Service Brokers can be used to create new service variants based on the Communication Service Provider’s “CSP (News - Alert)” core service portfolio and to make them available to all subscribers by bridging across different networks and protocols. This role requires the Service Broker to sit in the telecoms service signalling path and to orchestrate the signalling in real-time. But controlling the signalling relating to service function is only part of the challenge: if a CSP identifies specific services for various segments of their customer base, in all likelihood, they will also want to vary the charging characteristics of those services as well.  

For traditional, post-paid subscribers, this requires the Service Broker to record the service usage details and create a “Call Details Record” “CDR” for processing by the billing system. Whereas prepaid subscribers are usually served in real-time by IN prepaid systems. However, real-time charging systems are increasingly being used to serve all subscribers, as CSP and subscriber alike value up to date, accurate charging and account management. Service Brokers have a clear role to play in controlling the charging messages as well as those relating to the function of the service.

Alongside the large range of Service Broker service enablement use cases; there is an equally broad range of real-time charging Service Broker use cases. Here are some popular uses:

Implement Reverse Charging for Prepaid subscribers

Reverse charging of calls is not usually provided by prepaid systems. The no contract, controlled spending characteristics of prepaid pay-as-you-go services are extremely popular with large segments of most mobile markets. Particularly so for the youth market as preteens and teenagers obtain their first phone, on the back of natural parental concerns for their safety. What better service capability than to allow reverse charging back to their home or parents’ mobile phones?

The service can be made available for all numbers, limited to national numbers, or for specific nominated numbers. The service is invoked by a short code, pre-pended to the B party number. The Service Broker uses third party call control “3PCC” to set-up the call, play an announcement to the B party if required, and can interface to the charging system to determine the price – either as a call under the control of the prepaid system or as a CDR. The Service Broker requires multiple call leg capabilities of CAP4, SIP or vendor proprietary protocols to provide the 3PCC capabilities.

Implement Intelligent Pricing and Dynamic Discounting

Mobile operators are increasingly looking to maximise their network usage and are gradually moving to a dynamic pricing model. Local radio, television, internet and push SMS promotions inform the subscribers that calls or SMS in a specific area are reduced in price for a limited period. Such offers are proven to promote increased service use in those areas of course. More surprising is that they tend to increase service use overall, including in areas which are not affected by the offers. Service Brokers can be used to implement these offers by determining the location of the A party at call set-up and adding this information to the charging messages.

The reverse situation can also be supported: the Service Broker can retrieve the network loading data from the radio network, and when the load is particularly high, can adjust the charging messages to indicate that a discount is to be given.

Charge for a new service in place of a “voice call”

CSPs mostly sell “voice” as a basic service, universally priced as a commodity on the basis of X cents/ minute. However, there are many vertical markets where a specific service can be created by combining voice, messaging and data to address a specific vertical market. Service Brokers can be used to create such blended services. Equally important, they can be used to control the charging for this service – this can be on a completely different basis to a standard phone call or SMS. It can be seen to be the “Healthcare alert service” or the “Traffic alert service” and charged on a completely different, and often premium, basis.