As part of an ambitious digital transformation program, the operator selected a cloud-based Digital BSS and Customer Engagement solution to redefine the customer journey and accelerate 5G monetisation. As a leading innovator of mobile services and operating the largest 5G network in the region, the operator chose to change vendor and deploy a new converged rating and charging, online charging system (OCS), and a host of other components to provide a premium digital experience to their customers.
To undertake the operator’s network transformation, Squire Technologies ensured that all client data was correctly managed and accurately charged during the migration between the operators legacy charging system connected with the 4G core and the new state-of-the-art OCS platform connected with the 5G core. Uniquely, Squire Technologies’ signalling solution, Sigla, was used as an interworking solution to handle all charging data and overcame several technical obstacles to progress the migration.
Online charging systems are complex network resources that connect to a multitude of network entities including Business/Operational Support Systems (BSS/OSS) that manage subscriber information, undertake policy control and charging functions, and provide the services they can access.
The Squire Technologies’ Sigla solution delivered:
- Signalling harmonization between the legacy signalling protocols of the 4G core, the proprietary signalling protocol being used by some core elements and successfully connecting and routing billing data to the new OCS;
- Signalling normalisation to overcome compatibility issues between the existing DRA and the new OCS by handling all Diameter traffic between these elements; and
- Routing and interworking to ensure that as the migration proceeded, all transactional data was routed to the correct OCS depending on where the subscriber was residing at the time.
This rather unique use of Sigla demonstrates the incredible flexibility of Squire Technologies’ offerings and how it provides a high degree of agility for telecom operators. The project also illustrates the flexibility of Squire Technologies’ service, rising to the challenge of converting the legacy and proprietary protocols to the latest industry standard protocols.
With 5G creating a more open network landscape, moves towards greater supply chain diversification are being seen within the industry. Squire Technologies focus on providing highly flexible core network solutions that create the infrastructure necessary for operators and CSP’s to seamlessly exchange data between multi-generation, multi-protocol, and multi-vendor networks.
