The Philippines' DigiTel deploys interconnect billing solution
DIGITAL Telecommunications Philippines has deployed a US$2 million modern interconnect billing system that would validate interconnect billings with accuracy in real time.
By Edu H. Lopez
MANILA, 17 May 2000 (Manila Bulletin) - The system called EHPT-SETTLER is considered the most advanced interconnect billing system in the country.
The system was installed by Online Advanced Systems Corporation, a leading local systems integrator and EHPT, a world-class provider of application software and services to telecom operators.
Johnson L. Go, Digitel senior executive vice president said the new system would be able to capture all records of other carriers both domestic and international calls.
In the past, it took several minutes to capture incoming and outgoing calls that go into the Digitel network, said Go. It would allow Digitel to immediately project the revenues generated from the both incoming and outgoing calls.
The new system is a key step in addressing the growing demand for interconnection among telephone operators in the country.
"We expect this product to provide us with the competitive advantage to further strengthen our position in the market," said Go.
Peter Oqvist, regional sales director of EHPT-Asia Pacific said the new system could scale up to 20 million. The operator would know immediately how much money it would expect through this new billing system.
Digitel is the first client of EHPT in the Philippines and second in Asean. The Communications Authority of Thailand is EHPT's first client.
Oqvist said EHPT is talking with other telecom companies on the possibility of deploying the same system.
It took about six months to implement the system which went live last December 1999. EHPT has other 12 other products aside from the billing system.
EHPT-SETTLER is an accounting system designed in response to a telecom operator's need for a solution that ensures rapid, flexible response to changes in market conditions.
It supports the administration of an unlimited number of interconnect agreements of both national and international traffic.
The system also allows the carrier to change price lists easily on a daily basis and to use different call detail record formats from different switches and supports both direct and cascade billing as well as statements in different currencies.
Go said that with the new system in place, Digitel is expected to further improve its performance this year.
EHPT, an independent software vendor delivers mission critical applications for operations and business support developed for open systems and multi-vendor networks.
Its products are based on deep expertise in three main areas of telecoms convergence - the convergence of communication services, of operations and business support processes and of telecommunications and computer competencies.
The other software products include EHPT NET-TUNER for total supervision and control of network traffic; EHPT ANALYZER for improved performance management in multi-vendor networks; EHPT Fault Manager for reliable, highly automated fault management; EHPT XM for total control of all network elements; EHPT ACCESSOR for distributed access to information in management systems; EHPT PROGRESSOR, a complete multi-service system for billing and customer care; EHPT ACCELERATER, or performance rating of call records; and EHPT BMP for improved collection, processing and distribution of call data in multi-vendor networks.
EHPT has a global network of major channel partners with the largest worldwide installed base of systems for operations and support comprising 510 systems in 78 countries as of last year.
In the Philippines, EHPT's partner is Online Advanced Systems Corporation (ONLINE), a local systems integrator which has partners with leading IT companies such as Hewlett Packard, SAP, EMC, Oracle, Informix, Siebel/Mecom and Ericsson.