LTE

Aptilo Service Management platform™

Aptilo is adding  3G/LTE support to its award-winning Aptilo Service Management platform™, currently in operation with 120+ providers of wireless services in 50+ countries.

The Aptilo AAA Core is extended with a full-fledged PCRF (policy charging and rules function). Aptilo’s pre-integrated 3G/LTE solution supports standard interfaces Gx (policy), Gy (prepaid) and Gz (post-paid) as well as Aptilo’s unique Intelligent Database Interface (IDI) enabling a cost-saving integration with existing OSS/BSS and 3G system nodes.

Aptilo’s AAA / PCRF core is not like any other solution. It is a purpose-built solid system for control of billing, user services and access in LTE, Wi-Fi and WiMAX networks. Unlike traditional solutions, it features tight integration between policy and real-time charging functions from the start and boasts a multitude of value-added functionalities. That is why we call it Aptilo AAA+ / PCRF+.

Pre-integrated LTE solution

Pre-integrated LTE solution
Aptilo’s holistic approach to service management with tight integration between policy and charging functions has been very successful with our WiMAX customers – from greenfield deployments using our pre-integrated solution to large operators that require solutions that will seamlessly integrate with existing systems. We now see the same type of requirements also for 3G/LTE, and are very pleased to be able to offer this innovative and flexible solution regardless of access technology.

To manage services in wireless networks, integration of several different subsystems is required. These subsystems perform critical functions such as Authentication, Authorization and Accounting (AAA), policy and charging management (PCRF), subscriber management, post- & prepaid billing, voucher management, provisioning, customer portals, captive portals, service portals, mobility management and more. These subsystems frequently come from different vendors, which often leads to significant time and money spent for the operator in the procurement, integration and maintenance processes. This can have a negative impact on time-to-revenue and time-to-launch of the service.
Aptilo offers a unique and simple approach to overcome many of these challenges. We have pre-integrated most of the different subsystem functions into the field-proven Aptilo Service Management solution. In addition to important pre-integrated functionality for fast and reliable time-to-market, there is a fully flexible modularity and many native interfaces to integrate to external systems of choice instead of utilizing Aptilo’s optional subsystem modules.

Flexible and Simplified WiMAX-to-LTE Migration Path

Flexible and Simplified WiMAX-to-LTE Migration Path
Aptilo’s multi-access architecture provides a single, scalable platform to support WiMAX, Wi-Fi and now LTE installations. This means operators using Aptilo’s WiMAX solution can easily migrate to or add LTE at a later date, preserving investments and positioning them for future growth.

Aptilo’s multi-access architecture also enables seamless service mobility for users going between Wi-Fi, WiMAX and LTE networks.

Tight integration between policy and real-time charging functions

Tight integration between policy and real-time charging functions
Because the Aptilo solution terminates both the Gx (policy) and Gy (prepaid) interface it can provide a dynamic intelligence to support operators’ real-life business requirements. One example of this is the Dynamic Bandwidth Throttling functionality where the user gets a “bucket” of data volume per e.g. month and the bandwidth then is automatically and gradually throttled down as the “bucket” is consumed. Aptilo’s ability to integrate with legacy prepaid systems (e.g. via SOAP/XML) and quickly adapt to an operator’s specific requirements enables new revenue streams by supporting a variety of business models.

A paradigm shift in prepaid billing

A paradigm shift in prepaid billing
Prepaid billing has become increasingly important. In many geographical markets it is the only way to do business for an operator. There is also an increased interest among operators mainly using post-paid business models to be able to launch pay-per-use services.

There is a paradigm shift in how prepaid (online charging) is controlled and enforced in 4G systems, specifically in WiMAX and LTE networks compared to how it is done traditionally in 3G networks and systems (a 3G network can be upgraded to the 4G way though). In 3G networks, it is common for the prepaid system (e.g. IN system for many mobile operators) to collect usage data consumption (time, data volume) from the 3G data gateway (SGSN/GGSN, PDSN) and then rate and convert the data usage to prepaid balance to a credit amount (i.e. in currency) that is understood and maintained by the prepaid system. When the prepaid balance is close to depletion in the prepaid system the 3G data gateway is informed to disconnect the call or perform a top-up. As a result the prepaid enforcement in 3G systems is near real-time, not perfect real-time.

In LTE networks, the data gateway (PDN Gateway) is handling the enforcement of the quota (time, volume) which is carried out in real-time by the gateway using a real-time quota loop (time, volume) administered between the gateway and the prepaid system (OCS).

The 3GPP LTE standard has specified two independent, separate interfaces Gx and Gy respectively for policy and charging rules administration in the PDN-Gw. Many traditional PCRF products only support the policy control interface Gx with the PDN-Gw, and the online charging, OCS interface Gy from the PDN-Gw is going directly between the PDN-gw and the operator’s prepaid system. Both the Gx and Gy interfaces are based on the DIAMETER protocol as per the latest 3GPP LTE specifications. The requirement to support the Gy interface in the operator’s prepaid system inherently presents a huge undertaking and investment for the operator to not only upgrade to DIAMETER Gy capability, but also for the prepaid system to convert the currency balance in real-time to time- and data-volume quota that is used by the PDN-Gw via the Gy interface for enforcing real- time quota management and charging rules for the user data session(s).

Aptilo’s Service Management platform

A key benefit of deploying 4G networks and services for the operator is to have the ability to change QoS dynamically, in real-time, and charge online on per-application basis to offer flexible service plans and increase the revenue potential with 4G data services. This mandates close coupling and tighter integration between two separate systems. In a traditional PCRF product this is done by handling QoS policy rules via the Gx interface in a process not part of the prepaid quota loop. Then the prepaid system (aka PPS, OCS) must handle the quota loop via the Gy interface to administer real-time policy and charging rules in the PDN-Gw simultaneously. Aptilo’s Service Management platform natively provides a tightly coupled, pre-integrated PCRF module and prepaid OCS module with a wide range of flexible, operator BSS/OSS-facing plug-in prepaid connectors that are used to rapidly and cost-effectively deploy high-revenue 4G data services.

For operators that do not have real-time rating capability between time/volume quota and credit quota (currency) natively in the existing prepaid system, Aptilo’s PCRF+ module will act as connector to the existing prepaid system. Additionally, the Aptilo PCRF+ module will also provide DIAMETER Gy and Gz interfaces to the existing BSS for both online and offline billing support.

Aptilo Service Management platform’s

For operators that do not have a real-time prepaid system for offering 3G and 4G prepaid data services, the Aptilo Service Management platform’s optional prepaid (OCS) module encompasses a state-of –the-art prepaid system (PPS/OCS) natively with built-in Web portals and hotlining functionality together with credit card, voucher and mobile charging (premium SMS) payment modules.

Cost-effective migration to LTE from 3G networks

Cost-effective migration to LTE from 3G networks
One of the core nodes in a LTE network is the PCRF (Policy Charging and Rules Function), but just adding a traditional PCRF node together with the LTE radio network nodes will not automatically enable a smooth migration to LTE from 2G/3G.