3 Minimum Requisites for an OCS System That Are Needed for Success

by Kumud Dixit Seo Expert

As companies change their focus and become more customer-centric, the importance of innovative telecom solutions has increased. Especially when it comes to accuracy in billing, there is no middle ground and you cannot survive without owning/leasing a robust and reliable telecom billing software. In today’s telecom operations, the most critical element of is OCS. After many revisions since its inception, OCS has improved dramatically and has become critical for modern-day charging and rating applications.

What is an OCS?

Online charging system better known as OCS is a vital part of telecom billing architecture. It forms the real-time beating heart of any BSS. Every customer exchange – whether it is event-based or session-based – is accounted for by the OCS. It also features an Account Balance Management Function (ABMF) that stores and updates vital subscriber information. It is a great advancement in the telecom industry that fixes the many anomalies/limitations of erstwhile IN and offline billing systems.

The Risks of a Flawed OCS

An OCS is the most critical component of any telecom operation. Whether you are an MVNO or a major network operator, you should understand that your whole brand image depends on this vital resource. As every user interaction is captured by OCS, it is crucial for all your billing tasks. In case your OCS is flawed, it may lead to the creation of error-ridden invoices that will be sent to your customers. If this happens, then your customers will most likely switch their operator, which will spell doom for your business. Therefore, you should put all your efforts in finding an accurate OCS solution that can be trusted.

Vital OCS Features You Should Be Concerned About

An OCS system has many attributes that determine its efficacy in any business model. While different telecom operators may have their own preferences about these features, there are some important attributes that are critical for all telecom billing operations:

1. Security against hackers – The threat of hackers looms large over any business that is done on the Internet. As an OCS is connected to the web at all times, you need to pay special attention to the security measures employed by the OCS provider. Without proper security, you risk losing all the goodwill generated over many years in a matter of seconds.

2. Scalability – The subscribers of an operator keep on changing with time. Without a scalable OCS, you are unable to keep up with the varying demand. Hence, scalability of the OCS should be kept as a top priority.

3. Provision for future technologies – An OCS should not only address the present-day requirements but it should also be ready to meet the future needs. It should be able to fulfill the requirements of highly-promising technologies like 5G and IoT. Without any provision for future technologies, you might have to constantly change your OCS system, which is definitely bad for business.