GSM Clearinghouses

1
GSM Clearinghouses

• Extending their portfolio with WLAN clearing
  services
• Christian Thrysøe, Product Manager

2
Agenda

• Data clearing introduction
• Conceptual overview
• Benefits
• Value added services
• WLAN market
• Why is this interesting for mobile operators
• What are the subscriber requirements
• Market situation and trends
• Benefit MACH can bring to the WLAN market

3
Data clearing
Bilateral Solution
Hub-and-spoke Solution
MobileOperator
MobileOperator
Wireline Operator
WISP
WISP
Wireline Operator

MobileOperator
WirelineOperator
WirelineOperator
MobileOperator
WISP
WISP
4
Data clearing in the GSM industry

• Scaleable and proven solution developed over last
  2 decades
• Limits the number of connections and billing
  relations required
• Defines principles and procedures for inter
  operator roaming, billing and settlement
• Includes supportive financial control elements
  enabling revenue assurance and pre-invoice
  balancing
• Involves neutral 3rd party for dispute resolution
  process
• Clearing concept facilitates a broad set of value
  added services

5
Data clearing portfolio

• MACH supplies outsourced
• Clearing Solutions
• Billing Solutions
• Intelligence Solutions
• Assurance Solutions
• Network Solutions
• ...to a global market

6
Why WLAN for mobile operators

• Extend product portfolio to include complimentary
  data services to existing 2.5G and 3G services
• Ability to address and leverage upon next
  generation broadband based voice services
  addressing small and medium enterprise market and
  become total supplier of telco services
• Increase customer retention and reduce churn

7
Subscriber requirements

• Common user interface and authentication
• Transparent tariff structure
• Postpaid roaming service
• Subscription through a single provider
• Single itemized monthly bill
• Single point of contact for service, billing and
  support enquiries

8
WLAN roaming market players

• Fixed Line Operators
• Large customer base using broadband access
• Backbone network for hotspots
• Limited experience in roaming

• Mobile Operators
• Large customer base accustomed to using roaming
• Large roaming experience
• Members of a very organised community

?

• Wireless Internet Service Providers
• Provider of footprint
• Skilled in handling unified end-user experience
• Challenged in providing a suitable roaming
  integration

9
WLAN market situation

• Fragmented market
• Unlicensed media ? new entrants ? commercially
  and technically clash between WLAN market
  players
• Low volume
• Limited interest for investment in expensive
  billing systems ? unstructured settlement
  procedures involving manual processes ? high
  potential for flaws and cumbersome dispute
  handling
• Lack of standards
• No inter-roaming standards defining common
  interfaces

10
WLAN market trends

• Market is maturing
• WLAN market is maturing as operators are facing
  challenges handling interconnections and
  settlement with increasing number of WLAN roaming
  partners
• Still low volume
• Small volume is still a fact causing operators to
  look for outsourced solutions
• Standards are emerging
• Standards are being requested to address
  technical and commercial challenges and to
  bridge the gap between the players from different
  communities

11
MACH value add

• Interlink players in the WLAN market by bridging
  diversities
• Enables one-bill roaming for GSM operators using
  defined interface and established communication
  methods
• Ability to deliver full billing service for WISPs
  including full financial settlement and debt
  collection services
• Huge end-user subscriber potential
• MACH currently serves more than 350 mobile
  operators worldwide
• Accessible through partnership between MACH and
  Trustive

12
Conclusion

• Uniform standards are emerging through operator
  cooperation
• Subscribers still demand the "basic" coverage and
  transparency in pricing
• Hub and Spoke model - potential solution to the
  differences across market players

13
Thank you
Christian ThrysøeProduct ManagerE
cht_at_mach.comT 45 4590 2030