5 Best Features of Telecom Billing Systems for Business Success

Every aspect of telecom operation is getting convoluted due to new technologies and a rise in unexpected demands. As competition rises, one cannot dwell on the challenges in front. Any time wasted in bringing new services to market or addressing emerging customer requirements can be fateful. Especially for small and virtual operators (MVNOs), the time to respond to customers’ needs is very small. They need all the support they can muster. Amidst all the resources available to them, hi-tech billing systems can be a major difference maker. The best telecom billing systems can aid in achieving higher customer satisfaction levels and simplifying the whole business process.

Why Telecom Billing Services Can Be Crucial?

A small-scale operator does not have in-house resources to come up with cutting-edge OSS/BSS and telecom billing solutions. One needs to access telecom billing services that are suited for quick monetization and achieving transparency in billing. Below are some reasons why modern billing services can prove detrimental:

  • Access completely convergent billing for printing descriptive invoices with bifurcation of charges. Sending bills that clearly state every service charge, tariff, discount, tax etc. can foster customer trust in your services.
  • When your marketing team devises a strategy, it is as per the current situation in the market. But due to lack of flexibility in telecom billing and monetization, telcos often waste a lot of time. And hence, the opportunity goes by. But with the best telecom billing systems, you can stack up multiple services as per your choice and launch them immediately.

Access best telecom billing systems via Telecom Billing Services

If you are looking for a billing partner, then you need to find the best one in the market. The better your billing is, the more revenue you are likely to generate. An experienced billing partner can provide you a feature-filled billing system. Some of the important functionalities of the best telecom billing systems are:

Intuitive design

A billing system needs to have an intuitive design, so that your employees can use it without any problem. A complex design can hinder the utilization of a software. It is often seen that MVNOs are unable to use many features, because their staff is unable to comprehend the intricacy of the system. The best telecom billing systems have a simple design with an intuitive dashboard.

Analytics

The power of analytics is no secret. And, it has to be leveraged in the telecom industry for beating the competition. Not using analytics is like giving an edge to the competitors. With regular insights about buying trends, classification of user segments and knowledge about competitor strategies, you can stay ready to meet the challenges of the future.

APIs

If you have to overhaul telecom billing services frequently, then you would have to spend a large sum of money. This is simply not justifiable, especially for MVNOs with limited financial resources. Access telecom billing platforms that come with APIs, so you can fulfill any need in future without customizing or replacing your existing telecom billing system. For example, an API can give you instant access to a shipping vendor, a payment gateway or even allow you to integrate databases (e.g. NLAD) with just a simple installation at the client end.

Multi-Tenancy

Multi-tenancy that allows for multiple logins is critical. The best telecom billing systems allow for multiple logins with different user rights. In the multi-tenant environment, access needs to be restricted according to the type of user and security parameters should be defined clearly.

Single-point charging environment

You do not want to charge and rate different services via different systems as it creates confusion in billing tasks. A centralized charging platform like the Online Charging System (OCS) provided by Telgoo5 is needed to perform single-point and convergent billing. Not only that, an OCS can charge every service (prepaid, postpaid, broadband) in real-time and eliminate revenue leakage. At Telgoo5, we offer the best telecom billing systems to our partners. Our billing platform is robust, real-time, secure and supported by a 24×7 NOC team.

Unleash the Magic of Online Billing Software to Thrash Competitors

The world of telecom is at war. The fight between operators is causing major fluctuations in service delivery. New schemes and plans are launched from all corners by operators big and small, real and virtual, and with varied capabilities. There is no guarantee of success even if you are maintaining a high level of service delivery.

Millennials are becoming the major consumers of telecom services, and quality alone is not enough for them. They want to be treated special, they want complete control over their plans, and most importantly they want something that is better than what their peers are using. Considering these requirements and an unpredictable nature of demand, it has become crucial to employ an online billing software solution that is flexible and can scale to the emerging requirements of telecom operators. This is the only way you can expect to fulfill the requirements of modern-day customers and gain a leg on your competitors.

Essential Elements of Online Billing Software

Online billing software solutions need to meet certain essential requirements of telecom businesses, in order to be worthwhile for a call center operation. Have a look at some essential elements of such software:

Centralized platform for one-stop billing

There are simply way too many services in the telecom domain that need to be accounted for by an operator, in order to bill the subscribers correctly. In the past, IN and OFCS (Offline Charging System) were utilized to charge prepaid and postpaid services respectively. But these systems simply cannot keep up with the major requirements of today. Modern-day operators have to account for a wide range of services like broadband, video streaming, IoT, 5G etc. The sheer scope of the new-age services is immense, and charging them via different platforms can create complete chaos in telecom billing. The best approach is to employ an online billing software solution that supports a centralized architecture with an Online Charging System (OCS).

Convergent billing

A real-time online charging system allows telcos to deliver a single invoice that reflects charges for each and every service used by subscribers. Not only convergent billing is convenient for subscribers, it also ensures that your customers and customer support representatives are on the same page. Convergent billing, when done right, prevents customers from exceeding their allotted quota of services, as it provides timely notifications. Therefore, the chances of disputes are minimized, and even if there is a dispute, it can be sorted out by referring to the reports generated by the billing platform.

Flexibility in devising service bundles

Exciting packages are what attract subscribers towards a particular operator. Hence, it is essential that you have a telecom online billing software solution that allows you to stack as many services in as many combinations as you want. At Telgoo5, we offer a flexible telecom services platform that not only helps you stack up different services (as you wish) and create exciting offerings but also enables you to provide discounts.

A range of APIs for meeting ad hoc requirements

For delivering telecom services that are always in sync with emerging customer expectations, you need to be prepared with Application Program Interface (API) solutions that solve ad hoc requirements quickly. Customizing or overhauling an online billing software solution is a costly endeavor; therefore, you need a telecom platform that supports a wide range of APIs. Telgoo5 is an amazing platform that is devised specifically to meet the ever-changing requirements of modern-day MNOs, MVNOs and MVNEs. Partnering with Telgoo5 is a recipe for success, a sure shot way to beat the competition.

Minimize Your Struggles by Choosing the Right MVNO Model for Your Business

Starting an MVNO is a lucrative proposition if you have nailed down the right strategy. Most successful MVNOs thrive in the telecom domain because of their tenacity and ability to acquire and keep hold of subscribers. But, what most new entrants do not know is that even the best had their limitations when they started. And, a surprising fact is that not all virtual operators overcame these limitations to get where they are now. So, the question arises how they landed up where they are now. How could they taste success when others that were equally capable faltered? And astoundingly, the answer is not as abstruse as you might think, it is quite simple actually. Those who became successful actually took the best approach towards success: they chose the right MVNO model.

Why MVNO Model Selection Really Matters?

Playing to your strengths is extremely important if you want to win in a game. The same concept applies to MVNOs as well. This will become clearer by analyzing the different MVNO models out there, and the type of strengths (capabilities) they require. Have a look:

  1. MVNO as Reseller – To start a reseller MVNO, you do not have to make significant financial investments. So, if you are short on capital but marketing is your strong suite, then you can set up a branded reseller MVNO.  Apply your strengths in conceptualizing a brand, find distribution channels to sell your services and focus on marketing your brand in the best possible way. Although you will not have any control on the infrastructure, you will surely be able to make a lot of profit by applying the skills you have. Reseller MVNO works best for those who are not tech savvy but still want to get into the MVNO game.
  2. MVNO as Service Provider – For those with IT expertise, experience of overseeing customer service operations and some capital at their disposal, Service Provider MVNO model fits the bill perfectly. In order to start this type of MVNO, you would have to make some capital and operational investments in the IT platforms. Branding can be done individually or in partnership with the host operator, which offers flexibility. Your success will depend on your branding capabilities along with the execution of your customer care. It is essential that you partner with a capable MVNE that can provide you essential tools like CRM, so your customer service department performs consistently.
  3. MVNO as Enhanced Service Provider – As evident from the name, it is an enhanced version of the former. Apart from all the previously mentioned functions, it can procure its own mobile network code albeit not completely free from host operator’s control. It is also possible to add self-selected Value Added Services (VAS), which can help you differentiate yourself from the competitors and attract new subscribers. So, for those business owners who have IT capabilities and some experience of telecom domain, the enhanced service provider MVNO makes good business sense.
  4. Full MVNO – This option is solely for those who want to go all in. As being a full MVNO means you have to perform hardcore telecom operations, you need to be tech savvy and preferably have long-term experience in the telecom industry. Apart from procuring the Radio Access Network (RAN), you would have to execute every function that an MNO does. Below are some of the important functions that a full MVNO performs:
  5. SIM card delivery
  6. Control of HLR, VLR, GGSN, SMSC, GMSC
  7. Perform interconnect and roaming agreements
  8. Set tariff for plans and different bundled packages
  9. Execute and interpret Big Data analytics
  10. CRM management
  11. …and a lot more

If all the above mentioned tasks have you puzzled and you feel out of your depth, then being a full MVNO is not for you. But, if you are ready to take the plunge and perform all these tasks diligently, then you can expect to become a major force to reckon in the market.

Conclusion

When you select the right MVNO model for yourself, you would be doing what you actually love to do. This will automatically reduce your struggles and help you conquer the highly-competitive telecom industry. But, regardless of which model you choose, you should use the right telecom services platform, in order to ensure long-term consistency of your operation. Telgoo5 is one of the best platforms for MVNOs of all sizes. Apart from fulfilling the quintessential needs with its B/OSS and billing platform, it also helps you accomplish ad hoc requirements with its unique API solutions.

Differentiate Your Brand from the Crowd with Competent Billing System Software

Telecom industry is riddled with excessive competition between companies. The situation is even more intense in the MVNO domain with several virtual operators vying for the same space and customer base. For these small operators, being different than their peers has become almost as important as being good at what they do. An ability to devise plans that appeal to different group of subscribers is a sure shot recipe for success. And, to do this consistently, an MVNO requires a billing system software solution that is scalable, flexible and convergent.

Why Convergence is Important?

Convergence in telecom billing is the ability to charge and rate all services at a single point. It has become the most sought after attribute of a billing system because:

  • Allows for the creation of a single invoice that reflects all telecom service usage charges
  • Brings in more transparency in billing and helps telcos win the trust of their customers
  • Minimizes billing errors
  • True real-time convergent billing system implemented by an Online Charging System (OCS) prevents customers from exceeding their allocated quota

Differentiate your Brand by Offering Tailor-Made Services

Nowadays, there are a myriad of services offered by telecom operators. Big players in the market i.e. MNOs, serve customers on a broader scale. As their services are not catered towards a particular group, it is possible that some customers might feel alienated. This is where MVNOs come into the picture. By devising service packages that appeal to certain groups, they are immediately able to sway such customers.

In order to create subscriber-specific services, MVNOs need a billing system software solution that puts complete control of service creation in their hands. Below are some of its important characteristics:

Complete reporting

Billing system software solutions that come with complete reporting allows MVNOs to understand the market trends. The data present in the reports tells a lot about customer’s preferences and service usage. For example, you get to know about their preferred roaming zones, SMS usage, number of calls they make etc. By collating data through reports and analyzing it, it becomes possible for operators to direct their plans towards a certain group of customers.

Allows MVNOs to mix and match different services

Flexible billing system software allows MVNOs to stack different services in any way they want. This flexibility goes a long way in the creation of pertinent plans that appeal to customers. 

Cross-product discounts

Cross-product discounts are a great way to create interest in your MVNO. Also, these discounts can be used to familiarize customers with a new service and increase the revenue at the same time. For example, if you have recently started a video-streaming service, you can combine it with a bestselling service like data. You can entice customers by providing the streaming service for free, if they buy a certain amount of data. This way, not only you will be able to sell more data, you will also be able to evoke interest in your video-streaming services, which they will start buying in the future.

Self-service portal

Modern-day customers, especially the millennials are extremely choosy when it comes to their telecom services plans. By providing them a portal from where they can create their own plans, you will be able to sway their interest in your favor. Telgoo5 is a cutting-edge telecom service platform that provides complete control to the MVNOs and allows them to differentiate themselves from their competitors. It also offers many APIs, which can be used to fulfill ad hoc requirements quickly. Apart from telecom billing, it covers every aspect of B/OSS systems.

The MVNO Operators Guide to Monetize and Bill Telecom Offerings Quickly

Telecom market is extremely competitive these days. What is popular today may not sell tomorrow and what sells tomorrow may not have any takers the day after. An innovation is only lucrative till the time subscribers are interested, and due to frequent launch of new tech that time window is really small. Therefore, MVNO Operators are in a situation where they have to constantly evolve.

Analytics and Reporting are Crucial

As MVNO operators thrive on their creativity and reselling capabilities, they have to stay ahead of the game. Thus, understanding subscribers’ preferences becomes crucial.

MVNOs depend on the MVNE and MNO for reporting. Every piece of information related with subscribers’ –preferred service packages, subscription preferences, roaming zone frequented, bill payment patterns – are essential to carve out plans that appeal to them. But, most large-scale operators keep this information to themselves, which impacts MVNO operators potential.

Telgoo5 offers a slave database to its partnering MVNO that is directly updated by the master database. The MVNOs can run as many reports as they want, whenever they want. Apart from reporting, MVNOs also get access to analytics capabilities. The AI-based analyses provide timely insights, which can be utilized to design attractive service bundles that appeal to subscribers.

Why MVNO Operators Require Convergence in Billing?

Convergence in billing plays a huge role in MVNO Success. True convergence is implemented by a 3GPP compliant real-time charging system. Telgoo5 employs an Online Charging System (OCS) that charges every service offered by MVNO operators at the same place. The OCS has the ability to charge services based on events and sessions e.g. it can charge a call based on its duration and SMSes based on their number. One of the biggest advantages of OCS is that it overhauls the erstwhile Intelligence Network (IN) and Offline Charging System (OFCS), and provides a single point of contact for prepaid, postpaid, broadband, IPTV, IoT, 5G services etc.

Telgoo5 OCS is secure, based on the cloud and has all the cutting-edge functionalities to support modern-day MVNO Operations.

APIs for Accomplishing Ad Hoc Requirements

Customization of Telecom Software is a costly affair. MVNO operators do not have the finances to constantly upgrade them; hence they need the power of Application Program Interface (API).

Telgoo5 APIs are built to support new requirements and can be used in the following scenarios:

  1. Access immediate partnership with a proven shipping vendor, and supply your merchandise to the subscribers. The API also takes care of the billing aspect (between vendor and MVNO) and makes the management of new partnership convenient.
  2. Provide new payment modes to your subscribers by immediately accessing the services of different payment gateways with a simple API.
  3. Integrate new databases to support new customers. E.g. Telgoo5 MVNO allows you to integrate NLAD database to support Lifeline customers in the USA.

Apart from the abovementioned functionalities, you get many other readymade API solutions to handle emergency situations and new technology launches.

Conclusion Telgoo5 is a comprehensive platform specially designed for MVNO operators. It has a cutting-edge OCS that overhauls the erstwhile charging systems and brings in more flexibility in an MVNO’s operations. It also offers unique functionalities via APIs and makes MVNO operations cost-effective. Partnering with a platform like Telgoo5 is a sure shot way to quickly monetize services and launch them while they are still well-received by the subscribers.

Meet Customers’ Exact Requirements Reliably with Foolproof Diameter Charging

Telecom industry is always evolving. Whether it is technology, type of service or architecture; there is always something transforming, and most of the times changing for the good. Telecom architecture has also seen many alterations in the recent times. The revamping of Radius interface into the much improved Diameter interface has been at the forefront of the major changes that have taken place in the recent times. Diameter charging has become the status quo in the telecom industry, and essential for rightful operations of modern-day telecom operations.

Why Diameter Charging is better than Radius Charging?

Radius was conceptualized for implementing fundamental authentication for dial-up internet connections. In a common Radius authentication case, a user of services supplies his credentials i.e. username and password to log into a server. The server then checks/authenticates the credentials against a central LDAP policy store. Although Radius has being effective in the past, it is not ideal for IMS, in which, a present-day service subscriber uses different types of automatically delivered Telecom Services.

Compared to the Radius authentication method, Diameter Charging has the following advantages:

  1. Trustworthy AAA message transmission over TCP/SCTP protocol
  2. Equipped failover mechanism that ensures consistent message service delivery
  3. Based on peer to peer network architecture, it allows for greater versatility in authentication
  4. Transmission of AAA messages securely utilizing IPSec or TLS

Diameter charging is the gold standard for modern-day charging and billing process. To ensure that you are able to reap maximum rewards out of a billing operation, it is essential to complement diameter charging with a modern-day telecom billing platform.

Leverage Diameter Charging with Versatile Telecom Platform

Diameter charging is simply a part of telecom architecture. For complete success of a telecom operation, there are many elements that need to come together. Have a look:

  1. Convergence in billing – A centralized charging architecture is essential to bring in convergence into billing. An Online Charging System (OCS) charges every service in real-time and allows telcos to create and deliver a single invoice. The creation of a single invoice brings in transparency into the billing tasks and allows telcos to build a bond of trust with their subscribers. Also, in these times where the number of telecom services is increasing consistently, there is a need to organize billing into a compact and easy-to-understand operation.
  2. Reporting and analytics – The intricacy of telecom operations can be simplified if you have complete access to reporting and analytics tools. For a telecom operator to be successful, it needs to decipher the trends and understand customer behavior. Reporting and analytics provide telcos complete information about customers’ whereabouts, their roaming charges, the kind of services they use, credit limit etc. At Telgoo5, you get access to complete reporting functionality as we provide you a slave database that is directly updated by a master database.

3. Security of information – The billing system holds vital subscriber information that simply cannot fall into the wrong hands. It would be calamitous for a telco to lose customer’s credit card or bank account information to a hacker. Therefore, it is essential to opt for a robust billing system that keeps all the information encrypted. Telgoo5 is a next-gen MNO/MVNO/MVNE platform that excels at securing information and allows for consistent telecom operations.

Employ Convergent and Real Time Charging for Maximizing Telecom Profits

Telecom operations of today have become more intricate than ever before. As staple telecom services like voice and SMS start losing their significance due to the establishment of OTT platforms (whatsapp, skype etc.), there is an emerging need to monetize telecom services in exciting packages that evoke subscribers’ interest. But even more important these days is to maintain a level of trust with your customers. An Online charging system (OCS) provides you the best of both worlds and lets you fulfill the most important requirements of subscribers with its true real time charging.

The Secret of True Real Time Charging

True real time charging as per the technical specifications defined by 3GPP prevents revenue leakage. The secret to true real time charging lies in the rightful implementation of telecom billing architecture. The Gy diameter interface between OCS and Policy and Charging Enforcement Function (PCEF) needs to transmit info in real-time for the platform to work as intended. Only when the interface is correctly implemented, you can expect proper functioning of the entire system.

The Virtues of a Quality Telecom Charging and Billing System

Apart from real time charging, a telecom charging and billing system needs to have the following attributes for it to be effective in today’s competitive telecom industry. Have a look at some of the essential virtues:

Ability to generate single invoice for all servicesWith so many services delivered by telecom operators these days, it would be inconvenient if you send separate invoices to customers for every service. A convergent real time charging system allows for the creation of a single invoice for all services like prepaid, postpaid, broadband, SMS, IPTV etc. This happens because the charging is done at single centralized point i.e. OCS, which charges services as they are used and rates them according to a pre-determined tariff rate.

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