Enrolling in the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP)

The Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) is a federal program in the United States that aims to provide affordable internet access to eligible low-income households. The program is part of the Emergency Broadband Benefit Program (EBBP), which was established in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The ACP provides a discount of up to $30 per month for internet service, as well as a one-time discount of up to $100 for a laptop, desktop computer, or tablet. The program is available to eligible households across the United States and its territories. In this article, we will discuss the eligibility requirements for the ACP and how households can enroll in the program.

Eligibility Requirements for the Affordable Connectivity Program

To be eligible for the Affordable Connectivity Program, households must meet certain income or participation criteria. Specifically, households must meet one of the following criteria:

Income Criteria:

Households must have an income that is at or below 135% of the federal poverty guidelines or participate in a qualifying assistance program. Qualifying assistance programs include:

• Medicaid

• Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)

• Supplemental Security Income (SSI)

• Federal Public Housing Assistance (FPHA)

• Veterans Pension and Survivors Benefit

• Tribal-specific programs for qualifying low-income households

Participation Criteria:

Households must participate in at least one of the following programs:

• Lifeline Program, including Medicaid, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), Supplemental Security Income (SSI), Federal Public Housing Assistance (FPHA), Veterans Pension and Survivors Benefit

• Head Start

• Free or reduced-price school lunch or breakfast program

• School Breakfast Program (SBP)

• Emergency Broadband Benefit Program (EBBP)

How to Enroll in the Affordable Connectivity Program

Eligible households can enroll in the Affordable Connectivity Program by following these steps:

Check Eligibility:

The first step is to check eligibility for the program. Eligible households can use the National Verifier tool, which is available on the Universal Service Administrative Company (USAC) website. The National Verifier tool can help households determine if they are eligible for the program and which internet service providers are participating in the program.

Choose an Internet Service Provider:

Once eligibility has been confirmed, eligible households can choose an internet service provider (ISP) that is participating in the program. The list of participating ISPs is available on the USAC website. Eligible households can contact participating ISPs directly to enroll in the program.

Complete the Application Process:

The application process will vary depending on the participating ISP. Generally, eligible households will need to provide proof of eligibility, such as documentation of participation in a qualifying assistance program or proof of income. The participating ISP will then process the application and provide the household with a confirmation of enrollment.

Purchase or Lease an Eligible Device:

Eligible households can receive a one-time discount of up to $100 for a laptop, desktop computer, or tablet. To receive the discount, households must purchase or lease an eligible device from a participating retailer. The list of participating retailers is available on the USAC website. The discount will be applied at the time of purchase or lease.

Start Receiving Benefits:

Once enrolled in the program, eligible households will start receiving the monthly discount of up to $30 for internet service. The discount will be applied to the monthly internet bill. Eligible households can also use the one-time discount of up to $100 to purchase or lease an eligible device.

The Affordable Connectivity Program is a federal program that aims to provide affordable internet access to eligible low-income households. The program provides a discount of up to $30 per month for internet service and a one-time discount of up to $100 for a laptop, desktop computer, or tablet.

Telgoo5 Provide Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) Billing Services

As a telecom billing software provider, Telgoo5 is committed to supporting the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) and other initiatives that promote affordable internet access. Telgoo5 provides a comprehensive suite of billing services that can help internet service providers (ISPs) efficiently manage their ACP enrollments and ensure compliance with program requirements.

Telgoo5's ACP billing services are designed to support the entire ACP enrollment process, from eligibility verification to discount application and billing. Here's how Telgoo5's ACP billing services work:

Eligibility Verification

The first step in the ACP enrollment process is eligibility verification. Telgoo5's ACP billing services can help ISPs verify the eligibility of their customers by integrating with the National Verifier tool, which is available on the Universal Service Administrative Company (USAC) website. The National Verifier tool can help ISPs determine if their customers are eligible for the ACP and which participating ISPs are available in their area.

Discount Application

Once eligibility has been verified, Telgoo5's ACP billing services can help ISPs apply the ACP discount to their customers' bills. The ACP discount is up to $30 per month for internet service and up to $100 for a laptop, desktop computer, or tablet. Telgoo5's billing system can automatically apply the ACP discount to eligible customers' bills, ensuring that they receive the maximum discount available.

Billing and Payment Processing

Telgoo5's billing system can also help ISPs efficiently manage their ACP enrollments by automating billing and payment processing. The billing system can generate invoices, process payments, and manage customer accounts, freeing up ISPs' time to focus on providing high-quality service to their customers.

Compliance Reporting

ISPs that participate in the ACP are required to comply with certain reporting requirements, such as providing regular reports on their ACP enrollments and discount applications. Telgoo5's ACP billing services can help ISPs generate compliance reports quickly and accurately, ensuring that they are in compliance with program requirements.

Customized Solutions

Telgoo5 understands that every ISP is unique and has its own set of requirements and preferences. That's why Telgoo5 offers customized solutions to meet the specific needs of each ISP. Whether an ISP is looking for a fully integrated billing system or a modular solution that can be customized to fit its existing infrastructure, Telgoo5 can provide a solution that meets its needs.

Benefits of Using Telgoo5's ACP Billing Services

Using Telgoo5's ACP billing services can provide ISPs with a range of benefits, including:

Increased Efficiency

By automating the ACP enrollment process, Telgoo5's billing services can help ISPs save time and reduce the administrative burden of managing ACP enrollments. This can allow ISPs to focus on providing high-quality service to their customers and growing their business.

Improved Compliance

Telgoo5's ACP billing services can help ISPs ensure that they are in compliance with program requirements by automating compliance reporting and providing real-time access to program data. This can help ISPs avoid compliance issues and potential penalties.

Enhanced Customer Experience

By streamlining the ACP enrollment process and automating billing and payment processing, Telgoo5's billing services can help ISPs provide a better customer experience. This can lead to increased customer satisfaction and loyalty, as well as positive word-of-mouth referrals.

Cost Savings

Telgoo5's ACP billing services can help ISPs save money by reducing the need for manual processes and administrative staff. This can allow ISPs to operate more efficiently and reduce their overhead costs.

Conclusion

The Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) is a federal program that aims to provide affordable internet access to eligible low-income households. As an experienced telecom billing software provider, Telgoo5 is committed to supporting the ACP and other initiatives

Telecom Billing: A Challenging Landscape

Telecom Billing Services are an essential part of the Telecom Industry. With the massive growth and advancement of the industry, Telecom Billing Software is constantly evolving.

Gone are the days when Customer Service Providers (CSPs) only needed to calculate billing for calls or occasional text messages. Nowadays, people base their life on telecommunication services. From ordering food to calling friends abroad, telecom is the lifeblood of the modern economy.

Billing Software must attend to the needs of a 5G, fast-paced age. Increasing demand for better customer experience, multitudinal business models, etc., induce innovative techniques.

In addition, we have witnessed an increase in technological offerings. Internet of Things (IoT), Machine to Machine (M2M), and other technologies are pushing for newer Telecom Billing Solutions. Telecom Billing Services must be on top of its game to emerge as a market leader.

Telecom's Billing Software Integration

A telecom service provider caters to a large number of users. They use multiple services and, in some instances, have numerous accounts.

It would be impractical to calculate their user charges through make-do software manually. Dedicated software for accurate billing like Telecom Billing Software takes care of these needs. It considers factors such as late payment, balance, overuse, discounts, offers, special rates, etc.

Integration of such a system helps in billing in real-time through an Online Charging System (OCS). Most processes are automated, resulting in efficiency. It makes it easier to generate reports and deal with wholesale billing and reconciliation through relevant Telecom Billing Solutions.

In addition, B2B and B2C customers emphasize user interface and experience. Integration of Customer Relationship Management (CRM) with Telecom Billing software has become inevitable.

A Flexible Customer Billing System

Good Billing Software should provide customers with multiple options to pay. It should also include opportunities to make changes to the bill plan and add additional services.

This flexibility allows businesses to focus on revenue growth and generation while providing customers the best possible hassle-free services. To make this possible, a Telecom Billing Solution has multiple features that effectively answer the needs of a dynamic business environment.

Customer Service Providers(CSPs) have long realized that users keep using new services, and their payment methods can change on the go. A Flexible Telecom Billing Software allows them to provide customers with tailored offers. And payment options such as:

●     Post-Paid

●     Pre-Paid

●     Pay On the Go

●     One Time Payment

It can also provide regional and service-level customization for a pleasing experience.

Customer & Billing Data Security

People are careful about their money and data. They must know that these things are protected through gold-standard security mechanisms.

Cyberattacks, such as ransomware, remain a real and constant threat in our world. And the telecom industry is no stranger to it. Therefore, CSPs must employ top-notch security measures to secure customers' data and provide safe payment options.

Best Telecom Billing Services mandate using a Secure Socket Layer (SSL) certificate. An SSL Certificate ensures data transfer between the device and billing platform is end-to-end data encrypted. Having such a feature helps in fostering customer trust and industry reputation.

Tokenization. is a process through which you can 'tokenize' your billing platform. It substitutes sensitive data with nonsensitive data that can't be exploited. Therefore sensitive financial information can be transmitted.

Telecom Billing Software incorporates these features, providing peace of mind and customers a safe experience.

Cloud-Based Reporting

Cloud reporting is a reporting service that allows users to access applications hosted on a cloud. A cloud-based reporting Telecom Billing Solution provides 24x7 anywhere in the world billing services.

Such reporting increases speed and efficiency across the system. The applications on a cloud can be accessed through different devices using web browsers.

A client doesn't have to control or manage the entire cloud infrastructure. You can log in to the cloud-based service using the latest software version. Your data will be backed up centrally and taken care of.

This software enhances your client reporting while simultaneously helping you cut your expenditure.

Being on the cloud is advantageous in natural or artificial calamities where business continuity is crucial. Data and reporting systems are securely stored off-site and conveniently accessible from any internet-capable device.

Thus, cloud-based reporting is the future of client reporting and fund reporting.

Complete Account Management Systems Integration

Keeping track of all revenues, expenses, and other financial transactions is made more accessible for organizations by using an accounting management system or accounting management software—additionally, such software assists business owners in obtaining the information necessary for decision-making.

A Complete Account Management System Software will have automatic tax calculation features and advanced financial report formulations. It will make it easier to produce balance sheets, advanced ledger reports, and income statements.

Similarly, this software will make it easier for you to handle all your invoices, receive payments and monitor them. This is a very efficient method of record-keeping.

While large business ventures need this software to handle crucial financial information, it is also essential for small-scale and medium-scale companies to install it because this will help lower their business costs.

There will not be a need for many employees in the accounting department as the job of 4-5 accountants will be managed by just one accountant using this software.

Secure Customer Billing & Subscription Payment Processes

When giving money, people need to have peace of mind. A secure customer billing process with multiple payment gateway integrations is the industry standard. If people feel unsafe with billing, it will eventually drive them away from the Customer Service Provider (CSP)

Telecom Billing Services have inbuilt security features that protect consumer information from hackers or leaks. They are constantly updated through cloud platform technology to get the latest security firmware updates.

Consumers can pay bills and get charged based on subscriptions at an interval of time without having to worry about them losing their money. Or their critical financial information is getting into the wrong hand.

Any good Billing Software will have cutting-edge technology in its security framework. Multiple layers of encryption go between the exchange of information or money between the CSP and the customer.

Self-Service Customer Management Portal Access

Customization is the king. People like to do things independently and be in charge of their services. The more customers can tailor their services to their tastes, the better they will feel about it.

This goes a long way in ensuring customer satisfaction and returns. Therefore, Telecom Billing Software has a Self-Service Customer Management Portal. These portals on the customer end give them access to managing their services.

They can track billing, usage, change plans, add or delete services, avail offers, be informed, etc. It is their one-stop-shop and destination for all things related to the service.

Self-Service integrated into Telecom Billing Services allows customers to set up usage alerts and monitor their usage. It also allows them to contact their CSP for any queries or complaints and acts as an intermediary between them.

A dispute resolution system can also be added to a self-service portal where dispute tickets are raised seeking resolution.

Offer Packaged or Customized Products & Services to Your Customers

Telecom Billing Solutions collect data insights that CSPs can use to offer your customers packaged or customized products and services. This gives better business delivery and satisfaction.

To compete with Over the Top service providers who use the internet for traditional telecom services such as WhatsApp, Line, Viber, etc., it is vital to tailor in personalization of products and services. With the advent of 5G and personalization and customization, Telecom Industry has a chance to get back at these OTTs.

Far from being an option, or an added perk in the landscape, today, personalization has become the most effective strategy to fight within the market.

A Telecom Billing Software plays a part by helping collect data and generating insights. Integrated with all the functionalities, Telecom Billing Solutions provide you with the necessary tools.

Users are more receptive to deals that cater to their needs and fill in the gaps that other services can't. This way, business expansion, and sustenance become possible. All this through one software!

Customized Dashboards for Real-Time Billing & Payments Data Visualization

Whatever your need may be, through customized dashboards, you can fulfill it and rapidly expand your business to achieve new heights. Data is the new oil, and through a Custom Dashboard and Visualization, you can use it to race past your competition.

Billing Software can provide a custom dashboard catering to your expectations, with all the necessary tools in one place. You can track your growth, double payments, identical records, minimize billing errors, manage invoices, etc.

Data Visualization helps you decode your growth and determine the areas you particularly lack. This includes complex mathematical functional visualization and simple charts. You can also get custom data visualization.

As mentioned above, data insight and customization give market players an edge over their rivals. They can design and provide services that others can't. Similarly, tracking real-time billing and data visualization helps you monitor and understand your business and growth.

Telecom Billing Software & Services: The Experience to Understand What's Better

In the industry, experience matters. A Telecom Billing Solution should know its audience. It is a complicated process to provide Billing Software for telephone service providers, Voice Over Internet Protocol (VoIP) firms, mobile wireless communication providers, satellite TV companies, and internet service providers.

For an effective Telecom Billing Solution, market knowledge and experience is critical. Inexperience can lead to various faults and errors impacting business and resulting in negative cash flow.

Customer needs such as facilitating cross-border transactions in home currencies or integrating multiple payment gateways will only be fulfilled when they're recognized. Telecom Billing Software built with recognition of such needs impacts the customer and helps expand the business.

How We Leverage The Telgoo5 Billing Software in the Telecommunications Space

Telgoo5 is a cloud-based SaaS platform that provides telecom billing services. It helps MSPs, Mobile operators (MNOs), Mobile Virtual Network Operators (MVNOs), Enablers (MVNEs), and MVNAs with billing options, and much more.

Business Services

Telgoo5 provides incredible functionality allowing businesses to create a product catalog and publish it. Apart from this, companies can also control the content of their website in real-time.

The software cuts through the competition in the industry by offering integrated customer self-service, APP's, and IVRs. It can also deal with complex taxation rules for legal compliances and revenue assurance.

Customer Relationship Management

The Telgoo5 Software also comes with an integrated Customer Relationship Management system that contains detailed customer profiles for better understanding and communication.

Their Self Care system also increases efficiency, reporting, and flexibility.

Online Charging System

Tegloo5 provides best-in-class OCS services that provide real-time charging. Charging is based on the number of events and the length of sessions. It can enforce hard credit limits and prevent overuse.

Telecom Billing FAQs

What is a Telecom billing system?

The collecting of consumption data, the calculation of charges and billing information, the creation of client invoices, the processing of payments, and the management of debt collection done by communication service providers is known as a Telecom billing system.

What is convergent billing?

Convergent billing combines all service fees into a single customer invoice and creates a unified customer profile.

What is OSS/BSS in telecom billing?

OSS/BSS stands for an operations support system and business support design in telecommunications. The distinction highlights a division of duties between sustaining network operations and the enterprise that the network is based.

What are the benefits of billing software?

There are several benefits of billing software, including quick generation of the invoice, faster payments and billing, easy management of business operations, enhanced security, easy accessibility, and unlimited cloud storage.

Prepaid and Postpaid billing for ISP's challenges and Telgoo5 Solutions

Most people do not think about their Internet connection until it fails them. Every day, people everywhere access the Internet hundreds if not thousands of times. People check their Twitter feeds, look up directions to a new restaurant, read the news, and even do their jobs online. No thought goes into their connection, how it is supported, or even how it is paid for. The only time most people consider the infrastructure behind their Internet connection is when they are unable to access the Internet.

Fortunately, Telgoo5’s billing services help ensure that interruptions do not happen.

Telgoo5 is a telecom billing provider that supports Internet service providers (ISPs) with both prepaid and postpaid billing. With Telgoo5 services, ISPs can accurately and reliably charge their clients without service interruption. 

Benefits of Telgoo5’s prepaid billing:

When clients pre-pay for Internet data, they expect it to work when they need it to. Think of it this way - if you prepay for a meal and then arrive at an empty restaurant with an absent chef, you are not going to be too happy. Similarly ISPs need a way to track whether or not they have been paid, how much their clients have remaining on their account, and if or when services are paid for again. Consider it this way, if you are a restaurant owner serving customers who pre-paid for their meals, you need a way to reliably track which courses your clients have been served in order to ensure that one person isn’t being served two entrees when he only paid for one.  In order for ISPs to provide reliable prepaid service, they need a billing company that handles the payment to connection relationship seamlessly. 

Telgoo5’s prepaid features include charging, billing, automatic workflows such as degradation or plans, suspension and cutoff of services and restoring of services. Complete financial integration and reporting, Notifications via email, & SMS. With Telgoo5, ISPs will receive payment, and end-users will receive exactly what they paid for, nothing more and nothing less. 

Benefits of Telgoo5’s postpaid billing:

When clients post-pay for Internet services, their monthly bill varies based on services rendered. Let’s revisit the restaurant example. Most dining experiences represent post-paid models. Throughout the meal, customers can order as much or as little as they want. Once the meal is complete, they are billed for what they consumed. Someone who ordered only a few items will be billed less than someone who ordered a full 5 course meal. In order for ISPs to handle postpaid contracts reliably, they need billing partners who can track exactly how much data has been used, and which accounts are using data services when. 

Telgoo5’s postpaid features include complete control over the process of provisioning, activating and deactivating customers, a multitude of billing applications for charging, billing, and discounts, full control over postpaid tariff plan creation, and more.

At Telgoo5, we help ISPs to separate themselves from the competition by supporting whichever billing system they or their clients prefer. We have got your back regardless of how you choose to handle billing.

Inspire Innovation Immediately with a Convergent Telecom Billing System

2021 requires telcos to think on their feet. It is very important that a telecom operator frequently changes its strategy and adapts to the current market situation. For smaller operators such as Mobile Virtual Network Operator (MVNO), the challenge is to perform in the segment they are in. This segment is actually very competitive, especially in the developed countries such as the US and UK. In order to overcome the challenge of competition, it is required that you either develop a good telecom billing software or employ telecom billing services that have proven their worth.

Choosing a Telecom Billing System that Inspires Innovation

A telecom billing system that allows telcos to be innovative is very important in today’s time. Below are some essential features of such a phone billing software solution:

Convergence

Real-time charging platforms allow for convergence, which is very important in today’s time. A convergent charging platform is the gold standard for today’s telecom operators. It allows them to print single unified invoices that have all service charges reflected at the same place.

Faster monetization

Rapid monetization is the key to succeeding with your plans in the telecom industry. When you bring your plans to the market quicker, you are able to attract the interest of your customers.

Point of Sale

A point of sale is where the customers buy their telecom plans. The point of sale should be well-tested and work as per the requirements of different groups of customers.

Self-Care Options

Nowadays, many customers want to build their very own telecom service bundles. Therefore, you should offer self-care options. A multi-tenant platform that supports multiple user logins is required for this option to be a success. The self-care should come with options such as plan changes, payment methods, upgradation of services etc.

Analytics for Decision Making

An analytical package alongside a telecom billing system can make all the difference in your business strategy. It allows you to make impactful decisions, which ultimately help your business to grow.

Scope for Monetizing Every Old and New Service

Monetization of both old and new services is very much required. Nowadays, your telecom billing system should excel at service offerings such as prepaid, postpaid, IoT, 5G and broadband apart from the new-age OTT services like video streaming.

At Telgoo5, we have a readymade platform that caters to the exact needs of telecom operators. We also offer intuitive APIs, which can be easily installed for bringing in new functionalities into the system.

Harness Power of Innovative Next-Gen Telecom Billing Services to Succeed in 2021

In this age of technology, you need to be one step ahead of your competitors at all time. When it comes to the telecom industry, the competitive struggle is more intense because there are different types of operators in the industry. MNOs, MVNOs, ISPs and OTT service providers collectively form the entire telecom domain. Every player in the industry needs to be competent when it comes to telecom billing solutions, if it really wants to make a mark.

The Challenges for Telcos in 2021

2021 is expected to be extremely challenging for telcos, especially for the smaller players like MVNOs. Have a look at some challenges for telcos in the present times:

Revenue assurance

You simply have to deliver services as per your contract with the customers. Therefore, it is important to have complete revenue assurance. Considering the number of telecom services delivered these days, it is quite a challenge to be 100% accurate with revenue assurance.

Quick monetization of innovative plans

To break away from the crowd and provide unique telecom services, you need to have a billing system that allows flexibility in monetization. As a telecom operator, you should be able to combine disparate services and deliver them in an attractive manner. Also, the monetization needs to be quick if you want to exploit the trends prevailing in the market. For example, in the times of lockdown, you can provide conference calling as part of the package as more and more professionals are looking to connect remotely with their peers.

Management of third-party partnerships

There are simply too many things that an operator has to manage these days. It is impossible to grow one’s service catalogue – horizontally and vertically – at the same time without third party partnerships. Therefore, the complexity and challenge is huge, unless you have access to pro telecom billing services that offer APIs for third-party partnerships. A flexible system can manage various third-party partnerships with suppliers, video streaming vendors, payment gateways and shipping services. You can even manage an interconnect partnership for roaming services through an intuitive telecom billing platform like Telgoo5.

To overcome the numerous challenges, it is vital that a modern-day telecom operator uses telecom billing systems that have the necessary functionalities. Telgoo5 is an outstanding telecom support platform that simplifies day-to-day tasks and makes the challenge in 2021 simpler. The system comes with cutting-edge APIs that add new functionality and help in the evolution of telecom businesses.

What Is Next For The Telecommunications Industry In A Post-COVID World

The COVID-19 pandemic has caused a widespread impact on people, communities, and businesses around the world. The fast-paced outbreak has already rendered a lot of business contingency plans null and void due to its unexpected and unpredictable nature.

Telecommunication companies have also been caught in the crossfire. Companies relying on store footfall to enhance their revenue and subscriber base have had to hustle to come up with other plans. On the flip side, the need to stay connected and social has skyrocketed with people having to stay at home. This can be a good opportunity for businesses implementing the MVNO model to find success.

In fact, both for consumers and businesses, there has been a massive surge in voice calls, data use, and streaming. A lot of telecom companies have already tried to help by removing data caps and introducing new packages. For the telecom industry, this situation can be an opportunity to build a much more loyal and dedicated customer base and to emerge from the other side of the pandemic with a much more established business presence. For those offering or considering offering MVNO solutions, working with a reputed service provider like Telgoo5 can be a smart, insightful option.

Important Focus Points

Businesses in the telecom industry would be best served to focus on specific short-term goals to survive and grow in these conditions. Some important focus points can include:

• Efforts to expand the customer base

• Bringing together customer data from all relevant channels

• Reducing support costs by dramatically improving customer experience

• Developing new strategies to enhance ARPU (Average Revenue Per User)

Unifying Customer Data

As things get back to normal, customers are more likely to start engaging with telecom companies over different channels. Implementing a CDP or Customer Data Platform can help companies merge all this data and provide a seamless and consistent experience to customers.

This can be a salient way to provide cohesive solutions to customers in online and offline environments alike. Contextual experiences can enhance the value companies offer to customers.

Expanding the Customer Base

A deep understanding of how customers can use your services during these times can be a key component in being able to expand your customer base. For example, you can analyze exit intent on your business website to find product and service offerings that really resonate with new customers during the pandemic and its restrictions.

Simple changes in your acquisition strategy, like free home delivery of SIM cards or driving the installation and use of your mobile apps can be a great way to enhance customer lock-in and engagement. MVNO companies can take advantage of streamlined MVNO billing solutions and other features from a provider like Telgoo5 to leverage customer acquisition efforts.

Increasing ARPU

Providing new, unique, and varied user experiences can be an excellent way to engage existing customers and drive revenue while people continue to largely stay at home. You can use social proof displays to drive and expedite purchasing decisions, provide a fun, gamified experience across your website and apps to enhance the lead collection, and focus on time-appropriate messaging to provide customized, tailored solutions to customers who are staying at home or working from home.

Looking Ahead

The Wuhan virus or COVID-19 pandemic has reinforced the notion that being connected is a highly prized commodity. Keeping this in mind, it can be a good time for the telecommunication industry to embrace innovation and cater to a rising need for more customized experiences. In this environment, reacting to changes in customer expectations can be the most important element for telecommunication companies to keep growing and thriving. Forging partnerships with a company like Telgoo5 can prove to be decisive in such situations.

Transition From Legacy Systems To Modern Infrastructure with Telgoo5

We at Telgoo5 know that the ability to scale despite challenges and adapt to changes is crucial to your success in the telecom sector. This notion is especially true when it comes to online charging technologies – and dealing with the issues of legacy charging systems.

With new requirements and technologies at every corner, you have to be quick on your feet in meeting customer demands. Further, you must keep an open mind to making changes at a moment’s notice. Additionally, you must stay on top of the latest advancements.

In essence, we at Telgoo5 know that you must be ready for everything that your legacy charging system will not allow you to do.

Legacy Charging Systems Set You Up for Failure

If you have made it this far with a legacy charging system, the first thing you require is substantial applause. The next thing you need is to instantly look for a better Online Charging System (OCS) such as Telgoo5.

Remember that if you stick with the limitations of a legacy charging system, you introduce your customers to a world of trouble. In a day and age where customer experience reigns supreme, your consumers will find themselves stuck with tolerating problems from the past.

Standing by your legacy Charging System even in the face of better alternatives can expose your service to a host of issues. The following examples highlight the most glaring of these problems.

Latency Problems

You can face high-latency issues frequently if your network infrastructure is not set up for modern communication.

This can be quite a problem for data-savvy customers, which describes every customer segment in today’s day and age.

Charging Delays

Apart from overall latency, you can also face online charging delays.

This causes massive headaches for your customers and your billing department alike. Inaccuracies in billing could very well cause your whole operations to crumble with their consequences.

Poor Customer Experience

When performance issues become an everyday instance for your customers, they take pride in describing their overall experience as a bad nightmare.

Customers don’t know, and they frankly don’t care what is going on behind the scenes with your OCS. What they need is a better service, and failure to deliver on this promise can affect your overall brand.

Loss of Consumers

With better OCS services being offered at other providers like Telgoo5, it is not long before your customers start looking for a change for the better. Switching providers proves easier than sticking with your service. As a result, your customers decide to leave in favor of better service experiences.

Sticking with your legacy charging system drives your operation into the ground faster than you can think. It is absolutely necessary to get your ducks in a row and proceed towards better Online Charging Services.

The Ability to Scale and Adapt to Better Systems is Crucial Here

Fortunately, upgrading from your legacy charging system is not that difficult. All you need is an efficient online charging system provider. The rest falls in line if you know what you are doing. Most importantly, it gets easier when you show the ability to scale and adapt in the face of change.

Telgoo5 offers new technologies such as real-time charging and allows you to better serve your customers better. Along with improved customer experience, it also helps you cut unnecessary costs that come with the upkeep of legacy charging systems.

That is the reason why most companies are actively looking into upgrading their legacy charging systems.

Adapting to Change Doesn’t Cost You Much, But Provides a World of Benefits

We at Telgoo5 know that with the right Online Charging System Provider, proper upgrades will not cost you an arm and a leg. It doesn’t require you to pay a fortune in upkeep costs. And it will not ask your customers to start dealing with higher tariff prices.

Also, with that, you still receive smoother service delivery, timely modification features, and a better overall customer experience for your target market. This strategy effectively resolves any issues caused by your legacy charging system.

To understand the improvement process and its effects on your specific network, don’t hesitate to reach out to Telgoo5 today. We at Telgoo5 will be glad to answer any questions you may have and set you up with improved online charging services right away.

Setting Up Convergent Billing? Implement These Best Practices With Telgoo5

When customers are using your services, they want to spend more time on their calls, texts, and data exchange than dealing with billing issues. We at Telgoo5 know that in today’s competitive environment, not getting this convenience can cause them to switch to another provider right away. To make matters worse, this all happens before you even have time to turn things around for the better.

That’s why almost all telecom companies use convergent charging for improved customer experience.

Simply put, convergent billing helps your customers deal with different charges on their accounts in a single invoice. They no longer have to pay individual payments for multiple services or devices. Everything is now present in a single bill. This presentation makes their lives that much easier in a day and age where customization is the most critical factor in utilizing telecom services.

If you are integrating convergent billing through your mobile virtual network enabler (MVNE), it is essential to ensure they are set up the right way. Being mindful of the following best practices can help you determine if you are fulfilling the crucial requirements of this segment.

Best Practices for Convergent Billing

As mentioned above, ease of use should be your guiding force throughout the setup process for convergent billing. Remember to keep this simple rule of thumb in mind. Set up your convergent charging in a way that ensures optimal customer retention.

But apart from ease of use, the following tips by Telgoo5 are also crucial in setting up this billing mechanism. This strategy allows your customers to make the most out of the simplicity you are offering to them.

Make It Simple to Understand

Since you are representing all of your charges in a single invoice, it is paramount for that bill to be as transparent as possible.

Separate and segment your invoice into different sections, such as data and voice charges. If there are any other charges that you think need a separate section, make sure to list them accordingly as well. Setting up your backend convergent billing interface with this goal in mind is the key to achieving more straightforward billing delivery.

This distinction makes the invoice easier to read, and your customers appreciate this transparency as well. This process also reduces your call and inquiry volume that is related to resolving basic billing questions.

Make It Easy to Set Up

Convergent charging should be as easy to set up as it is simpler to understand. Ensure that your customer relationship management (CRM) application makes it easy to assign different charges to your customer profile. This refinement helps your representatives in delivering on-call changes without getting into unnecessary complexities.

This also holds for your customers’ end as well. Don’t use convoluted mechanisms. Don’t go for complex interactive voice recordings (IVRs). Don’t assign complicated service codes to use. Make everything as straightforward as possible.

This process helps your customers change their services promptly. With the assurance of a consolidated bill in mind, this easy setup translates to better customer experience.

Have a Clear Difference in Service Charges

While setting up convergent billing, you must offer a variation in charges through your MVNE.

Make sure to take a look at what your competitors are offering and develop your subscription packages to be better in delivery. With this, also ensure that your packages are different from each other to offer a diverse range of experiences.

Having little to no difference in subscription costs kills the whole concept of convergent charging. If you have a clear difference in subscription packages, it translates to a charging system telecom consumers find much easier to use. This notion also goes a long way in customer retention.

Contact Telgoo5, an Experienced MVNE, Today

To make sure that you are setting up complex convergent billing in an easy to use way, having an experienced MVNE is of paramount importance.

The Telgoo5 team can assist, with extensive experience in setting up convergent charging systems, we can help you achieve your goals with ease. Our targeted setup and delivery mechanisms setup convergent billing in a way that’s easy to use for your customers and even simpler to deploy for your company.

At the same time, we deliver these services at competitive rates, which is due to the modern infrastructure that we have built for our operations.

If you are looking for an MVNE to set up convergent billing or improve your existing online charging systems, don’t hesitate to call Telgoo5 today. The Telgoo5 team will be glad to discuss your needs and help you deploy better services for your customers in no time.

Five Reasons Why Your Employees Need KPIs

KPIs, or Key Performance Indicators, are an exciting buzzword that gets tossed around in business circles. You might have heard of it, but don’t exactly know what it means. Essentially what KPIs do is enable everyone in your company to understand what needs to be done on a daily basis to reach big goals and milestones. Without them, your company is floundering around without any real mission in mind!

Just as your C-Suite executives need to have KPIs worked into their daily routines, so do your support staff. It’s imperative for everyone to be working their best on the goal at hand; to make your company as great as it can be. Why are KPIs so critical? Let’s break it down

Your Employees Understand The Big Picture And Their Role In It

This is the most important reason why you need KPIs for all of your employees. Employees at all levels are far more enthusiastic about and invested in, a company when they understand how they are important. KPIs let your staff know that their daily contributions are helping the company meet its ultimate goals.

(v)WeCare empowers our employees with the KPIs that they need to understand their importance to the company. They respect the process of limited hold wait time and understand our mandate to actively try to fix customer issues on the first call. Since they know what success looks like, they are able to streamline customer issues and deal with anything that comes their way. Having a crystal-clear indication of how everyone is important is critical to business success.

Employee Reviews Will Be Far More Constructive

Have you ever given one of your employees a negative review, only to have them stare back at you in confusion? Don’t worry. It happens all the time to businesses, and there is a simple reason- your employees were not given actionable KPIs that they could use to measure their own success.

Of course, some employees will simply ignore the KPIs that you give them, but trust us, that makes it all the easier to penalize them for not performing up to scratch! KPIs actually work to make employees and management a team, rather than opposing forces. At (v)WeCare, we understand the importance of a harmonious working environment, which is why our Project Managers are expertly trained on multiple disciplines and able to extend project-specific KPIs to their staff. This not only keeps the projects running smoothly but also allows them to address any issues that might arise!

There Is An Objective Measure Of Success For Everyone

Nobody wants to talk about favoritism in the workplace, but it’s a complaint that often gets tossed around. Perceived favoritism is something that can sink workplace morale and lead to disgruntled and unmotivated employees. Having KPIs specific to each job will eliminate the suspicion of favoritism and keep the workplace operating at an optimal level.

(v)WeCare strives to keep our workplace as professional as possible, and that means putting in specific KPIs for all of our reps. They know that we are operating on the level, and they are committed to helping drive success!

The Establishment Of Milestones And Goals Will Help Your Company Scale

Fast scaling is one of those things that tends to throw a company into disarray quickly. Suddenly jobs and responsibilities are changing, which can be stressful for everyone. It’s even more stressful when you don’t have KPIs in place to guide people into their new roles. Effective KPIs will enable your company to run as efficiently as possible in times of change.

Since (v)WeCare puts a premium on flexibility and the ability to help companies scale, we understand how transparent KPIs go a long way to quickly mobilizing your team to reach their new goals. We do it all of the time with our massive professional network and superstar outsourcing staffs!

KPIs Help Keep The Office As Productive As Possible

A confused office is an unproductive office. If employees don’t know what they are supposed to be doing, they will make something up. Sometimes that is okay, but most of the time, it just leads to more confusion! If you want your office to be as productive as possible, give your employees KPIs.

Productivity and harmony are two cogs in the well-oiled machine of the workplace. (v)WeCare understands this, which is why we have extensive training for all of our outsourcing employees. We empower them to succeed by giving them the building blocks and milestones that they need to make success a reality!

KPIs can help your business go from mediocre to superstar. Start employing them today, and you’ll be amazed by the results!

Why CDR Meditation Is an Essential Part of Telecom Billing?

Telecom billing is probably the most confusing and scrutinized task in the telecom industry. The scrutiny comes from customers who are more often than not dissatisfied with their bills. This leads to confusion amongst the telecom vendors who start looking everywhere for new telecom billing solutions. Mostly, this problem arises because the telecom billing software used by them are subpar and do not meet the high requirements of modern-day businesses.

Why Telecom Billing Solutions Are Important?

All the efforts made by telecom service providers in setting up a network will amount to nothing if telecom billing is not up to standards. This is why, telecom billing solutions become important as they play a crucial role in accounting for those services. Not only is the revenue generated by a telecom provider dependent on billing, customers’ trust is also directly connected with the quality of the billing services. For instance, if a customer starts receiving wrong bills, his trust in the services nosedives from that moment onwards. On the other hand, if the billing services are sound, the customer stays faithful and brings in new customers.

CDRs: The Fundamental Unit of Telecom Billing Process

CDR (Call Data Record) is the fundamental unit of telecom billing process. All interactions between the user and telecom networking elements are captured by CDRs. A CDR has the following attributes:

1. Date and starting time of the call

2. Duration of the call

3. Calling party

4. Called party

5. Type of call e.g. voice, SMS, data etc.

6. Unique record sequence number that is used for identification

The captured CDRs are vitally important for the proper operation of a billing system. However, these CDRs are raw in nature, which means they cannot be interpreted by a billing system.

CDR Meditation System: The Unsung Hero of Telecom Billing Solutions

To ensure the captured CDRs are converted into a format that is understood by the billing system, a CDR meditation system is employed. The meditation system receives the unformatted CDRs, converts them into the necessary format and sends them to the billing system. Besides conversion, it also performs the operation of filtering out calls that do not meet set criterion by the telecom vendor. For example, if a call with duration less than 10 second needs to be filtered out, it is done by CDR meditation system. Moreover, if some extra information needs to be provided that is crucial for billing procedure, the meditation system gathers that information based on certain attributes and then sends it to the billing system via FTP (File Transfer Protocol). FTP is required for transfer of this information as both billing software and meditation modules are installed on different systems.

After the billing system receives the formatted CDR, it is able to interpret the information and rate the services utilized by customers.

Summary

Billing system in telecom is quite complex and requires processing of data at different levels for accomplishment of billing-related tasks. Although the user is not aware of what goes on behind the scenes, the role of systems like meditation system that converts raw CDRs into formatted CDRs is extremely important. All telecom billing solutions require correct formatting of CDR for reliable and accurate completion of billing tasks.

Don’t Let Your Customers Suffer Anymore, Switch to OSS Telecom Billing Software

Technology does not always change for the best. But, that does not mean it does not try to make things better. When we look from the perspective of telecom industry, BSS and OSS have been two pillars of technology that have transformed the way business takes place. And the good news, everything has changed for the best. Compared with platforms used in the other industries, these two solutions have been in the market for a long time and have garnered trust from most telecom vendors. So, if you are still clinging onto the telecom systems of old, it is probably time to let go and switch to OSS telecom billing software.

Why Change Is Important for All Industries?

When we look at industries of today, hotel industry stands out as the one that has probably seen the biggest transformation in terms of its operations due to technology. In the past, it was tough for hotel chains to manage their properties spread over different parts of the globe. But, with the coming of PMS and cloud-based technologies, almost all hotel chains are using it or planning to use it in the future. A study has revealed that in the next 4-5 years hotel companies will invest up to 8% more in cloud-based technologies.

Compared to hotel industry, operations in telecom industry are much more complex. Monitoring of customer, interactions, provisioning, billing, meditation systems, and the list goes on and on! A telecom operator requires all the help he can get. So, when the solution is staring at you in your face in the form of OSS telecom billing solutions, why not upgrade?

Drawbacks of Legacy Systems

Legacy systems are much more cumbersome and require manual intervention for smooth operation. This may lead to recurring errors that can diminish the customer’s faith in you. Let’s say a customer wants to upgrade his plan and calls up customer support. Upon receiving a request, the agent sends it forward for execution. Now, the system employed by the service provider lacks the service assurance feature normally found in OSS applications. In this case, there is a high probability that the request may be completed but not up to the service level agreement between the provider and the customer. This may reduce the trust of the customer in the system and he may opt for a different provider.

Now, compare this situation with an OSS-backed operation. The OSS telecom billing software has service assurance as one of its primary feature. Unless, there is a terrible malfunctioning of the system (which is very rare), it is highly unlikely that the request will be mismanaged or delivered incorrectly. All the more reason to employ, quality OSS telecom billing solutions, don’t you think so?

The One Thing You Did Not Know About Telecom Billing Software

Telecom billing is a thankless task. You can be right 99 times out of 100, but if you make a single error, all the good work you have done previously goes down the drain. Just like politics, customers have short memories when it comes to the telecom services they use. Politicians have the advantage of evoking the right emotions at the time of elections but telecom operators do not enjoy such a luxury. They have to be right all the time and then some.

Not so long ago, when telecom billing systems were not as evolved as today, it was even harder to provide accurate bills to the customers. But at that time, the competition in the telecom industry was relatively low. At the sight of a wrong bill, customers used to think twice before crossing over to another provider. Not anymore! In this age of information and evolving telecom market, the playing field is a lot more competitive. Every year we see new entrants who try to lure away customers with flashy schemes and minimum tariff plans. This trend makes life difficult for established players in the market, especially for those who are still using outdated OSS telecom billing software.

“Hello! Have You Heard About Our New and Improved Telecom Billing Software?”

Do you know what most telecom operators do after hearing this line from a sales representative? They disconnect the line. It is not as if all the telecom billing software solutions made by IT companies are good and work well for every business. Not at all! However, complete disdain for something that you automatically think of as an exorbitant expense. Doesn’t make good business sense!

If till now, you have refrained from purchasing OSS telecom billing solutions because you thought they cost too much, you are in for a surprise. Most telecom entrepreneurs, in spite of their vast knowledge, do not know that telecom billing software can be procured as Software as a service (SaaS). If you are still not clear how this can help…read on.

Telecom Billing Software as SaaS

One of the least expensive ways of employing telecom billing software in your business operations is via SaaS model. With SaaS, you do not have to purchase any license or acquire any infrastructure. You can even decide on whether to host the services on your company’s cloud or employ the billing platform already operating in a cloud provided by the vendor.

This approach best suits startups and organizations with a limited budget. Enterprises that wish to integrate the billing software ASAP have to wait for only a day or two before beginning the use of billing software as part of SaaS model.

Can Blockchain Make Telecom Billing System Better?

Ever wondered how many people have invested in bitcoins and other cryptocurrencies? As per a survey performed by Cambridge University, somewhere between 2.9 million and 5.8 million people utilized a cryptocurrency wallet in 2017. This number is staggering, especially when we look at the way governments of different countries are doing their best to stop people from using it.

Many governments deem it illegal, others tell the people that it is unsafe for their hard-earned money and some even go as far as saying that it is downright immoral (some people use cryptocurrency for purchase of drugs and illegal video content). Right or wrong, we are not here to discuss about the virtues of cryptocurrency. We are here to analyze what makes it click. Which is that unseen force behind this phenomenon that people trust? The answer is simple: Blockchain.

Bitcoin is an unregulated and de-centralized currency, which means that there is not one single entity that controls it. The power lies in the hands of people. It is the best form of democracy when it comes to financial transactions. And, it has been made possible by the use of blockchain. For a layman, blockchain is like a ledger that is made available to all users. The data and transactions are completely transparent, which is clearly seen by all the users at all times. It won’t be wrong to think of it as a Google Doc spreadsheet, which can be edited at any time and the changes are there for all to see. Due to transparency in all transactions, people are ready to put their faith in it and hence, cryptocurrency has become so popular.

Use of Blockchain in Other Fields

Although, blockchain hasn’t been used in any other field, its promising start as part of the cryptocurrency operations makes it a wonderful option for other domains. In a field like telecom, where customers are often worried about the telecom billing system employed by their service provider, it won’t be a bad idea to give blockchain a try.

However, an immediate overhaul of the system is not advised and companies should look to integrate it slowly with their telecom billing solutions. Some of the benefits that can be extracted by its implementation in telecom are listed below:

1. Solution to the problem of roaming – Blockchain can help overcome the major hurdle of operators that require them to integrate expensive systems, so they can offer authentication/access settings for starting roaming calls. Blockchain addresses this problem by enabling complex datasets across multiple parties, in real time and with great reliability.

2. Better Connectivity – Use of blockchain along with telecom billing and payment software will make it easier to offer several local hotspots along with Wi-Fi accessibility based on permissions. The transparency that comes with blockchain can go a long way in fostering trust amongst customers with regards to billing for these difficult-to-track services.

3. Telecom providers can become remittance providers – Remittance is the action of transferring money in a different country. By using blockchain, telecom providers will be able to serve their clients better by offering remittance services.

4. Reduction in cost of operation – Last but definitely not the least, the implementation of blockchain will automatically lower the requirement of infrastructure, which will in turn lower the cost of operation.