Real-time charging is an extension of call accounting that enables communications service providers (CSPs) to apply customer-specific rules for rating, discounting, promotions and settlements to better personalize the telecom experience.
[1] Real-time charging came into existence to serve the needs of prepaid mobile phone carriers as they sought to enter market segments where the traditional subscription model was no longer applicable, Pre-paid offers required instant evaluation of both the cost and the ability to pay for a telecommunications service, followed by in-call decrementing of the balance.
Transforming subscriber experiences CSPs are using real-time charging to create customer-centric charging models based on lifestyle, profession, age, interests or other segmentation by creating packages with virtually any mix of video, fixed voice, high-speed Internet, and mobile services to boost usage, loyalty, and market share.
[6] Top market players include Telcordia,[7] Volubill, Ericsson, HP, Openet, Oracle, Orga Systems, Nokia Networks and Redknee, according to OSS Observer.
In the hospitality enterprise marketplace, the top players include SDD's JAZZ Fusion and TigerTMS' Hotel Pro and CUB