Billing System integrates with GPRS environment.May 4, 2004 - GPRS Revenue Collector and Formatter filters, formats, and streams usage records to appropriate billing and settlement systems. It integrates with existing systems to aggregate event-based accounting data into single-session records that identify subscribers and their usage. Records can be converted and formatted to accommodate any external billing and settlement system. Using XML-based formatting language, extensible data-driven formatting allows new output record formats to be defined.
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Original Press release
Bridgewater Systems Inc.
555 Legget Drive
Kanata, ON, K2K 3J1
Canada
Bridgewater Systems Introduces GPRS Revenue Collector and Formatter; Enables Service Providers to Offer Data Services in GPRS Environments
First Cellular Licenses Solution to Centralize Its Revenue Collection and Reporting; to Feed Data Directly to Verisign's Billing System
OTTAWA, Ontario - May 3, 2004 - Bridgewater Systems®, a provider of dynamic IP and data service fulfillment and assurance solutions, today introduced GPRS Revenue Collector and Formatter, the GPRS version of its mediation solution that filters, formats and streams usage records to appropriate billing and settlement systems.
According to Russ Freen, co-founder and chief technology officer of Bridgewater Systems, "While Bridgewater Systems is primarily known for its CDMA and Wi-Fi offerings, many service providers utilize GPRS networks. The introduction of GPRS Revenue Collector and Formatter is in direct response to that need."
GPRS Revenue Collector and Formatter has been licensed by First Cellular of Southern Illinois, the only locally owned and operated wireless provider in the region. In this deployment, GPRS Revenue Collector and Formatter functions as the charging gateway for roaming traffic generated by Tier 1 GPRS service provider subscribers roaming on the First Cellular network. The new offering will enable First Cellular to gather usage records, sort and format and then deliver them to a Verisign billing system for billing and clearing. Testing of the system began in January.
"One of the primary reasons we selected Bridgewater Systems' solution is that it offers both GPRS and CDMA 1X versions of its Revenue Collector and Formatter," said, Tania Seger, vice president and chief financial officer, First Cellular. "While we require a GPRS system now for our roaming network, we are also interested in Bridgewater Systems' CMDA 1X solution for our CDMA network down the road."
GPRS Revenue Collector and Formatter quickly and affordably integrates with existing systems to aggregate event-based accounting data into single-session records that identify subscribers and their usage. It then filters, formats and streams these records to external billing and settlement systems, providing an affordable alternative to custom or mediation-based solutions.
Records can be converted and formatted to accommodate virtually any external billing and settlement system. For protection, service providers can back up records in two geographically separate locations.
Using a simple, XML-based formatting language, extensible data-driven formatting allows new output record formats to be defined with no need for any development or professional services.
GPRS Revenue Collector and Formatter is currently available. Pricing is based upon an expected return on investment of less than one year.
About Bridgewater Systems (www.bridgewatersystems.com) Bridgewater Systems provides dynamic IP and data service fulfillment and assurance solutions that enable service providers to generate profits from their networks while enhancing customer loyalty. The modular Bridgewater Systems product suite extracts greater value from existing operations support systems (OSS), business support systems (BSS) and network assets to enable service providers to realize new revenue sources. Unlike traditional OSS vendors, Bridgewater Systems' proven products deliver on-demand dynamic IP and data services, offer extensive revenue capture capabilities, provide out-of-the-box value and can be deployed in weeks -- instead of months.
Bridgewater Systems solutions are currently deployed by top-tier global service providers such as Verizon Wireless, Bell Mobility, ICG Communications, Covad and Telia. Founded in 1997, Bridgewater Systems is a privately held company.
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