A method of facilitating charging for communication in a telecommunication
network, such as a network supporting GPRS, that has a node split into a
control-plane entity and a user-plane entity includes the step of sending,
from the control-plane entity to the user-plane entity, an event in
accordance with a media gateway control protocol. The event orders the
user-plane entity to notify the control-plane entity when a predetermined
volume of communication has occurred. The method further includes the
steps of determining, by the user-plane entity, whether the predetermined
volume has occurred, and notifying the control-plane entity when that has
occurred. The predetermined volume may be a number of octets, and the
user-plane entity may notify the control-plane entity by sending a notify
command in accordance with the media gateway control protocol. Also, the
volume of communication may be selected such that signaling between the
control-plane and user-plane entities is controlled, and the control-plane
and user-plane entities may be a node supporting a general packet radio
service. The network may be a traditional circuit-switched network that
uses packet bearers and the predetermined volume of communication may be a
predetermined number of octets or packets. The user-plane entity may be
pre-provisioned with the event.
