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Payment solutions
are complex. When implemented successfully they present many new
opportunities such as flexible charging schemes, prepaid/postpaid
convergence, mobile VPNs and corporate accounts, premium rate SMS
and MMS services, content charging and micro payments.
Subscribers can even use their phones as a payment method for non-telephony
services.
Think about the last time you stayed in a hotel. Does this sound
familiar:
When you checked in, you created an account. You may have even
paid a premium to stay on the executive floor. If you had a drink
at the bar, the bartender asked for your room number (for authentication)
then charged it to your account. The menu indicated the prices or
the rating for the drinks and snacks. During happy hour, you got
snacks as a bonus with purchase of a drink.
The next morning a buffet breakfast was provided, but only for
authorized hotel guests. At check out time, you received a single
bill that included your room, your drinks, your meals, and your
visit to the health club. Finally, you handed the desk clerk either
cash or your credit card for payment.
With all those transactions -- account creation, authentication,
authorization, ratings, bonuses, billing and payment -- this process
sounds a lot like managing mobile phone subscribers.
Indeed, mobile operators are faced with the same charging and payment
issues as any service industry business. In fact, beyond the average
payment chain detailed above, there are other specific challenges
that may have to be addressed from time to time, including:
- Eavesdropping: when an unauthorized person tries to get access
to information he is not allowed to have.
- Impersonation: when someone claims to be someone he is not.
- Tampering: when someone changes information while it is being
sent.
- Refuting transactions: when a user argues he did not purchase
something that has been billed to him
Back at the hotel, the desk clerk would probably have to call the
manager or security if faced with these issues. Unfortunately, mobile
operators can't afford the one-on-one approach. To manage the usual
payment chain and more complex situations, operators must look to
more complete and modular payment suites. Their focus must instead
be on prevention and automation so operators can quickly respond to
or avoid the more difficult payment situations.
On the up side, there are also many new payment related opportunities
such as flexible charging schemes, prepaid/postpaid convergence,
mobile VPNs and corporate accounts, premium rate SMS and MMS services,
content charging, micro payments, even allowing subscribers to use
their phones as a payment method for non-telephony services.
 With
so many demands and opportunities, operators have to strike the
right balance. Using a building block approach for the payment suite
can offer several distinct advantages, including
- Improved time-to-market with out-of-the-box blocks, providing
mix and match potential
- A vastly more manageable portfolio. Blocks are simpler than
complete applications and are more easily reused.
- "Cubic" convergence: convergent payment methods, convergent
networks and convergent services
As a final payment suite consideration, multi-vendor interoperability
is a must. The payment suite needs to readily interface with almost
any telecommunication switch or pre-installed application platforms
while providing real-time network control. |
