Patent ID: 6975850

Claim:
A method for performing charging in a telecommunications system, comprising: storing at a subscriber information store subscription information including charging arrangement information indicative of the charging arrangement for a first communication terminal operating in the telecommunications system; providing by means of packet data interface apparatus packet data communication services to the first terminal, the packet data interface apparatus being capable of interfacing between the first communication terminal and a packet-switched data link to another communications terminal; generating by means of the packet data interface apparatus usage information messages indicative of the usage of the packet data communication services by the first terminal; and transferring the usage information messages to a charging apparatus; the method further including the steps of: transferring the charging arrangement information stored at the subscriber information store from the subscriber information store to the packet data interface apparatus; and storing at the packet data interface apparatus the charging arrangement information received from the subscriber information store for the first communication terminal; and wherein the step of generating usage information messages comprises generating the said usage information messages dependent on the charging arrangement information for the first communication terminal.