Static IP handling per access point name
A cellular communication system uses a policy control rule function (PCRF) to allow or deny a particular user or user group access to a given access point name (APN). An allowed APN may support static IP address assignment for that user/user group. By restricting requested APNs via a test in the PCRF, frequent changes to the user's home service server (HSS)/home location registry (HLR) supporting static IP address can be avoided while ensuring that designated users will have access to an APN that supports the needed IP address pool.
1. A policy control rule function (PCRF) deployed in a cellular communication system comprising:
a processor; and
an access point name (APN) processing module executed by the processor that performs the steps of:
sending a lightweight data access protocol (LDAP) message to a data repository regarding a pending data session in the cellular communication system;
receiving, from the data repository a user profile for a user associated with the pending data session, the user profile including a list of supported features;
analyzing a feature table for matching features in a hierarchical order, the feature table including a block all service type; and
setting a service type according to an APN associated with the pending data session responsive to a match between the APN and an APN descriptor in the feature table; and
blocking the data session responsive the service type being set to the block all service type.
2. The PCRF of claim 1 , wherein the APN processing module performs a comparison of a requested APN from the pending data session to an APN in the feature table.
3. The PCRF of claim 2 , wherein the comparison of the requested APN to the APN in the feature table comprises executing a rule from the feature table when the requested APN is not equal to the APN in the feature table.