Description
The Usage Reporting Rule (URR) is a fundamental component of the 5G Policy Control Framework, defined within the PCF (Policy Control Function) and enforced by the SMF (Session Management Function). It is a policy rule that dictates when and how usage information for a specific Service Data Flow (SDF) or aggregate of SDFs is to be reported. The URR is provisioned by the PCF as part of a PCC (Policy and Charging Control) rule and is uniquely identified within a PDU (Packet Data Unit) session. The rule contains triggers that define the reporting events, which can be based on thresholds (e.g., uplink/downlink data volume, session duration), specific occurrences (e.g., start/stop of a service, location change), or a combination thereof.
When a URR is active, the SMF monitors the relevant traffic against the configured triggers. Upon a trigger event, the SMF generates a Usage Monitoring Report. This report contains detailed information such as the URR ID, the monitored volumes (potentially broken down by rating group or QoS Flow), the triggering event, and timestamps. The SMF then sends this report to the PCF, typically via the N7 reference point, using the Npcf_SMPolicyControl_Update service operation. The PCF uses this reported data for multiple purposes, including real-time policy decisions, charging correlation, and providing input to the CHF (Charging Function) for online or offline charging.
Architecturally, URRs operate within the SMF's policy enforcement and data collection modules. They are tightly integrated with QoS Flow management and packet detection rules. A single PDU session can have multiple URRs active simultaneously, each monitoring different aspects of the session—for instance, one URR could monitor total data volume for billing, while another monitors volume for a specific sponsored service. The granularity allows for sophisticated service differentiation. The reporting can be one-time (upon a single event) or recurring (e.g., reporting every 100MB of data consumed). The URR framework is extensible, allowing for new trigger types to be defined in later 3GPP releases to support emerging services like network slicing or edge computing.
Purpose & Motivation
The URR was introduced to address the limitations of static, session-level reporting in previous generations, which were insufficient for the dynamic and service-rich environment of 5G. In 4G EPC, usage reporting was often tied to bearer establishment and modification, lacking the granularity for on-demand, event-driven reporting required for new business models like sponsored data, QoS-on-demand, and real-time analytics. The URR provides a flexible, policy-driven mechanism that decouples reporting from session management events.
Its creation was motivated by the need for more intelligent policy control. Operators require fine-grained visibility into network usage to implement advanced charging schemes (e.g., time-of-day, application-specific), enforce fair usage policies, and provide service guarantees. The URR enables this by allowing the PCF to dynamically instruct the SMF on what usage to monitor and when to report it, based on subscriber profile, network conditions, or service logic. This flexibility is crucial for supporting Network Slicing, where different slices may have entirely different reporting requirements for isolation and billing.
Furthermore, URR facilitates the convergence of policy and charging. By providing detailed, trigger-based reports, it allows the PCF to make informed decisions that directly impact charging in the CHF. This solves the problem of delayed or batched usage data, enabling real-time spending limit controls, quota management, and immediate service downgrade or upgrade based on consumed resources, thereby enhancing the user experience and operator revenue assurance.
Detected Changes Across Releases
from 3GPP Change RequestsSpecific changes extracted from the „Change history“ tables of 3GPP specifications (67 CRs across 5 releases). Complements the general historical overview above with the evidence-based evolution of this function.
Studied in Rel-14, normative work from Rel-15.
In Release 15, the URR (Usage Reporting Rule) function was newly introduced to enable event-driven and policy-controlled reporting from the User Plane. Key introductions included usage reporting on the N4 interface, support for event-based reporting for charging, and the ability for the Control Plane function to query usage reports. Specific new capabilities allowed for reporting on user plane inactivity, correlating additional reports, and triggering reports for events like QoS monitoring, including measured packet delay values.
- User plane reporting TS 29.244CR0041
- Session Reporting on N4 TS 29.244CR0052
- Correlating additional usage reports with the query URR request TS 29.244CR0068
- Reporting User Plane Inactivity on N4 TS 29.244CR0060
- Usage reports queried by the CP function TS 29.244CR0095
- Linked URR TS 29.244CR0103
+ 10 more changes
In Release 16, the URR function was enhanced to support new reporting capabilities for Time Sensitive Communication, including 5GS Bridge information and clock drift reporting between TSN and 5GS times. It also introduced mechanisms for Packet Rate Status Reporting and Control, Usage Reporting when using Redundant Transmission, and the ability to report UE IP Address Usage. Furthermore, the release added functionalities for activating predefined URRs, adjusting thresholds after a report, and providing a Null Usage Report.
- PFCP usage over N16a for the support of traffic offload by UPF controlled by I-SMF TS 29.244CR0266
- Validity time in Create URR IE TS 29.244CR0269
- Clarification to Create PDR/FAR/URR/QER/BAR/MAR IEs in a modification message TS 29.244CR0295
- Null Usage Report TS 29.244CR0315
- Reporting PDR ID in a Usage Report TS 29.244CR0349
- 5GS Bridge information reporting for Time Sensitive Communication TS 29.244CR0309
+ 12 more changes
In Release 17, the URR function was enhanced to enable the direct reporting of QoS monitoring events, including measured packet delay, to a Local NEF or AF when specified thresholds are reached. New capabilities were introduced for per-slice user plane resource allocation and IP address usage reporting, as well as user plane inactivity detection and reporting over the N4mb interface. Additionally, the release provided mechanisms for controlling the start and stop of usage measurement for a PFCP session and for including time domain identification in clock drift reporting.
- Direct Reporting of QoS monitoring events to Local NEF or AF TS 29.244CR0566
- Per Slice UP Resource Allocatoin and Usage Report TS 29.244CR0582
- Per Slice UE IP Address Usage Report TS 29.244CR0583
- User Plane (In)Activity Detection and Reporting over N4mb TS 29.244CR0608
- Reporting of the restart of a GTP-U entity TS 29.244CR0600
- Usage Reporting for Monitoring Time TS 29.244CR0590
+ 8 more changes
In Release 18, the URR function was enhanced with new QoS Monitoring Reporting Types, including the reporting of measured one-way or round-trip packet delay and the ability to trigger reports when specific thresholds are reached. It also introduced the capability for the UPF to report QoS Monitoring events directly to the SMF via the N4 reporting procedure upon matching conditions. Furthermore, support was added for reporting the DL data size over the N4 interface and for MBS data usage reporting over both N4 and N4mb interfaces for charging purposes.
- Direct reporting of TSC Management Information from UPF to TSN AF or TSCTSF TS 29.244CR0725
- N6 Jitter Measurement and Reporting and Marking End of Data Burst Indication TS 29.244CR0697
- Reporting suggestion information for QoS flow related QoS monitoring TS 29.244CR0733
- Reporting the DL data size over N4 TS 29.244CR0795
- MBS data usage reporting over N4mb for MBS charging TS 29.244CR0797
- MBS data usage reporting over N4 for MBS charging TS 29.244CR0798
+ 5 more changes
In Release 19, the URR function was enhanced with new capabilities for N6 delay measurement and reporting, as well as support for reporting the remaining data indication. Furthermore, it introduced usage reporting to support energy consumption monitoring and refined the mechanisms for (un)solicited application reporting and traffic detection reporting.
- N6 Delay Measurement and Reporting TS 29.244CR0888
- N6 Delay measurement and reporting TS 29.244CR0928
- Support of Remaining Data Reporting Indication TS 29.244CR0963
- Usage Reporting for EIF Energy Consumption Support TS 29.244CR0993
- Correction of references to Reporting Suggestion Info IE TS 29.244CR0938
- Correct the presence condition of the Reporting Suggestion Info IE in SRR TS 29.244CR0949
+ 2 more changes
Explore further
Broader topics and technologies where URR plays a role.
Defining Specifications
3GPP specifications that define or reference URR, with the latest known release. Sourced from the 3GPP document catalog — see methodology.
| Specification | Title | Release |
|---|---|---|
| TS 23.725 vg20 | Study on URLLC Architecture Enhancements | Rel-16 |
| TS 26.804 vj10 | 5G Media Streaming Extensions Study | Rel-19 |
| TS 29.244 vj40 | PFCP Specification for Control/User Plane Separation | Rel-19 |