Content for TR 28.815 Word version: 17.0.0

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1 Scope p. 8

The present document studies the charging aspects of Edge Computing based on:

architecture, procedures and information flows for enabling Edge Applications over 3GPP network specified in TS 23.558.
capabilities for 5GS to support edge computing specified in TS 23.501, TS 23.502 and TS 23.503 incorporating enhancements from TR 23.748 conclusions.

The ETSI ISG MEC framework is also considered.

The charging aspects encompasses:

End user charging when accessing edge applications enabled over 3GPP networks.
Inter-Provider charging by considering the different business roles (i.e. ASP, ECSP and MNO).

The investigation includes different charging scenarios with potential business requirements, alternative solutions with potential impact on charging architecture, charging functions and charging procedures.

2 References p. 8

The following documents contain provisions which, through reference in this text, constitute provisions of the present document.

References are either specific (identified by date of publication, edition number, version number, etc.) or non specific.
For a specific reference, subsequent revisions do not apply.
For a non-specific reference, the latest version applies. In the case of a reference to a 3GPP document (including a GSM document), a non-specific reference implicitly refers to the latest version of that document in the same Release as the present document.

[1]

TR 21.905: "Vocabulary for 3GPP Specifications".

[2]

TS 32.240: "Telecommunication management; Charging management; Charging architecture and principles".

[3]

TS 23.501: "System architecture for the 5G System (5GS); Stage 2".

[4]

TS 23.558: "Architecture for enabling Edge Applications".

[5]

TS 32.290: "Telecommunication management; Charging management; 5G system; Services, operations and procedures of charging using Service Based Interface (SBI)".

[6]

TS 32.255: "Telecommunication management; Charging management; 5G Data connectivity domain charging; stage 2".

[7]

TS 32.256: "Telecommunication management; 5G connection and mobility domain charging; Stage 2".

[8]

TS 29.512: "5G System; Session Management Policy Control Service; Stage 3".

[9]

TS 23.502: "Procedure for the 5G System (5GS); Stage 2".

[10]

TS 23.503: "Policy and charging control framework for the 5G System (5GS); Stage 2".

[11]

TR 23.748: "Study on enhancement of support for Edge Computing in 5G Core network (5GC)".

[12]

TR 28.814: "Study on enhancements of edge computing management".

[13]

TS 28.552: "Management and orchestration; 5G performance measurements".

[14]

TS 28.554: "Management and orchestration; 5G end to end Key Performance Indicators (KPI)".

[15]

TR 28.550: "Management and orchestration; Performance assurance".

[16]

TS 28.622: "Telecommunication management; Generic Network Resource Model (NRM) Integration Reference Point (IRP); Information Service (IS)".

[17]

TS 28.532: "Management and orchestration; Generic management services".

[18]

TS 28.522: "Telecommunication management; Performance Management (PM) for mobile networks that include virtualized, network functions; Stage 2".

[19]

ETSI GS NFV-IFA 008 (V3.4.1): "Network Functions Virtualisation (NFV) Release 3; Management and Orchestration; Ve-Vnfm reference point - Interface and Information Model Specification".

[20]

TS 23.548: "5G System Enhancements for Edge Computing; Stage 2".

3 Definitions of terms, symbols and abbreviations p. 9

3.1 Terms p. 9

For the purposes of the present document, the terms given in TR 21.905 and the following apply. A term defined in the present document takes precedence over the definition of the same term, if any, in TR 21.905.

3.2 Symbols p. 9

Void.

3.3 Abbreviations p. 9

For the purposes of the present document, the abbreviations given in TR 21.905 and the following apply. An abbreviation defined in the present document takes precedence over the definition of the same abbreviation, if any, in TR 21.905.

Application Client

ACR

Application Context Relocation

ASP

Application Service Provider

CEF

Charging Enablement Function

CHF

Charging Function

EAS

Edge Application Server

ECS

Edge Configuration Server

ECSP

Edge Computing Service Provider

EDN

Edge Data Network

EES

Edge Enabler Server

MNO

Mobile Network Operator

MnS

Management Service

4 Business roles p. 9

Edge computing in 5G environment involves the services or capabilities provided by multiple service providers and entities in the form of following business roles:

ASP providing edge application service to the subscribers;
ECSP providing edge data network environment (e.g. infrastructure and platform) and edge enabling service (e.g. EAS deployment, registration and discovery) to ASP;
MNO providing 5GS capabilities supporting edge computing.

In the deployments, there could be scenarios where one or more of the business roles are supported by a single enterprise, i.e., one enterprise may play a single business role or multiple business roles, for instance the enterprise may only play the MNO role, or play both MNO and ESCP roles. The present document does not impose any restrictions to the possible deployment scenarios.

5 Concepts and overview p. 10

There could be various business models in terms of charging between the service providers and the served consumer(s) for edge computing in 5G environment in manifold business modes such as B2C, B2B and B2B2X, for example (but not limited to):

Subscriber charging
- MNO charges the subscribers for usage of 5GS capabilities supporting edge computing.
Service-provider charging
- MNO charges the industry consumer (e.g., ECSP) for 5GS capabilities provided to support edge computing in total instead of for each individual subscriber;
- ECSP charges the ASP for the edge enabling service.

The solutions described in the present document aim to flexibly support the charging scenarios for edge computing in 5G environment without restriction to any specific business model.