Subex Launches Data Integrity Management Practice, Amdocs Releases Smart Agent Desktop, and More

ATIS Outage Standard Fosters Common Language for Vendors, SPs
ATIS released a Standard Outage Classification standard (ATIS-0100012.2007) so that vendors and service providers use the same terminology and reporting structures to classify and report outages. The hope is that discrepancies in outage reporting will be reduced with the work done by the ATIS Network Reliability Steering Committee (NRSC), which is responsible for monitoring and analyzing network reliability issues and regulatory matters.

The high-level system for classification introduced in the new standard uses three categories to define the outage: cause of outage failure, such as hardware, software, cable, wireless transmission or capacity; reason for outage, which includes a primary and secondary descriptive basis; and, responsibility for outage, like acts  of nature, reporting service provider, government or vendor.

Unified Communications, Telcordia Offer Mobile Number Portability Clearinghouse
With mobile number portability in Malaysia just months away, Telcordia Technologies Inc. joined with Unified Communications to offer world-class number portability to the country. Telcordia was selected to build, operate and manage the Mobile Number Portability Clearinghouse in Malaysia by the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission. The solution will be implemented in the first half of 2008 to help carriers comply with the country’s timeline for the implementation of mobile number portability. At the core of the comprehensive solution is Telcordia Number Portability Clearinghouse, which serves as a central number repository and a central point for porting all types of numbers. Telcordia also offers the Telcordia Number Portability Gateway, which helps improve operator number portability implementation timelines at less risk, provides increased port request flow-through, and simplifies management of both internal and external systems interfaces while supporting service provider growth across all subscriber segments and number types.

Subex Launches Data Integrity Management Practice
Subex announced the global launch of its Data Integrity Management (DIM) Practice. The new DIM Practice offerings combine best-practice consulting services with its data integrity product, Syndesis TrueSource. The offerings are designed to enable communications service providers to achieve lower-risk operations transformations, adopt lean operating  principles, derive more value from BSS/OSS resources, prevent revenue leakage, and improve fulfillment, assurance and  billing performance.

Kabira, Bull Jointly Target African Telecommunications Market
Kabira Technologies Inc.’s high-performance transaction-processing software will complement Bull’s telecom integrator practice, as the two have formed an alliance for their latest solutions. The target is mobile operators who require real-time provisioning, mediation of GSM voice and data services, as well as mobile payments solutions. Kabira provisioning, mediation, convergent charging and mobile payment solutions have been coupled with Bull integration, sales and support services. The strategic alliance is intended to increase the availability of Kabira’s transaction-processing solutions and leverages Bull’s service and support teams.

CSG’s Content Direct Is Released
CSG Systems announced the release of Content Direct for use by video content creators, aggregators and distributors attempting to monetize and manage video content to end customers or members. The Content Direct solution is designed to improve the consumer experience of browsing and buying content while providing the solid back-office foundation required to monetize the distribution of content.

Amdocs Launches Smart Agent Desktop
Amdocs Smart Agent Desktop has been developed to be a comprehensive, agent-guiding solution designed specifically for companies with high-volume, high-attrition call centers that use multiple, disparate customer management applications. Smart Agent Desktop unifies agent desktop applications and provides real-time agent guidance specifically addressing the vital needs in today’s call centers, such as agent efficiency and cost reduction, revenue generation, and long-term customer satisfaction and loyalty. Additionally, Smart Agent Desktop runs on Amdocs Smart Client Framework, a new technology framework that provides a single, enhanced user interface for all front- and back-office employee desktop applications.

NetCracker Is France Telecom’s NGI for NExT Initiative
NetCracker Technology Inc. has been selected and certified by France Telecom as the Next Generation Inventory (NGI) Group Core Component (GCC) standard for its strategic NExT program. NetCracker will be the provider across all of France Telecom’s group of 136 operating companies. NetCracker also announced the successful implementation of NGI Wi-Fi hotspots inventory, FTTH inventory and VoIP services inventory for Orange in France, as well as transmission network inventory and ADSL inventory in emerging market affiliates of France Telecom group.

HP Delivers Personalized, Interactive Multimedia Services
HP has enhanced its media platform to help operators provide mobile and broadband customers with a variety of personalized, interactive multimedia services. The OpenCall Media Platform 4.0 is a carrier-grade media server that handles call connections and digital processing for services offering multimedia content, such as rich video and advanced messaging in social networking communities.

OpenCall Media Platform runs multiple interactive multimedia services on a single platform. Operators can deploy OpenCall Media Platform either in a Web services environment using VoiceXML or Java, or in a next-generation environment based on the IMS architecture. The platform also incorporates the media resource function capability to support real-time blending of voice, data and multimedia services on IMS networks.

Telefónica Moviles Extends Syniverse Contract
Telefónica Moviles Argentina, one of nine Telefónica Group operating companies in Latin America, has extended its contract with Syniverse Technologies Inc. to provide GSM roaming data clearing and settlement services for an additional four years. The products used include ACCESS S&E GSM Clearinghouse Services, which manages Telefónica’s data clearing and roaming operations. The product is designed to remove the complexity of supporting international GSM data, voice and messaging roaming and settlement for subscribers traveling among many nations and continents. Syniverse will support the management of bilateral agreements between roaming partners, and ensure rapid exchange of data records.

Virgin Mobile Deploys Telespree Platform
Virgin Mobile USA has deployed Telespree Communication’s over-the-air (OTA) solution to automate its mobile handset programming process.

The platform delivers secure authentication and OTA device programming to any non-active, wireless device without customer care or inputs. It allows carriers to offer automated device programming as well as service enrollment and ongoing account maintenance to customers and retail channels.

Virgin Mobile USA deployed Telespree technology for first-time programming of new devices as well as for existing users who want to change or upgrade their mobile phones. The phone automatically is programmed, without manual inputs or assistance from customer care agents, via the Telespree OTA process.

Virgin Mobile USA plans to implement the OTA solution in all new Virgin Mobile USA handsets, the company said.