Useful “bill shock” prevention solution for voice, SMS and data services
The best way to keep and increase roaming subscribers’ loyalty
‘Bill shocks’-related cases are generating many problems not only for Customers, but also for Operators. Both customers who roam don’t use their mobile devices because they are worried about usage costs, and subscribers who use services without regard to costs are source of headache for mobile operators. First category does not bring valuable revenues and subscribers are also unhappy because they feel they must restrict use of their traditional services. Second category of customers is having risk to get bill shock when excessively large monthly mobile bills arrive. This result is even worse than first one. Customers become angry with Operator for sending them a huge bill, and Operators often cannot collect huge amounts from their subscriber (due to image risks of other reasons) but responsible for wholesale amount to be paid to their roaming partners.
PROTEI Service Usage Control and Billshock Prevention System successfully solves most of problems mentioned above for all types of services subscriber consumes (voice, data and SMS). This platform enables subscribers to set spending and/or usage thresholds based on pre-established policies. System has capability to inform subscribers via SMS upon approaching this threshold and switch service off as soon as consumption limit had been reached.
Solution deployment will help Operators to assist their roaming subscribers to manage data roaming costs, while also helping prevent fraud and abuse of flat-rate data roaming plans.
Key Benefits
Operator-defined or subscriber-defined consumption limits
Consumption limits based on wide range of parameters
Daily/Monthly consumption control with counters’ reset on month/day end
Possibility to renew or prolong the period using SMS or USSD-request or via WEB-based self-service interface
Subscription-based or mass service deployment
Variety of supported approaches for service and data usage monitoring
Detailed CDR/EDR for each processed transaction
Diameter Real-Time Mediation (DRA)
Effective online and offline mediation
Suitable for 3G, IMS and LTE networks
Diameter traffic will accelerate quickly with the increasing of LTE and IMS network rollouts, which could create congestion, scalability and interoperability issues at the signaling layer. These issues may be especially important and complicated for Operators taking into account that as a protocol Diameter is not well defined and some education in the industry will be required to make the best use of it. There are a lot of extensions to Diameter that may lead to interoperability problems also.
PROTEI Diameter Real-Time Mediation Platform (DRTM) enables single connection point for all Diameter-based entities interacting within Operator’s network. The new network element is called the Diameter Real-Time Mediation Platform (DRTM) and it helps Operators manage services and applications on 3G and all-IP LTE and IMS networks. PROTEI DRTM centralizes routing, traffic management and load-balancing tasks to create an architecture that enables Operator’s IMS and LTE networks to grow incrementally to support increasing service and traffic demands. The DRTM deployment reduces the complexity of connecting, provisioning and interoperating essential Diameter-based equipment.
Key Benefits
Interaction with billing and prepaid platforms of didderent vendors
Management of the service packages
CDR generation
Standards compliance
Integration with external systems
DPI Platform
Powerful tool for value added services providers
Suitable for fixed and mobile broadband networks including LTE
PROTEI DPI platform unlock a variety of the data traffic management tools enabling Operator to deploy range of services related with ultimately flexible traffic charging, bandwidth management etc. PROTEI DPI is equipped with signature constructor which allows creating new traffic signatures in order to be capable of detecting flows of newly developed Internet applications. Solution is capable of detection of obfuscated protocols using statistical analysis techniques and allows flexible creation of new services and protocols using regularly updated signature base. The platform supports bit rate control with regard to service priority, supports ToS/DSCP traffic prioritization.
To deploy URL-based service delivery policies PROTEI DPI is able to classify the traffic by URL or part of URL using external database (Websense security cloud or other content classification platforms may be supported), local “black «and “white” URL lists. PROTEI DPI supports Gy (Diameter) per-service real-time charging and periodical per-service quota and also performs subscriber identification using RADIUS, Diameter (Gx), XML. The platform can be integrated with “pull” or “push” subscriber identification databases. System supports different tariff plans which can be applied to a subscriber basing on his identity or command from external source (3GPP PCRF). PROTEI DPI is horizontally-scalable, carrier class system having redundant architecture. It performs hardware packet processing using of a 20 Gbit/s or 40 Gbit/s boards developed by PROTEI.
Key Benefits
Signature-based and statistical-based detection of application layer protocols
Dynamic bandwidth control during network congestion
Policy enforcement by bit rate limitation and priority control on a per-subscriber per-flow basis
Flow-based and even-based real-time charging using Diameter protocol (Gy)
Advanced solution regulating policy and charging parameters of mobile subscribers
Suitable for 3G and LTE networks
PROTEI Policy Controller is an intellectual node regulating policy and charging parameters of mobile broadband subscribers in 3G and LTE networks. Equipped with a flexible and easy-to-manage policy decision engine PROTEI Policy Controller allows to implement mobile network operator’s business need in policy and charging rules providing dynamic distribution of limited broadband network resources.
Policy and charging control in modern networks implies dynamic per-service modification of available bandwidth and money debiting rules during ongoing Internet session depending on the type of service, subscriber profile parameters, subscriber historical data, date and time and commands from external systems like subscriber portal. Besides data channel parameters control PROTEI Policy Controller allows to manage content-filtering rules for the subscribers providing parental control or corporate control services.
The system supports the following interfaces: Gx-integration with network elements, Sp-interface (Diameter or XML), Rx-interface, Gxc-interface in 3GPP Release R8+.
Key Benefits
Per-subscriber PCC management
Effective bundle management
Subscriber notification and provisioning
QoS and Charging management
Flexible policies with different principles of bundles consumption, renewal, activation and sharing
Subscriber management and consumption data collection
Unlimited number of bundles per subscriber
Real-time Data Charging
Integration with any GSM network regardless of existing equipment
DIAMETER-proxy functionality and adaptation to any billing system
PROTEI Real-Time Charging Gateway helps Operators to optimize and simplify on-line authentication/authorization and charging procedures for many services such as data traffic charging including broadband data traffic charging (WiFi, xDSL and so on). The wide range of supported interfaces means the platform can be integrated into practically any GSM/UMTS network.
The platform supports all functionality need for smooth integration of different platforms and easy deployment of on-line authentication and charging capabilities for any services being delivered on those platforms. The platform supports such functions as authentication, access and accounting for data sessions controlled by 3GPP or non-3GPP broadband access equipment, both fixed and wireless, real-time charging of data sessions controlled by broadband access equipment, both for home subscribers and roamers, volume-based or time-based charging of data sessions, call-based charging for voice services such as VoIP calls served by non CS-core call control components.
System supports various methods for subscriber authentication and authorization: authorization using WEB-portal using MSISDN and one-time passwords requested by IVR, SMS or USSD and/ or vouchers, EAP-SIM/EAP-AKA authentication etc.
Key Benefits
Real-time charging of all types of data and messaging services
Per-session or per-call subscriber authorization and charging
Volume-based or time-based charging and billing using the operator's main billing system
RADIUS, DIAMETER, HTTP, IACC and proprietary protocols support
Diameter-proxy functionality
Authorization by WEB-interface or by MAC-address
CDR generation
WiFi Calling Platform
Easy way to improve the mobile network coverage area
Full integration with IMS core and billing
In case of lack or low signal level of the mobile network, instead of the traditional development of the radio access infrastructure, which requires significant capital investments, it's more effective to use the innovative WiFi Calling service. Using the stable connection with WiFi access point the subscriber can make calls with usual quality and reliability and pay for services from the main account by common calls tariffs.
Implementing WiFi Calling service will significantly improve the coverage area without huge investments and increase traffic in places where number of calls earlier was minimal. WiFi Calling solution by PROTEI has developed in full accordance with 3GPP standards and thanks to transparent handover procedure between WiFi and LTE/3G networks no mobile applications required if the mobile terminal supports WiFi Calling option.
The solution supports SWu, SWm, SWx, S2b, S2a, and S6b protocols for full integration with IMS core and existing Operator’s billing system.
Key Benefits
Easy integration with existing network elements
Effective tool for improving speed, reliability and call quality
Support of various subscribers’ authorization algorithms, including EAP-SIM and EAP-TLS
Convenient management of service access algorithms
Services to home users and visitors
Embedded tools for creating and managing user profiles
Detailed statistics
Wi-Fi Offload
Wi-Fi domain integration into the 3G / 4G network infrastructure
Cost-effective reuse of Wi-Fi network resources
The increasing demand of Internet access forces mobile Operators to make huge investments to networks infrastructure. Wi-Fi technology is great alternative for Operators for providing high-speed Internet access to substitute the limited resources of 3G/4G or LTE spectrum. Wi-Fi resources reusing is apparently the best way to satisfy the demand for high-speed connection.
PROTEI WIX is an advanced market-proven WiFi offloading solution allowing mobile network Operators to organize access by means of WiFi domain integration into the network infrastructure. The platform enables mobile operators not only to offload broadband traffic, but also allows inter-standard roaming, giving subscribers the unique capability to receive calls and SMS on their own phone number while registered in WiFi network via VoIP technology.
With the help of WIX platform Operators can deploy bandwidth-efficient FMC services, providing corporate clients with the ability to use WiFi inside the office and 3G/4G outside with the same MSISDN and the same billing account in both networks. WIX platform is also capable of integration with WLAN aggregators which allows subscribers to use Wi-Fi worldwide while paying for the service from home network account (WiFi roaming). The platform provides real-time charging of data transmission and voice calls, withdrawing credit from subscribers main mobile account.
Key Benefits
Account creating via self-service system, SMS or IVR
Service access for GSM / Wi-Fi networks subscribers
Various user authentication options (WEB portal services, scratch card, SMS, IVR, EAP-SIM or EAP-TLS)
Convenient built-in user account
Dynamic control of session parameters
Integration with partner networks and roaming partners
Tariffing according to user location
OCS Platform for MVNO/MVNE
Accounting, charging and billing solution targeted to MVNO/MVNE
Full functional advanced system
PROTEI OCS is an on-line charging system, fully functional automatic accounting, charging and billing solution supporting all functions related with subscriber accounts registration and management, real-time service charging etc. Due to rating engine capabilities system may be efficiently deployed by MVNEs and shared among several MVNOs built on such MVNE.
The basic functions of PROTEI OCS are accounting and charging of all kind of telecom services consumed by prepaid subscribers, subscriber management functions including order processing for subscription and subscription for the services, administrative management, and rate plan management with unlimited number of tariff plans.
PROTEI OCS supports such features as inventory functions related to prepaid packets sales support, working with dealers (including convenient API or WEB-interfaces for dealers and/ or MVNOs), interacting via RADIUS or DIAMETER (Gy) with external platforms (like PCEF/DPI, GGSNs, WiFi Service Gateways) for real-time charging of data services, integration with external customer care platforms (Voucher management systems, IVRs).
Subscribers’ accounts may be recharged using vouchers, airtime transfer or by credit card payments collected through external systems (payment gateways, terminals, ATMs etc.).
Key Benefits
Effective accounting and charging of any telecom services
Not limited “pay-as-you-go” charging and service bundles.
Time-based, event-based, volume-based and service-based charging
Convenient APIs for integration with external systems
Fully functional financial module available
Flexible and power statistical reporting and generation tools
