Expand Base by Launching Different Plans with MVNO’s Favorite OSS billing system

A lack of transparency in telecom operations can lead to the faltering of the entire system. An OSS billing system is required to overcome the challenge of modern-day telecom operations.

OSS billing system

For a telecom operator to stay relevant in the current times, it is very important to gauge the pulse of the market. Even more significant is to address the immediate needs of customers and grab a share of the market. Those who dilly-dally often end up on the wrong side. Those who take initiative, they often end up as the winners amongst competitors. Nowadays, customer service in the telecom industry has become very important. But due to silos between systems and telecom billing, operation and business support departments, the information is often compromised. A lack of transparency in telecom operations can lead to the faltering of the entire system. An OSS billing system is required to overcome the challenge of modern-day telecom operations.

Get Customers on Your Side with a Stable B/OSS and Telecom Billing Software

Consistency is the key in business operation. More so, when you are in a highly complex domain such as telecom. Customer’s behavior is hard to gauge; even a single bad instance in individual service delivery can lose you a customer who subscribers to many plans. It is impossible to create a stable strategy for business expansion when you are unsure whether your customers are on your side or not.

But when you utilize a unified B/OSS and telecom billing software that is already proven in the industry, it becomes easier to manage the different dynamics.  Telgoo5 is one such telecommunications billing software that not only adheres to telecom billing system architecture but also stays updated with the latest rulings of FCC and 3GPP.

Due to its efficiency, accuracy and an ability to handle more than 50 million transactions every day, it automatically becomes the go-to software for telecom operators such as MVNOs and ISPs.

Access Telecom Billing Solutions with a Real-Time Charging System

When you have customers on your side, you can increase your revenue streams by launching a wide range of telecom services plans in a timely manner. But that is only possible with cutting-edge charging technology provided by a real-time Online Charging System (OCS). An OCS performs both event- and session-based charging and ensures accurate credit limit implementation. It provides a platform for convergent billing, meaning you can now start launching different plans for different types of services in a single subscription.

Telgoo5 is devoted to timely supporting all its clients and launching intuitive APIs that work perfectly for telecom services operators.

Read More

How to Empower Customers with Self-Care Solutions

Telecom billing is a complicated space. Every day, Telgoo5’s end to end cloud based SaaS platform powers Cable and Internet service providers (MSP’s), Mobile operators (MNO’s), Mobile Virtual Network Operators (MVNO), Enablers (MVNE) and Aggregators (MVNA).

Telecom billing

Telecom billing is a complicated space. Every day, Telgoo5’s end to end cloud based SaaS platform powers Cable and Internet service providers (MSP’s), Mobile operators (MNO’s),  Mobile Virtual Network Operators (MVNO), Enablers (MVNE) and Aggregators (MVNA). Our modular platform offers an Omni Channel CRM, Billing, Online Charging and payment engines.

All of that sounds like greek to consumers. 

All the consumer is concerned about is their own individual service, and consumers today like to feel empowered. They often prefer to manage their own services and bills without having to speak to service provider representatives, and they definitely are not interested in learning all of the acronyms and jargon that exist in this space. Forcing a consumer to burn mental calories trying to figure out how to work with your company is an easy way to discourage them. If you are interested in engaging your consumer base and leaving them with a positive impression of your company, even when you are asking them to pay a bill, then you need to consider a customer self-care solution.

A self-care solution empowers your customers to manage their own accounts online. By putting the power directly in the hands of the consumer, you will both reduce your own customer care costs and increase customer satisfaction. It is truly a win-win solution. When you start to consider a customer self-care solution, make sure to take the following key features into account.

This is what your customers are expecting to see

  • A quick view into their service usage. A lot of customers like to monitor their usage month-over-month. By making their individual usage highly-visible within a self-care solution, you can save yourselves from a lot of customer support calls. It is best practice to break down service usage by voice, text, and data. 

  • The ability to change plans from within the self-care solution. Customers like to have autonomy. Give them the option to upgrade or downgrade their plans themselves.

  • Payment solutions & options. Auto-pay solutions help customers to manage their bills and help to ensure that you get paid. Providing payment solutions and invoice tracking is a great way to ensure that everyone is happy.

How self-care solutions benefit your company

  • Increased efficiency. The more that your customers can handle themselves, the less time, money, and effort your team has to spend on customer care. Self-care solutions can help to reduce support calls, and free up your team to work on larger strategic projects. 

  • Increased flexibility. Self-care solutions can be customized based on customer needs. Regional customizations can be made, service-level customizations, and more. This is a fantastic way to personalize the experience for your consumers.

  • Improved reporting. Engagement metrics from your self-care solution can help your company to make better, more informed strategic decisions when it comes to customer usage and service offerings. 

As your telecom billing provider, Telgoo5 is invested in your success. Self-care solutions are a great way to bring your business to the next level. Check back here for more tips and advice from Telgoo5. Your success is our success. 

Read More

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

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.

Read More

Why Research is Essential for Any Telecom Business

Uncover the pivotal role of research in the telecom industry. Telgoo5's insights shed light on how comprehensive research can drive informed decisions and pave the path to success.

Why-Research-is-Essential-for-Any-Telecom-Business.jpg
 

There are hundreds of steps that a telecom business must employ to ensure that they become a success and remain a success for years to come. These steps will differ depending on the type of business, but if there is one essential variable that all business owners can find useful – research

Business research is something that constantly needs to be implemented to ensure the utmost flourishment of a business. Trends come and trends go but the value of proper and practical research will never cease to exist and here are a few reasons why.

It Can Boost Your Sales

The only true way to grow a successful company is to deliver the services and/or goods that consumers are craving. No matter the niche of your business, understanding the demand of your customers and potential customers is critical.

But how is regular research going to lead to more profits? A unique method of research known as quantitative research is the answer. This will allow, for your convenience, the ability to get first-hand insight into the perspective of your clientele.

Employing quantitative research can be achieved via different types of consumer surveys (such as online and telephone surveys). The information you gather can answer some burning questions you may be having. For example, through said surveys, you can determine if your users are satisfied with the services you are offering and can identify which (if any) changes need to be made.

Allows for the Observation of Competitors

Businesses are always in competition with one another. This is especially true in the telecom industry, where so many similar phone plans are being offered. The more consumers you can draw the better, and businesses are constantly at battle with one another to increase their customer base. That said, in order to surpass your competition, you must first gain insight into their business practices.

Focusing on your specific industry, you can gather a list of the businesses you feel you need to compete with (keeping in mind location, company size, and other things of that nature). From there, document the types of services they offer, the demographics they are attempting to reach, and what makes them unique.

Being aware of these types of attributes can help you differentiate yourself from your competitors in an attempt to draw a wider audience. When you know what services your competitors are offering, you can find a charging system that will go above and beyond to ensure your services exceed customer expectations and help differentiate your business from your competitors.

You Can Properly Track Market Trends

It can’t be stressed enough that remaining stagnant in the business world can be detrimental. Regardless of the market that is being focused on, it is always important to understand the direction that the market is heading in.

Keeping an eye out for upcoming trends can allow you to tailor your goods and/or services in a manner befitting the ever-growing needs of your consumers. If old and outdated trends are being marketed, it could result in a loss of customers. Maintaining a modernized platform should be a top priority as most people will be looking for the best.

Continuing to keep up with new billing trends and practices will prove to be extremely beneficial. Telgoo5 offers solutions for any and all online charging needs. We are always happy to share our expertise and talk about how our platform can add benefits to your brand.

Read More

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.

Setting-Up-Convergent-Billing-Implement-These-Best-Practices-With-Telgoo5.jpg
 

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.

Read More

Why You Need a Multi-Tenancy Platform

To optimize IT costs and create operational efficiencies, you need to leverage SaaS trends of multi-tenancy. In order for you to realize the need for multi tenancy you need to understand the importance.

To optimize IT costs and create operational efficiencies, you need to leverage SaaS trends of multi-tenancy. In order for you to realize the need for multi tenancy you need to understand the importance.

Importance of a Multi-Tenancy Platform

A multi-tenancy platform is important to any ICT and telecommunications organization. This is why:

Low Ownership Cost

Users can access their services from one platform. This means it is easier to access frequent and automatic updates. As a user you will not need to pay for new functionalities and customizations. An added advantage is the inclusion of new updates and releases on the subscription. Users are always informed of irregular changes.

Worry Free Capacity

A multi-tenancy platform offers your company, whether big or small, the ability to reside within the same data center and infrastructure. It is commonly known as “worry free capacity”. You will not have a need for more computing and server capacity, and your operation support system will never be encumbered. This is our responsibility as Tegloo5 to grow our data center while supporting your growth.

To optimize IT costs and create operational efficiencies, you need to leverage SaaS trends of multi-tenancy. In order for you to realize the need for multi tenancy you need to understand the importance.

Importance of a Multi-Tenancy Platform

A multi-tenancy platform is important to any ICT and telecommunications organization. This is why:

Low Ownership Cost

Users can access their services from one platform. This means it is easier to access frequent and automatic updates. As a user you will not need to pay for new functionalities and customizations. An added advantage is the inclusion of new updates and releases on the subscription. Users are always informed of irregular changes.

Worry Free Capacity

A multi-tenancy platform offers your company, whether big or small, the ability to reside within the same data center and infrastructure. It is commonly known as “worry free capacity”. You will not have a need for more computing and server capacity, and your operation support system will never be encumbered. This is our responsibility as Tegloo5 to grow our data center while supporting your growth.

Releases/Updates

In the past it used to take a lot of time to roll-out any updates/releases. It is a lengthy process that requires coding for each client. This is what most multi-tenancy platform services offer. Our difference is we can send updates and releases suited to your particular needs.

The benefit of this move is that you will never have to go through processes such as performing Q&A and customizations. The change in production will automatically synchronize the moment an update or release is available.

If you have customers in the hundreds or thousands, such a move is a challenge. Our company ensures we handle everything to perfection. Our support team is dedicated to provide seamless updates and releases. Your benefit is faster access to innovative features for management of communications and IT, while ensuring your client is not interrupted.

Conclusion

A multi-tenancy platform will improve your business, large or small, to levels that you can compete with your competitors on the same level. Contact us to find a solution that will take you to the next level. We also offer latest billing solution along with OSS solution to meet any of your operational requirements.

Read More

Why You Need an OSS

OSS (Operations Support Systems) are designed to be integrated in an enterprise’s telecommunications resources. These solutions are aimed at supporting telecommunication networks. They are classified into:

  • TPS(Transport Processing Systems)

  • MIS (Management Information Systems)

  • ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning)

oss-720x380.jpg
 

OSS (Operations Support Systems) are designed to be integrated in an enterprise’s telecommunications resources. These solutions are aimed at supporting telecommunication networks. They are classified into:

  1. TPS(Transport Processing Systems)

  2. MIS (Management Information Systems)

  3. ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning)

Understanding what each of them do and how they work will ensure you understand the importance of OSS in any telecommunication business.

TPS

A Transport Processing System focuses on the processing and recording of transactions in the business. The entire gamut of daily routines is encompassed by any TPS. Routines may include, but not limited to, billing, sales order processing and financial accounting. The general structure of a Transport Processing System is determined by the type of transactions in a company. For instance, a financial accounting system structures financial related transactions. That can include be invoices, payments and receipts. Each of these transactions are processed by a specific module.

MIS

This system is designed to meet the needs of managers, specifically with regards to the past and current operations. The majority offer a summary report of the enterprise’s operations. Some have the option of an on-line link to each transaction. MIS improves the efficiency of an enterprise by ensuring managers can perform their duties easily and as fast as possible.

ERP

Traditionally MIS has been based on inputs from transaction based processing systems. As such, they have continued to be designed around different types of transactions. With this in mind, organization structures determine the design of MIS. Under MIS, information is provided in the form of reports that will be needed for different departments. MIS modules would be based on the kind of departments in an organization’s structure. Currently, MIS is starting to lose its relevance. This is due to the increasing relevancy of flexibility involved to reorient MIS to a changing business environment. The buzzword of today is business process reengineering. This means enterprises need to change their approach towards business processes. Advancement in telecommunication technology has led to the emergence of a new information system known as ERP. An Enterprise Resource Planning system integrates each process of an organization with customer satisfaction while planning the management of resources. Such solutions help an enterprise to focus on production capacities, working out financial consequences of every decision and managing logistics, rather than just computing costs. Integrating business processes at all levels is the basic philosophy of an Enterprise Resource Planning system. It works by treating every resource in an enterprise as a common resource designed to cater to the various needs of clients. ERP systems recognize that the needs of clients are always changing. It offers adaptability to these changing needs with a faster response.

Bottom Line

All telecommunication enterprises need more than one of the above mentioned OSS sub-categories. We at Tegloo5 have come up with a number of systems to ensure your telecommunication business runs as smoothly as possible. In the event your business module is unique, we can design and develop an OSS that will meet and even surpass your needs. Contact us today so we can figure out how to come up with the best OSS for your business.

Read More

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!

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

five-reasons-why-your-employees-need-kpis-768x512.jpg
 

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!

Read More

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.

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.

Read More

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.

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?

Read More