Advice of Charge Service Leverages Patton VoIP Gateways2.26.2013
New technical case study describes the MetroAOC service, a cloud-based advice of charge solution from Metronet. Provided in the Software as a Service (SaaS) paradigm, the MetroAOC service is powered by SmartNode VoIP Gateways from Patton. Monitoring and controlling telecommunications costs can be tricky when using a local private branch change. That’s why Metronet developed MetroAOC, a software-as-a-service that monitors the cost of telephone calls in real time. While customers could deploy their own advice of charge (AOC) service, which informs them of call costs, a cloud-based solution offers a number of benefits. In particular, offering a cloud-based AOC solution makes deployment essential, and allows the data to be accessed from a Web browser. Further, the MetroAOC service reduces initial investment, the customers don’t need to worry about replication of the CDR data for backup purposes, and the service can be rented on a monthly basis. The MetroAOC has a number of features. It delivers telephone call information toward customer business systems over TCP/IP, gives access to the service via ordinary Web browser and/or a well defined application programming interface (API), provides real-time rating according to the rating parameters defined by the customer, has highly configurable rating parameters, delivers visibility of calls immediately after their completion, comes with AOC-E (advice of charge at the end of the call) functionality, maintains call detail record (CDR) data, and offers telephone call cost presentation using a modern Web application – according to a case study on the service. In developing the service, Metronet leverages Patton’s SmartNode Voice Gateway to make the service work. It also relies upon a RADIUS accounting server, a CDR database, and a Web server. Patton’s SmartNode Voice Gateway is the interface with the customer’s PBX. It is located at the customer’s premises, provided by the service provider. The gateway works as a client of the RADIUS accounting server. The gateway passes telephone call data received from the PBX to a designated RADIUS accounting server, according to the paper. The RADIUS accounting server then receives the CDR requests, storing them in a CDR database. The Web server serves the CDR data to users upon request. A family hotel with several guest rooms provides a good example of where the MetroAOC is useful. The hotel has a small PBX with BRI interfaces, and a Patton SmartNode voice gateway provided by its telecommunications provider. The hotel can monitor guest calls and charge appropriately using the service. Using the service, the hotel can monitor calls in real time and charge hotel guests in a way that ensures a predefined profit margin. The guest will be charged more than the real cost of the calls in accordance with the hotel’s cost structure. The hotel can define several different tariffs for calls, including a business rate for the hotel and a tourism rate for guests. Further, the telephone lines can be combined into three telephone groups: A business group for private customer telephone lines, a guest group for guest rooms, and a call box group for telephone lines located in the lobby. For more information about the service and specifics about how it works, download the case study. By Mae Kowalke, TMCnet Contributor About Patton Patton is all about connections. It is our joy and mission to connect real-world customer challenges with high-quality, right-priced solutions—complemented by unrivaled customer service and technical support. Incorporated 1984, Patton has built everything from micro-sized widgets that connect "this-with-that," to carrier-grade Telecom gear that connects subscribers to service-providers. Patton's specialty is interconnecting legacy TDM and serial systems with new-generation IP-based voice, data, and multi-media technologies. Headquartered in Gaithersburg, MD, USA, Patton equipment—including VoIP, Ethernet extension, and wireless router technologies—is up-and-running in carrier, enterprise and industrial networks worldwide. Patton works in connection with a growing network of technology, business, and sales-channel partners. To connect with local-market requirements, Patton operates training and support centers in Switzerland, Hungary, Lebanon, India, Vietnam, and the USA. Patton… Let's Connect! Contact: Glendon Flowers Patton Electronics Company 7622 Rickenbacker Drive Gaithersburg, MD 20879 USA Tel: (301) 975-1000 Fax: (301) 869-9293 Email: [email protected] Web: www.patton.com ### |
