Among the variety of wireless networks in the telecommunications market, networks such as 2.5G, 3G, and CDMA are still popular. For 3G networks CAMEL is the main protocol, that enables communication for Intelligent Network (IN) architectures. For North American CDMA networks, this role is fulfilled by the WIN (Wireless Intelligent Network) protocol.
You can penetrate this segment of wireless networks or preserve service provisioning in a CDMA network by using PortaBilling, and all the while deploying new generation network services (e.g., LTE).
The CDMA network solution includes PortaBilling operating as an OCS (Online Charging System) for real-time call authorization and rating and the BFX Interface Gateway as the entry point to your network.
In this deployment, the BFX Interface Gateway operates as the mediation component performing the conversion of WIN messages into Diameter (Ro) messages. Thus, the BFX Interface Gateway communicates with the MSC using WIN, while it communicates with PortaBilling using Diameter (Ro).
When a user places a call, the following occurs:
The MSC (Mobile Switching Center) performs the call authorization in PortaBilling that verifies that the customer’s balance is sufficient to call the desired destination. The MSC uses the WIN protocol, therefore its call authorization request is sent via the BFX Interface Gateway where it is converted to Diameter (Ro) and then delivered to PortaBilling. PortaBilling locks in the funds to cover the initial period of the call and sends a confirmation message to the MSC. This message also passes via the BFX Interface Gateway where it is converted to WIN and then delivered to the MSC.
When the user’s initial call period finishes and their overdraft protection is configured in PortaBilling, the BFX Interface Gateway sends a request to lock in the funds for subsequent periods.
Once the user hangs up or runs out of sufficient funds to continue the call, the BFX Interface Gateway sends instructions to the MSC to disconnect the call and sends a Credit Control Request – Terminate (CCR-Terminate) message to PortaBilling to report the end of the call. PortaBilling then produces a CDR record for this call.
Destination number translation and provisioning
In addition to basic call processing, PortaBilling can translate service numbers dialed by end users into actual numbers and provision them to the MSC.
This is how it works: For example, a user dials 411 for directory assistance. The BFX Interface Gateway passes this number to PortaBilling in a Credit Control Request – Initiate (CCR-I) message. PortaBilling translates the dialed 411 into an actual number (e.g., 12055576061) and returns this number back to the BFX Interface Gateway in a Credit Control Answer – Initiate (CCA-I) message. The BFX Interface Gateway then delivers this number to the MSC to connect the call.
For number translation and provisioning to take place, do the following:
- Configure the dialing rules for the customer.
- Create the service policy and enable the Provision CLD and Rise MSCC result code options;
- Assign the service policy to the accounts’ product.
The integration of PortaBilling with the BFX Interface Gateway may be of special interest for service providers who aim to penetrate the mobile communications market as MVNOs or MVNEs since it expands the range of equipment they can use for organizing their network infrastructure.
