HP Enhances Mediation Software

HP has announced enhancements in its mediation and real-time charging solutions that help telecom companies offer – and bill for – converged voice and data services. The enhancements are focused in HP Internet Usage Manager (IUM) 6.0 software that forms the core of the HP RealTime Charging solution.

The company also announced expanded deployment by a major Asian service provider, China Telecom. HP made the announcements at the annual Billing & OSS World trade show in Las Vegas.

The enhancements in HP IUM 6.0 allow service providers to reduce costs with improved system manageability, increase security with system-wide controls, and maintain high levels of customer satisfaction with real-time problem resolution. Overall, these enhancements streamline the mediation process, where customer usage data is collected from the network and prepared for billing and other applications.

“Service providers can better manage system operations at less cost with HP IUM,” said Nigel Upton, director, Communications and Media Solutions, HP. “Millions of mobile users are ready to enjoy converged services. HP is committed to helping service providers manage the complexity of delivering and charging for these next-generation, IMS-compliant services.”

“As the market evolves, mediation is becoming increasingly pivotal in the billing infrastructure, and this plays to HP strengths,” said Larry Goldman, Head of Telecom Software, Analysys Mason. “The new functionality in IUM 6.0 enables service providers to more effectively manage and ensure continuous operations, key requirements for real-time charging environments.”

Meantime, China Telecom is now rolling out new services to prepaid customers in two provinces, Hubei and Sichuan, using HP IUM as the core of an online charging system (OCS). The two provinces have a combined population of almost 150 million people. This expansion adds to an initial deployment in the Anhui province by a China Telecom subsidiary. Now, with an OCS based on HP IUM, the provincial providers can offer and bill for new voice, data and value-added services. These include 3G services that generate higher revenues and promote customer loyalty.

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