Patent ID: 9003489
Filing Date: 2015-04-07
Classification: H04L,H04W

Abstract:
1. A method, comprising: communicating an access request from a general packet radio service support node (“GGSN”) to an authentication, authorization, and accounting (“AAA”) element, wherein the access request is associated with network authentication relating to a subscriber; and receiving at the GGSN from the AAA element in response to the access request an access response that includes a profile associated with the subscriber, wherein the profile includes a group attribute that defines the subscriber as being part of a group of subscribers comprising a virtual user group sharing a network data plan that defines a data allotment assigned to the group over a specified time interval; wherein the communicating and receiving occur during an attachment of the subscriber to a network to establish a communications session via the network; and wherein the receiving includes receiving a unique data string sent by the AAA element, and wherein the unique data string identifies a full set of subscribers belonging to the virtual user group.