
     
   The Final-Unit-Indication AVP (AVP Code XXX - IANA please fill in 
   and remove this note - suggested value 430) is of type Grouped and 
   indicates that the Granted-Service-Unit AVP in the Credit-Control-
   Answer, or in the AA answer, contains the final units for the 
   service. After these units have expired, the Diameter credit-control 
   client is responsible for executing the action indicated in the 
   Final-Unit-Action AVP (see section 5.6). 
 
   If more than one unit types are received in the Credit-Control-
   Answer, the Unit type which first expired SHOULD cause the credit-
   control client to execute the specified action. 
    
   In the first interrogation, the Final-Unit-Indication AVP with 
   Final-Unit-Action REDIRECT or RESTRICT_ACCESS can also be present 
   with no Granted-Service-Unit AVP in the Credit-Control-Answer or in 
   the AA answer. This indicates to the Diameter credit-control client 
   to immediately execute the specified action. If the home service 
   provider policy is to terminate the service, naturally, the server 
   SHOULD return the appropriate transient failure (see section 9.1) in 
   order to implement the policy-defined action. 
    
   The Final-Unit-Action AVP defines the behavior of the service 
   element when the user's account cannot cover the cost of the service 

 
 
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   and MUST always be present if the Final-Unit-Indication AVP is 
   included in a command. 
    
   If the Final-Unit-Action AVP is set to TERMINATE no other AVPs MUST 
   be present. 
    
   If the Final-Unit-Action AVP is set to REDIRECT at least the 
   Redirect-Server AVP MUST be present. The Restriction-Filter-Rule AVP 
   or the Filter-Id AVP MAY be present in the Credit-Control-Answer 
   message if the user is allowed to access also other services not 
   accessible through the address given in the Redirect-Server AVP. 
    
   If the Final-Unit-Action AVP is set to RESTRICT_ACCESS either the 
   Restriction-Filter-Rule AVP or the Filter-Id AVP SHOULD be present. 
    
   The Filter-Id AVP is defined in [NASREQ]. The Filter-Id AVP can be 
   used to reference an IP filter list installed in the access device 
   by other means than the Diameter Credit Control Application e.g. 
   locally configured or configured by another entity. 
    
   The Final-Unit-Indication AVP has the following ABNF grammar: 
    
               Final-Unit-Indication ::= < AVP Header: TBD > 
                                         { Final-Unit-Action } 
                                        *[ Restriction-Filter-Rule ] 
                                        *[ Filter-Id ] 
                                         [ Redirect-Server ] 
    
8.35    Final-Unit-Action AVP 
    
   The Final-Unit-Action AVP (AVP Code XXX - IANA please fill in and 
   remove this note - suggested value 449) is of type Enumerated and 
   indicates to the credit-control client the action to be taken when 
   the user's account cannot cover the service cost. 
    
   The Final-Unit-Action can be one of the following: 
    
   TERMINATE                       0 
     The credit control client MUST terminate the service session. 
     This is the default handling applicable whenever the credit 
     control client receives an unsupported Final-Unit-Action value 
     and MUST be supported by all the Diameter credit control client 
     implementations conforming to this specification. 
          
   REDIRECT                        1 
     The service element MUST redirect the user to the address 
     specified in the Redirect-Server-Address AVP. The redirect action 
     is defined in section 5.6.2. 
          
 
 
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   RESTRICT_ACCESS                 2 
     The access device MUST restrict the user access according to the 
     IP packet filters defined in the Restriction-Filter-Rule AVP or 
     according to the IP packet filters identified by the Filter-Id 
     AVP. All the packets not matching the filters MUST be dropped 
     (see section 5.6.3). 
    
8.36    Restriction-Filter-Rule AVP 
    
   The Restriction-Filter-Rule AVP (AVP Code XXX - IANA please fill in 
   and remove this note - suggested value 438) is of type IPFilterRule 
   and provides filter rules corresponding to services which are to 
   remain accessible despite there being no more service units granted. 
   The access device need to configure the specified filter rules for 
   the subscriber and MUST drop all the packets not matching these 
   filters. Zero, one or more such AVPs MAY be present in a Credit-
   Control-Answer message or in an AA answer message. 
    
8.37    Redirect-Server AVP 
    
   The Redirect-Server AVP (AVP Code XXX - IANA please fill in and 
   remove this note - suggested value 434) is of type Grouped and 
   contains the address information of the redirect server (e.g. HTTP 
   redirect server, SIP Server) where the end user is to be connected 
   when the account cannot cover the service cost. It MUST be present 
   when the Final-Unit-Action AVP is set to REDIRECT. 
    
   It has the following ABNF grammar:  
         
              Redirect-Server ::= < AVP Header: TBD >  
                                  { Redirect-Address-Type }  
                                  { Redirect-Server-Address } 
    
8.38    Redirect-Address-Type AVP 
    
   The Redirect-Address-Type AVP (AVP Code XXX - IANA please fill in 
   and remove this note - suggested value 433) is of type Enumerated 
   and defines the address type of the address given in the Redirect-
   Server-Address AVP. 
    
   The address type can be one of the following: 
    
   IPv4 Address                    0 
     The address type is in form of "dotted-decimal" IPv4 address, 
     as defined in [IPv4].  
    
   IPv6 Address                    1 
     The address type is in form of IPv6 address, as defined in 
     [IPv6Addr]. The address is a text representation of the address 
 
 
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     in either the preferred or alternate text form [IPv6Addr]. 
     Conformant implementations MUST support the preferred form and 
     SHOULD support the alternate text form for IPv6 addresses. 
    
   URL                             2 
     The address type is in form of Uniform Resource Locator, as 
     defined in [URL]. 
    
   SIP URI                         3 
     The address type is in form of SIP Uniform Resource Identifier, 
     as defined in [SIP]. 
    
8.39    Redirect-Server-Address AVP 
    
   The Redirect-Server-Address AVP (AVP Code XXX - IANA please fill in 
   and remove this note - suggested value 435) is of type UTF8String 
   and defines the address of the redirect server (e.g. HTTP redirect 
   server, SIP Server) where the end user is to be connected when the 
   account cannot cover the service cost. 
    
8.40    Multiple-Services-Indicator AVP 
        
   The Multiple-Services-Indicator AVP (AVP Code XXX - IANA please fill 
   in and remove this note - suggested value 455) is of type Enumerated 
   and indicates whether the Diameter Credit-control client is capable 
   of handling multiple services independently within a (sub-) session. 
   The absence of this AVP means that independent credit control of 
   multiple services is not supported. 
    
   A server not implementing the independent credit control of multiple 
   services MUST treat the Multiple-Services-Indicator AVP as invalid 
   AVP.  
    
   The following values are defined for the Multiple-Services-Indicator 
   AVP:  
        
   MULTIPLE_SERVICES_NOT_SUPPORTED 0  
     Client does not support independent credit control of multiple 
     services within a (sub-)session. 
          
   MULTIPLE_SERVICES_SUPPORTED     1  
     Client supports independent credit control of multiple services 
     within a (sub-)session. 
    
8.41    Requested-Action AVP  
     
   The Requested-Action AVP (AVP Code XXX - IANA please fill in and 
   remove this note - suggested value 436) is type of Enumerated and 
   contains the requested action being sent by Credit-Control-Request 
 
 
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   command where the CC-Request-Type is set to EVENT_REQUEST. The 
   following values are defined for the Requested-Action AVP:  
       
   DIRECT_DEBITING                 0  
     Direct debiting indicates that the request is to decrease the end 
     user's account according to information specified in the 
     Requested-Service-Unit AVP and/or Service-Identifier AVP 
     (additional rating information may be included in service 
     specific AVPs or in the Service-Parameter-Info AVP). The Granted-
     Service Unit AVP in the Credit-Control-Answer command contains 
     the debited units.  
               
   REFUND_ACCOUNT                  1  
     Refund account indicates that the request is to increase the end 
     user's account according to information specified in the 
     Requested-Service-Unit AVP and/or Service-Identifier AVP 
     (additional rating information may be included in service 
     specific AVPs or in the Service-Parameter-Info AVP). The Granted-
     Service Unit AVP in the Credit-Control-Answer command contains 
     the refunded units.  
                   
   CHECK_BALANCE                   2  
     Check balance indicates that the request is a balance check 
     request. In this case the checking of the account balance is done 
     without any credit reservation from the account. The Check-
     Balance-Result AVP in the Credit-Control-Answer command contains 
     the result of the Balance Check.  
                   
   PRICE_ENQUIRY                   3  
     Price Enquiry indicates that the request is a price enquiry 
     request. In this case neither checking of the account balance nor 
     reservation from the account will be done, only the price of the 
     service will be returned in the Cost-Information AVP in the 
     Credit-Control-Answer Command.  
            
8.42    Service-Context-Id AVP 
    
   The Service-Context-Id AVP is of type UTF8String (AVP Code XXX - 
   IANA please fill in and remove this note - suggested value 458) and 
   contains a unique identifier of the Diameter Credit Control service 
   specific document that applies to the request (as defined in section 
   4.1.2). This is an identifier allocated by the service provider, by 
   the service element manufacturer or by a standardization body and 
   MUST uniquely identify a given Diameter Credit Control service 
   specific document. The format of the Service-Context-Id is:  
    
   "service-context" "@" "domain" 
    
   service-context = Token 
 
 
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   The Token is an arbitrary string of characters and digits. 
    
   domain = represents the entity that allocated the Service-Context-
   Id. It can be ietf.org, 3gpp.org etc., if the identifier is 
   allocated by a standardization body, or it can be the FQDN of the 
   service provider (e.g. provider.example.com) or of the vendor (e.g. 
   vendor.example.com) if the identifier is allocated by a private 
   entity. 
    
   This AVP SHOULD be placed as closed to the Diameter header as 
   possible. 
    
   Service specific documents that are for private use only, i.e. to 
   one provider's own use, where no interoperability is deemed useful 
   may define private identifiers without need of coordination. 
   However, when interoperability is wanted, coordination of the 
   identifiers via e.g. publication of informational RFC is RECOMMENDED 
   to make Service-Context-Id globally available. 
    
8.43    Service-Parameter-Info AVP  
     
   The Service-Parameter-Info AVP (AVP Code XXX - IANA please fill in 
   and remove this note - suggested value 440) is of type Grouped and 
   contains a service specific information used for price calculation 
   or rating. The Service-Parameter-Type AVP defines the service 
   parameter type and the Service-Parameter-Value AVP contains the 
   parameter value. The actual contents of these AVPs are not within 
   the scope of this document and SHOULD be defined in another Diameter 
   application, standards written by other standardization bodies, or 
   service specific documentation.  
        
   In case of unknown service request (e.g. unknown Service-Parameter-
   Type), the corresponding answer message MUST contain error code 
   DIAMETER_RATING_FAILED. A Credit Control Answer message with this 
   error MUST contain one or more Failed-AVP AVPs containing the 
   Service-Parameter-Info AVPs that caused the failure.  
    
   It has the following ABNF grammar:  
        
              Service-Parameter-Info ::= < AVP Header: TBD >  
                                         { Service-Parameter-Type }  
                                         { Service-Parameter-Value }  
     
8.44    Service-Parameter-Type AVP  
     
   The Service-Parameter-Type AVP is of type Unsigned32 (AVP Code XXX - 
   IANA please fill in and remove this note - suggested value 441) and 
   defines the type of the service event specific parameter (e.g. it 
   can be end-user location, service name). The different parameters 
 
 
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   and their types are service specific and the meanings of these 
   parameters are not defined in this document. The one who allocates 
   the Service-Context-Id, i.e. unique identifier of a service specific 
   document, is also responsible for assigning Service-Parameter-Type 
   values for the service and ensuring their uniqueness within the 
   given service. The Service-Parameter-Value AVP contains the value 
   associated with the service parameter type. 
   
8.45    Service-Parameter-Value AVP  
  
   The Service-Parameter-Value AVP is of type OctetString (AVP Code XXX 
   - IANA please fill in and remove this note - suggested value 442) 
   and contains the value of the service parameter type.  
 
8.46    Subscription-Id AVP 
  
   The Subscription-Id AVP (AVP Code XXX - IANA please fill in and 
   remove this note - suggested value 443) is used to identify the end 
   user's subscription and is of type Grouped.  The Subscription-Id AVP 
   includes a Subscription-Id-Data AVP that hold the identifier and a 
   Subscription-Id-Type AVP that defines the identifier type.  
        
   It has the following ABNF grammar:  
        
                     Subscription-Id ::= < AVP Header: TBD >  
                                         { Subscription-Id-Type }  
                                         { Subscription-Id-Data }  
     
8.47    Subscription-Id-Type AVP  
  
   The Subscription-Id-Type AVP (AVP Code XXX - IANA please fill in and 
   remove this note - suggested value 450) is of type Enumerated and it 
   is used to determine which type of identifier that is carried by the 
   Subscription-Id AVP. 
        
   This specification defines the following subscription identifiers. 
   However, new Subscription-Id-Type values can be assigned via IANA 
   designated expert as defined in section 12. A server MUST implement 
   all of the Subscription-Id-Types required to perform credit 
   authorization for the services it supports, including possible 
   future values. Unknown or unsupported Subscription-Id-Types MUST be 
   treated according to the 'M' flag rule as defined in [DIAMBASE]. 
    
   END_USER_E164                   0  
     The identifier is in international E.164 format (e.g. MSISDN), 
     according to the ITU-T E.164 numbering plan as defined in [E164] 
     and [CE164]. 
                
   END_USER_IMSI                   1  
 
 
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     The identifier is in international IMSI format, according to the 
     ITU-T E.212 numbering plan as defined in [E121] and [CE121].  
             
   END_USER_SIP_URI                2  
     The identifier is in the form of a SIP URI as defined in [SIP].  
      
                                                      
                          
   END_USER_NAI                    3  
     The identifier is in the form of a Network Access Identifier as 
     defined in [NAI].  
             
   END_USER_PRIVATE                4   
     The Identifier is a credit-control server private identifier. 
      
8.48    Subscription-Id-Data AVP  
  
   The Subscription-Id-Data AVP (AVP Code XXX - IANA please fill in and 
   remove this note - suggested value 444) is used to identify the end-
   user and is of type UTF8String. The Subscription-Id-Type AVP defines 
   which type of identifier is used. 
    
8.49    User-Equipment-Info AVP 
    
   The User-Equipment-Info AVP (AVP Code XXX - IANA please fill in and 
   remove this note - suggested value 458) is of type Grouped, and 
   allows the Credit-control client to indicate the identity and 
   capability of the terminal the subscriber is using for the 
   connection to network.  
       
   It has the following ABNF grammar:   
            
              User-Equipment-Info ::= < AVP Header: TBD >   
                                      { User-Equipment-Info-Type }   
                                      { User-Equipment-Info-Value } 
    
8.50    User-Equipment-Info-Type AVP  
    
   The User-Equipment-Info-Type AVP is of type Enumerated  (AVP Code 
   XXX - IANA please fill in and remove this note - suggested value 
   459) and defines the type of the user equipment information 
   contained in the User-Equipment-Info-Value AVP. 
       
   This specification defines the following user equipment types. 
   However, new User-Equipment-Info-Type values can be assigned via 
   IANA designated expert as defined in section 12. 
            
   IMEISV                          0   

 
 
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     The identifier contains the International Mobile Equipment 
     Identifier and Software Version in the international IMEISV 
     format according to 3GPP TS 23.003 [3GPPIMEI].   
                     
   MAC                             1   
     The 48-bit MAC address is formatted as described in [RAD802.1X].  
               
   EUI64                           2  
     The 64-bit identifier used to identify hardware instance of the 
     product as defined in [EUI64].            
    
   MODIFIED_EUI64                  3        
     There are a number of types of terminals that have identifiers 
     other than IMEI, IEEE 802 MACs or EUI-64. These identifiers can 
     be converted to modified EUI-64 format as described in [IPv6Addr] 
     or using some other methods referred to in the service specific 
     documentation. 
      
8.50 User-Equipment-Info-Value AVP  
    
   The User-Equipment-Info-Value AVP (AVP Code XXX - IANA please fill 
   in and remove this note - suggested value 460) is of type 
   OctetString The User-Equipment-Info-Type AVP defines which type of 
   identifier is used.   
    
9.  Result Code AVP values  
  
   This section defines new Result-Code AVP [DIAMBASE] values that must 
   be supported by all Diameter implementations that conform to this 
   specification.  
        
   The Credit-Control-Answer message includes the Result-Code AVP, 
   which may indicate that an error was present in the Credit-Control-
   Request message. A rejected Credit-Control-Request message SHOULD 
   cause the user's session to be terminated.  
     
9.1   Transient Failures  
     
   Errors that fall within the transient failures category are used to 
   inform a peer that the request could not be satisfied at the time it 
   was received, but MAY be able to satisfy the request in the future.  
       
   DIAMETER_END_USER_SERVICE_DENIED           4010  
     The credit-control server denies the service request due to 
     service restrictions. If the CCR contained used-service-units 
     they are deducted, if possible.  
          
   DIAMETER_CREDIT_CONTROL_NOT_APPLICABLE     4011 

 
 
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     The credit-control server determines that the service can be 
     granted to the end user but no further credit-control is needed 
     for the service (e.g. service is free of charge).  
    
   DIAMETER_CREDIT_LIMIT_REACHED              4012 
     The credit-control server denies the service request since the 
     end- user's account could not cover the requested service. If the 
     CCR contained used-service-units they are deducted, if possible.     
     
9.2   Permanent Failures  
        
   Errors that fall within permanent failure category are used to 
   inform the peer that the request failed, and should not be attempted 
   again.  
        
   DIAMETER_USER_UNKNOWN                      5030 
      The specified end user is unknown in the credit-control server.  
     
   DIAMETER_RATING_FAILED                     5031   
     This error code is used to inform the credit-control client that 
     the credit-control server cannot rate the service request due to 
     insufficient rating input, incorrect AVP combination or due to an 
     AVP or an AVP value that is not recognized or supported in the 
     rating. The Failed-AVP AVP MUST be included and contain a copy of 
     the entire AVP(s) that could not be processed successfully or an 
     example of the missing AVP complete with the Vendor-Id if 
     applicable. The value field of the missing AVP should be of 
     correct minimum length and contain zeroes.  
     
10.   AVP Occurrence Table  
     
   The following table presents the AVPs defined in this document, and 
   specifies in which Diameter messages they MAY, or MAY NOT be 
   present. Note that AVPs that can only be present within a Grouped 
   AVP are not represented in this table.  
        
   The table uses the following symbols:  
         0     The AVP MUST NOT be present in the message.  
         0+    Zero or more instances of the AVP MAY be present in the  
               message.  
         0-1   Zero or one instance of the AVP MAY be present in the  
               message. It is considered an error if there are more  
               than one instance of the AVP.  
         1     One instance of the AVP MUST be present in the message.  
         1+    At least one instance of the AVP MUST be present in the  
               message.  
     
10.1    Credit Control AVP Table  
     
 
 
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   The table in this section is used to represent which Credit-control 
   applications specific AVPs defined in this document are to be 
   present in the Credit Control messages.  
                                       +-----------+  
                                       |  Command  | 
                                       |   Code    | 
                                       |-----+-----+  
         Attribute Name                | CCR | CCA | 
         ------------------------------|-----+-----+  
         Acct-Multi-Session-Id         | 0-1 | 0-1 | 
         Auth-Application-Id           | 1   | 1   | 
         CC-Correlation-Id             | 0-1 | 0   | 
         CC-Session-Failover           | 0   | 0-1 | 
         CC-Request-Number             | 1   | 1   | 
         CC-Request-Type               | 1   | 1   | 
         CC-Sub-Session-Id             | 0-1 | 0-1 | 
         Check-Balance-Result          | 0   | 0-1 | 
         Cost-Information              | 0   | 0-1 | 
         Credit-Control-Failure-       | 0   | 0-1 | 
            Handling                   |     |     | 
         Destination-Host              | 0-1 | 0   | 
         Destination-Realm             | 1   | 0   | 
         Direct-Debiting-Failure-      | 0   | 0-1 | 
            Handling                   |     |     | 
         Event-Timestamp               | 0-1 | 0-1 | 
         Failed-AVP                    | 0   | 0+  | 
         Final-Unit-Indication         | 0   | 0-1 | 
         Granted-Service-Unit          | 0   | 0-1 | 
         Multiple-Services-Credit-     | 0+  | 0+  | 
            Control                    |     |     | 
         Multiple-Services-Indicator   | 0-1 | 0   | 
         Origin-Host                   | 1   | 1   | 
         Origin-Realm                  | 1   | 1   | 
         Origin-State-Id               | 0-1 | 0-1 | 
         Proxy-Info                    | 0+  | 0+  | 
         Redirect-Host                 | 0   | 0+  | 
         Redirect-Host-Usage           | 0   | 0-1 | 
         Redirect-Max-Cache-Time       | 0   | 0-1 | 
         Requested-Action              | 0-1 | 0   | 
         Requested-Service-Unit        | 0-1 | 0   | 
         Route-Record                  | 0+  | 0+  | 
         Result-Code                   | 0   | 1   | 
         Service-Context-Id            | 1   | 0   | 
         Service-Identifier            | 0-1 | 0   | 
         Service-Parameter-Info        | 0+  | 0   | 
         Session-Id                    | 1   | 1   | 
         Subscription-Id               | 0+  | 0   | 
         Termination-Cause             | 0-1 | 0   | 
         User-Equipment-Info           | 0-1 | 0   | 
 
 
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         Used-Service-Unit             | 0+  | 0   | 
         User-Name                     | 0-1 | 0-1 | 
         Validity-Time                 | 0   | 0-1 | 
         ------------------------------|-----+-----+  
 
10.2    Re-Auth-Request/Answer AVP Table 
    
   This section defines AVPs that are specific to Diameter Credit  
   Control Application and MAY be included in the Diameter Re-Auth-
   Request/Answer (RAR/RAA) message [DIAMBASE].  
        
   Re-Auth-Request/Answer command MAY include the following additional 
   AVPs: 
    
                                      +---------------+   
                                      | Command Code  |  
                                      |-------+-------+   
        Attribute Name                |  RAR  |  RAA  |   
        ------------------------------+-------+-------+   
        CC-Sub-Session-Id             |  0-1  |  0-1  |   
        G-S-U-Pool-Identifier         |  0-1  |  0-1  | 
        Service-Identifier            |  0-1  |  0-1  | 
        Rating-Group                  |  0-1  |  0-1  | 
        ------------------------------+-------+-------+ 
    
11.   RADIUS/Diameter Credit-control Interworking Model 
    
   This section defines the basic principles for the Diameter Credit-
   control/RADIUS prepaid inter-working model, that is a message 
   translation between RADIUS based prepaid solution and Diameter 
   Credit-control application. A complete description of the protocol 
   translations between RADIUS and Diameter Credit-control application 
   is 
   beyond the scope of this specification and SHOULD be addressed in 
   another appropriate document such as the RADIUS prepaid 
   specification.  
    
   The Diameter credit-control architecture may have a Translation 
   Agent, which is capable of translation between RADIUS prepaid and 
   Diameter Credit-control protocol. An AAA server, usually the home 
   AAA server, may act as a Translation Agent while acting also as 
   Diameter credit-control client for service elements that use credit 
   control mechanisms other than Diameter credit-control, for instance 
   RADIUS prepaid. In this case the home AAA server contacts the 
   Diameter credit-control server as part of the authorization process. 
   The interworking architecture is illustrated in figure 7 and 
   interworking flow in figure 8. In roaming situation the service 
   element (e.g. the NAS) may be located in the visited network and a 

 
 
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   visited AAA server is usually contacted. The visited AAA server 
   connects then to the home AAA server. 
 
                                  Radius prepaid 
   +--------+       +---------+   protocol +------------+  +--------+  
   |  End   |<----->| Service |<---------->| Home AAA   |  |Business| 
   |  User  |       | Element |            |  Server    |  |Support | 
   +--------+   +-->|         |            |+----------+|->|System  | 
                |   +---------+            ||CC client ||  |        | 
                |                          |+----------+|  |        | 
   +--------+   |                          +------^-----+  +----^---+ 
   |  End   |<--+                credit-control   |             | 
   |  User  |                          protocol   |             | 
   +--------+                             +-------V--------+    | 
                                          |Credit-control  |----+ 
                                          |   Server       | 
                                          +----------------+ 
    
        Figure 7: Credit-control architecture with Service Element  
                  containing translation agent, translating RADIUS  
                  prepaid to Diameter credit control protocol 
 
   When the AAA server acting as a Translation Agent receives an 
   initial RADIUS Access-Request message from service Element (e.g. NAS 
   access), it performs regular Authentication and Authorization. If 
   the RADIUS Access-Request message indicates that the service element 
   is capable of credit-control, and if the home AAA server finds that 
   the subscriber is a prepaid subscriber then a Diameter Credit 
   control request SHOULD be sent towards the credit-control server to 
   perform credit authorization and to establish a credit control 
   session. After the Diameter credit-control server checks the end 
   user's account balance, rates the service and reserves credit from 
   the end user's account, the reserved quota is returned to the home 
   AAA server in the Diameter Credit-Control-Answer. Then the home AAA 
   server sends the reserved quota to the service element in the RADIUS 
   Access-Accept. 
  
   At the expiry of the allocated quota, the service element sends a 
   new RADIUS Access-Request to the home AAA server containing the 
   units used this far. The home AAA server shall map RADIUS Access-
   Request containing the reported units to the Diameter credit-control 
   server in a Diameter Credit-Control-Request (UPDATE_REQUEST). The 
   Diameter credit-control server debits the used units from the end 
   user's account and allocates a new quota that is returned to the 
   home AAA server in the Diameter Credit-Control-Answer. The quota is 
   transferred to the service element in the RADIUS Access-Accept. When 
   the end user terminates the service or when the entire quota has 
   been used, the service element sends a RADIUS Access-Request. To 
 
 
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   debit the used units from the end user's account and to stop the 
   credit control session, the home AAA server sends a Diameter Credit-
   Control-Request (TERMINATION_REQUEST) to the credit-control server. 
   The Diameter credit-control server acknowledges the session 
   termination by sending a Diameter Credit-Control-Answer to the home 
   AAA server. The RADIUS Access-Accept is sent to the NAS. 
 
   A following diagram illustrates a RADIUS prepaid - Diameter credit 
   control interworking sequence. 
    
         Service Element         Translation agent 
           (e.g.NAS)                  (CC Client)             CC Server 
               |     Access-Request     |                        | 
               |----------------------->|                        | 
               |                        |    CCR (initial)       | 
               |                        |----------------------->| 
               |                        |    CCA (granted_Units) | 
               |                        |<-----------------------| 
               |     Access-Accept      |                        | 
               |     (granted Units)    |                        | 
               |<-----------------------|                        | 
               :                        :                        : 
               |     Access-Request     |                        | 
               |     (used Units)       |                        | 
               |----------------------->|                        | 
               |                        |    CCR (update,        | 
               |                        |         used Units,    | 
               |                        |----------------------->| 
               |                        |    CCA (granted_Units) | 
               |                        |<-----------------------| 
               |     Access-Accept      |                        | 
               |     (granted Units)    |                        | 
               |<-----------------------|                        | 
               :                        :                        : 
               |     Access-Request     |                        | 
               |----------------------->|                        | 
               |                        |     CCR (termin.,      | 
               |                        |          used Units)   | 
               |                        |----------------------->| 
               |                        |     CCA                | 
               |                        |<-----------------------| 
               |     Access-Accept      |                        | 
               |<-----------------------|                        | 
               |                        |                        | 
 
 
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           Figure 8: Message flow example with RADIUS prepaid -  
                  Diameter credit control interworking 
    
12.   IANA Considerations  
        
   This section contains the namespaces that have either been created 
   in this specification, or the values assigned to existing namespaces 
   managed by IANA.  
        
12.1    Application Identifier  
    
   This specification assigns the value XXX [IANA please fill in XXX 
   (suggested value 4) and remove this note], 'Diameter Credit 
   Control', to the Application Identifier namespace defined in 
   [DIAMBASE]. See section 1.3 for more information. 
        
12.2    Command Codes  
        
   This specification uses the value [IANA please fill in XXX 
   (suggested value 272) and remove this note] from the Command code 
   namespace defined in [DIAMBASE] for the Credit-Control-Request (CCR) 
   and Credit-Control-Answer (CCA) commands.   
     
12.3    AVP Codes   
     
   This specification assigns the values XXX - YYY [IANA please fill in 
   XXX, YYY (suggested values 411, 458) and remove this note] from the 
   AVP code namespace defined in [DIAMBASE] See section 8 for the 
   assignment of the namespace in this specification.  
        
12.4    Result-Code AVP Values  
        
   This specification assigns the values X1, X2, X3, X4, X5 [IANA 
   please fill in XXX (suggested value 4010, 4011, 4012, 5030 and 5031) 
   and remove this note] from the Result-Code AVP value namespace 
   defined in [DIAMBASE]. See section 9 for the assignment of the 
   namespace in this specification.  
    
12.5    CC-Request-Type AVP 
    
   As defined in section 8.3, the CC-Request-Type AVP includes 
   Enumerated type values X1 - X3. IANA is to create and maintain a 
   namespace for this AVP.[IANA please fill in X1-X3 (suggested value 
   1, 3) and remove this note]. All remaining values are available for 
   assignment via Designated Expert [IANA]. 
    
12.6    CC-Session-Failover AVP 
    


 
 
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   As defined in section 8.4, the CC-Failover-Supported AVP includes 
   Enumerated type values X0 - X1. IANA is to create and maintain a 
   namespace for this AVP.[IANA please fill in X0, X1 (suggested value 
   0, 1) and remove this note]. All remaining values are available for 
   assignment via Designated Expert [IANA]. 
     
12.7    CC-Unit-Type AVP 
    
   As defined in section 8.32, the CC-Unit-Type AVP includes Enumerated 
   type values X0 - X5. IANA is to create and maintain a namespace for 
   this AVP. [IANA please fill in X0-X5 (suggested value 0, 5) and 
   remove this note]. All remaining values are available for assignment 
   via Designated Expert [IANA]. 
    
12.8    Check-Balance-Result AVP  
        
   As defined in Section 8.6, the Check-Balance-Result AVP includes 
   Enumerated type values X0 - X1. IANA is to create and maintain a 
   namespace for this AVP.[IANA please fill in X0-X1 (suggested value 
   0, 1) and remove this note]. All remaining values are available for 
   assignment via Designated Expert [IANA].     
    
12.9    Credit-Control AVP 
    
   As defined in section 8.13, the Credit-Control AVP includes 
   Enumerated type values X0 - X1. IANA is to create and maintain a 
   namespace for this AVP. [IANA please fill in X0-X1 (suggested value 
   0, 1) and remove this note]. All remaining values are available for 
   assignment via Designated Expert [IANA]. 
    
12.10     Credit-Control-Failure-Handling AVP  
     
   As defined in Section 8.14, the Credit-Control-Failure-Handling AVP  
   includes Enumerated type values X0 - X2. IANA is to create and 
   maintain a namespace for this AVP. [IANA please fill in X0-X2 
   (suggested value 0, 2) and remove this note]. All remaining values 
   are available for assignment via Designated Expert [IANA].  
        
12.11     Direct-Debiting-Failure-Handling AVP    
     
   As defined in Section 8.15, the Direct-Debiting-Failure-Handling AVP  
   includes Enumerated type values X0 - X1. IANA is to create and 
   maintain a namespace for this AVP.[IANA please fill in X0-X1 
   (suggested value 0, 1) and remove this note]. All remaining values 
   are available for assignment via Designated Expert [IANA].  
        
12.12     Final-Unit-Action AVP 
    

 

 
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   As defined in Section 8.35, the Final-Unit-Action AVP includes 
   Enumerated type values X0 - X2. IANA is to create and maintain a 
   namespace for this AVP. [IANA please fill in X0-X2 (suggested value 
   0, 2) and remove this note]. All remaining values are available for 
   assignment via Designated Expert [IANA]. 
    
12.13     Multiple-Services-Indicator AVP 
    
   As defined in Section 8.40, the Multiple-Services-Indicator AVP 
   includes Enumerated type values X0 - X1. IANA is to create and 
   maintain a namespace for this AVP. [IANA please fill in X0-X1 
   (suggested value 0, 1) and remove this note]. All remaining values 
   are available for assignment via Designated Expert [IANA]. 
    
12.14     Redirect-Address-Type AVP 
    
   As defined in Section 8.38, the Redirect-Address-Type AVP includes  
   Enumerated type values X0 - X3. IANA is to create and maintain a 
   namespace for this AVP. [IANA please fill in X0-X3 (suggested value 
   0, 3) and remove this note]. All remaining values are available for 
   assignment via Designated Expert [IANA]. 
    
12.15     Requested-Action AVP  
     
   As defined in Section 8.41, the Requested-Action AVP includes  
   Enumerated type values X0 - X3. IANA is to create and maintain a 
   namespace for this AVP. [IANA please fill in X0-X3 (suggested value 
   0, 3) and remove this note]. All remaining values are available for 
   assignment via Designated Expert [IANA].  
     
12.16     Subscription-Id-Type AVP  
        
   As defined in Section 8.47, the Subscription-Id-Type AVP  includes 
   Enumerated type values X0 - X4. IANA is to create and maintain a 
   namespace for this AVP. [IANA please fill in X0-X4 (suggested value 
   0, 4) and remove this note]. All remaining values are available for 
   assignment via Designated Expert [IANA].  
    
12.17     Tariff-Change-Usage AVP 
    
   As defined in Section 8.27, the Tariff-Change-Usage AVP includes  
   Enumerated type values X0 - X2. IANA is to create and maintain a 
   namespace for this AVP. [IANA please fill in X0-X2 (suggested value 
   0, 2) and remove this note]. All remaining values are available for 
   assignment via Designated Expert [IANA]. 
    
12.18     User-Equipment-Info-Type AVP   
            

 

 
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   As defined in Section 8.50, the User-Equipment-Info-Type AVP 
   includes Enumerated type values X0 - X3. IANA is to create and 
   maintain a namespace for this AVP. [IANA please fill in X0-X3 
   (suggested value 0, 3) and remove this note]. All remaining values 
   are available for assignment via Designated Expert [IANA].   
        
13.   Credit-control Application Related Parameters 
     
   Tx timer  
     
      When real-time credit-control is required, the credit-control 
      client contacts the credit-control server before and during the 
      service is provided to an end user. Due to real-time nature of 
      the application the communication delays SHOULD be minimized, 
      e.g. to avoid too long service set up time experienced by the end 
      user. The Tx timer is introduced to control the waiting time in 
      the client in the PENDING state. When the Tx timer elapses the 
      credit-control client takes an action to the end user according 
      to the value of the Credit-Control-Failure-Handling AVP or 
      according to the value of the Direct-Debiting-Failure-Handling 
      AVP. 
         
            The recommended value is 10 seconds. 
       
   Tcc timer 
    
      The Tcc timer supervises an ongoing credit control session in the 
      credit control server. It is RECOMMENDED to use the Validity-Time 
      as input to set the Tcc timer value. To avoid the credit control 
      session in the Diameter credit control server to change to Idle 
      state in case of short transient network failure, Tcc MAY be set 
      to two times the value of Validity-Time.    
         
   Credit-Control-Failure-Handling and Direct-Debiting-Failure-Handling  
         
      Client implementations may offer the possibility to locally 
      configure these AVPs. In such a case their value and behavior is       
      defined in section 5.7 for the Credit-Control-Failure-Handling 
      and in section 6.5 for the Direct-Debiting-Failure-Handling. 
     
14.   Security Consideration 
    
   The Diameter base protocol [DIAMBASE] requires that each Diameter 
   implementation uses underlying security, i.e. IPsec or TLS. These 
   mechanisms are believed to provide sufficient protection under the 
   normal Internet threat model - that is, assuming the authorized 
   nodes engaging in the protocol have not been compromised, but the 
   attacker has complete control over the communication channels 
   between them. This includes eavesdropping, message modification, 
 
 
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   insertion, man-in-the-middle and replay attacks. Note also that this 
   application includes a mechanism for application layer replay 
   protection by the means of Session-ID from [DIAMBASE], and CC-
   Request-Number specified in this document. The Diameter credit 
   control application is often used within one domain and there may be 
   just single hop between the peers. In these environments the use of 
   TLS or IPsec is sufficient. The details of TLS and IPsec related 
   security considerations are discussed in the  [DIAMBASE]. 
    
   Because this application handles monetary transactions (directly or 
   indirectly) this kind of application increases the interest for 
   various security attacks. Therefore all parties communicating with 
   each other MUST be authenticated, including, for instance, TLS 
   client-side authentication. In addition to this, authorization of 
   the client SHOULD be emphasized, i.e. that the client is allowed to 
   perform credit control for a certain user. The specific means of 
   authorization are outside of the scope of this specification but can 
   be for instance, manual configuration. 
    
   Another kind of threat is malicious modification, injection or 
   deletion of AVPs or complete credit control messages. The credit 
   control messages contain sensitive billing related information (such 
   as subscription Id, granted units, used units, cost information) 
   whose malicious modification can have financial consequences. 
   Sometimes simply delaying the credit control messages can cause 
   disturbances in the credit control client or server. 
    
   Even without any modification to the messages an adversary can 
   invite a security threat by eavesdropping, because the transactions 
   contain private information about the user. Also by monitoring the 
   credit control messages one can collect information about credit 
   control server's billing models and business relationships.  
    
   When third party relays or proxy are involved, the hop-by-hop 
   security does not necessarily provide sufficient protection for 
   Diameter user session. Diameter messages, such as CCR and CCA, 
   containing sensitive AVPs may be inappropriate in some cases to be 
   sent via untrusted Diameter proxy agents since there are no 
   assurance that third party proxies will not modify the credit 
   control commands or AVP values.   
    
14.1    Direct Connection with Redirects 
    
   A Diameter Credit control agent cannot always know whether agents 
   between it and the end user's Diameter credit control server are 
   reliable. In this case the Diameter Credit control agent doesn't 
   have a routing entry in its Diameter Routing Table (defined in 
   [DIAMBASE] in section 2.7) for the realm of the Credit Control 
   Server in the end user's home domain. The Diameter Credit control 
 
 
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   agent can have a default route configured to a local Redirect agent 
   and it re-directs the CCR message to the redirect agent. The local 
   Redirect agent then returns a redirect notification (Result-code 
   3006, DIAMETER_REDIRECT_INDICATION) to the Credit control agent, as 
   well Diameter Credit control Server(s) information (Redirect-Host 
   AVP) and information (Redirect-Host-Usage AVP) how to the routing 
   entry resulting from the Redirect-Host is to be used. The Diameter 
   credit control agent then forwards the CCR message directly to one 
   of the hosts identified by the CCA message from the redirect agent. 
   If the value of the Redirect-Host-Usage AVP is unequal than zero all 
   following messages are sent to the host specified in the Redirect-
   Host AVP until the time specified by the Redirect-Max-Cache-Time AVP 
   is expired. 
    
   There are some authorization issues even with redirects. There may 
   be attacks towards nodes that have been properly authorized, but 
   abuse their authorization or have been compromised. These issues are 
   discussed more widely in [DIAMEAP] section 8.  
    
15.   References  
  
15.1    Normative  
     
   [DIAMBASE]  P. Calhoun, J. Loughney, J. Arkko, E. Guttman, G. Zorn. 
               "Diameter Base Protocol", RFC 3588, September 2003.  
     
   [3GPPCHARG] 3rd Generation Partnership Project; Technical 
               Specification Group Services and System Aspects, Service 
               aspects; Charging and Billing, (release 5), 3GPP TS 
               22.115 v. 5.2.1, 2002-03    
          
   [SIP]       M. Handley, H. Schulzrinne, E. Schooler, J. Rosenberg, 
               G. Camarillo, A. Johnston, J. Peterson, R. Sparks  
               "SIP: Session Initiation Protocol", RFC 3261. June 2002.              
   [NAI]       Aboba, Beadles "The Network Access Identifier." RFC 
               2486.  
               January 1999.  
    
   [E164]      Recommendation E.164/I.331 (05/97): The International  
               Public Telecommunication Numbering Plan. 1997.  
      
   [CE164]     Complement to ITU-T Recommendation E.164 (05/1997):"List 
               of ITU-T Recommendation E.164 assigned country codes", 
               June 2000.  
      
   [E212]      Recommendation E.212 (11/98): The international  
               identification plan for mobile terminals and mobile 
               users. 1998.  
      
 
 
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   [CE212]     Complement to ITU-T Recommendation E.212 (11/1997):" 
               List  
               of mobile country or geographical area codes ", February  
               1999.   
      
   [IANA]      Narten, Alvestrand, "Guidelines for Writing an IANA  
               Considerations Section in RFCs", BCP 26, RFC 2434, 
               October  
               1998  
   
   [IPv4]      J. Postel. "Internet Protocol", STD 5, RFC 791, 
               September 1981. 
    
   [IPv6Addr]  R. Hinden, S. Deering. "Internet Protocol Version 6 
               (IPv6) 
               Addressing Architecture", RFC 3513, April 2003. 
    
   [KEYWORDS]  S. Bradner, "Key words for use in RFCs to Indicate 
               Requirement Levels", BCP 14, RFC 2119, March 1997.  
    
   [ISO4217]   Codes for the representation of currencies and funds, 
               International Standard ISO 4217,2001  
    
   [NASREQ]    P. Calhoun, G. Zorn, D. Spence, D. Mitton. "Diameter 
               NASREQ Application", IETF work in progress. 
    
   [AAATRANS]  B. Aboba, J. Wood. "Authentication, Authorization and 
               Accounting (AAA) Transport Profile", RFC 3539, June 2003 
    
   [URL]       T. Berners-Lee, L. Masinter, M. McCahill. "Uniform 
               Resource Locators (URL)รถ, RFC 1738, December 1994 
    
   [RAD802.1X] P. Congdon, et.al "IEEE 802.1X RADIUS Usage Guidelines",  
               RFC 3580, September 2003.  
         
   [EUI64]     IEEE, "Guidelines for 64-bit Global Identifier (EUI-64)  
               Registration Authority",           
               http://standards.ieee.org/regauth/oui/tutorials/EUI64.ht
               ml March 1997. 
    
   [3GPPIMEI]  3rd Generation Partnership Project; Technical  
               Specification Group Core Network, Numbering, addressing  
               and identification, (release 5), 3GPP TS 23.003  
               v. 5.8.0, 2003-12 
    
15.2    Non-Normative  
  
    
   [RFC2866]   C. Rigney. "Radius Accounting", RFC 2866, June 2000 
 
 
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   [DIAMMIP]   P. Calhoun, T. Johansson, C. Perkins "Diameter Mobile IP 
               Application", IETF work in progress. 
    
   [RFC2865]   C. Rigney, S. Willens, A. Rubens, W. Simpson. "Remote 
               Authentication Dial In User Service (RADIUS), RFC 2865, 
               June 2000 
    
   [DIAMEAP]   P. Eronen, T. Hiller, G. Zorn. "Diameter Extensible 
               Authentication Protocol (EAP) Application", IETF work in 
               progress. 
     
   [RFC3725]   J. Rosenberg, J. Peterson, H. Schulzrinne, G. Camarillo, 
               "Best Current Practices for Third Party Call Control 
               (3pcc) in the Session Initiation Protocol (SIP)", RFC 
               3725, April 2004 
 
16.   Acknowledgement  
  
   The authors would like to thank Bernard Aboba, Jari Arkko, Robert 
   Ekblad, Pasi Eronen, Benny Gustafsson, Robert Karlsson, Avi Lior, 
   Paco Marin, Jussi Maki, Jeff Meyer, Anne Narhi, John Prudhoe, 
   Christopher Richards, Juha Vallinen and Mark Watson for their 
   comments and suggestions.  
 

 
 
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Appendix A Credit Control sequences 
 
A.1  Flow I 
    
   End-User              NAS             AAA Server           CC Server 
                     (CC Client)                         
      |(1)User Logon      |(2)AA Request (CC AVPs)                  | 
      |------------------>|------------------->|                    | 
      |                   |                    |(3)CCR(initial, CC 
   AVPs) 
      |                   |                    |------------------->| 
      |                   |                    | (4)CCA(granted Units) 
      |                   |                    |<-------------------| 
      |                   |(5)AA Answer(granted Units)              | 
      |(6)Access granted  |<-------------------|                    | 
      |<----------------->|                    |                    | 
      |                   |                    |                    | 
      :                   :                    :                    : 
      |                   |(7)CCR(update,used Units)                | 
      |                   |------------------->|(8)CCR              | 
      |                   |                    |   (update,used units) 
      |                   |                    |------------------->| 
      |                   |                    |(9)CCA(granted Units) 
      |                   |(10)CCA(granted Units)<------------------| 
      |                   |<-------------------|                    | 
      :                   :                    :                    : 
      |         (Auth. lifetime expires)       |                    | 
      |                   |(11) AAR (CC AVP)   |                    | 
      |                   |------------------->|                    | 
      |                   |          (12) AAA  |                    | 
      |                   |<-------------------|                    | 
      :                   :                    :                    : 
      :                   :                    :                    : 
      |(13) User logoff   |                    |                    | 
      |------------------>|(14)CCR(term.,used-Units)                | 
      |                   |------------------->|(15)CCR             | 
      |                   |                    |   (term.,used-Units) 
      |                   |                    |------------------->| 
      |                   |                    |            (16)CCA | 
      |                   |            (17)CCA |<-------------------| 
      |                   |<-------------------|                    | 
      |                   |(18)STR             |                    | 
      |                   |------------------->|                    | 
      |                   |            (19)STA |                    | 
      |                   |<-------------------|                    | 
    
                            Figure A.1: Flow I 
    

 
 
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   A credit control flow for Network Access Services prepaid is shown 
   in Figure A.1. The Diameter [NASREQ] is implemented in the Network 
   Access Server (NAS). The focus of this flow is in the credit 
   authorization. 
    
   The user logs onto the network (1). The Diameter NAS first sends a 
   Diameter Authorization-Authentication-Request to the home Diameter 
   AAA Server, the credit-control client populates the AAR with the 
   Credit-Control AVP set to CREDIT_AUTHORIZATION and service specific 
   AVPs are included as usual [NASREQ]. The home Diameter AAA server 
   performs service specific Authentication and Authorization as 
   usual. The home Diameter AAA server determines that the user is a 
   prepaid user and notices from the Credit-Control AVP that the NAS 
   has credit control capabilities, it sends a Diameter Credit-
   Control-Request with CC-Request-Type set to INITIAL_REQUEST to the 
   Diameter credit-control server to perform credit authorization (3) 
   and to establish a credit control session (the home Diameter AAA 
   server may forward service specific AVPs as received from the NAS 
   as input for the rating process). The Diameter credit-control 
   server checks the end user's account balance, rates the service and 
   reserves credit from the end user's account. The reserved quota is 
   returned to the home Diameter AAA server in the Diameter Credit-
   Control-Answer (4). The home Diameter AAA server sends the reserved 
   quota to the NAS in the Diameter Authorization-Authentication-
   Answer. Upon successful AAA the NAS starts the credit-control 
   session and starts monitoring the granted units (5). The NAS grant 
   access to the end user (6). At the expiry of the allocated quota, 
   the NAS sends a Diameter Credit-Control-Request with CC-Request-
   Type set to UPDATE_REQUEST to the Home Diameter AAA server (7). 
   This message contains the units used this far. The home Diameter 
   AAA server forwards the CCR to the Diameter credit-control server 
   (8). The Diameter credit-control server debits the used units from 
   the end user's account and allocates a new quota that is returned 
   to the home Diameter AAA server in the Diameter Credit-Control-
   Answer (9). The message is forwarded to the NAS (10). During the 
   ongoing credit-control session the authorization-lifetime expires, 
   the authorization/authentication client in the NAS performs service 
   specific re-authorization to the home Diameter AAA server as usual. 
   The credit-control client populate the AAR with the Credit-Control 
   AVP set to RE_AUTHORIZATION indicating that the credit-control 
   server shall not be contacted, since the credit authorization is 
   controlled by the burning rate of the granted units (11). The home 
   Diameter AAA server performs service specific re-authorization as 
   usual and returns the Authorization-Authentication-Answer to the 
   NAS (12). The end user logs off from the network (13). To debit the 
   used units from the end user's account and to stop the credit 
   control session, the NAS sends a Diameter Credit-Control-Request 
   with CC-Request-Type set to TERMINATION_REQUEST to the home 
   Diameter AAA server (14). The home Diameter AAA server forwards the 
 
 
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   CCR to the credit-control server (15). The Diameter credit-control 
   server acknowledges the session termination by sending a Diameter 
   Credit-Control-Answer to the home Diameter AAA server (16). The 
   home Diameter AAA server forwards the answer to the NAS (17). 
   STR/STA take place between NAS and home Diameter AAA server as 
   usual (18-19). 
    
A.2  Flow II 
    
              SIP Proxy/Registrar   AAA 
        A           (CC Client)     Server           B        CC Server 
        |(i)  REGISTER |              |              |              | 
        |------------->|(ii)          |              |              | 
        |              |------------->|              |              | 
        |              |authentication &             |              | 
        |              |authorization |              |              | 
        |              |<-------------|              |              | 
        |(iii)200 OK   |                             |              | 
        |<-------------|                             |              | 
        :              :                             :              : 
        |(1)  INVITE   |                                            : 
        |------------->| 
        |              |(2)  CCR (Intial, SIP specific AVP)         | 
        |              |------------------------------------------->| 
        |              |(3)  CCA (granted_Units)                    | 
        |              |<-------------------------------------------| 
        |              |(4)  INVITE                  |              | 
        |              |---------------------------->|              | 
        :              :                             :              : 
        |              |(5)  CCR (update, used Units)               | 
        |              |------------------------------------------->| 
        |              |(6)  CCA (granted_Units)                    | 
        |              |<-------------------------------------------| 
        :              :                             :              : 
        |(7)  BYE      |                             |              | 
        |------------->|                             |              | 
        |              |(8)  BYE                     |              | 
        |              |---------------------------->|              | 
        |              |(9)  CCR (termination, used Units)----------|               
        |              |------------------------------------------->| 
        |              |(10) CCA ()                                 | 
        |              |<-------------------------------------------| 
        |              |                             |              | 
 
                           Figure A.2: Flow II 
    
   This is an example of Diameter Credit Control for SIP sessions. 
   While the flow focuses on illustrating the usage of credit-control 
   messages, the SIP signaling is inaccurate and the diagram is not by 
 
 
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   any means an attempt to define a service provider's SIP network. 
   However, for the sake of this example some assumption is made as 
   discussed in the next paragraph. 
 
   Typically, prepaid services based e.g. on time usage for SIP session 
   require an entity in the service provider network to intercept all 
   the requests within the SIP dialog in order to detect events, such 
   as session establishment and session release, which are essential to 
   perform credit-control operations with the credit control server. It 
   is, therefore, assumed in this example that the SIP Proxy record-
   route since the initial INVITE to make sure that all the future 
   requests in the created dialog traverse through it. Finally, the 
   degree of credit control measuring of the media by the proxy depends 
   on the business model design used in setting up the end system and 
   proxies in the SIP network 
    
   The end user (SIP User Agent A) sends REGISTER with credentials (i). 
   The SIP Proxy sends a request to the home AAA server to perform 
   Multimedia authentication and authorization by using for instance 
   Diameter Multimedia application (ii). The home AAA server checks 
   that the credentials are correct and checks the user profile.  
   Eventually, 200 OK response (iii) is sent to the UA. Note that the 
   Authentication and Authorization is valid for the registration 
   validity period duration (i.e. until re-registration is performed), 
   of several SIP sessions may be established without re-authorization 
   is performed. 
    
   UA A sends an INVITE (1). The SIP Proxy sends a Diameter Credit-
   Control-Request (INITIAL_REQUEST) to the Diameter credit-control 
   server (2). The Credit-Control-Request contains information obtained 
   from the SIP signaling describing the requested service (e.g. 
   calling party, called party, Session Description Protocol 
   attributes). The Diameter credit-control server checks the end 
   user's account balance, rates the service and reserves credit from 
   the end user's account. The reserved quota is returned to the SIP 
   Proxy in the Diameter Credit-Control-Answer (3). The SIP Proxy 
   forwards the SIP INVITE to UA B (4). B's phone rings, and B answers. 
   The media flows between them and the SIP Proxy starts measuring the 
   quota. At the expiry of the allocated quota, the SIP Proxy sends a 
   Diameter Credit-Control-Request (UPDATE_REQUEST) to the Diameter 
   credit-control server (5). This message contains the units used this 
   far. The Diameter credit-control server debits the used units from 
   the end user's account and allocates new credit that is returned to 
   the SIP Proxy in the Diameter Credit-Control-Answer (6). The end 
   user terminates the service by sending a BYE (7). The SIP Proxy 
   forwards the BYE message to UA B (8) and sends a Diameter Credit-
   Control-Request (TERMINATION_REQUEST) to the Credit-control server 
   (9). The Diameter Credit-control server acknowledges the session 

 
 
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   termination by sending a Diameter Credit-Control-Answer to the SIP 
   Proxy (10). 
    
    
    
    
    
    
A.3  Flow III 
    
                          MMS Server 
             A           (CC Client)           B           CC Server 
             |(1) Send MMS    |                |                | 
             |--------------->|                |                | 
             |                |(2)  CCR (event, DIRECT_DEBITING,| 
             |                |          MMS specific AVP)      | 
             |                |-------------------------------->| 
             |                |(3)  CCA (granted_Units)         | 
             |                |<--------------------------------| 
             |(4) Send MMS Ack|                |                | 
             |<---------------|                |                | 
             |                |(5) Notify MMS  |                | 
             |                |--------------->|                | 
             :                :                :                : 
             |                |(6) Retrieve MMS|                | 
             |                |<---------------|                | 
             |                |(7) Retrieve MMS|                | 
             |                |    Ack         |                | 
             |                |--------------->|                | 
             |                |                |                | 
    
    
   Figure A.3: Flow III 
    
   A credit control flow for Multimedia Messaging Services is shown in 
   Figure A.3. The sender is charged as soon as the messaging server 
   successfully stores the message. 
    
   The end user A sends a Multimedia Message (MMS) to the MMS Server 
   (1). The MMS Server stores the message and sends a Diameter Credit-
   Control-Request (EVENT_REQUEST with Requested-Action: 
   DIRECT_DEBITING) to the Diameter credit-control server (2). The 
   Credit-Control-Request contains information about the MMS message 
   (e.g. size, recipient address, image coding type). The Diameter 
   credit-control server checks the end user's account balance, rates 
   the service and debits the service from the end user's account. The 
   granted quota is returned to the MMS Server in the Diameter Credit-
   Control-Answer (3). The MMS Server acknowledges the successful 
   reception of the MMS message (4). The MMS Server notifies the 
 
 
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   recipient about the new MMS (5), and the end user B retrieves the 
   message from the MMS message store (6),(7). 
    
    
    
    
    
    
A.4  Flow IV 
    
                          MMS Server 
      Content Server     (CC Client)           B           CC Server 
             |(1) Send MMS    |                |                | 
             |--------------->|                |                | 
             |                |(2)  CCR (event, BALANCE_CHECK,  | 
             |                |          MMS specific AVP)      | 
             |                |-------------------------------->| 
             |                |(3)  CCA (ENOUGH_CREDIT)         | 
             |                |<--------------------------------| 
             |(4) Send MMS Ack|                |                | 
             |<---------------|                |                | 
             |                |(5) Notify MMS  |                | 
             |                |--------------->|                | 
             :                :                :                : 
             |                |(6) Retrieve MMS|                | 
             |                |<---------------|                | 
             |                |(7)  CCR (event, DIRECT_DEBITING,| 
             |                |          MMS specific AVP)      | 
             |                |-------------------------------->| 
             |                |(8)  CCA (granted_Units)         | 
             |                |<--------------------------------| 
             |                |(9) Retrieve MMS|                | 
             |                |    Ack         |                | 
             |                |--------------->|                | 
             |                |                |                | 
    
    
                              Figure A.4: Flow IV 
    
   This is an example of Diameter Credit Control for Direct Debiting 
   using Multimedia Messaging Service environment. While the flow 
   focuses on illustrating the usage of credit-control messages, the 
   MMS signaling is inaccurate and the diagram is not by any means an 
   attempt to define any service provider's MMS configuration or 
   billing model. 
    
   A credit control flow for Multimedia Messaging Service is shown in 
   Figure A.4. The recipient is charged at the message delivery. 
    
 
 
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   A Content Server sends a Multimedia Message (MMS) to the MMS Server 
   (1) that stores the message. The message recipient will be charged 
   for the MMS message in this case. Since there can be substantially 
   long time between the reception of the message at the MMS Server and 
   the actual retrieval of the message, the MMS Server does not 
   establish any credit control session to the Diameter Credit-Control 
   Server but performs first only a balance check (without any credit 
   reservation) by sending a Diameter Credit-Control-Request 
   (EVENT_REQUEST with Requested-Action: BALANCE_CHECK) to verify that 
   the end user B's can cover the cost for the MMS (2). The Diameter 
   credit-control server checks the end user's account balance and 
   returns the answer to the MMS Server in the Diameter Credit-Control-
   Answer (3). The MMS Server acknowledges the successful reception of 
   the MMS message (4). The MMS Server notifies the recipient about the 
   new MMS (5), and after some time the end user B retrieves the 
   message from the MMS message store (6). The MMS Server sends a 
   Diameter Credit-Control-Request (EVENT_REQUEST with Requested-
   Action: DIRECT_DEBITING) to the Diameter Credit-control server (7). 
   The Credit-Control-Request contains information about the MMS 
   message (e.g. size, recipient address, coding type). The Diameter 
   credit-control server checks the end user's account balance, rates 
   the service and debits the service from the end user's account. The 
   granted quota is returned to the MMS Server in the Diameter Credit-
   Control-Request (8). The MMS is transferred to the end user B (9). 
    
   Note that the transfer of the MMS message can take an extended time, 
   and can fail, in which case a recovery action is needed. The MMS 
   Server should return the already debited units to the user's account 
   by using the REFUND action described in section 6.4.  
    
A.5  Flow V 
    
                        SIP Controller 
             A           (CC Client)           B           CC Server 
             |(1)INVITE B(SDP)|                |                | 
             |--------------->|                |                | 
             |                |(2)  CCR (event, PRICE_ENQUIRY,  | 
             |                |          SIP specific AVPs)     | 
             |                |-------------------------------->| 
             |                |(3)  CCA (Cost-Information)      | 
             |                |<--------------------------------| 
             | (4)MESSAGE(URL)|                |                | 
             |<---------------|                |                | 
             |(5)HTTP GET     |                |                | 
             |--------------->|                |                | 
             |(6)HTTP POST    |                |                | 
             |--------------->|(7)INVITE(SDP)  |                | 
             |                |--------------->|                | 
             |                |      (8)200 OK |                | 
 
 
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             |      (9)200 OK |<---------------|                | 
             |<---------------|                |                | 
    
                            Figure A.5: Flow V 
    
   This is an example of Diameter Credit Control for SIP sessions. 
   While the flow focuses on illustrating the usage of credit-control 
   messages, the SIP signaling is inaccurate and the diagram is not by 
   any means an attempt to define a service provider's SIP network. 
    
   Figure A.5 is an example of Advice of Charge (AoC) service for SIP 
   call, the user A can be either postpaid or prepaid subscriber using 
   the AoC service. It is assumed that the SIP Controller also has HTTP 
   capabilities and delivers an interactive AoC web page with for 
   instance the cost information, the details of the call derived from 
   the SDP and a button to accept/not accept the charges (there may be 
   many other ways to deliver AoC information, however, this flow focus 
   on the use of the credit control messages). The user has been 
   authenticated and authorized prior to initiate the call and 
   subscribed to AoC service. 
    
   UA A sends an INVITE with SDP to B (1). The SIP controller 
   determines the user is subscribed to AoC service and sends a 
   Diameter Credit-Control-Request (EVENT_REQUEST with Requested-
   Action: PRICE_ENQUIRY) to the Diameter credit control server (2). 
   The Credit-Control-Request contains SIP specific AVPs derived from 
   the SIP signaling describing the requested service (e.g. calling 
   party, called party, Session Description Protocol attributes). The 
   Diameter credit control server determines the cost of the service 
   and returns the Credit-Control-Answer including the Cost-Information 
   AVP (3). The SIP controller manufactures the AoC web page with 
   information received in SIP signaling and with the cost information 
   received from the credit control server, then sends a SIP MESSAGE 
   that contains a URL pointing to the AoC information web page (4). At 
   the reception of the SIP MESSAGE the A's UA invokes automatically 
   the web browser that retrieves the AoC information (5). The user 
   clicks on a proper button and accept the charges (6). The SIP 
   controller continues the session and sends the INVITE to the B party 
   that accepts the call (7,8,9). 
    
A.6  Flow VI 
    
                           Gaming Server 
    End-User                (CC Client)              CC Server 
       |  (1)Service Delivery   |                        | 
       |<---------------------->|                        | 
       :                        :                        : 
       :                        :                        : 
       |                        |(2)CCR(event,REFUND,Requested- 
 
 
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       |                        |Service-Unit,Service-Parameter-Info) 
       |                        |----------------------->| 
       |                        |  (3)CCA(Cost-Information) 
       |                        |<-----------------------| 
       |        (4)Notification |                        | 
       |<-----------------------|                        | 
    
                           Figure A.6: Flow VI 
    
   Figure A.6 illustrates a credit control flow for the REFUND case. It 
   is assumed that trusted relationship and secure connection between 
   the Gaming server and the Diameter credit control server exist. The 
   end user may be a prepaid subscriber or a postpaid subscriber. 
    
   While the end user is playing the game (1) she enters a new level 
   that entitles for a bonus. The Gaming server sends a Diameter 
   Credit-Control-Request (EVENT_REQUEST with Requested-Action: REFUND) 
   to the Diameter credit control server (2). The Credit-Control-
   Request contains the Requested-Service-Unit AVP with Unit-Type set 
   to CREDIT_TYPE_SERVICE_SPECIFIC with the CC-Service-Specific-Units 
   containing the number of points the user just won. The Service-
   Parameter-Info AVP is also included in the request and specifies the 
   service event to be rated (e.g. Tetris Bonus). The Diameter credit 
   control server, based on received information, determines the amount 
   to be credited, refunds the user's account and returns the Credit-
   Control-Answer including the Cost-Information AVP (3). The Cost-
   Information indicates the credited amount. At the first opportunity 
   the Gaming server notify the end user of the credited amount (4). 
    
A.7  Flow VII 
    
                  SIP Controller    Top-UP 
        A          (CC Client)      Server           B         CC 
   Server 
        |               |              |             |              | 
        |               | (1) CCR(Update,Used-Unit)  |              | 
        |               |------------------------------------------>| 
        |               |              (2) CCA(Final-Unit, Redirect)| 
        |               |<------------------------------------------| 
        :               :              :             :              : 
        :               :              :             :              : 
        |               | (3) CCR(Update, Used-Units)|              | 
        |               |------------------------------------------>| 
        |               | (3a)INVITE("hold")         |              | 
        |               |--------------------------->|              | 
        |               |              |      (4) CCA(Validity-Time)| 
        |               |<------------------------------------------| 
        |     (5)INVITE | (6)INVITE    |             |              | 
        |<--------------|------------->|             |              | 
 
 
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        |            (7)RTP            |             |              | 
        |..............................|             |              | 
        |               |       (8)BYE |             |              | 
        |               |<-------------|             |              | 
        |               | (9)CCR(Update)             |              | 
        |               |------------------------------------------>| 
        |               |                     (10)CCA(Granted-Unit) | 
        |               |<------------------------------------------| 
        |    (12)INVITE | (11)INVITE                 |              | 
        |<--------------|--------------------------->|              | 
    
                           Figure A.7: Flow VII 
    
  Figure A.7 is an example of the graceful service termination for a 
  SIP call. It is assumed the call is set up so that the controller is 
  in the call as a B2BUA (Back to Back User Agent) performing third 
  party call control (3PCC). Note that the SIP signaling is inaccurate 
  since the focus of this flow is in the graceful service termination 
  and credit control authorization, best practice for 3PCC are defined 
  in [RFC3725]. 
 
   The call is ongoing between user A and user B, user A is a prepaid 
   user. At the expiry of the allocated quota, the SIP controller sends 
   a Diameter Credit-Control-Request (UPDATE_REQUEST) to the Diameter 
   credit control server (1). This message contains the units used this 
   far. The Diameter credit control server debits the used units from 
   the end user's account and allocates the final quota that is 
   returned to the SIP controller in the Diameter Credit-Control-Answer 
   (2). This message contains the Final-Unit-Indication AVP with: the 
   Final-Unit-Action set to REDIRECT, the Redirect-Address-Type set to 
   SIP URI and the Redirect-Server-Address set to the Top-up server 
   name (e.g. sip:sip-topup-server@domain.com). At the expiry of the 
   final allocated quota, the SIP controller sends a Diameter Credit-
   Control-Request (UPDATE_REQUEST) to the Diameter credit control 
   server (3) and places the called party on "hold" by sending an 
   INVITE with the appropriate connection address in the SDP (3a). The 
   Credit-Control-Request message contains the units used this far. The 
   Diameter credit control server debits the used units from the end 
   user's account but does not make any credit reservation. The Credit-
   Control-Answer message, that contains the Validity-Time to supervise 
   the graceful service termination, is returned to the SIP controller 
   (4). The SIP controller establishes a SIP session between the 
   prepaid user and the Top-up server (5, 6). The Top-up server plays 
   an announcement and prompts the user to enter a credit card number 
   and the amount of money to be used to replenish the account (7). The 
   Top-up server validates the credit card number and replenishes the 
   user's account (using some means outside the scope of this 
   specification) and releases the SIP session (8). The SIP controller 
   can now assume that communication between the prepaid user and the 
 
 
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   Top-up server took place and thus sends a spontaneous Credit-
   Control-Request (UPDATE_REQUEST) to the Diameter credit control 
   server to check if the account has been replenished (9). The 
   Diameter credit control server reserves credit from the end user's 
   account and return the reserved quota to the SIP controller in the 
   Credit-Control-Answer (10). At this point, the SIP controller re-
   connects the caller and the called party (11,12). 
    
A.8  Flow VIII 
    
 End-User              NAS             AAA Server    Top-up   CC 
 Server 
                     (CC Client)                       Server              
      |(1)User Logon      |(2)AA Request (CC AVPs)        |         | 
      |------------------>|------------------->|          |         | 
      |                   |                    |(3)CCR(initial, CC 
   AVPs) 
      |                   |                    |------------------->| 
      |                   |                    |(4)CCA(Final-Unit,  | 
      |                   |                    |      Validity-Time)| 
      |                   |                    |<-------------------| 
      |                   |(5)AA Answer(Final-Unit,Validity-Time)   | 
      |(6)Limited Access  |<-------------------|          |         | 
      |      granted      |                    |          |         | 
      |<----------------->|                    |          |         | 
      |                   |                    |          |         | 
      |   (7)TCP/HTTP     |        (8)TCP/HTTP            |         | 
      |<----------------->|<----------------------------->|         | 
      |                 (9) Replenish account             |         | 
      |<------------------------------------------------->|         | 
      |                   |                    |            (10)RAR | 
      |                   |<-------------------|<-------------------| 
      |                   | (11) RAA           |                    | 
      |                   |------------------->|------------------->| 
      |                   |(12)CCR(update)     |                    | 
      |                   |------------------->|(13)CCR(Update)     | 
      |                   |                    |------------------->| 
      |                   |                    |(14)CCA(granted Units) 
      |                   |(15)CCA(granted Units)<------------------| 
      |                   |<-------------------|                    | 
                                      
                          Figure A.8: Flow VIII 
    
   Figure A.8 is an example of the graceful service termination 
   initiated when the first interrogation take place due to user's 
   account is empty.  In this example the credit control server 
   supports the server initiated credit re-authorization. The Diameter 
   [NASREQ] is implemented in the Network Access Server (NAS). 
    
 
 
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   The user logs onto the network (1). The Diameter NAS first sends a 
   Diameter Authorization-Authentication-Request to the home Diameter 
   AAA Server, the credit-control client populates the AAR with the 
   Credit-Control AVP set to CREDIT_AUTHORIZATION and service specific 
   AVPs are included as usual [NASREQ]. The home Diameter AAA server 
   performs service specific Authentication and Authorization as usual. 
   The home Diameter AAA server determines that the user is a prepaid 
   user and notices from the Credit-Control AVP that the NAS has credit 
   control capabilities, it sends a Diameter Credit-Control-Request 
   with CC-Request-Type set to INITIAL_REQUEST to the Diameter credit-
   control server to perform credit authorization (3) and to establish 
   a credit control session (the home Diameter AAA server may forward 
   service specific AVPs as received from the NAS as input for the 
   rating process). The Diameter credit-control server checks the end 
   user's account balance, determines that the account cannot cover the 
   cost of the service and initiates the graceful service termination. 
   The Credit-Control-Answer is returned to the home Diameter AAA 
   server (4). This message contains the Final-Unit-Indication AVP and 
   the Validity-Time AVP set to a reasonable time to give chance to the 
   user to replenish his/her account (e.g. 10 minutes). The Final-Unit-
   Indication AVP includes: the Final-Unit-Action set to REDIRECT, the 
   Redirect-Address-Type set to URL and the Redirect-Server-Address set 
   to the HTTP Top-up server name. The home Diameter AAA server sends 
   the received credit control AVPs to the NAS in the Diameter 
   Authorization-Authentication-Answer (5). Upon successful AAA the NAS 
   starts the credit-control session and starts immediately the 
   graceful service termination as instructed by the server. The NAS 
   grant limited access to the user (6). The HTTP client software 
   running in the user's device opens the transport connection that is 
   redirected by the NAS to the Top-up server (7,8). The user is 
   displayed an appropriate web page where to enter the credit card 
   number, the amount of money to be used to replenish the account and 
   with a notification message that she will be granted unlimited 
   access if the replenishment operation will be successfully executed 
   within the next e.g. 10 minutes.  The Top-up server validates the 
   credit card number and replenishes the user's account (using some 
   means outside the scope of this specification)(9). After successful 
   account top-up the credit control server sends a Re-Auth-Request 
   message to the NAS (10). The NAS acknowledges the request by 
   returning the Re-Auth-Answer message (11) and initiates the credit 
   re-authorization by sending a Credit-Control-request 
   (UPDATE_REQUEST) to the Diameter credit control server (12,13).  
    
   The Diameter credit control server reserves credit from the end 
   user's account and return the reserved quota to the NAS via the home 
   Diameter AAA server in the Credit-Control-Answer (14,15). The NAS 
   removes the restriction placed by the graceful service termination 
   and starts monitoring the granted units. 
    
 
 
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A.9 Flow IX 
    
   The Diameter Credit Control Application defines the Multiple- 
   Services-Credit-Control AVP that can be used to support independent 
   credit control of multiple services in a single credit control (sub-
   )session  for service elements that have such capabilities.  
   It is possible to request and allocate resources as a credit  
   pool that is shared between services or rating groups.  
     
   The flow example hereafter illustrates a usage scenario where the 
   Credit-control client and server support independent credit control 
   of multiple services as defined in section 5.1.2.  It is assumed 
   that Service-Identifiers, Rating-Groups and their associated 
   parameters (e.g. IP 5-tuple) are locally configured in the Service 
   Element or provisioned by another entity than the credit control 
   server. 
      
  End-User         Service Element                           CC Server 
                      (CC client)                                  
     |(1)User logon      |                                         |  
     |------------------>|(2)CCR(initial, Service-Id access,       | 
     |                   |        Access specific AVPs,            | 
     |                   |        Multiple-Service-Indicator)      | 
     |                   |---------------------------------------->|  
     |                   |(3)CCA(Multiple-Services-CC (            |  
     |                   |        Granted-Units(Total-Octets),     |  
     |                   |        Service-Id access,               | 
     |                   |        Validity-time,                   | 
     |                   |        G-S-U-Pool-Reference(Pool-Id 1,  | 
     |                   |          Multiplier 10)))               | 
     |                   |<----------------------------------------| 
     :                   :                                         :  
     |(4)Service-Request (Service 1)                               |  
     |------------------>|(5)CCR(update, Multiple-Services-CC(     |  
     |                   |        Requested-Units(), Service-Id 1, | 
     |                   |        Rating-Group 1))                 | 
     |                   |---------------------------------------->| 
     |                   |(6)CCA(Multiple-Services-CC (            |  
     |                   |        Granted-Units(Time),             |  
     |                   |        Rating-Group 1,                  | 
     |                   |        G-S-U-Pool-Reference(Pool-Id 1,  | 
     |                   |          Multiplier 1)))                | 
     |                   |<----------------------------------------| 
     :                   :                                         :  
     |(7)Service-Request (Service 2)                               |  
     |------------------>|                                         |  
     :                   :                                         : 
     :                   :                                         : 

 
 
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     |(8)Service-Request (Service 3&4)                             |  
     |------------------>|(9)CCR(update, Multiple-Services-CC (    |  
     |                   |        Requested-Units(), Service-Id 3, | 
     |                   |        Rating-group 2),                 | 
     |                   |        Multiple-Services-CC (           | 
     |                   |        Requested-Units(), Service-Id 4, | 
     |                   |        Rating-Group 3))                 | 
     |                   |---------------------------------------->| 
     |                   |(10)CCA(Multiple-Services-CC (           |  
     |                   |        Granted-Units(Total-Octets),     |  
     |                   |        Service-Id 3, Rating-group 2,    | 
     |                   |        Validity-time,                   | 
     |                   |        G-S-U-Pool-Reference(Pool-Id 2,  | 
     |                   |          Multiplier 2)),                | 
     |                   |        Multiple-Services-CC (           |  
     |                   |        Granted-Units(Total-Octets),     |  
     |                   |        Service-Id 4, Rating-group 3     | 
     |                   |        Validity-time,                   | 
     |                   |        Final-Unit-Ind.(Terminate),      | 
     |                   |        G-S-U-Pool-Reference(Pool-Id 2,  | 
     |                   |          Multiplier 5)))                | 
     |                   |<----------------------------------------| 
     :                   :                                         :  
     :                   :                                         :  
     | +--------------+  |                                         |  
     | |Validity time |  |(11)CCR(update,                          |  
     | |expires for   |  |        Multiple-Services-CC (           | 
     | |Service-Id    |  |        Requested-Unit(),                | 
     | | access       |  |        Used-Units(In-Octets,Out-Octets),| 
     | +--------------+  |        Service-Id access))              | 
     |                   |---------------------------------------->|   
     |                   |(12)CCA(Multiple-Services-CC (           | 
     |                   |        Granted-Units(Total-Octets),     |  
     |                   |        Service-Id access,               |  
     |                   |        Validity-time,                   | 
     |                   |        G-S-U-Pool-Reference(Pool-Id 1,  |  
     |                   |          Multiplier 10)))               | 
     |                   |<----------------------------------------|  
     :                   :                                         :  
     :                   :                                         :  
     | +--------------+  |                                         |  
     | |Total Quota   |  |(13)CCR(update,                          |  
     | |elapses for   |  |       Multiple-Services-CC (            | 
     | |pool 2:       |  |        Requested-Unit(),                | 
     | |service 4 not |  |        Used-Units(In-Octets,Out-Octets),| 
     | |allowed,      |  |        Service-Id 3, Rating-group 2),   | 
     | |service 3 cont|  |       Multiple-Services-CC (            |  
     | +--------------+  |        Used-Units(In-Octets,Out-Octets),| 
     |                   |        Service-Id 4, Rating-group 3))   | 
 
 
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     |                   |---------------------------------------->|   
     |                   |(14)CCA(Multiple-Services-CC (           | 
     |                   |        Result-Code 4011,                |  
     |                   |        Service-Id 3))                   | 
     |                   |<----------------------------------------|  
     :                   :                                         :  
     :                   :                                         :   
     |(15) User logoff   |                                         |  
     |------------------>|(16)CCR(term,                            |  
     |                   |       Multiple-Services-CC (            |  
     |                   |        Used-Units(In-Octets,Out-Octets),| 
     |                   |        Service-Id access),              | 
     |                   |       Multiple-Services-CC (            |  
     |                   |        Used-Units(Time),                | 
     |                   |        Service-Id 1, Rating-group 1),   | 
     |                   |       Multiple-Services-CC (            |  
     |                   |        Used-Units(Time),                | 
     |                   |        Service-Id 2, Rating-group 1))   | 
     |                   |---------------------------------------->|  
     |                   |(17)CCA(term)                            |  
     |                   |<----------------------------------------|  
      
     Figure A.9: Independent credit control of multiple services in a 
                  Credit Control (sub-)Session, flow example.  
      
   The user logs onto the network (1). The Service Element sends a 
   Diameter Credit-Control-Request with CC-Request-Type set to 
   INITIAL_REQUEST to the Diameter credit-control server to perform 
   credit authorization for the bearer service (e.g. internet access 
   service) and to establish a credit control session (2). In this 
   message the credit-control client indicates support for independent 
   credit control of multiple services within the session by including 
   the Multiple-Service-Indicator AVP. The Diameter credit-control 
   server checks the end user's account balance, based on the rating 
   information received from the client (i.e. Service-Id and access 
   specific AVPs) rates the request and reserves credit from the end 
   user's account. Say the server reserves $5 and determines the cost 
   is $1/MB. It then returns to the service element a Credit-Control-
   Answer message that include the Multiple-Services-Credit-Control AVP 
   with a quota of 5MB associated to the Service-Id (access), to a 
   multiplier value of 10 and to the Pool-Id 1 (3).  
    
   The user uses Service 1 (4). The service element sends a Diameter 
   Credit-Control-Request with CC-Request-Type set to UPDATE_REQUEST to 
   the credit control server to perform credit authorization for 
   service 1 (5). This message includes the Multiple-Services-Credit-
   Control AVP to request service units for the Service 1 that belong 
   to Rating-Group 1. The Diameter credit-control server determines 
 
 
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                Diameter Credit Control Application    August 12, 2004 
 
 
   that Service 1 draws credit resources from the same account as the 
   access service (i.e. pool 1), based on Service-Id/Rating-Group rates 
   the request and updates the existing reservation by requesting more 
   credit. Say the server reserves $5 more (now the reservation is $10) 
   and determines the cost is $0.1/minutes. The server authorizes the 
   whole Rating-Group, it then returns to the service element a Credit-
   Control-Answer message that include the Multiple-Services-Credit-
   Control AVP with a quota of 50min. associated to the Rating-Group 1, 
   to a multiplier value of 1 and to the Pool-Id 1 (6). The client 
   adjusts the total amount of resources for pool 1 according the 
   received quota, which gives S for Pool 1 = 100. 
    
   The user uses Service 2 that belongs to the authorized Rating-Group 
   1 (7). Resources are then consumed from the pool 1. 
    
   The user requests now Service 3 and Service 4 as well, that are not 
   authorized (8). The service element sends a Diameter Credit-Control-
   Request with CC-Request-Type set to UPDATE_REQUEST to the credit 
   control server to perform credit authorization for service 3 and 4 
   (9). This message includes two instances of the Multiple-Services-
   Credit-Control AVP to request service units for the Service 3 that 
   belong to Rating-Group 2 and for the Service 4 that belong to 
   Rating-Group 3. The Diameter credit-control server determines that 
   Service 3 and 4 draw credit resources from another account (i.e. 
   pool 2), it checks the end user's account balance and based on 
   Service-Ids/Rating-Groups information rates the request and reserve 
   credit from pool 2. 
    
   For example, the server reserves $5 and determines that Service 3 
   costs $0.2/MB and Service 4 costs $0.5/MB. The server authorizes 
   only Services 3 and 4, it then returns to the service element a 
   Credit-Control-Answer message that include two instances of the 
   Multiple-Services-Credit-Control AVP (10). One instance grants a 
   quota of 12.5MB associated to the Service-Id 3, to a multiplier 
   value of 2 and to the Pool-Id 2. The other instance grants a quota 
   of 5 MB associated to the Service-Id 4, to a multiplier value of 5 
   and to the Pool-Id 2. 
    
   The server also determines that pool 2 is exhausted and Service 4 is 
   not allowed to continue after these units will be consumed. 
   Therefore the Final-Unit-Indication AVP with action TERMINATE is 
   associated to the Service-Id 4. The client calculates the total 
   amount of resources that can be used for Pool 2 according the 
   received quotas and multipliers, which give S for Pool 2 = 50. 
    
   The Validity-Time for the access service expires. The service 
   element sends a Credit-Control-Request message to the server to 
   perform credit re-authorization for Service-Id (access) (11). This 
   message carries one instance of the Multiple-Services-Credit-Control 
 
 
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   AVP that includes the units used by this service. Say the total 
   amount of used units is 4MB. The client adjusts the total amount of 
   resources for Pool 1 accordingly, which gives S for Pool 1 = 60. 
    
   The server deducts $4 from the user's account and updates the 
   reservation by requesting more credit. Say the server reserves $5 
   more (now the reservation is $11) and already knows the cost of the 
   Service-Id (access) that is $1/MB. It then returns to the service 
   element a Credit-Control-Answer message that include the Multiple-
   Services-Credit-Control AVP with a quota of 5 MB associated to the 
   Service-Id (access), to a multiplier value of 10 and to the Pool-Id 
   1 (12). The client adjusts the total amount of resources for pool 1 
   according the received quota, which gives S for Pool 1 = 110. 
    
   Services 3 and 4 consume the total amount of Pool 2 credit resources 
   (i.e. C1*2 + C2*5 >= S). The service element immediately starts the 
   TERMINATE action concerning Service 4 and sends a Credit-Control-
   Request message with CC-Request-Type set to UPDATE_REQUEST to the 
   credit control server to perform credit re-authorization for Service 
   3 (13). This message contains two instances of the Multiple-
   Services-Credit-Control AVP to report the units used by Service 3 
   and Service 4. The server deducts the last $5 from the user's 
   account (Pool 2) and returns the answer with Result-Code 4011 in the 
   Multiple-Services-Credit-Control AVP to indicate that Service 3 can 
   continue without credit control (14). 
    
   The end user logs off from the network (15). To debit the used units 
   from the end user's account and to stop the credit control session, 
   the service element sends a Diameter Credit-Control-Request with CC-
   Request-Type set to TERMINATION_REQUEST to the credit control server 
   (16). This message contains the units consumed by each of the used 
   services in multiple instances of the Multiple-Services-Credit-
   Control AVP. The used units are associated with the relevant 
   Service-Identifier and Rating-Group. The Diameter credit-control 
   server debits the used units to the user's account (Pool 1) and 
   acknowledges the session termination by sending a Diameter Credit-
   Control-Answer to the service element (17). 
    
Author's Address  
               
   Harri Hakala                   
   Oy L M Ericsson Ab  
   Joukahaisenkatu 1   
   20520 Turku  
   Finland  
   Phone: +358 2 265 3722  
   EMail: Harri.Hakala@ericsson.com  
         
   Leena Mattila  
 
 
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                Diameter Credit Control Application    August 12, 2004 
 
 
   Oy L M Ericsson Ab  
   Joukahaisenkatu 1   
   20520 Turku  
   Finland  
   Phone: +358 2 265 3731  
   EMail: Leena.Mattila@ericsson.com   
    
   Juha-Pekka Koskinen  
   Nokia Networks  
   Hatanpaanvaltatie 30  
   33100 Tampere  
   Finland  
         
   Phone: +358 7180 74027  
   Email: juha-pekka.koskinen@nokia.com  
         
   Marco Stura  
   Nokia Networks  
   Hiomotie 32 
   00380 Helsinki  
   Finland  
   Phone: +358 7180 64308  
   Email: marco.stura@nokia.com   
         
   John Loughney  
   Nokia Research Center  
   Itamerenkatu 11-13  
   00180 Helsinki  
   Finland  
   Phone: +358 50 483 642  
   Email: John.Loughney@nokia.com  
    
    
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                Diameter Credit Control Application    August 12, 2004 
 
 
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