Final Unit Indication

You can configure Diameter Final Unit Indication (FUI) information to be static or dynamic.

With static FUIs, the same result occurs with every usage scenario, regardless of conditions that caused the FUI to be returned to the network. With dynamic FUIs, a different FUI result occurs based on conditions that are applicable at the time of rating. For example, you can have mobile phone subscribers with a low balance quantity be redirected to a top up website when the Final-Unit-Indication value is returned in the response to the network.

If your service contexts require dynamic setting of the FUI information, you must define two types of catalog components, FUI profiles and FUI generators, and add the FUI generator ID to the service context type definition. If service contexts do not require the FUI to be set dynamically, you do not need to create the FUI catalog components and only have to add the static FUI profile information to the service context type definition. Only one method can be used for a service context.

With dynamic FUI configuration, you can configure any number of different FUI profiles that specify different actions to execute. Each one is selected dynamically during rating based on the FUI generator associated with the service being used based on the conditions applicable during runtime.

Pricing administrators configure FUI settings in a service type definition by using My MATRIXX. Notification messages are generated when a FUI profile is selected during rating and notifications are enabled for that profile. For example, if a FUI profile is selected and it has a FUI generator that normalizes on the StatusValue of a subscriber, when a subscriber is in an inactive state and makes a voice call, a FUI and a notification are delivered. If the same subscriber makes another call without activation, a FUI and a notification are delivered again.

MATRIXX supports Diameter FUI and notifications for both Diameter Multiple-Services-Credit-Control (MSCC) and Immediate Event Charging (IEC).

For information about defining FUI behavior, see My MATRIXX Help.

For information about the Diameter Final-Unit-Indication AVP, see MATRIXX Diameter Integration.

Final Unit Indication Actions

Diameter Gy/Ro and 5G N40 clients periodically request a quota of some amount of network service to use, allow usage of that quota, and report how much of that quota was used before requesting another. Sometimes, MATRIXX might deny a request for quota, or it might grant a final quota before denying further requests. A denial or final quota should be accompanied by a FUI to indicate the action to perform when no quota remains:

  • REDIRECT: Service is paused while the user is redirected to a URL, such as that of a self-care portal.
  • RESTRICT_ACCESS: Service is paused while user IP traffic is restricted to operator-designated hosts, such as self-care portals and related resources.
  • TERMINATE: Service is terminated.
When quota is denied:
  • Denials with actions REDIRECT or RESTRICT_ACCESS pause the service. This gives the user an opportunity to restore service, such as by visiting a self-care portal to add credit to balances, by purchasing new offers, or otherwise modifying the subscription state. This might trigger an outbound RAR/Notify request to the network, which in turn triggers an inbound request to resume service. Service can also be paused when Quota-Holding-Time (QHT) indicates an amount of time that quota can be held unused. Beyond this time, unused quota is released and service is paused until usage resumes.
  • Denials with action TERMINATE do not include validity time and termination occurs immediately after no quota remains for further usage.
  • Denials with actions REDIRECT or RESTRICT_ACCESS near a common time boundary (for example, midnight on the first day of a new billing, balance, or purchased-item cycle period) do not include validity times.
  • Denials do not include the Quota-Holding-Time (QHT), Time-Quota-Threshold (TQT), Unit-Quota-Threshold (UQT), or Volume-Quota-Threshold (VQT) AVPs.
When quota is final:
  • The Quota-Validity-Time (QVT) is included with a possible Tariff-Time-Change (TTC), QHT, TQT, UQT, or VQT.
  • FUI actions are postponed until the network reports that final quota has been exhausted by usage. If the network reauthorizes while some quota remains unused, the remainder is granted as another final quota.

When the action is REDIRECT or RESTRICT_ACCESS, you can set a denial validity time for quota that is denied with either action. A nonzero value represents a fixed time duration from the denial, regardless of upcoming time boundaries. For example, with a validity of one hour near a boundary at midnight, denials at different times between 11 PM and midnight expire at times between midnight and 1 AM, rather than all expiring at midnight. During this time, service can be restored by modifying the subscription and triggering a request to restore service. After this time, the network is expected to send a request to restore service, which might be denied again.

Denial validity time defaults to zero and results in the following:

  • Service is terminated (not paused).
  • The Validity-Time AVP is not included with denials.
In addition:
  • Responses that grant final quota include QVT and QHT and TQT, UQT, and VQT equal to 0 (zero) so that final quota can be exhausted.
  • Final quota can be reauthorized by reporting usage of that quota and possibly requesting another, including the possibility that final quota has not been used to exhaustion. Any unused amount can be granted as a new final quota.
  • The network usually includes a Diameter Reporting-Reason or 5G N40 trigger to indicate the reason for the report. QHT pauses service and FINAL terminates service.