Convergent Charger

Convergence has become a key focus for many network operators and service providers around the world. The compelling drivers are the need to reduce operational costs and the drive for growth in both the subscriber base and revenues.

Convergence is not only about voice and data services but also the triple and quadruple plays where fixed line, broadband Internet, TV and mobile are packaged as one single offering. Convergence also includes payment methods – which enable any service to be charged for before, or after, consumption depending on the network operator’s and/or the customer’s preference.

Convergence enables the network operator or service provider to capture more of their customers total spend by:

Acision’s Convergent Charger is an innovative solution that enables network operators and service providers to evolve their service offerings in line with their chosen convergence strategy. The solution supports multiple network domains, multiple payment methods and multiple services, all in real time.

Convergent Charger provides full real-time service rating and charging which is critical to delivering an improved user experience. It enables pre-delivery advice of charge, notification of spend and immediate availability of transaction information to users and customer care representatives.

Convergent Charger satisfies the need for the rapid introduction of new services. Its flexibility, ease of configuration and integration options ensure that new services can be brought to market quickly. When additional integration and functionality are needed, upgrades are introduced with minimal testing and downtime, helping the network operator or service provider protect and improve their market position.

Convergent Charger minimises risk and expense because it can integrate with an existing payments infrastructure, utilising existing rating and charging capabilities to minimise investment and disruption. In this way, it can support convergence for a particular market segment or for a specific new service and be extended to cover additional customers and services at a rate set by the network operator or service provider.

To deliver the range of services required by network operators and service providers effectively requires new business models and new partnerships. In many cases payments to third parties become a significant proportion of the cost of delivering the service. Convergent Charger provides the real-time pre-delivery control needed to minimise the prohibitive costs of fraud. It also supports settlement of payments, maintaining information on the revenue split across the value chain and calculating revenue due to the different parties. Importantly, this takes account of refunds, preventing a common occurrence today, in which refunds are not accurately reflected in partner settlement, often to the detriment of the network operator or service provider.

Key benefits: