Gx PCC Rules

Question 1

The purpose of the PCC rule is to:

Answer 1

• Detect a packet belonging to a service data flow.
• The service data flow filters within the PCC rule are used for the selection of downlink IP CAN bearers.
• The service data flow filters within the PCC rule are used for the enforcement that uplink IP flows are transported in the correct IP CAN bearer.
• Identify the service the service data flow contributes to.
• Provide applicable charging parameters for a service data flow. - Provide policy control for a service data flow.

The PCEF shall select a PCC rule for each received packet by evaluating received packets against service data flow filters of PCC rules in the order of the precedence of the PCC rules.. When a packet matches a service data flow filter, the packet matching process for that packet is completed, and the PCC rule for that filter shall be applied

Question 2

There are two different types of PCC rules

Answer 2

• Dynamic PCC rules.
  Dynamically provisioned by the PCRF to the PCEF via the Gx interface. These PCC rules may be either predefined or dynamically generated in the PCRF. Dynamic PCC rules can be activated, modified and deactivated at any time.
• Predefined PCC rules.
  Preconfigured in the PCEF. Predefined PCC rules can be activated or deactivated by the PCRF at any time. Predefined PCC rules within the PCEF may be grouped allowing the PCRF to dynamically activate a set of PCC rules over the Gx reference point.

Question 3

A PCC rule consists of:

Answer 3

• a rule name;
• service identifier;
• service data flow filter(s);
• precedence;
• gate status;
• QoS parameters;
• charging key (i.e. rating group);
• other charging parameters.

Question 4

rule name

Answer 4

Used to reference a PCC rule in the communication between the PCEF and the PCRF.

Question 5

service identifier

Answer 5

Used to identify the service or the service component the service data flow relates to.

Question 6

service flow filter(s)

Answer 6

Used to select the traffic for which the rule applies.

Question 7

gate status

Answer 7

Indicates whether the service data flow, detected by the service data flow filter(s), may pass (gate is open) or shall be discarded (gate is closed) in uplink and/or in downlink direction.

Question 8

QoS information

Answer 8

Includes the QoS class identifier (authorized QoS class for the service data flow) and authorized bitrates for uplink and downlink.

Question 9

charging parameters

Answer 9

Define whether online and offline charging interfaces are used, what is to be metered in offline charging, on what level the PCEF shall report the usage related to the rule, etc.

Question 10

precedence

Answer 10

For different PCC rules with overlapping service data flow filter, the precedence of the rule determines which of these rules is applicable. When a dynamic PCC rule and a predefined PCC rule have the same precedence, the dynamic PCC rule takes precedence.

Question 11

Application Function record

Answer 11

PCC rule also includes Application Function record information for enabling charging correlation between the application and bearer layer if the AF has provided this information via the Rx interface. For IMS this includes the IMS Charging Identifier (ICID) and flow identifiers.

Question 12

operations for dynamic PCC rules

Answer 12

• Installation: to provision a PCC rules that has not been already provisioned.
• Modification: to modify a PCC rule already installed.
• Removal: to remove a PCC rule already installed.

Question 13

operations for predefined PCC rules

Answer 13

• Activation: to allow the PCC rule being active.

- Deactivation: to disallow the PCC rule.

Question 14

PCRF PCC Rule decisions may be based on one or more of -

Answer 14

• Information obtained from the AF via the Rx reference point, e.g. the session, media and subscriber related information.
  
  • Information obtained from the PCEF via the Gx reference point, e.g. IP-CAN bearer attributes, request type and subscriber related information.
  • Information obtained from the SPR via the Sp reference point, e.g. subscriber and service related data.
    NOTE: The details associated with the Sp reference point are not specified in this Release. The SPR’s relation to existing subscriber databases is not specified in this Release.
• Own PCRF pre-configured information.

Question 15

The PCRF shall provision PCC Rules to

Answer 15

the PCEF via the Gx reference point.

Question 16

The PCRF shall report events to

Answer 16

the AF via the Rx reference point.

Question 17

The PCRF shall inform the PCEF through the use of PCC rules

Answer 17

the treatment of each service data flow that is under PCC control, in accordance with the PCRF policy decision(s).

Question 18

The PCRF shall be able to select

Answer 18

the bearer control mode that will apply for the IP-CAN session and provide it to the PCEF via the Gx reference point.