Azure Location-Based Billing

The Azure Location-based Billing Processor (LBP) is a very high throughput post-processing system for Charging Data Records (CDRs). The LBP enables Mobile Network Operators (MNOs) to create flexible promotion and billing packages based on the location of a specific subscriber at the time of the call. It is suitable for both short-term promotions and for longer-term implementation as a Home-Zone rebates system.

Business Solutions

Home-Zone call rates

Home-Zone calling is an innovative and lucrative product. It enables the MNO to give special rebates to subscribers for all calls originating from the subscriber's home-zone. This concept is shown in the next diagram:

The Azure Home-Zone concept

Home-zone originating calls usually tend to be of a longer duration than normal. Instead of simply reducing the call charges when in the Home-zone, the subscriber receives a monthly rebate from the MNO. The rebate is either recorded as a credit on the monthly bill or credited directly to the Prepaid System.

Azure includes the ability to send an SMS message to the subscriber notifying him or her of the extra airtime now available because of the Home-Zone rebate. A subscriber is free to set any zone as the home-zone, based on specific rules like "change once per month", etc.

To use the Home-Zone advantage, the subscriber uses USSD to call into the Azure Service. The Azure LBP System retrieves the current location of the subscriber from either the HLR or an LBS and stores the information as shown in the following diagram:

Setting the Home-Zone

Azure knows about all the radio network cells in the area from where the subscriber called. This area is now stored as the subscriber's Home-Zone. All of the calls made from the Home-Zone will now be rated differently.

The LBP processes all of the CDRs received from the MNO's switches. It identifies CDRs for calls originating in the Home-Zone and calculates the appropriate rebate for each call. The system collates the rebate records and transfers the information to the post-paid billing system or the prepaid platform.

Event-based call promotions

Another innovative and very visible service is to enable promoting discounted calls sponsored by the MNO for special events. The MNO can for example promote calls at 50% discount for subscribers present at a music concert or major soccer match. Instead of simply displaying sponsorship banners, the MNO delivers real value to subscribers.

Event-based rebates

In these cases, the MNO will load rules into Azure based on the time and the location of the event. Azure screens all the CDRs for calls during this time and calculates the rebates. Subscribers receive notification of the rebate immediately after the event in the form of an SMS and a direct credit to their mobile phone account.

Architecture

Azure interacts with many different network elements such as the HLR, LBS, the IN Platform and the core switches:

Azure integrated with the network

Some of the elements are the following:

HLR – Provides the current Cell location to Azure
LBS – determines the position of the subscriber for Home-Zone rebates
IN Platform – Azure credits the subscriber account directly
Post-paid Billing – Records the calculated rebates for post-paid customers.

Internally, Azure consists of the following components:

Costing Rules – Stores the various rules used for processing
CDR Input – Interprets and processes the pre-rated call records
Rebates Output – A module producing pre-formatted financial records
Prepaid integration – A connector module for crediting prepaid subscribers
Location database – Contains all of the location areas applicable for each rule
Home-Zone database – Stores a record per subscriber with the selected Home-Zone.

Costing Rules

The Costing Rules represent the business rules for a specific rebate scenario. The Costing Rules include information about each marketing campaign and consists of parameters like:

The associated area of the campaign – values such as Location Area, Cell ID, etc.
The date/time range
Amounts such as rebate percentage and floor/ceiling values

Azure uses the rules to weight and cost each CDR record and to produce any rebate amounts.

CDR Inputs

Azure uses rated CDR files as input. The engine supports many different formats such as ASN.1, CSV, fixed-width and ASCII.

CDR Inputs

Location Database

The MNO populates the Location Database with the Cell Identifiers and Location Areas of all the cells in the mobile network. Azure groups the cells and uses the information to localise the Home-Zone of each customer.

Home-Zone Database

Each subscriber selects a specific Home-Zone through a USSD Interface. Azure retrieves the subscriber's current position from the HLR or LBS and uses this information to store the information related to the selected Home-Zone. This information is stored in the database.

Prepaid integration

Azure interfaces with the prepaid system. The connector module requires access to credit subscribers with appropriate rebates.