Introduction and purpose

The purpose of this Recommendation is to define the collection of usage data needed to support accounting of residential SIP telephony (RST) features. In addition to defining how the collection of usage data is done, this Recommendation details the various accounting events and their associated attributes. The IPCablecom2 accounting framework and generic requirements are defined in the IPCablecom2 accounting Recommendation [ITU-T J.363], on which this Recommendation is based. This release of the Recommendation supports services described in Appendix II of [ITU-T J.460.0], and defined in detail in [ITU-T J.460.1]. Future releases will support additional services that are described in Appendices I and III of [ITU-T J.460.0], as they are developed.

Residential SIP telephony (RST) features are defined in the RST features Recommendation [ITU-T J.460.1]. Accounting procedures for a sub-set of those features defined by the RST specification are defined in this Recommendation. In particular, the RST specification defines both UE-based and network-based features. UE-based features are executed locally by the UE-based on some locally defined criteria (i.e., matching a feature code to an internal digit map for feature execution). Such features cannot be accounted for, as there are no accounting records created by the UE. Sessions resulting from local feature execution can be accounted for using standard accounting procedures. However, the reason for the session establishment will not always be known by the network. There are some locally executed features, e.g., three way calling, that may be detectable by the billing support system through post-processing of accounting records (i.e., if the billing support system sees two sets of seemingly unrelated accounting events for which both sessions were active at the same time, it can infer that a three way call was made).

Network-based features, on the other hand, are executed in the network by an application server. This server provides feature execution as defined by the RST specification. Given that application servers can generate accounting events, the features executed by application servers can be accounted for. Given that IPCablecom2 accounting does not define accounting for application servers, this Recommendation defines the accounting records the application server generates based on the feature being executed.

It is an important objective of this work that interoperability between IPCablecom 2.0 and 3GPP IMS is provided. IPCablecom 2.0 is based upon 3GPP IMS, but includes additional functionality necessary to meet the requirements of cable operators. Recognizing developing converged solutions for wireless, wireline, and cable, it is expected that further development of IPCablecom 2.0 will continue to monitor and contribute to IMS developments in 3GPP, with the aim of alignment of 3GPP IMS and IPCablecom 2.0.

NOTE – The structure and content of this Recommendation have been organized for ease of use by those familiar with the original source material; as such, the usual style of ITU-T recommendations has not been applied.