Rel-19 Charging Enhancements

Gerald Görmer, MATRIXX Office of the CTO Consultant, is the 3GPP SA5 SWG Charging Chair and authored this article for the 3GGP Highlights Newsletter, December 2025.

The Converged Charging System remains at the heart of telecom monetization, enhanced at each release to help service providers support evolving business models and new service demands. Building on the foundation of 5G, the charging features introduced in Rel-19 provide operators with new ways to monetize advanced connectivity, vertical industry services, and next-generation applications.

Highlights of Rel-19 Charging Enhancements

NTN 5GS Satellite Access

Satellite access and backhaul, first introduced in Rel-18, are now fully integrated into the charging system. Business cases include Mobile Network Operators (MNOs) offering satellite services — such as service continuity between terrestrial and satellite coverage — and Satellite Service Providers offering network access to MNOs.

Rel-19 expands these scenarios to include MNOs providing satellite services to MVNOs, roaming between operators with and without satellite access, and new service types such as UE-Satellite-UE communication (IMS voice/video with optimized media routing) and Store-and-Forward (S&F) satellite operation. The S&F mechanism supports delay-tolerant services like SMS by extending the relevant Charging Data Records (CDRs).

Charging Function (CHF) Segmentation

The CHF can now be segmented across domains and business contexts based on extended filter criteria, leveraging the Network Repository Function (NRF) framework for CHF instances selection, enabling distributed deployments that align with cloud native architectures. Operators can isolate individual subscribers and enterprise flows, assign separate responsibilities for wholesale versus retail accounts. For example, using the concept of CHF Group Id, dedicated CHF instance(s) could be assigned to high-priority enterprise contracts, while others to mass-market.

Network Exposure Evolution

Integration with the Common API Framework (CAPIF) brings charging into the heart of network exposure. Charging hooks are added to the CAPIF, allowing operators to bill Service APIs Providers for Management (e.g. publishing service APIs) and Service API invokers for e.g. Service APIs discovery.

In addition, IMS as new exposed network capabilities as well as IMS evolution (data channel application and avatar communication) are covered. This enhances the charging capabilities for monetizing partnerships where network capabilities, such as analytics or AI-driven services, are consumed by third parties.

Network Sharing

Charging capabilities for shared and roaming environments have been refined to improve settlement accuracy. Under Multi-Operator Core Network (MOCN) arrangements, charging is based on RAN performance metrics — such as transferred data volume and number of PDU sessions — collected by the host operator. In indirect network sharing scenarios, where multiple cores connect via an intermediary operator, charging data can now differentiate usage by each participant.

Support for Minimization of Service Interruption (MINT) introduces charging recognition for inbound roamers connecting under disaster conditions, ensuring emergency access remains measurable and recoverable. Together, these updates make cooperative deployments both technically and commercially sustainable.

Positioning Services

Converged charging has been extended to cover both 5GC location services and new ranging and sidelink positioning features. High-accuracy positioning can be monetized in use cases such as connected vehicles requiring centimeter-level navigation, or industrial robots coordinating movements in a factory floor. Charging events capture the type of positioning, accuracy parameters and frequency of updates, enabling tiered offerings. For example, logistics companies could pay a premium for continuous tracking of freight containers, while consumer-level applications might only need periodic updates.

Evolution for New Device Types

Charging is evolving in support of emerging device categories and the services they enable. For Uncrewed Aerial Systems (UAS), operators can charge based on identification, tracking, pre-flight planning, and in-flight monitoring managed through the UAS Service Supplier (USS). Drone-based delivery providers might be billed per flight hour, distance, or airspace usage. For Ambient Power-Enabled IoT, charging covers inventory and command-type services exposed via the Network Exposure Function (NEF). These support ultra-low-power devices that rely on harvested energy and communicate intermittently, enabling scalable, low-cost IoT business models for massive deployments.

Looking Ahead

From non-terrestrial access to positioning services, from shared networks to next-generation devices, charging is evolving to ensure every innovation can be monetized. These improvements not only secure new revenue streams but also give operators the tools to build sustainable business models in areas ranging from IoT to satellite. As the industry looks toward 6G, charging will remain a cornerstone of commercial success for network evolution.

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NOTE: This post was adapted from an article that appeared in 3GPP Highlights Newsletter, December, 2025.