Steering of Roaming is a technology aimed to help MNOs in taking a decision which operator-partner network to use for subscribers in roaming. As a rule, such a choice is conditioned by a wish to use the most beneficial inter-operator tariffs, to fulfill bilateral agreements with partners and to ensure quality communication services to subscribers. One more reason to use steering technology is the fight against fraud activities.
When the SC.Steering of Roaming platform receives events about subscriber’s registration, it allows or prohibits registration based on parameters set. Parameters that system uses to make a decision are configured via web interface; basic set includes the following:
- VLR/SGSN/MME lists
- IMSI groups united on marketing or other grounds
- Time of validity
- Network type (2G/3G or 4G)
- Amount of traffic for a period (voice traffic, data trnasmission, etc.)
- Percentage of the successful registrations
Registration control in guest networks increases loyalty of own subscribers. For example, to avoid generation of big debts from prepaid-subscribers, SC.Steering of Roaming could be used only for registration at those networks which support real-time billing.
Key features
- Managing registrations in 2G/3G networks using the SS7 MAP protocol and in 4G networks using the Diameter protocol
- Support for dynamic traffic distribution between roaming partners
- Processing of TAP or NRTRDE files to make calculations and monitor the fulfillment of obligations to partners
- Integration with other MNO’s VASplatforms (Welcome SMS, SS7 Firewall, etc.)
- Selecting reasons for refusal to register. It is allowed to specify one or several reasons for each rule to notify the network of the refusal
- Statistics logging and reports generation with grouping based on roaming partners, subscriber’s countries of stay and other parameters as per customer’s requests
- Border Roaming. An internal subscriber can be prohibited from registering in the networks of the specified VLR border roaming partners for a certain time
- Operation and configuration management via web interface with capability to delimit access
- Operation monitoring and logging
Benefits & advantages
- Raising the incomes of MNOs through preferred networks control for roaming registration
- Reducing financial losses through forbidden registration in the networks which often take part in fraud activities
- Flexibility of steering setting for various network codes
- Easy deployment and operation management via web interface
- Capacity to manage subscriber’s profile (limits for services)
- Increase of subscriber loyalty due to capability of using familiar services and transparent billing plans
Integration scheme
Basic option of integration assumes routing of SS7 traffic at the MAP level (as per Location Update operation code) from STP or MSC. It’s possible to integrate via signaling network.
