Virtual Private Network (VPN) dedicated to a customer using a physical
transmission network based upon Multi-Protocol Label Switching (MPLS)
technology including a plurality of Provider (P) devices and a plurality
of Provider Edge (PE) devices, the customer owning at least two specific
Customer Edge (CE) devices amongst a plurality of CE devices, a specific
CE device being attached to a specific PE device and enabling the
customer to gain access to any other CE device belonging to the same VPN,
by the intermediary of PE devices to which are attached the CE devices.
The VPN comprises several billing zones (10, 12, 14) being each defined
by the application of a single flat rate. A PE device (18) belonging to
each billing zone includes a virtual router (58, 60, 62) associated with
each billing zone, two virtual routers being interconnected by a virtual
circuit (38, 40, 42) transmitting all the traffic exchanged between the
two associated billing zones so that the traffic flowing between the two
billing zones can be measured and therefore precisely billed to the
customer.