A Simulation Model for the Cumulus Pricing Scheme

The Cumulus Pricing Scheme (CPS) determines an important management functionality of commercial networks in future and it is the only approach known so far defining a clear relation between different time-scales of accounting periods, measurement periods, and charging periods. Prices in this scheme are based on flat fees and hence predictable and transparent. CPS is backed by the design and implementation of a generic and modular Internet Charging System (ICS), which offers a service-independent architecture and integrates economically controlled network management functions of charge calculation and pricing. In order to proof the major ideas of CPS, an initial simulation model has been built. It consists of a Traffic Data Recording (TDR) unit and Data Integrating and Analyzing (DIA) unit. The characteristics of a customer are analyzed in this model. Socalled red and green Cumulus Points (CP) are used to judge the behavior of this customer. The simulation models enables the investigation of the importance of choosing a best value for those thresholds, which determine the assignment of CPs.