An authentication loading control feature enables a service provider to control the number of authentication procedures or percentage of time that authentication procedures are performed by a network element adapted to perform authentication procedures (e.g., a Serving GPRS Support Node (SGSN) of a UMTS network); and an information recapture feature enables the network element to obtain, in the absence of authentication, UE information that conventionally would have been received as a part of the authentication procedure as needed, for example and without limitation, to support charging and lawful intercept functions.