Page 389 - Handbook of Modern Telecommunications
P. 389

3-180                   CRC Handbook of Modern Telecommunications, Second Edition

              The Device Director measures and analyzes the performance issues and problems related to certain
            device types (typically Customer Premises Equipment [CPE] devices). Analyses are based on real trans-
            actions rather than probe-simulated tests.
              Data collected and processed in this way helps providers select and advertise devices that work best
            for certain uses. If an issue is detected, corrective actions (i.e., firmware updates) may be arranged, or the
            issues that cause the majority of CPE-related service problems can simply be eliminated.
              The Telcordia products listed above are primarily aimed at new, next-generation services. Telcordia
            also offers a number of minor OSS systems as part of its core OSS suite. The tools are used for activat-
            ing, testing, supervising, and servicing different technologies including telephony, xDSL, Sonet/SDH,
            DWDM, DLC, and Ethernet. These applications were originally developed for legacy technologies but
            were gradually extended to support the technological basis of new services as well.
            3.7.4.2  Amdocs
            Amdocs,  a  Chesterfield,  Missouri–based  company  with  approximately  16,000  employees,  is  another
            emblematic player in the telecommunications management market. Originally the vendor offered its own
            billing solution. Later on Amdocs extended its professional services and became the market leader at the
            largest Tier-1 service providers. Through the acquisition of significant companies such as Clarify, a cus-
            tomer relationship management (CRM) firm (in 2001), and more recently Cramer, an OSS inventory ven-
            dor, Amdocs is now able to offer a compelling wide range of OSS/BSS solutions to its customers. Amdocs
            products now fit into a portfolio labeled integrated customer management (ICM) by the company.

            3.7.4.2.1  Revenue Management
            The Amdocs “flagship” offering, the Convergent Billing Solution, comprises a set of modular products
            that include the following.
              •   Online charging contains several vital components of a billing solution:
                 •   The product catalog is a database that reflects the products and services offered by the
                    provider and keeps track of dynamic changes in those offerings.
                 •   Billing mediation refers to the process of receiving, formatting, and validating event data
                    from various sources that require event-based charges (e.g., long-distance calls or video
                    on demand).
                 •   Events are analyzed by the rating module, whose operation may be influenced by cus-
                    tomer- or service-specific attributes that justify discount or price variations. The rating
                    process may take place either online or offline. The advantage of online rating is immedi-
                    ate feedback (necessary for prepaid systems), while offline rating may lead to implementa-
                    tion of more sophisticated rating schemes.
                 •   The charging process is completed by the invoicing module, and the result is a consoli-
                    dated bill for all services used by any customer. Invoicing may provide additional adjust-
                    ment logic to total and subtotal fee calculation processes.
              •   Recurring subscription-based charges (e.g., telephony subscriptions, IPTV subscriptions) are han-
                 dled by a separate module. The charging process here is similarly complex and includes multiple
                 services, management of bundles, promotional campaigns, and production of clear and detailed
                 online or offline bills.
              •   The settlement modules enable providers to accomplish clearing with provider partners and other
                 business-to-business (B2B) scenarios. There is a separate product specially designed to deal with
                 the complexity of roaming settlements.
            3.7.4.2.2  Customer Management
            Customer management covers sales, customer relationships, help-desk functions, and so forth. In short,
            it refers to supporting the full “target-sell-order-bill-support-grow” life cycle of a service.
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