a system , method , and apparatus in an access network such as the generic access network for providing user - type information to a security gateway or for enabling the segw to obtain user - type information for different user types so that the segw can apply specific security functions based on the user type . the invention may also provide user - type information to a controller node such as a gan controller or may enable the ganc to obtain user - type information for application of security settings toward gan - clients . an authentication , authorization and accounting server may create a user - type indication internally , or may obtain an indication from a home location register and forward the indication to the segw . the segw may forward the indication to the ganc , or the ganc may determine the user - type information internally or retrieve it from a database .