InterconnecT ITU v.6.0.4, the latest version of the industry-leading ITU billing system, adds performance & functionality

• Allows carriers to generate full and accurate revenues from international traffic
• Helps resolve billing disputes between operators

London, August 27th, 2003: Intec Telecom Systems, a global leader in operations support systems (OSS) for fixed, wireless and next-generation operators, today announced the general availability of InterconnecT ITU™ version 6.0.4. The InterconnecT ITU solution combines interconnect functionality and ITU billing principles to provide international operators with a solution for rating, summarising and auditing charges to and from their international partners. InterconnecT ITU is used by many national carriers to generate revenues amounting to hundreds of millions of dollars every year. Current customers include Telecom Egypt, Senegal’s Sonatel, Swisscom AG, and Latvia’s Lattelekom.

Highlights of v.6.0.4 include new functionality that enables summary level re-rating of ITU based calls for improved billing accuracy, automated account processing and archive and restore capabilities that increase operational efficiency, and overall general usability and maintenance enhancements to streamline processes.

Although interconnect accounting and settlement based on ITU principles is a long-established function, and a major export revenue earner for operators, it remains a problematic area for many companies. The sums involved are often very substantial, and disputes between operators can be difficult and expensive to resolve. As a result, many operators, particularly from smaller countries, are not able to generate the full amount of revenue that they are entitled to.

"InterconnecT ITU v.6.0.4 builds on the huge success of previous versions," said Kevin Adams, CEO, Intec Telecom Systems. "The new functionality introduced in 6.0.4 is based on direct input from Intec’s global customer base and will enable major service providers around the world to reduce costs and assure ITU-based revenues. We believe that InterconnecT ITU is the only fully-functional, fully-supported ITU solution available to international carriers.”

InterconnecT ITU version 6.0.4 is available immediately.

New Functionality

The latest version of InterconnecT ITU improves the throughput and usability of Intec’s existing product with the launch of new functionality and user enhancements. This includes the addition of a Summary Level Re-Rating feature that allows users to quickly and efficiently re-rate calls in response to rate changes. The Re-rating functionality supports all available rate types, including:

• Total Accounting Rates
• Transit Rates
• Special Deals or Confidential Rates
• InterconnecT rates
• Re-rating is also available for a selection of summarisation criteria including charge types, franchise, billing methods, destination of county and country of origin. Best of all, users can schedule the Summary Level Re-Rate option to run as and when required as well as monitor the processing of the Re-rate request.

Another addition is the Automated Accounting Processing feature that automates the input of information surrounding inbound calls. This includes automatic format validation (mapping), registration, data translation, data validation and storage of inbound declaration files on the InterconnecT ITU database. In addition, outbound declarations and refile invoices can now be produced for electronic submission.

Other new functionality available in v.6.0.4 include:

• Automated Archive and Restore to allow successfully priced CDRs and other historical data to be archived, restored, exported or purged from the system
• Enhancements to Batch Control to support Archive and Restore, Outgoing Account, and Settlement Statement transient programs
• Message logging to enable users to control the logging level of an instance of a program currently executing and the logging level of future executions of that program
• InterconnecT ITU standard Reports that offer various summary information including Electronic accounting File reports, electronic account detail reporting and electronic account ITU detail reporting.

• Enhancements

  V.6.0.4’s new functionality is complemented by additional user and maintenance enhancements including a Translation loader to expedite the creation of translation records for automated accounts. These translation records are used to validate data received on electronic files. Other improvements include:

  • InterconnecT Standard Reports. New columns have been added to all report types to indicate whether the account was processed electronically or manually. The report layout has been revised for increased readability
  • Total Accounting Rate. The system has been modified to ensure the rate unit quantity is always greater than 1. Errors with regard to date validation when authorizing records have been corrected
  • Settlements Statement processing has been enhanced to allow the settlement statement to be printed without having to first validate the content via the online. The settlement statement batch process can now be scheduled
  • CDR Mapping. The CDR Mapping process has been extended to include file mapping for electronic accounts
  • List Error Types. The List Error Types window has been enhanced to display whether the error is recoverable, the source of the error and the severity of the error.