OCS Module Description v

Transcription

1 OCS Module Description v

2 itms OCS Module The itms OCS Module handles online charging and control of Data, Voice and messaging services for mobile networks. It is flexible enough to manage the same product catalogue and the same subscribers against several types, generations and vendors of network elements - simultaneously. The itms OCS Module is an independent software module that runs on its own servers and its own operating system (Linux). Its technical design is modern and assures high performance, low response times and high reliability. The OCS module is integrated with itms through the Provisioning and Mediation interfaces, so that all business operation and configuration takes place via itms user interfaces. The products, subscriptions, account settings, payments and invoices that govern the real-time OCS interfaces are managed from itms. However, the itms OCS module can also be integrated with other BSS systems. The itms OCS module is a tested and scalable 3GPP compatible OCS solution. Since 2013, it has successfully served as the real-time rating and charging function in challenging environments of several MNOs and MVNOs.

3 The itms OCS module can act as an integrated OCS, PCRF and AAA using the same converged subscriber database and product catalogue to govern the network. It can also be integrated to external PCRF and AAA servers. Network protocols and services Our itms OCS module uses standard 3GPP as well as variants of this one (eg Huawei and ZTE). Further supports the different bandwidth requirements through various networks like LTE, WiMAX, Wi-Fi, CDMA 2.5G, 3G, IMS, Broadband, etc. Support for Gxx/Gx/Sd, Gy/Ro, Rx, S9, Sy and Sp (Diameter / RADIUS both standard and vendor specific.)

4 Performance features The itms OCS module supports several important features that scale the capabilities and decrease the signaling overhead on the network: 1. Dynamic chunk size Online charging of data and other services entails authorization of usage one chunk at the time. Traditionally an operator would need to choose 1 chunk size for usage authorization of any data usage (for example: data authorized for each 1 MB of usage). The itms OCS Module supports dynamic chunk size which reduces the signaling overhead by magnitudes but still provides granular accounting and control as required. 2. Convergent session logic Traditional OCS solutions tend to suffer from compartmentalized logic where the information from one signaling interface cannot be used for logical decisions on another signaling interface. The high performance session repository and session logic of the itms OCS Module makes it possible to control the service on one interface based on information from another interface. For example the data usage of a mobile subscriber can be priced and charged on the 3GPP Gy interface based on location information for the same subscriber known from the 3GPP Gx interface. Real-time rating Balance itms OCS can control and configure different kinds of balances such as amount, time, volume and events for each subscription which are being accepted or rejected based on the status of the balance. We also support handling of balances, voice, data, SMS etc. in real-time. itms OCS offers Individual control of events, which have to take place when the balance is used or about to be used. Different currencies types and VAT types are fully supported. Other standard features. All kind of API for Fraud handling, Locations updates, accounts status, TopUp, Voucher, other etc. Wholesale support. See also document: 0140 itms Prepaid - Standard Core Components - Version An itms partner database can consist of one or more Wholesales, e.g. brands. When a new end-user is acquired, it must be associated to one of the Wholesales and upon creation in itms, the end-user will be given a unique itms Customer Id. The unique Customer Id is in itms terms called the Main customer and can be considered as the legal contract between the partner/wholesales and the end-user.

5 Business Unit / itms Partner database Wholesales/Brands Wholesales/Brands Customers/End-users Image 1: Example of itms Partner/Wholesale/Customer structure Pre-paid supports family & Friends accounts. One account can have several subscriptions, like: mobile traffic, data and SMS-bundles. (itms can handle all types of products both pre-paid and post-paid) Functionality that allows for transferring money between accounts Image 2: Example of itms Customer/Subscription structure itms does currently not support the facility to have a mix of prepaid and postpaid subscriptions on the same customer account, due to the fact that the Billing group is defined on customer level. Capernow has identified this as a roadmap development element, where it will be possible to set the Billing group on subscription level. The planned release date for this change is not yet published. A Customer Id can have one or more credit cards active and allocate any of these to any of the prepaid subscriptions associated to the customer.

6 Image 3: Example of itms Customer/Payment information/subscription structure A Customer Id can also have one or more associated Payment and/or shipping addresses with their own unique Id s, and can choose to allocate these to any of the prepaid subscriptions associated to the Customer Id. Image 4: Example of itms Customer/Alternative address/subscription structure Each subscription has its own set of products, top-up settings and prepaid balance. itms orders to create and modify, are always associated to an individual subscription. Prepaid balance: 12 Prepaid balance: 8 Prepaid balance: 35 Prepaid balance: 65 Top-up type: Manual Top-up threshold: 0 Top-up amount: 0 Top-up amount: 20 Top-up amount: 50 Top-up amount: 100 Prepaid Mini 19/month Prepaid Medi 39/month 600 minutes 5 GB Data Prepaid Medi 39/month 600 minutes 5 GB Data Prepaid Maxi 79/month Unlimited minutes 20 GB Data Image 5: Example of itms Customer/Subscription Product and Prepaid setup structure itms can be setup to create a monthly prepaid billing process and will accumulate all billable subscription activities per unique Payment Id for the customer and produce an invoice/statement, as described in Error! Reference source not found..

7 Prepaid balance: 12 Prepaid balance: 8 Prepaid balance: 35 Prepaid balance: 65 Top-up type: Manual Top-up threshold: 0 Top-up amount: 0 Top-up amount: 20 Top-up amount: 50 Top-up amount: 100 Prepaid Mini 19/month Prepaid Medi 39/month 600 minutes 5 GB Data Prepaid Medi 39/month 600 minutes 5 GB Data Prepaid Maxi 79/month Unlimited minutes 20 GB Data Invoice Prepaid Mini 19,00 Invoice Prepaid Medi 39,00 Invoice Prepaid Medi 39,00 Prepaid Maxi 79,00 Total: 19,00 Total: 39,00 Total: 118,00 Image 6: Example of itms Customer Prepaid billing process structure This can be useful if Sunrise wants to sell prepaid for businesses. All kind of price plans can be set up. This is a typically mix of the product setup up and the configured rate plan.

8 Product setup; Product combination, Product bundles, Product bundles actions and prices Differential Rating and product Plans can be set up. Rating based on time Voice, data (Byte, KB, MB, GB) and SMS Rollover, maximum-minimum caps, cutoff limits, Peak/Off-peak Rating, Free Units, duration, Differential Pulse, Port, IP Address, Calling party number prefix/called party number prefix, Service Interval type Drop-down list used to select the bundle interval type. The default system options are Renew every 1.st day in the month Renew every X number of days No bundle renewal Interval Numeric field used to set the bundle renewal interval in days, based on the selection in Interval type.

9 Bundle priority If end users can purchase multiple product bundles, the bundle priority determines which active bundle should be consumed from first. In terms of usage, bundles are first prioritised by their activation date for the subscription, ensuring that the oldest bundle is used first. If a subscription has more than one bundle with the same activation date, the bundle priority with the lowest value is used first. Rollover days Numeric field used to set the time limit for how long carried over bundle content is valid. If the field is not populated, no rollover is allowed. E.g. if bundle is not consumed within the billing period, remaining units are carried over to the next billing period, with an expiration date being x days renewal date. Network operator The network operator from which the usage in the product bundle will be taken. This information is mandatory, as the data KB factor is configured on network operator level, specifying if 1000 or 1024 factor should be used. SMS Numeric field used to specify the volume of SMS events within the bundle product. Data Numeric field used to specify the volume of data within the bundle product. Using the drop down list to the right of the field, you can choose if you want to specify the volume in bytes, KB, MB, GB or TB. Voice Numeric field used to specify the volume of voice minutes within the bundle product MMS Numeric field used to specify the volume of MMS events within the bundle product. Amount Numeric field used to specify the Amount in local currency exclusive of VAT within the bundle product. Rates setup; The itms GUI contains a complete Rating menu where parameters for rating of usage is set up. The menu consists of several menu items for the different parameter types, although within some of the functions it is also possible to access menu items directly. All to make it more intuitive for the user. The CDR/EDR processor in itms is a mediation device that can handle various types of usage records. The system can manage high volumes of records with high flexibility of rating configuration, bundles and discount capabilities. Week plan week plan to be used for the rate. Rating Increments Increment to be used for the rate.

10 Free initial seconds, Minimum price Step size in seconds Call fee Start-up fee for voice calls Minute price Per minute price for voice calls Factor Factor of rated price within provided CDR s SMS price Event price for SMS s SMS fee Additional event fee for premium SMS s MMS price Event price for MMS s KB price Per KB price for data usage Destinations Setup Service types Setup Price lists Setup Rates setup All kind of rates is supported. See document for more information: 0707 itms GUI - Rating Management - Version 50001_EN.pdf 0730 itms GUI - Rating Price List Overrides - Version 70001_EN