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L100 OSS BSS Domain Certification Reference Material
L100 OSS BSS Domain Certification Reference Material
L100 OSS BSS Domain Certification Reference Material
Index of Figures
Support systems that will reduce your operating expenses while increasing
system performance, productivity and availability.
OSS can be defined as the hardware and software that service providers
use to manage their network infrastructure, deploy services and provide
connectivity.
Why OSS?
Provisioning a simple phone line can involve from 25 to 40 separate
tasks
Numerous groups would need to be coordinated to make it work
resulting in time delays, human errors and rework costs.
Lucent Technologies reports that at one large carrier, the 60-day
interval required to provision a data circuit represented only 12 hours
of actual work
Lesson 0: Introduction
Lesson 1: Models
Lesson 2: Service fulfillment
Lesson 3: Service assurance
Lesson 4: Service billing
Lesson 5: OSS/BSS integration
Summary and wrap-up
Next Generation OSS refers to OSS that is optimized for innovative, value-
added IP services.
For example, broadband deliver services that are based on data transport
equipment / technologies. Hence, their NMS are optimized for broadband
infrastructure such as DSL, IP, ATM, and Frame Relay equipment.
Figure 4Broadband services
The "service" OSSs are used to bridge together the BSS and NMS domains
enabling seamless, flow-through integration of each.
Together, the BSSs, service infrastructure and OSS are all critical for an
operator to run their business, and ultimately deliver revenue.
Figure 8Support Systems for Revenue
Pricing strategy
Granular -> complex usage processing/management, accounting,
articulation, revenue assurance processes, integrated customer
care, ...
Flat-rate -> subscription-oriented billing/customer care (automated)
Credit -> post-paid, pre-pay, any-pay, blended.
eTOM is
Business process model or framework that provides the
enterprise processes required for the service provider
Based on the Telecom Operations Map (TOM)
Most service providers are working with eTOM since they need an
industry standard framework for procuring software and
equipment as well as to interface with other service providers in
an increasingly complex network of business relationships
Figure 16eTOM Level 0 processes
Operations
The Operational Challenges are growing, hence market demands that next
generation systems to provide
Interfaces with Fault Management modules & other OSS for the
acquisition of network faults and trouble-tickets.
Trouble-ticket generation, distribution, log, and resolution
management capabilities to improve service quality and response
time.
Reports to illustrate staff efficiency in clearing problems
Support for reduced response times and increased service quality
Network Fault monitoring capabilities
2.8.5 Workflow
2.8.7 Billing
Call detail Records (CDR) are generated by the switch for each call
made. One CDR can have more than one call record. CDR contains
information on the source number, destination number, call duration
etc.
Mediation device picks up the call records from different switches
and converts them into format that is understood by the billing and
rating systems
Rating Engine applies the tariff plan on the call along with discounts
etc as applicable and then the rated record is stored in the database
When Billing is run at the end of each month( the period is variable
and is decided by the service provider ), the rated records are
aggregated, discounts, taxes and other fixed prices as applicable are
added and sent to the invoicing system to generate an invoice
3.2.2.1 Mandatory
Accepting orders
Pre-order activity
Integration with Inventory database
Integration with SLA to know whether the customer is eligible for
the service ordered and also to estimate the price for the service.
Reserve available facilities to support the order.
Initiate service installation
Notifying the customer
Initiate billing process
Integration with E911 database
3.2.2.2 Optional
Accepting orders
Pre-order activity and Credit Check
Price estimates
Order plan development
Request customer deposit
Reserve number
Initiate service installation
Notifying the customer
Initiate billing process
The provisioning OSS works with the order manager to activate the
service within the corresponding network element(s).
Sales process caters for the customer queries, for the various
available services (1,2).
The inventory management OSS keeps track of all the physical, logical
and other network assets, as well as the assignment of those assets to
customers.
Figure 30Inventory management system
Benefits include
Increases the quality of the data in the system, and minimizes the
administrative burden of re-keying data
It achieves flow through provisioning by integrating with
o Pre-Ordering processes.
o Service Provisioning
o Service Assurance
Others
In-house developers
ILEC/CLEC provisioning gateways (DSET, Nightfire, Quintessant,
Wisor)
Billing services vendors: Amdocs, Convergys, CSG, Infodirections
Custom solutions (consultants/integrators)
Legacy systems
Reporting
o Standard (predefined) and exception reports, including
dashboards
o Performance of a service against an SLA Reports of any
developing capacity problems
o Reports of customer usage patterns, etc.
o Performance reviews with the customer
o Responses to performance inquiries from the customer
Key drivers
Customer satisfaction high expectations, low loyalty
QoS as a competitive differentiator
Revenue and profitability
Competitiveness / differentiation
Enterprise accounts
Key issues
Network technology evolution
IP networking
Advances in end-user devices
Complex service infrastructure
Network management
Micromuse (level 1,2,3 faults; data, next-gen, enterprise, voice)
HP Openview (network-level: data, access, transport, application
servers)
Tivoli, Computer Associates (application servers)
Telecordia (wireline)
TTI (wireless)
Concord and Infovista (service management only)
Others
Equipment manufacturers
Custom solutions (consultants/integrators)
In-house developers
Network data management (i.e., mediation) and rating are the key OSS
elements that support the billing process.
operator
internet
applications
access
access
NEXT GENERATION
periodic & ad-hoc
issue bills
unbilled CHARGING &
charges transactions COLLECTIONS
receivables
& ledgers
Wireless Billing
Convergent Billing
Interconnect Billing
IP Billing
Critical Billing requirements include
Key definitions
Mediation processes the Call Detail Record (CDR), call, message, usage,
traffic, ticket, event, xDR
Fixed to Fixed
Fixed to Mobile
Mobile to Fixed
Mobile to Mobile
Roaming
Value Added Services (SMS, Call Forward, etc.)
Duplicate checks
Drop calls
Perform edits and translations
Creating message legs
Table look up and conversion (CLLI -> country code, city code,
exchange)
Assign a unique tag number to the event
(1) Determine
a. Connection date & time
b. Duration
c. Rate period for discounts
i. Time of day (TOD)
ii. Day of week (DOW), holidays
d. Rating increments
i. 1, 6, 10, 30, 60 second increments
ii. Per packet, per byte
e. Jurisdiction
i. Regional, National, International
ii. May be used for rating, settlement, tax
(2) Rate table look-up using
a. Event date
b. Event type
c. Optionally
i. Rate table ID
ii. Rate period
iii. Jurisdiction
(3) Calculate event charge
(4) Calculate tax (optional)
(5) Store relevant information on the xDR
Figure 51eTOM
Figure 53CRM
Customer experience - Which provider offers the best ease of use and a
superior buying/delivery experience?
Pricing and packaging - Which provider offers the best deal and pricing
that aligns with the customers understanding and expectation of the
value delivered?
Differentiate offerings with custom packages or bundles
Align offers by affinity group, customer segment, family and/or
individual
Develop pricing plans that maximize ROI and profits
Personalize product offerings, offers
Drive impulse buys and upsell at every opportunity
One-time and limited try it/buy it offers
Uniquely market to customers one-to-one, opportunistically.
Price and manage offerings in a way that aligns with consumers
preference and their view of the value delivered
Customer service Which provider is the easiest to deal with, and has a
reputation for responsiveness?
Mediation
Ace*Comm voice, data
Comptel wireless voice
Ericsson wireless voice
Intec voice, interconnect
HP next-gen, data
Narus next-gen
Sigma - cable
Xacct next-gen
Rating
Every billing vendor
Stand-alone: RateIntegration, Sepro (Opennet), Am-Beo,
Boldworks, Highdeal, Redknee
Others
Equipment manufacturers (Pre-pay)
Custom solutions (consultants/integrators)
In-house developers
Legacy systems
Service bureaus
Tier 1: Amdocs, Convergys, CSG
Tier 2: Alltel, DST, EUR Systems, Infodirections, Verisign
Others
Custom solutions (consultants/integrators)
In-house developers
Legacy systems
6. Lesson 5: integration
Figure 56EAI
6.3 OSS, critical to operators business
7. Summary
8. References