OSSbilling

OSS and BSS services along with telecom billing are some of the most integral components of telecom software solutions. In the past, due to scarcity of options, telecom services users stayed happy with what they got from their operator. Separate prepaid, postpaid and broadband plans were fine for users. No one cared about other services like data and video streaming. But after the start of the 21st century, the entire landscape has changed.

Accurate Billing is the Name of the Game

In today’s time, no telecom operator can accept to make mistakes and survive. Your errors are looked at with magnifying glass and there are many competitors in the market to sway away your customers.

To ensure maximum accuracy and the best results, it is important to utilize a telecom charging platform that charges and rates services in real-time.

One of the biggest concerns of Mobile Virtual Network Operators (MVNOs) is to keep up with the changes in evolving telecom industry. Due to the transformational nature of technology, telecom software solutions need to be changed and amended frequently. While big telcos can do that in-house, it is the small MVNOs who are at a disadvantageous position. They simply do not have the necessary budget for the task, and therefore they have to use the services of telecom billing vendors.

Partner with Evolving Telecom Billing Systems to stay Future-Safe

Regardless of an MVNO model, it has to be great at its billing. It needs to maximize the little advantage that it gets from cheaper resource acquisition from MNOs. Thus, it should have the capability to monetize services in attractive packages, in the present and in the future. Below are some necessary requirements for that:

Convergent Telecom Billing Systems

Convergence of telecom billing systems is necessary. Hence, every MVNO should invest in a real-time charging platform like OCS. It can charge based on session and events, thus giving you more room to monetize different services via a single platform.

B/OSS services

Not a long time back, telecom billing was all about charging and rating basic services like SMS and calls. However, with the evolution of technology, we are seeing a rise of new technologies that are pushing the traditional telecom billing systems to the limit. Companies simply cannot rely on what has worked in the past. It is time to innovate and be prepared for newer tech like IoT and 5G. The best way to undertake a task as challenging as telecom billing is by employing cutting-edge telecom billing systems that are based in the cloud.

Cloud-Based Telecom Billing Systems: What to Look For?

Not all cloud-based telecom billing systems are equal. You need to be very thorough and settle on the best billing system to ensure success in your telecom billing and monetization of services. Below are some important features, which you should look for in your next cloud-based telecom billing system.

Ability to work well with present and future services

As the pace of technology evolution increases, it is very much likely that telcos would have to launch newer services at a faster rate. And, emerging technologies like 5G and IoT are much more complex than the technologies launched in the past. Therefore, it is best to partner with a vendor that can offer telecom billing systems that can not only meet the requirements of the present but also the future. Also, the telecom billing solution should be completely scalable vertically to meet the rising demands of new subscribers.

Security of data

An online billing system based in the cloud is always exposed to hackers’ threat. To ensure security of subscriber data that is stored on the cloud, it is essential to enforce sturdy encryption measures. Also, these encryption measures need to be updated from time-to-time, in order to stay ahead of hackers that are always on the prowl. A single hacking incident can undo the hard work done over many years, which is why; security is extremely crucial in any online telecom billing system.

Backed by APIs for different business use cases

A telecom billing system may serve you well, but it may not be able to meet every new requirement. Let’s say, you don’t have a pre-existing partnership with a shipping vendor but you need one to ship your IoT SIMs. In this case, you may choose to customize the software but it is a costly investment. A better way to deal with such situations is to partner with a telecom services provider that can issue an API that immediately lets you partner with a shipping vendor and also lets you manage the partnership and all the related transactions. As APIs help address particular requirements without taking drastic steps like buying a new software solution, they are far more economically viable in such scenarios.

Convergent billing

Billing in the telecom industry is crucial for managing and streamlining business processes. Unlike other industries, where billing is just one of the many operations, BSS in telecom is vitally important and accounts for the overall success of a venture. A telecom company caters to a wide customer base and has a large number of customers to deal with. The sheer number of customers raises the complexity in billing process, which is why; you need a dedicated solution that can help you complete your tasks efficiently.

OSS stands for Operations Support System. It comprises computers systems deployed by service providers to manage their networks. It helps in performing the following functions:

1.      Network Inventory Management

2.      Fault Management

3.      Service Provisioning

4.      Network Configuration

Role of BSS and OSS

To understand OSS BSS billing system in telecom, one has to be well-versed with the concept of BSS and OSS. These two systems are fundamentally important in any telecom-specific business operation. BSS is used alongside OSS to support a number of telecommunication services. BSS stands for Business Support System. It has the following roles with regards to operations in the telecom industry:

1.      Customer Management

2.      Revenue Management

3.      Order Management

4.      Product Management

 Importance of Billing in Telecom

Operations in the telecom industry are directly affected by an increase in the number of customers and addition of new features by telecom service providers. To observe and analyze changes, a telecom service provider employs OSS BSS billing system. This billing system not only fulfills the accounting requirements but also helps in keeping track of the overall process. Every piece of information that is generated after a customer uses the service is captured and stored by the billing system. It serves as a cohesive business solution and forms the backbone of a telecom company’s operations.

 Need for a Unified OSS BSS  Billing System

The various billing operations in a telecom company can be handled by employing different billing systems. However, such an approach can hinder the integrity of an operation and increases its complexity. Hence, it is best to employ a unified billing system that covers all aspect of the business and serves as a single point for monitoring and analyzing all operations. Below are certain operations that a comprehensive billing system should be able to perform:

1.      Customer Relationship Management

2.      Electronic Bill Presentment & Payment (EBPP)

3.      Order Management

4.      Web Portals for Customers and Agents

5.      Reporting

6.      Trouble Ticketing

7.      Work Flow Management

 To ensure reliable operations, a telecom company should procure a OSS BSS billing system that is secure and immune to power failures. As telecom companies are constantly involved in high-stake transactions, it is imperative that the data is stored on multiple sites, so that the failure of power on one site does not have any bearing on the operations. The server should have good connectivity to ensure fast retrieval of requested information. By accessing and disseminating information quickly, you will be able to serve customers in a better way.

BSS Billing System for Convenience in Operations