In the past,
OSS and BSS were considered disparate systems. There was no overlapping of
functions between them. Although this clear demarcation reduced complexity in
operations, it led to inefficiency as a lot of resources remained idle for most
of the time. A much better approach to undertake telecom-related tasks like order
management and product management is to use an API-centric approach. With
readymade APIs for every business use case, it becomes a lot easier to meet
emerging requirements of an ever-transforming telecom industry.
Key Elements of Telecom Billing and OSS System
A telecom
operator should look for the following attributes in its OSS telecom billing software solution to ensure
maximum efficiency in modern-day telecom operations:
1. Centralized platform for charging – A
modern-day billing and OSS system should have a centralized system for
charging all services. An Online Charging System (OCS) can serve as a wonderful
platform for charging customer usage of telecom services in real-time. It has
three functions – Event based charging function that charges every usage on the
basis of events, session based charging function that charges every usage based
on the length of the session and account and balance management function that
keeps all subscribers’ account information.
2. Automation – Automation is one of the most important requirements of an OSS telecom billing software solution. The system that you
employ should automate both virtualized and non-virtualized functions, so that
there is never a bottleneck due to slow processing at a specific layer.
3. Security – As customers’ information is always stored in the centralized
platform at all times, you need to employ strong security measures to ensure
that the security is never compromised. Ensure that the vendor you choose is
sensitive about security and provides timely updates to bolster security.
4. Fault tolerance – As all core competencies of telcos depend
on the operation of OSS and billing
system, long downtimes can be fateful to any telecom business. You should
always employ a system that can withstand faults and function till the system
has recovered. Good fault tolerance and automatic fault diagnosis are vitally
important for hassle-free telecom operations.
5. Fast activation of services and self-service option – Today’s
customers are patience-less and demand instant activation of services upon
payment. Although instantaneous service activation is not possible in most
cases, you should try to be faster than your competitors to ensure that your
subscribers do not have to wait a long time. Adding an option for self-service
as part of your telecom operations is also a good option to lure customers
towards your services.
6. Application Program Interface – There is still some way to go
before BSS and OSS models are completely transformed to meet modern-day
requirements. In the meantime, APIs provide a wonderful way to enhance your
workflow. APIs can help you use the services of different vendors without any
effort. For example, you can simply launch an API for payment gateways that
lets you use already-formed partnerships of your telecom services vendor.
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