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  • 1.  Data Sharer Plan with two OCS

    TM Forum Member
    Posted Aug 29, 2019 08:26
    Edited by Caui Leal Aug 30, 2019 11:40
    Hi,

    I'm working into a project that would like to make possible a sharing data by user that are associated at the same account, I mean, we wil have a data pool associated by a parent account and children accounts. The problem is that we have two OCS solutions, for data control, depending the SIMcard/MSISDN that is been using . Therefore, how can we have the possibility to share data from the same pool using two different OCS's?
    There is anyone that have faced a similar problem?
    #CustomerExperience
    #TMForumGeneral

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    Caui Leal
    Telefonica Brasil S.A.
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  • 2.  RE: Data Sharer Plan with two OCS

    TM Forum Member
    Posted Aug 30, 2019 03:42
    What you would need is a common Account Balance Management Function (ABMF).

    The functions and interfaces composing an Online Charging System (OCS) are defined in 3GPP TS 32.296:

    As you can see the subscriber account balances are managed by the ABMF. If your OCS vendors support the Rc interface you could have the existing Online Charging Functions (OCF) rehomed onto a new ABMF or have one vendor use the ABMF of the other.  However it's unlikely they do.

    The 3GPP Rc reference point is described in 3GPP TS TS 32.296 Annex B. It uses the DIAMETER protocol Credit-Control Application (DCCA) and is very similar in operation to the Ro interface to Core domain function (i.e. PG-W, SGSN, IMS AS). With 5G things change a bit but the basic architecture remains the same.


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    Vance Shipley
    SigScale Global Inc.
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    Original Message


  • 3.  RE: Data Sharer Plan with two OCS

    TM Forum Member
    Posted Aug 30, 2019 04:10
    Hi Caui,

    This seems to be a very interesting problem statement. Here's my take on it - 

    In usual scenarios when there are 2 or more OCS platforms involved, the segregation of subscribers is such that there aren't any use-cases that involve balance sharing (especially when parent and child belong to the same account or business group or a tenancy in general). BSS may still have subscribers across multiple OCS platforms which are a part of the same CUG/Community group, but the subscribers will still be using their own balances/tariffs for making calls at preferential rates. 

    In your case though, the only viable solution that I can think of is a real-time balance sync between the 2 OCS platforms. As soon as the order for a balance sharing package is successfully provisioned on both the OCS platforms, full data balance should be provisioned on both the platforms. Whenever there is a reservation/credit/debit request on either platform, an API should be triggered from the source OCS (where the request was generated) to the destination OCS for balance sync. 
    This solution should work fine if both the OCS platforms are supposed to be master OCS.
    NOTE: This solution is proposed under the assumption that such scenarios exists only for a few cases and have a scenario identifier so that APIs are triggered only for these subscribers/package combination.

    In-case your OCSs are in master-slave mode for balance management, then the APIs will only be triggered from the master platform to keep the slave in sync for balance query, notifications, etc. purposes.

    Do connect with me if you have specific questions on the solution.


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    Shashank Singh
    Cerillion Technologies Limited
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    Original Message


  • 4.  RE: Data Sharer Plan with two OCS

    Posted Aug 30, 2019 10:21
    Hi Caui,

    The issue is where the rating takes place.  If it is in each of the OCS servers, the solution is extremely complex and will involve sharing the data between the two OCS instances.  However, if you consolidate your data in a BSS solution on top of the two OCS platforms, and re-rate the data there, the solution is quite simple.

    This is a basic functionality of the platform that I'm working with, where we consolidate CDR & other usage transactions from multiple sources, mediate and rate it, so that we have the flexibility to share data in a customer parent-child relationship.

    You can respond privately if you need more information

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    Alan Lawee
    Smartbox Equipment
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    Original Message


  • 5.  RE: Data Sharer Plan with two OCS

    Posted Aug 30, 2019 10:22

    Obviously having two systems is an issue but additional question that comes to my mind is how initial decision is made which OCS should control particular user? Is it a simple number series rule (when new batch of SIM cards is rolled out OCS is selected) or is there some more complex scenario?

    This is important as one possible option would be that once sharing is enabled all related users are moved/migrated to same OCS where relationship between end users and logic which pool to use for particular usage will be implemented. This would require not only migration between two OCS but also update of network trigger for migrated end users. Depending how it is done on network side this might require some additional work/changes.


    Best regards,
    Samir 



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    Samir Maric
    Cognizant Technology Solutions
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    Original Message