- 195% performance improvement in call record processing power
- New capabilities help carriers meet deregulated market pressures
Intec Telecom Systems has announced the general release of InterconnecT V6, the market-leading inter-carrier billing software used by many of the world’s best-known telecoms operators. Version 6 brings substantial functionality and performance gains, including a doubling of performance, full support for billing in Euros, automated reconciliation between carriers, a more flexible call rating engine, auto-loading of interconnect agreement reference data, multi-language capability and many other new features.
Already the interconnect solution for major carriers like France Telecom and MCI-Worldcom, as well as new operators like ICO and Orange, InterconnecT V6 now offers the scalability and rating/billing capabilities to meet the needs of any type and size of carrier and any telecoms product set. The client/server archictecture of InterconnecT V6 allows new entrants to begin with a minimum system and scale it up to a powerful, multi-processor installation capable of handling the highest call volumes. Recent benchmarking on Compaq Digital Alpha servers demonstrated sustained throughput of 200 million Call Data Records per 8 hour period, against a current maximum of 60 million CDRs/8 hour period for Intec’s busiest customer. “Interconnect is becoming more challenging for operators as deregulation makes the market more complex,” said Intec’s Managing Director, Kevin Adams. “We aim to ensure that InterconnecT is enhanced ahead of our customers’ needs so that we can help them be not just competitive, but ahead of the game, in interconnect billing.”
Version 6 features significantly enhanced international capabilities in three areas - multi-language and Euro support, and support for Intec’s innovative new ITU Settlements module. With multi-language support, InterconnecT can now present its Windows NT-based graphical user interface in any language required by a customer, including all online screens as well as help and the User and Technical Guides support in any language . Multi-language support has zero impact on the server and database layers of InterconnecT, making it fast and painless to implement. Full Euro and multi-currency support now allows call billing and rating in any currency, with ready-built interfaces to accounting systems and SAP’s R/3.
Intec’s new ITU Settlements module combines the functionality of InterconnecT with ITU recommendations to provide international operators with a complete solution for rating, summarising and auditing charges to and from other international carriers. This allows fast and accurate settlement of ITU-based charges, generating the maximum revenue stream and profitability from the network, while ensuring the accuracy of settlements statements received from other operators. InterconnecT ITU provides a future path to full cost-based charging for international settlements, and allows for the support of domestic and international interconnect operations. “With Version 6, Intec continues to deliver on its promise of a total focus on interconnect billing excellence,” said Intec’s Product Director, Alan Healey. “Our customers are discovering that faster, more accurate interconnect billing can improve both profits and cashflow from their network investment. In addition, by continually delivering new capabilities in the core rating and billing engine, as well as adding previously unavailable functions like automated reconciliation, we are saving them administrative time and allowing them to be more innovative and competitive in new products and services.”
InterconnecT V6 features many enhancements to the core rating and billing engine, designed to allow operators greater accuracy and flexibility in pricing and re-pricing calls, auditing bills, creating interconnect agreements and developing new products and services. For example, the rating engine now supports Element Based Conveyance (EBC), Direct Billing with multiple segments and multiple transit points, stepped rates, multiple discounting scenarios , data calls, more complex CDR formats, and many others. InterconnecT Version 6 features many other significant enhancements, including Intec’s new auto-reconciliation module, which supports specific national reconciliation standards (such as the Spanish market national standard, CODIFI) as well as a generic Intec reconciliation standard. Automated reconciliation allows network operators to rapidly exchange sufficient data to allow them to agree on the amounts to bill, by providing a standard way of grouping call data, irrespective of the interconnect software being used.