Overview | Billing and Customer Care

Billing and customer care systems convert the bits and bytes of digital information within a network into the money that will be received by the service provider. To accomplish this, these systems provide account activation and tracking, service feature selection, selection of billing rates for specific calls, invoice creation, payment entry and management of communication with the customer.

Billing and customer care systems are the link between end users and the telecommunications network equipment. Telecommunications service providers manage networks, setup the networks to allow customers to transfer information (provisioning), and bill end users for their use of the system. Customers who need telecommunication services select carriers by evaluating service and equipment costs, reviewing the reliability of the network, and comparing how specific services (features) match their communication needs. Because most network operations have access to systems with the same technology, The billing and customer care systems are the key methods used to differentiate one service provider from another because most network operations have access to systems with the same technology.

There are many different types of services to be supplied and billed. These include traditional voice, short messaging, fax, data communications, and information services. Billing systems process the usage of network equipment that is used during the call (events) into a single Call Detail Record (CDR). The billing process involves receiving billing records from various networks, determining the billing rates associated with the billing records, calculating the cost for each billing record, aggregating these records periodically to produce invoices, sending invoices to the customer, and recording payments received from the customer.

Customer care systems, sometimes known as provisioning systems, provide customer service representatives (CSRs) with tools to assist and standardizes communication with the customer.

Billing system costs can be a substantial percentage of revenues collected. In addition to the initial acquisition cost of computers and software, operational costs are very high. Of the service provider’s staff, 20%-30% directly or indirectly provide billing and customer care support.

There are many billing standards that have been developed for telecommunications networks. Because the services offered by different types of network operators (e.g. cable television compared to local telephone companies) are beginning to overlap, billing standards are also converging.

Future trends and challenges for billing systems include new types of services to bill for, telephone number portability that complicates account identification numbers, and increased customer self care to reduce the burden (and cost) of billing systems.

Figure 1 shows an overview of a billing and customer care system. This diagram shows the key steps for billing systems. First, the network records events that contain usage information (for example, connection time) that is related to a specific call. Next, these events are combined and reformatted into a single call detail record (CDR). Because these events only contain network usage information, the identity of the user must be matched (guided) to the call detail record and the charging rate for the call must be determined. After the total charge for the call is calculated using the charging rate, the billing record is updated and is sent to a bill pool (list of ready-to-bill call records). Periodically, a bill is produced for the customer and as payments are received, they are recorded (posted) to the customer’s account.

Figure 1: Billing and Customer Care System.
Source: The Billing College

Data Terminals : Network Interface Card (NIC), LAN Wiring,

Overview
Data networks are telecommunications networks installed and operated exclusively for information exchange between data communication devices (such as computers). Data network types include premises distribution network (PDN), local area networks (LAN’s), metropolitan area networks (MAN’s), and wide area networks (WAN’s). These are hierarchical with the LAN being the base and the WAN being the umbrella architecture.

PANs are short-range data communications systems that are primarily used to interconnect peripheral equipment with a local computer or computing system. LANs are designed to reliably transfer large amounts of data quickly and error-free over a very small area such as an office. MAN’s facilitate LAN-to-LAN information exchange in a local exchange area. WAN’s allow for information exchange between LAN’s in different exchanges normally across LATA boundaries. For example a LAN in Chicago sharing information with a LAN Seattle would do so across a WAN.

A data network is composed of several key parts such as data terminals (e.g., personal computers), network adapters, access wiring, and data distribution nodes (e.g., routers, brouters, and switches). In some data networks, network management/control systems are used to configure, monitor, coordinate, and control the network elements.

Data Terminals
Data terminals are data input and output devices that are used to communicate with a remotely located computer or other data communication device. Data terminals frequently consist of a keyboard, video display monitor, and communication circuitry that can connect the data terminal with the remotely located computer.

The term “data terminal” is often used to describe multiple types of devices including personal computers (PCs), dedicated “dumb” terminals, scientific workstations, and other types of computers that can communicate with other computers or a host computer.

Data terminal equipment (DTE) are devices that capture and serialize information for communication to other communication devices. Data communication equipment (DCE) circuits are assemblies that convert data information into a format that can be transferred through a communication network.

Figure 1 shows data terminals that are connected through a modem to interconnect the data terminals with a remote computer. In this diagram, the data terminals are the DTE and the modems are the DCE.



Figure 1: Data Terminals

Network Interface Card (NIC)
A NIC is a device that adapts the data communication network protocol to a data bus or data interface in a computer. The NIC is installed between a computer network (such as the Ethernet) and a computer data bus (such as a PCI socket). The NIC is usually a PC expansion board connector and operating system. Software in the computer is installed and setup to recognize the NIC card.

LAN Wiring

There are typically three types of wiring used for LAN’s: twisted pair, coax, and fiber. Of these, twisted pair is dominant for several reasons: ease of installation, availability, cost, and speed as a function of relative cost.

Twisted pair comes in a variety of “categories” and is either shielded twisted pair (STP) or unshielded twisted pair (UTP). UTP is the less expensive and the most widely used. STP has an outer copper or foil conductor located just beneath the out sheath of the wire. In areas where there is a significant incidence of electromagnetic interference (EMI), such as around factory floor machinery or hospital radiological/MRI equipment, STP is used.

Twisted pair wire is classified by categories that relate to the data transmission speed at which the wire is capable of passing data. For each category there are manufacturing specifications such as wire quality, insulation characteristics, and number of twists per inch. Generally, the higher the number of twists, the higher the data transmission rate can be.

Routinely LAN cable is four-pair (eight conductors) even though most data communication systems (such as Ethernet) only require 2 pairs (transmit and receive pairs). It is installed with all conductors terminated on each end into patch fields, hub equipment, or office wall plates (jack fields). From the office wall jack the typical PC or peripheral device is connected to the LAN via a wall cord that is also four-pair terminated in RJ-45 modular connectors. Most offices are wired for multiple network connections and in many cases the voice and data wiring is installed together and to the same cable specification (e.g., category 3 and above).

Network Distribution and Routing
Network distribution and routing equipment provides communication paths between the end-user and the services they desire to use (e.g., Internet). There are three basic methods used to distribute in data networks: broadcast (distribution hubs), dedicated paths (switching nodes), and packet-switching (routers).

Hubs broadcast information to all the communication devices that are connected to it. Switches create a physical or logical connection between data communication devices. Routers are intelligent switches that can dynamically route (switch to other routers) packets of data toward their ultimate destination.

Network Access Control
Network access control is a process of coordinating access of data communication devices to a shared communications media (transmission medium). Network access control is a combination of media access control (MAC) and service authorization.

There are two key ways data communication devices can access communication systems: non-contention based and contention based. Non-contention based regularly poll or schedule data transmission access attempts. An example of a non-contention based data communication system is token ring. In the token ring system, only the data communication device that has the token is allowed to transmit. This ensures that other data devices will not interfere with the data transmission. Contention based access control systems allow data communication devices to randomly access the system through the sensing and coordination of busy status and detected collisions. Carrier sense multiple access (CSMA) with collision detection (CSMA/CD) or collision avoidance (CSMA/CA) listen to the data activity first to determine if the systems is not busy (carrier sense) before they begin a transmit request. After the device transmits its required, it waits to hear if the system has acknowledged its required (usually an echo of its original signal). If the CSMA/CD device does not hear an acknowledgement, it will wait a random amount of time before transmitting another data transmission service request.

The CSMA/CA system differs from the CSMA/CD system by the assignment of different access wait periods to different priority groups of devices. This allows high priority devices (such as a system management data terminal) to attempt access before a lower priority device (e.g., web browsing terminal).

Figure 2 shows the key ways networks can control data transmission access: non-contention based and contention based. This diagram shows that non-contention based regularly poll or schedule data transmission access attempts before computers can begin to transmit data. This diagram shows that a token is passed between each computer in the network and computers can only transmit when they have the token.


Figure 2: Data Network Access Control

Because there is no potential for collisions, computers do not need to confirm the data was successfully transmitted through the network. This diagram also shows contention based access control systems allow data communication devices to randomly access the system through the sensing and coordination of busy status and detected collisions. These devices first listen to see if the system is not busy and then randomly transmit their data. Computers in the contention-based systems must confirm that data was successfully transmitted through the network, because there is the potential for collisions.

Private Telephone Networks : Overview

Private Telephone Networks
Private telephone networks are communication systems that are owned, leased or operated by the companies that use these systems. These telephone systems include key systems, private branch exchange (PBX) systems, computer telephony, and local area network (LAN) telephones. Private telephone systems that are owned or operated by a company or private individual are called customer premises equipment (CPE).

Private telephone systems primarily allow the interconnection of multiple telephones within the private network with each other and provide for the sharing of telephone lines from a public telephone network. Private telephone systems can vary from simple multi-line telephones (key systems) to integrated voice and data service LAN telephone networks.

The first private telephone systems were key telephone systems. These systems used multi-line telephones to provide access to outside lines and used intercom features to allow inter-station connections.

As switching technology improved, small switching systems were installed to provide private branch exchange (PBX) systems. PBX systems provide switching between incoming trunk lines (multiple channel lines) and provide for advanced inter-system calling features.

To offer similar services as PBX systems, central exchange (Centrex) services were developed for end office (EO) switches. Centrex software allows local telephone companies to provide similar features as private telephone systems. These features include 3 or 4 digit abbreviated dialing, automated attendant (call transfer), least cost routing (LCR), and other local switching functions.

CTI systems integrate computer networks and telephony systems. CTI allows PBX technology to provide for voice mail, interactive voice response (IVR), and automatic call distribution (ACD) functions.

The combining of LAN systems with telephone systems is called LAN telephony. LAN telephony allows the sharing of equipment data network cost with telephone system cost.

Figure 1 shows the different types of private telephone systems. This diagram shows the first telephone systems were multiple line key telephone systems. This changed to private branch exchange (PBX) systems. Computer telephony (CT) systems are communication networks that merge computer intelligence with telecommunications devices and technologies. Local access network (LAN) telephony (sometimes called TeLANophy) use LAN systems to transport voice communications.


Figure 1: Private Telephone Systems


Overview
Private telephone systems are composed primarily of telephones (called “stations”), local wiring, and switching systems. Telephone stations are the interface between the user and the telephone network. Wiring connects telephone stations to switching systems or distribution points. Local wiring in private systems varies from shared lines (key systems) to individual lines (digital stations). Switching systems interconnect stations to each other or to outside telephone lines or interoffice trunks.

Companies purchase or lease private telephone system and have one or more of their personnel trained to handle day-to-day administrative functions of the system. Practically all PBX’s and key systems today are computer-based and thus allow for soft changes to be made through an administration terminal or PC. Unless the business has a need for technical telecommunications personnel on staff for other reasons, the business will normally contract with their vendor for routine adds, moves, and changes of telephone equipment.

PBX systems are often equipped with key assemblies and systems including voice mail, call accounting, a local maintenance terminal, and a dial-in modem. The voice mail system is controlled by the PBX only receiving calls when the PBX software determines a message can be left or retrieved. The call accounting system receives system message details on all call activities that occur within the PBX. The local terminal provides onsite access to the PBX for maintenance activities. The dial-in capability also provides access to the PBX for maintenance activities.