Teletok successfully launches its convergent billing system in collaboration with Alepo and Blue Arcus

by Alepo PR Team | Aug 3, 2023

The new billing platform supports 4G LTE, 3G, PSTN, and ADSL offerings
Alepo’s advanced convergent billing system automates critical processes, reducing manual tasks and ensuring efficiency
The unified platform allows Teletok to launch, manage, and monetize all its services efficiently
The solution digitizes the customer experience, streamlines operations, and boosts service innovation while driving revenue

Thursday, August 03, 2023, Tokelau – Teletok, the communications services operator in Tokelau, has upgraded its network by implementing Alepo’s convergent billing platform to set up its first digital billing system. This modernization has facilitated the automation of manual processes, reducing the need for human intervention. The system integrates smoothly with Blue Arcus’s 3G/4G Core and 5G-ready solutions.

Alepo has transitioned Teletok’s services onto a single billing platform, including its 4G LTE and 3G, as well as its PSTN and ADSL offerings, streamlining operations and driving revenue growth.

The complete convergent billing system allows Teletok to cater to changing demand by providing innovative prepaid offerings with plans to extend postpaid services soon. Alepo’s all-in-one billing platform eliminates dependence on multiple systems, lowers the total cost of ownership, and streamlines and automates processes while driving revenue. The solution includes Alepo’s industry-leading PCRF, online charging, AAA server, and digital business support system (BSS), with key modules for voucher management, web self-care, mobile application (android and iOS), trouble ticketing, and more.

The convergent billing platform helps Teletok to launch, manage, and monetize innovative new services from a single converged solution, keeping postpaid and prepaid customer accounts and services separate. Teletok can easily launch new bundles such as limited data passes, happy hours, and wallet offers using Alepo’s centralized product catalog, reducing time-to-market. The billing system will soon encompass postpaid services, offering customers a single invoice for all their active services.

The comprehensive solution improves customer interaction by digitizing the experience with round-the-clock support through web and mobile self-care, giving Teletok subscribers control over their accounts. Customers can manage their accounts, do e-refills, voucher recharges, raise tickets, gift credit, and perform many more account operations using the new self-care platforms.

“We’re pleased to partner with Alepo and Blue Arcus, who have demonstrated a history of success in helping transform the face of telecommunications in the Pacific. This project forwards Teletok’s commitment to modernize services in Tokelau, leveraging technology to serve the people’s needs while enabling us to automate our processes and reduce operational overheads,” said Tealofi Enosa, CEO, Teletok.

Naren Yanamadala, CEO and Founder of Blue Arcus, said, “We’re thrilled to collaborate with Alepo on multiple highly successful projects, enabling operators to modernize operations and innovate services. Witnessing the transformative impact of our deployment on Teletok’s network offerings has been truly inspiring. We look forward to seeing how our partnership will deliver great value to our clients and the customers.”

Vishal Mathur, EVP of Alepo, said, “Alepo’s comprehensive billing solution has unlocked exciting monetization opportunities for Teletok. We’re proud it has elevated customer experience, optimized their end-to-end business processes, and eliminated revenue leakage and billing errors from human mistakes. Our successful collaboration with Blue Arcus assures us that this already implemented project is another notable achievement.”

About Teletok

Teletok is the primary communications service provider in Tokelau. Established over two decades ago, the company took the reins from the government of telecommunications services on and between the country’s islands. In 2017, Teletok completed significant capital projects on a 4G LTE mobile network to build a new ICT broadband platform, solar upgrade, emergency voice system (HF and VHF), and multicast. With the government-funded broadband 4G LTE mobile network, digital bridges have been constructed between islands to international destinations.

For more information, please visit https://www.teletokco.tk/

About Blue Arcus

Blue Arcus Technologies, Inc., a leading provider of core network solutions based in California, empowers digital transformation worldwide by enhancing connectivity and streamlining efficiency. Tailored to address the dynamic requirements of various industries, Blue Arcus offers a spectrum of innovative products, including Arcus Core – our flagship offering. Built on open architecture, Arcus Core serves as a unified solution that integrates multiple technologies. Blue Arcus’s unique value proposition includes specialized services for rural and remote communities, maritime and ferry operations, tactical emergency scenarios, and comprehensive mobile network solutions.

For more information, please visit https://www.bluearcus.com.

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Role of a Dedicated PCRF in VoLTE and Its Significance in 5G VoNR

by Prakash Parmar | Jun 6, 2023

Role of a Dedicated PCRF in VoLTE and Its Significance in 5G VoNR

June 6, 2023

Preparing voice services for 5G

As operators transition from 4G LTE services to 5G, they must ensure their voice services are prepared for the change. The emergence of new technologies and standards with 5G networks necessitates updating voice services to meet the next-generation communication requirements.

Voice services traditionally relied on circuit-switched (CS) networks or CS fallback. Although these methods have worked in the past, next-gen 5G networks don’t support them. This incompatibility arises due to the fundamental differences in architecture and underlying technologies between 4G and 5G. Therefore, operators must migrate their voice services to Voice over LTE (VoLTE) or Voice over New Radio (VoNR) before offering 5G services.

To support VoLTE or VoNR seamlessly, the adoption of dedicated Policy and Charging Rules Functions (PCRF) for data and voice services is essential. By leveraging a dedicated specifically-designed PCRF solution for VoLTE, operators can efficiently manage and control various aspects of voice services in a reliable network environment. With VoLTE PCRF, operators can enforce policy and charging rules for voice traffic, ensuring network resource prioritization and efficient utilization.

Benefits of VoLTE

VoLTE allows voice calls over a 4G LTE network while using the same IP-based network as data traffic. VoLTE offers numerous advantages over traditional circuit-switched voice services, including improved call quality, faster call setup times, and the ability to make simultaneous voice and data connections.

One of the major benefits of VoLTE includes its significant call quality. The narrowband voice channel limits traditional circuit-switched voice calls, reducing the audio quality. In contrast, VoLTE leverages the wider bandwidth available on 4G LTE networks, allowing for high-definition voice calls with crystal-clear audio.

Moreover, VoLTE enables the simultaneous use of voice and data services and eliminates call disruptions by utilizing the IP-based network, allowing the users to browse the internet, stream content, or use other data services while on a voice call.

Designed for 5G networks, Voice over New Radio (VoNR) is similar to VoLTE, which enables voice and data services. There is, however, a significant difference between VoNR and VoLTE. VoNR does not support the continuation of voice calls when switching between 5G and older 3G networks. To fully utilize 5G services, integration with an IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS) is necessary.

Essential components of VoLTE and the role of a dedicated PCRF

To transition to VoLTE, operators must deploy an IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS) network that provides the necessary VoLTE infrastructure. The IMS network consists of several components, including a Call Session Control Function (CSCF), an IMS Home Subscriber Server (HSS), Online Charging System (OCS), and a PCRF.

The CSCF is responsible for call control and routing within the IMS network. It handles the signaling required for establishing and maintaining voice calls, ensuring that voice traffic is appropriately managed and directed. The HSS, on the other hand, serves as a central database that stores subscriber information such as user profiles, authentication data, and service entitlements. This information is crucial for the proper functioning of VoLTE services.

The OCS is a critical component of the IMS network. It handles real-time credit control and charging for voice and data services, ensuring accurate user billing.

The PCRF is critical in enforcing quality of service (QoS) policies and network resource allocation. A dedicated PCRF for VoLTE ensures that the appropriate QoS parameters are applied to voice traffic, prioritizing voice calls and guaranteeing high-quality voice services.

Importance of a dedicated voice network

The rise of Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) and voice and data network convergence raises the demand for dedicated voice networks. Operators now often use packet-switched networks that carry both voice and data traffic but prioritizing and optimizing voice transmission separately to ensure quality and reliability becomes challenging. Additionally, as listed below, several other reasons reinforce why operators should maintain a dedicated VoLTE network:

It optimizes the quality of both VoLTE and data traffic and allows for granular control over these types of traffic, ensuring that network resources are utilized efficiently.
It simplifies troubleshooting or issue resolution, allowing easy identification of the problems when voice and data traffic are separated.
It increases flexibility and scalability to accommodate user demands and future growth, enabling network infrastructure to adapt to changing requirements without affecting voice services.
It ensures the reliability and availability of voice networks and prevents service disruptions during peak data usage periods, allowing users to continue to rely on uninterrupted voice communication.
It treats the voice network independently and allows efficient handling of service requests, upgrades, congestion, and outages, ensuring optimal performance and minimal impact on data services.
It optimizes overall network bandwidth, allowing for specific allocation and optimization techniques tailored to voice and data traffic and maximizing efficiency.
It reduces costs by leveraging specialized vendors for cost-effective voice services, allowing operators to utilize their expertise and achieve cost savings without compromising quality.
It enhances security by isolating voice traffic from data traffic and helps protect voice communication, minimizing the potential impact of data-related security breaches or vulnerabilities.

Importance of dedicated PCRFs for voice and data

While the trend is towards convergence and integration of voice and data services in more unified networks, having a dedicated PCRF for voice and data offers operators greater control, flexibility, and the ability to tailor services to meet specific requirements and optimize the customer experience. A dedicated PCRF for voice and data enables operators to effectively manage, control, and monetize their network resources while delivering high-quality services and meeting customer expectations. Here are some key reasons why operators should deploy a dedicated PCRF for voice and data services:

To ensure uninterrupted service continuity for voice and data, regardless of congestion, through fault isolation and redundancy.
To facilitate voice network upgrades without disruptions to other service networks like data, minimizing customer impact.
To allocate network resources efficiently and prevent congestion’s impact on voice and data services, preserving voice service quality during peak data usage.
To independently scale voice and data services based on demand, optimizing resource allocation and network expansion cost-effectively.
To streamline management and troubleshooting processes, empowering operators by targeted traffic monitoring, problem identification, and resolution capabilities offered by separate PCRFs.
To implement service-specific QoS parameters such as low latency and minimal jitter for seamless voice calling and low latency with sufficient bandwidth for optimal data usage experience.

Enhance Voice Services with Alepo PCF + PCRF

Technology partners play a significant role in accelerating VoLTE deployment and 5G migration. Telecom product companies like Alepo, offering PCRF and PCF (Policy Control Function) solutions, assist operators in rapidly rolling out VoLTE and 5G voice services. These solutions offer a range of features to optimize voice service delivery and provide a seamless user experience.

With Alepo PCF + PCRF, operators can:

Implement QoS management

With Alepo PCRF for 5G standalone deployments and Alepo PCRF for VoLTE services, operators may specify and enforce particular QoS criteria like low latency and minimal packet loss. These technologies ensure that voice calls maintain the desired level of performance and reliability.

Customize policies for voice services

Alepo’s PCRF and PCF solutions allow operators to define and customize policies, including QoS prioritization, bandwidth allocation, and ‘push to X’ features (talk, video, chat). These solutions also allow the prioritization of multimedia services for uninterrupted emergency communications. Operators can fine-tune voice service behavior to effectively meet both network requirements and subscriber preferences.

In short, by utilizing Alepo PCF + PCRF, operators can optimize voice service performance, effectively manage network resources, and deliver a superior voice calling experience to their subscribers in LTE and 5G networks.

Conclusion

The transition of voice services to VoLTE is critical for operators planning to upgrade to 5G networks. By adopting a dedicated PCRF for voice and data services, operators can enforce QoS policies, optimize network resources, and ensure a seamless voice-calling experience. VoLTE offers significant advantages over traditional circuit-switched voice services, including improved call quality and simultaneous voice and data connections. Deploying the necessary infrastructure and partnering with technology providers like Alepo enables operators to future-proof their networks for the 5G era and deliver cutting-edge communication services. Embracing VoLTE and a dedicated PCRF empowers operators to thrive in the evolving telecommunications landscape, unlock the potential of 5G, and provide superior service experiences to subscribers.

Would you like to explore further details about VoLTE PCRF and witness its impact on accelerating network performance, service monetization, and network reliability? Email market.development@alepo.com and our team of experts will contact you to address all your queries and show you a quick demo.

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ETI Guinea selects Alepo Digital BSS to transform FTTH services and support upcoming LTE launch

by Alepo PR Team | Sep 26, 2022

Alepo’s Digital BSS will provide a unified billing and charging platform for all ETI prepaid and postpaid
services, including its existing fiber offerings
The platform will support advanced policy control, enabling the operator to introduce innovative new
services
In addition, Alepo’s AAA will enhance network security and ensure scalability to support the operator’s
growing subscriber base
The fixed LTE network will be deployed in phases, first as a data network and later introducing voice

Monday, September 26, 2022, Conakry, Guinea – Responding to growing demand for high-quality data
services, Guinea’s leading service provider ETI SA is transforming its network by implementing digital enablement expert Alepo’s industry-leading BSS Transformation. The advanced platform will modernize the operator’s existing FTTH services, as well as provide support for the future launch of its fixed LTE network.

The deployment will replace ETI’s legacy BSS with Alepo’s convergent Digital BSS, providing a unified billing and
charging platform for all of ETI’s prepaid and postpaid services. ETI will be able to introduce a range of advanced new offerings, including limited and unlimited plans, pay-as-you-go offers, high-spending and referral discounts, time- and volume-based offers, and more.

Alepo’s Digital BSS will enable advanced invoicing with support for invoices in different currencies, issued in advance and at different frequencies, and issued on demand. The solution will integrate seamlessly with the operator’s IT and core infrastructure, introducing digitization and automating key processes to streamline network management.

The platform also includes policy control for different services, dynamic offer creation, CRM, online payments, and more. In addition, Alepo’s AAA will bolster network security and enable a scalable network to support expansion as the subscriber base grows.

Alepo’s solution also includes a real-time reporting system that will enable the operator to gain advanced BI insights. These reports will enable ETI to create personalized and contextual plans based on customer usage patterns.

Alepo’s platform will also support data and voice services for the operator’s future fixed LTE network, for which the operator has recently acquired a license from the Guinea government. Over the next few years, the operator will roll out these services in phases, beginning with a pure data network and eventually introducing voice.

“We have plans to launch our LTE network in the pipeline, but we also wanted to modernize our existing offerings to quickly meet demand from our customers for advanced and innovative data services. Given Alepo’s reputation of rapid and seamless BSS deployment, we’re certain they will enable us to seize monetization opportunities now and into the future as we expand our network,” said Latif Taleb, Chairman and Founder, ETI.

Derrick Gross, President, Alepo, said, “We’re proud to partner with ETI in enabling increasingly digital lifestyles in
Guinea. The deployment will empower ETI to modernize their customer experience with enhanced offerings, while better monetizing their network. Alepo’s futureproof Digital BSS will support service innovation as the market evolves and we look forward to being a part of ETI’s growth for years to come.”

About ETI

ETI SA is a telecom operator, integrator, and application developer in Guinea. The designs, installs, operates, and maintains critical telecommunications and IT infrastructure for all sizes of companies, from small businesses to multinationals, ensuring their clients can drive operational success through service continuity and performance. ETI has extensive experience in difficult environments and geographical areas at risk where access, energy, climate, socio- political environment, and logistics, can be problematic.

For more information, please visit https://eti.net.gn/

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SaskTel launches all-digital service called Lüm Mobile using Alepo’s Zero-Touch Network Solution in Canada

by Alepo PR Team | Dec 21, 2021

The service is 100% self-serve, enabling all customer interactions through Lüm Mobile’s website or mobile app
Customers can fully manage their accounts online: to sign up, personalize their service, and get help through a chatbot, forums, and FAQs
The unique membership-only service does not have monthly plans or billing dates, and the data does not expire; customers buy data only when they need it
Alepo’s Zero-Touch Network Solution is deployed in the cloud, so the operator does not need to manage any network infrastructure or IT systems

Monday, December 20, 2021, Regina, Canada – Leading communications service provider SaskTel has launched its fully digital mobile service, Lüm Mobile, using digital enablement expert Alepo’s Zero-Touch Network Solution. Available to residents of Saskatchewan, Lüm Mobile has no stores or customer-facing agents. The unique self-serve model reimagines the subscriber experience. Customers sign up for and manage their own services completely online, through Lüm Mobile’s website or app.

The service has no monthly plans and billing dates. Instead, subscribers purchase a Lüm Mobile membership and then buy data that enables voice, SMS, and data. They buy data and recharge only when they need to, as the data never expires. In effect, they pay only for the data, calls, and texts that they use, and because there’s no expiration date, they never lose any unused data as long as they keep an active membership.

Services such as unlimited calling are charged only if subscribers want them as add-ons. There are no data caps or throttling, and subscribers benefit from the superior coverage of SaskTel’s existing network.

The service provider also seeks to create a sense of community and a way to give back in Saskatchewan, supporting a social cause to help the environment through the Bloom with Lüm program.

Alepo’s Zero-Touch Network Solution – which includes Digital BSS, omnichannel chatbot support, online charging, policy control, promotions management, and more – enables the fully digital mobile model. It ensures that Lüm Mobile customers can control all aspects of their subscriptions, from self-onboarding to resolving issues through a chatbot and using community forums and FAQs. Support is completely automated, so it is instant and always available.

On the network front, Alepo’s solution enables end-to-end automation. The network infrastructure is fully hosted on the cloud, so the operator does not need to manage any IT systems or resources, allowing its internal teams to focus on driving business success and delivering an innovative customer experience. The Alepo platform helps the operator keep costs low and provide affordable services.

“Lüm Mobile is designed to empower our subscribers and to shed light on change – for both their mobile service and the environment. Alepo’s solution has helped us build an advanced digital mobile service with a new membership model that makes data services affordable. We’re excited to launch this sub-brand where users take control to sign up, personalize their service, and access automated support anytime and from any place,” said Doug Burnett, SaskTel President and CEO.

Alepo President Derrick Gross said, “At Alepo, our philosophy is to enable CSPs like SaskTel to create cutting-edge services that make life easier for their customers while helping them drive ROI. We’re proud to have partnered with SaskTel to develop the modern and innovative Lüm Mobile service. Alepo’s Zero-Touch Network Solution leverages the latest technology to keep pace with evolving customer expectations for a fully digital and self-serve network offering.”

About SaskTel

SaskTel is the leading Information and Communications Technology (ICT) provider in Saskatchewan, Canada, with over $1.3 billion in annual revenue and approximately 1.4 million customer connections. SaskTel and its wholly owned subsidiaries offer a wide range of ICT products and services including competitive voice, data and Internet, wireless data, maxTV, data center, cloud-based services, security monitoring, advertising, and international software and consulting services.

For more information on SaskTel, please visit https://www.sasktel.com

To know more about Lüm Mobile, please visit https://lum.ca/

About Alepo

Eswatini Mobile overhauls and modernizes network with Alepo digital transformation

by Alepo PR Team | Nov 5, 2020

Using Alepo’s Digital Business Support System (BSS) and PCRF, the service provider has overhauled its network and introduced new advanced offerings
Alepo executed its digital transformation remotely, in phases, and within rapid time constraints
Alepo’s systems have solved network disruptions caused by legacy vendors and improved network availability
The operator will also enable 24×7 customer support using Alepo’s omnichannel self-care platform

Wednesday, November 4, 2020, AUSTIN – Eswatini Mobile, a leading service provider in the Kingdom of Eswatini, has modernized its network using digital enablement software solutions provider Alepo’s Digital Business Support System (BSS). The new platform enables the operator to introduce a host of advanced prepaid and hybrid LTE plans, digitize customer experience with a modern web and mobile self-care, and fix network outages that were impacting its voice and data customers.

Eswatini Mobile’s legacy systems were causing network outages, making an urgent transformation necessary to improve customer experience. With Alepo’s BSS transformation, Eswatini Mobile has upgraded from its legacy multi-vendor setup to a single platform for all BSS functionalities. Along with the BSS, Alepo has deployed its PCRF, interconnect billing, roaming, self-care, and other modules. Under strict timelines, the entire project was deployed rapidly and remotely, in keeping with ongoing pandemic-related travel restrictions.

The platform has enabled Eswatini Mobile to offer its customers the flexibility of choice, having introduced prepaid as well as hybrid or cyclic prepaid plans that enable different tariffs to be applied based on peak and off-peak times of the day. The operator can now also manage dunning actions and has already seen a reduction in outstanding payments.

Eswatini Mobile now has access to business intelligence reports facilitated by the advanced analytics module, enabling targeted promotions and personalized plans and offers based on individual customer needs.

Watch Webinar: Transforming Customer Experience and Embracing Generative AI.

Alepo has also provided its web self-care and mobile app, which will enable Eswatini Mobile’s customers to access 24x7x365 support. In addition to facilitating swift issue resolution, it will also offer customers more control over their accounts, empowering them to view and manage their plans and data usage.

“Our primary objective is to offer superior customer experience and we’re consistently working on improving our services to meet our customers’ needs. Alepo’s phased approach to digital transformation has helped us bolster our network and services without disruptions. We intend to introduce a host of advanced and innovative plans in the future using the Alepo platform,” said Genius Sihlongonyane, Chief Information Officer, Eswatini Mobile.

Sihlongonyane added, “Our key business drivers for this project were migrating to a converged platform to ensure consistent support, and switching to an on-premise set-up to reduce network disruptions that we faced with our legacy system as it was offsite. We’re already seeing improvements in our processes as Alepo’s Digital BSS provides many automation features, improving our network availability and customer experience.”

Sameer Bhuttoo – Director of Africa at Alepo, said, “We share Eswatini Mobile’s vision to strive for the best customer experience and are happy to be their digital transformation partner. Alepo’s subscriber migration was completed in record time, and we look forward to working with Eswatini Mobile on further enhancements, optimizing processes, and ushering in a new network experience for their subscribers.”

About Eswatini Mobile Ltd.

Eswatini Mobile Limited (formerly known as Swazi Mobile Limited) was set up as a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) to apply for a license to build and operate a mobile telecommunications network in the Kingdom of Eswatini. The service provider offers a range of prepaid and postpaid voice and data services including roaming plans.

For more information, please visit https://swazimobile.com/

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Teletok successfully launches its convergent billing system in collaboration with Alepo and Blue Arcus

About Alepo

Role of a Dedicated PCRF in VoLTE and Its Significance in 5G VoNR

Role of a Dedicated PCRF in VoLTE and Its Significance in 5G VoNR

Preparing voice services for 5G

Benefits of VoLTE