July 2013
AMDOCS 2014
EU ROAMING
REGULATION III
SOLUTION
InformatIon SecurIty LeveL 2 - SenSItIve ProPrIetary and confIdentIaL
Contents
1. BACKGROUND ON 2014 EU ROAMING REGULATION ...3
2. WHAT IS REQUIRED ...4
2.1. Two Decoupling Models ...4
2.2. Service Provider Requirements ...4
3. AMDOCS OFFER...5
The 2014 EU Roaming Regulation was designed to address both a perceived lack of service provider
transparency and complex tariffs that resulted in bill shock for European roaming customers.
The regulation seeks to promote the interests of European citizens by increasing competition,
which should lower roaming prices.
The regulation mandates that by July 2014, European subscribers will be able to purchase roaming
services from alternative roaming providers (ARPs), regardless of their domestic services provider (DSP),
while using the same SIM card or mobile device. Service providers will be required to enable their
roaming subscribers to access services - such as voice, SMS and data roaming - provided
by any ARP.
InformatIon SecurIty LeveL 2 - SenSItIve ProPrIetary and confIdentIaL
2. REQUIREMENTS
2.1. Two Decoupling Models
The regulation focuses on two decoupling models. “Decoupling” is defined as the separation of domestic and roaming services between two different providers for the same subscriber.
For the first type of decoupling - where regulated voice, SMS and data roaming services are provided as a bundle - the single International Mobile Subscriber Identity (IMSI) method has been chosen by the Body of European Regulators of Electronic Communications (BEREC).
Under the single-IMSI technical modality, as mandated by the regulation, subscribers can purchase roaming services directly from an ARP, regardless of their DSP. The commercial agreement with the ARP is signed prior to the trip, meaning the subscriber will have a roaming billing agreement with the ARP. The DSP will be required to provision the network systems with subscriber ARP service details within one working day.
The second type of decoupling involves data roaming services provided directly on a visited network - this model is known as the Local Breakout (LBO). The basic requirements of this decoupling method are the implementation and activation of the processing of data roaming traffic in the visited network and the requirement not to prevent the manual or automatic selection of a visited network. Consequently, this will bring new sources of revenue to data services via roaming, allowing the visited operator to become the ARP.
2.2. Service Provider Requirements
Complying with the regulation, while maintaining a low OPEX and CAPEX, will be very challenging for European service providers. To succeed, DSPs will need to obtain the following capabilities:
• Support the provisioning process for registration of ARP subscriber information within one working day
• Route the real-time roaming charging events to the selected ARP with whom the subscriber signed a roaming agreement
• Split the Transfer Account Protocol (TAP) IN files, rerate CDRs and generate the corresponding files to ARPs (based on partnership agreements with different ARPs)
• Set-up and manage multiple partners, as well as complicated billing and financial settlement activities
Figure 1: Amdocs 2014 EU Roaming Regulation III Solution compliance roadmap
Set up, settle and manage partnerships with multiples ARPs
Amdocs Partner Relationship Manager
t
Subscriber purchased
roaming services
directly from an ARP
prior to his trip
Upon his arrival, the
subscriber is registered
to a visited network.
The visited network
provider sends data
records for
billing support
Amdocs
Service Broker
(Based on Amdocs Service Platform (ASP))
DSP is required
to provision the
subscriber’s ARP details
on its systems (e.g.
charging, HLR, PCRF)
within one working day
Amdocs
Provisioning Hub
(Based on Amdocs Service Platform (ASP))
Events that belong to
subscriber ARP roaming
services are rerated,
packaged, and routed to
the appropriate
ARP by the DSP
forurther processing
Amdocs Roam
Clearing Manager
& Amdocs Partner
Relationship Manager
Domestic service providers can leverage Amdocs’ extensive experience to address the most challenging aspects of complying with the EU roaming regulation and deliver a high quality
experience for their roaming subscribers. These solutions are designed to seamlessly integrate and automate the EU regulation’s single-IMSI approach, whereby the DSP subscriber purchases roaming services directly from an ARP.
Amdocs has identified a series of steps for DSPs to address the most challenging aspects of complying with separate sales of regulated roaming services requirements:
Provisioning subscriber’s ARP services details on different systems (charging, HLR/HSS {SS7 MAP} and PCRF/SPR) within one working day
Once a subscriber purchases roaming services from her ARP, information is sent by the ARP to the domestic service providers in a certain format. Amdocs Provisioning Hub is a gateway between ARPs and DSP for provisioning purposes.
Its network routing capabilities are complemented by a powerful network provisioning engine capable of:
• Interacting with DSPs’ network elements (such as the HLR/ HSS {SS7 MAP} and PCRF/SPR via Diameter Gx/S9, and Billing/CRM via HTTP/web services) to more efficiently manage provisioning requests, and also minimize the impact on the existing IT systems (CRM/BSS)
• Exposing the interfaces for IF7:
• Provisioning interface enabling the management of ARP subscriptions
• Managing the ARP’s repository, with the ability to expose select services for TAP splitting
• Amdocs Provisioning Hub also includes a repository database that contains all subscribers’ ARP data (from all the DSP’s affiliates in case of a galaxy). The hub is constantly being updated with ARP subscription or change information, to reflect the ARP of the subscriber
Processing and managing network events that originate from the visited network (based on subscriber location), packaging them and routing them to the selected ARPs. There are two types of events that are forwarded to the DSPs that they then need to route: real-time events and offline events (CDRs). Upon his arrival, the subscriber is registered to a visited network provider. The visited network provider sends a request (RT & Offline {CDR}) event to the home network. The real-time charging events are typically received and processed by the DSP. According to the new regulation, the events that belong to ARP
subscribers should be re-directed to the appropriate ARP for further processing.
Routing of the real-time events to the ARP
DSP’s networks must be equipped with the capabilities to route and orchestrate signaling in real-time. The DSP’s service broker needs to manage routing rules and send the online charging information (SS7 CAMEL and Diameter Gy/Ro) requests to the right alternative roaming provider, while also supporting different requests from the roaming networks.
The Amdocs Service Broker is a centralized module that
manages all real-time events and redirects the online events to the appropriate ARP. It receives real-time events and identifies which ones need to be transferred to which ARP. The network routing capabilities of Amdocs Service Broker are complemented by a powerful network provisioning engine capable of interacting with domestic service providers’ network elements (such as the HLR/HSS {SS7 MAP} and PCRF/SPR via Diameter Gx/S9) to more efficiently manage real-time roaming traffic, and also minimize the impact on the existing IT systems (CRM/BSS).
Figure 2 - SS7 signaling triangulation
Initial TCAP session (TC_BEGIN) Through IN mediation/SCIM (transparent proxy) ASP SSP PPS ARP Home PLMN Visited PLMN IN Service Broker 1 2 Subsequent TCAP dialog (TC_CONT/END direct to SSF
3. AMDOCS OFFER
1
2
InformatIon SecurIty LeveL 2 - SenSItIve ProPrIetary and confIdentIaL
• Amdocs Service Broker
• Complies with the regulation providing IF1 (voice), IF2 (SMS) and IF3 (data) and also IF4 (MMS)
• Routes real-time roaming events to the corresponding ARP
• Routes charging information traffic, using either the SS7/CAMEL solution or Diameter Gy/Ro, between the DSP and ARP networks
• Facilitates an orchestration layer, allowing for the support of existing legacy IN/VAS services (VPN, NTS, etc.)
Rerating, packaging and re-directing CDRs to the appropriate ARP by the DSP for further processing.
Routing of offline events (CDRs)
Visited networks send CDRs in Transfer Account Protocol (TAP) and Comma Separated Values (CSV) formats. The DSP must identify which CDRs belong to subscribers who bought roaming services from ARPs, consolidates all CDRs according to the relevant ARPs, rerate them according to the agreement with the ARPs, and generate one TAP or CSV file to be sent to the ARPs. Amdocs Roam Clearing Manager enables TAP Management. Amdocs Roam Clearing Manager automates the handling and validation of roaming data exchanged between network operators according to the Transferred Account Procedure version 3 (TAP3) of the GSM Association (GSMA), defined in GSMA PRD TD.57, and Returned Account Procedure (RAP), defined in GSMA PRD TD.32, version 1.5.
Amdocs Roam Clearing Manager validates the roaming data transparently, using validation rules defined in TD.57. Most of the validation rules are built into the application. For example, the checks for duplicate files and duplicate call events are performed through built-in validation rules defined according to the TD.57 standard. Amdocs Roam Clearing Manager supports TAP releases 3.2, 3.4, 3.11 and the latest 3.12 release, and RAP releases 1.2, 1.3, 1.4 and 1.5.
Amdocs Roam Clearing Manager is built on top of the Amdocs Mediation technology, which features flexible foundations for high-availability support; virtually unlimited scalability, reporting, monitoring and logging facilities; and a “product approach” for roam clearing. Amdocs Roam Clearing Manager seamlessly integrates with existing customer care and billing applications used for rating, end-user invoicing, and wholesale financial settlement and invoicing. It makes the details and technical complexity of TAP and RAP file handling transparent to central business functions.
Amdocs Roam Clearing Manager supports all major roaming settlement functions, including, but not limited to:
• Traffic collection and distribution
• ASN.1 encoding and decoding of files with roaming data • Format conversions (TAP records to flat records and vice
versa)
• Full validation of roaming data according to TD.57, as well as customized validation as mandated by bilateral roaming agreements
• Full RAP cycle handling according to GSMA PRD TD.32 Rejects and Returns Process
• Auditing and reporting
Amdocs Roam Clearing Manager allows DSPs to increase roaming revenues by reducing roam clearing costs. It provides flexibility by enabling implementation of new roaming services quickly and efficiently, as well as modifying roaming partner agreements. Amdocs Roam Clearing Manager fits into existing BSS infrastructure through open interfaces.
Rerating
For rerating, Amdocs offers the Amdocs Partner Relationship Manager. Its rating engine rates events (calls, text messages and data), including rating of the partner’s Intelligent Network (IN) and Value Added Services (VAS). Records can be rerated as often as required, including for past billing periods that have been closed. A report showing the difference between old and new charges is produced per rerating invocation.
Roaming Monetization: setting up, settling and managing partnerships with multiples APRs
DSPs have to define and maintain relationship with many ARPs. As a result, they will need an automated Partner Management system that will support the entire roaming partner process, from partner onboarding to financial settlements.
Amdocs Partner Relationship Manager (APRM) will support the entire roaming partnership lifecycle: from signing the business agreement and receiving usage events; to rating, discounting, sending and receiving invoices; through payment exchange, direct and net settlement, and reconciliation.
Amdocs Partner Relationship Manager (APRM) enables DSPs to define roaming agreements with partners providing roaming services based on Inter-Operator Tariff (IOT) rates. The agreement can support settlement on the basis of roaming services (call, data and text messages) in a variety of formats, such as the latest versions of TAP-3 and CIBER, which are generated by the partner and sent to the DSP and vice versa. Amdocs Partner Relationship Manager supports the “In-collect” and “Out-collect” flows and RAP file handling. These files can be used to generate an invoice to the partner and to validate an incoming invoice from the partner. APRM is capable of supporting NRTRDE and the production of High Usage Reports (HUR) to minimize roaming fraud.
Figure 4 - The Partner Settlement Lifecycle
Alternative Roaming Provider (ARP)
Domestic Service Provider
CAP
v1.v2.v3 MAP v3 Diameter Gy /Ro Gx / S9
Visited Public Mobile Network
Roaming Monetizaion Provisioning Hub TAP Management Service
Broker Subscription Repository
Amdocs 2014 EU Roaming Regulation III Solution
Figure 3 - Amdocs 2014 EU Roaming Regulation III Solution
4
Partner
Management
Agreement
Management
Event
Proccesing
Invoicing &
Verification
Reporting
Amdocs Partner Relationship Manager also offers a sophisticated settlement that is capable of supporting the international roaming reconciliation process, as per GSMA standards.
It supports ARPs’ settlement requirements via its ready to use functionality, and is specifically geared to support volume-based settlement schemes, with discounts, minimum commitments and revenue sharing. Invoicing may be based on events collected directly from the network, or on events already processed to a variable extent via the retail billing system. Settlement Management also interfaces with other financial management systems, such as the general ledger (GL). This automated process streamlines settlement activities into a standardized business process, with improved revenue assurance and expense control.
Amdocs Partner Relationship Manager also enables analysis on partnership portfolios. Reports and queries are the tools for the analysis of the rich information available in Partner Manager. This information includes accumulated events, charges, statistical information, error and suspense events, and re-rated usage, all derived from the event detail records handled by the product. There are no limitations to the type of reporting that can be created by the user.
Amdocs Partner Relationship Manager provides an intuitive GUI for all operations-related activities, such as:
• Ease-of-use self-registration and self-care environment that allows APRs to perform a significant amount of relationship data maintenance without delay, with user-defined reports and automatic updates to report on business performance • Partner agreements and settlement compensation
parameters that can be quickly activated and modified as required through the Partner Manager interface
• Personalized reporting and dashboard
• Rapid customization through the partner portal, which can be customized according to DSP corporate branding requirements
Amdocs Partner Relationship Manager is one of the leading carrier-grade products for partner management in the market today, supporting more than 30 service providers worldwide. Amdocs 2014 EU Roaming Regulation III Solution is available right now and will help service providers quickly navigate the challenging process of complying with the 2014 EU Roaming Regulation and delivering a high quality experience for their roaming subscribers. Based on Amdocs’ product architecture principles, service providers can choose to implement the entire solution, or individual functional module(s).
