2.1 Next Gen BSS Offers Innovative Billing Solutions
BSS and billing have moved from a back office function to a strategic role within an organisation. Billing must now be a key component in the management of customers, enabling product bundling, allowing a single view of the customer and driving the fast introduction of new,billable products and services.

2.1.1 The Role of BSS in an Operator’s Network

A fast, effective and up-to-date network plays a key role in providing the subscriber with an NGN experience, a single system that can intelligently accept an order for, provision, rate and charge all services,regardless of location, access point and payment type will be key.

Visiongain see the critical BSS requirements include the following:

Table 2.1 – Key BSS requirements in an Operators Network

Real Time Policy Management

Billing offers need to be tied to real time policy enforcement in the network;

Real Time Charging Rules
To extract value from the network, the billing system needs to tell the network how to charge the customer’s service regardless of account type, payment type or device;

Service Provisioning
Service providers need a single provisioning point to ensure faster service roll out and bundling flexibility;

Real-time Unified View of the Customer
A real-time view of customers’ accounts (profile, usage, status) across all services will enable personalisation and consistent customer management; and Smart Charging

Flexible charging for any service or service combination, content and any payment type whether Pre-paid, Post-paid or hybrid.


Source: Visiongain
A converged BSS infrastructure spanning the network to the customer to the bank, delivered as a single system is an essential - and efficient
- strategic weapon. This approach will enable operators to truly leverage and monetise their networks by delivering a variety of benefits:

Table 2.2 – Benefits of Converged BSS in an Operators Network


Rules Based Charging
Accurate and flexible rules-based charging - for any service type - to fully monetise services across all payment types;

Evolving Support

Ability to support seamless service or account changes for customers as needs evolve over time;

Single Point of Reference
Bundling flexibility and faster time to market of new products and services via a single product catalogue for all services, applications and product families;

Promotion
Targeted real-time promotions and marketing campaigns to: promote the uptake of new services and applications; increase usage;stimulate loyalty; and Real-time Management

Real-time financial management to reduce exposure both for the service provider and the subscriber.

Source: Visiongain

2.1.2 Next Generation Charging and Next Generation OSS

3GPP R6 has defined an online charging system (OCS) in the IMS architecture. OCS supports multiple charging modes such as content charging, traffic charging or volume charging for both voice, data and value-added services. The OCS interacts with the service control layer through Diameter Credit Control protocol and provides Pre-paid rating and real-time control of services for various account types and management requirements. It spans the PSTN, PHS, 3G, IMS, WLAN and broadband IP-based networks.


Converged charging systems still need to be integrated into the backend OSS/BSS, as well as customer care and self-provisioning systems. It is likely that traditional BSS will evolve towards Next Generation OSS (NGOSS). This will include service management,business intelligence, marketing CRM and QoS, as well as content management systems. Visiongain believes that the IP Multimedia Subsystems (IMS) will be one of the key architectural frameworks used in NGNs that will impact on NGOSS.


2.1.3 IMS’s Importance to the Mobile Telecoms Service Provider and their OSS/BSS Vendors

(IMS) is a unique opportunity for mobile telecoms service providers and their OSS/BSS vendors.

IMS allows providers to monetise their IP network. Other than broadband access fees and some revenues when mobile service providers act as ISPs they see very low RoI, while companies like Google, Yahoo and others revenues are high. This is because IP was designed to route packets and provide connectivity, and if this is the primary activity of a mobile telecoms service provider, then they are only providing a carrier pipe for the ISPs without real control of their IP networks. IMS provides this much needed control.

2.1.3.1 IMS Seamlessly Converges Architectures in NGN Networks

Next, IMS is the first telecom architecture that seamlessly converges wireline, wireless and IP networks. The obvious benefit is new revenues from presence, gaming, follow-me, “where are my buddies” services and others. But it is more than that. IMS allows the telecoms to unbundle their customers from their network so others can develop services for their customers. This enables other industries to leverage