Telephony Billing

1
Telephony Billing

• Devin Jones
• cs294-3
• April 2, 2002

2
Simple Billing Overview

• Call is made
• Call Data Record
• Source, Destination s
• Start and End times
• CDR stored until rated
• Call is rated
• Additional Tariffs/Credits assessed
• Billing is run, invoices produced

3
Call Rating

• CDR examined
• Nonbillable calls
• an 800 number
• a local call
• a toll call
• Originating number
• time the call was placed
• distance between callers

4
Call Invoicing

• Usually once a month
• Billing complexities Beyond rating
• Volume discounts
• Monthly fees, taxes

5
Options

• Current quotes based on CDR?
• Drop nonbillable info?
• Storage vs. usage patterns
• Support for electronic formats
• Business customers

6
Standard Issues

• Reliability
• Accuracy
• Readability
• Data formats

7
Complexities

• Billing for multiple services
• Local, long-dist., Internet, wireless, cable TV
• Settlement with interconnect partners

8
Interconnect Review

• Allows customers of one network to communicate
  with customers of another
• 30-50 of revenues for some operators
• Especially
• International calls
• Mobile
• Internet Telephony

9
Types of International Interconnect

• Accounting Rate
• Cascade
• Direct
• Re-Filing/Hubbing
• Reseller, Re-origination

10
New under deregulation

• Precision billing
• Multiple Currencies
• Flat Rate
• Stepped Rates
• Minimum Charge
• Zero-duration/Call attempt charge

11
Emerging Clearinghouses

• Linking IP networks
• Widely used as a choice in routing table
• Quality allows use as single source
• OSP (open settlement protocol)
• Popular due to Costs
• Hardware / 10
• Network access / 2

12
Telco Billing
13
OSP VoIP Billing
14
Resourced links

• www.transnexus.com/IPValue.pdf
• www.savera.com/pdfs/authorized_pdfs/4_supporting_i
  nterconnect.pdf
• http//www.iec.org/online/tutorials/tele_bill
• http//www.iec.org/online/tutorials/billing_3g/
• http//www.iec.org/online/tutorials/realtime_billi
  ng/
• http//www.atis.org/atis/clc/obf/BC/bciss.htm
• http//www.phoneplusmag.com/articles/1c1cover.html
  
• http//www.bcr.com/bcrmag/2001/08/p28.asp
• http//www.itu.int/ITU-D/finance/work-cost-tariffs
  /events/tariff-seminars/niger-01/Doc7-Lacroix-20E
  volution20of20Inter20Carrier20Settlement-En.pd
  f