Pipeline Publishing, Volume 6, Issue 2

	This Month's Issue:
	IMS and Beyond: The Future of Convergence

BSS Convergence and Future Infrastructure Needs

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The Next Step: BSS Convergence

So while a fast, effective, and up-to-date network certainly plays its part in providing the subscriber with a “next generation” experience, converged billing and interactive customer management are vitally important factors that will ultimately determine how effectively operators will monetize network investments and RCS services. Carriers need to understand in real-time who is using which services and applications - across product families and devices - to personalize real-time offers based on profile and consumption levels, to tailor pricing, or even to monitor usage to limit financial exposure.

It takes a converged approach to BSS to achieve a complete real-time view of the customer and to have a single provisioning starting point for all services. This unification starts with a data model built to support all aspects of convergence, with all relevant components - from call control, to customer management, through to financial management – built on a single architecture around that single data model. A converged BSS approach by definition cannot be created through a set of discrete parts – even if connected by a bus - it requires one unified whole. The unified whole must be supported by a single central product catalog and a unified operations and security approach across the entire architecture. In this way, operators can consistently and efficiently manage customers – from the network to the bank.

Moreover, only BSS convergence effectively supports convergent business models - a natural expectation of next generation networks and RCS services - by streamlining business processes across sales, marketing, care and fulfillment, and charging.

ONE Stop Shop

When planning convergent “next generation” investments, consider the entire services value chain: network elements, rich communication services and converged ordering, provisioning, billing and customer management. This approach truly leverages and monetizes network assets by dispensing with costly synchronization. When all pieces of the puzzle are integrated, and BSS convergence is leveraged, a myriad of benefits are uncovered:

Only BSS convergence effectively supports convergent business models.

Accurate and flexible rules-based charging – for any service type - to fully monetize services across all payment types

Ability to support seamless service or account changes for customers as needs evolve over time (e.g. convert prepaid to postpaid or add family members to an account)

Bundling flexibility and faster time to market of new products and services via a single product catalog for all services, applications, and product families

Targeted real-time promotions and marketing campaigns to promote the uptake of new services and applications, increase usage, and stimulate loyalty

Real-time financial management to reduce exposure both for the service provider and the subscriber

From a BSS perspective, this key strategic enabler is only possible with a unified approach: a single code base built around a single data model, and supported by a single product catalogue and open services-based framework. In short, ONE unified and complete architecture helps operators remove complexity and increase agility, enabling the effective implementation and execution of innovative convergent business models - required by RCS and beyond.

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