NCC and CBOSS Launch Wi-Fi in Nizhny Novgorod

CJSC NCC is taking a new role of a broadband wireless Web access provider, having launched in Nizhny Novgorod a Wi-Fi network enabled by an end-to-end CBOSS solution.

In the today's mobile market, the demand for data services is growing. As the data services are highly profitable, the telecom operators are actively pursuing this niche. In this view, they are steadily shifting their focus from traditional GPRS and EDGE services to WiMAX and Wi-Fi which are a nice alternative to 3G when 3G is problematic to deploy. Also, most successful on the market are the operators using universal and easily scalable convergent solutions enabling fast and cost-effective launch of new services built into a user-friendly environment.

For Wi-Fi and similar services mobile operators most often use a pay-by-SMS approach. When a short message arrives to a dedicated service number, a fixed charge goes to subscriber balance and traffic quota is granted. This payment option is quite convenient and familiar to subscriber. Still, it has some disadvantages. For example, a subscriber may be unaware of the actual traffic volume needed and have insufficient balance to order another quota. To avoid this and some other problems, a continuous Prepaid-based charging may be used as an alternative to the quota-based approach.

It is noteworthy that the share of Prepaid users in the subscription bases of modern telcos is quite high. So the telcos are interested to promote services primarily to this, most massive, subscriber segment. This means that real time rating of data services has an essential importance to service providers as a robust protection against fraud, as well as a profit booster.

Besides this, for the complete utilization of the Wi-Fi infrastructure and for accelerating the time to ROI, non-subscribers should also be given access to the service. This may be done by standard scratch cards used to top-up the balance.

To succeed with these tasks, the solution must include a real time mediation platform to register and charge for wireless access, using the resources of the billing system and the Prepaid platform of the operator.

Requirements usually specified for such a system are fully implemented in the CBOSSip Web platform, developed by the CBOSS Corporation. CBOSSip can operate in both Postpaid and Prepaid modes, including scratch card support. Also, the platform can enable charging both involving the universal billing system and/or Prepaid platform of the operator, and a specialized IP-based charging subsystem. Both time-based and usage-based charging is supported. Multiple functionality of CBOSSip and its native integration with other CBOSS products converts minimum investments into a maximum benefit, fast time to profitability and rapid business development.

Broad functionality, flexibility and reliability of the system were highly appreciated by NCC. That's why NCC has selected CBOSSip to implement its metropolitan scale Wi-Fi network in Nizhny Novgorod. CJSC NCC is going to make this service available for mass audience. For this purpose, the solution also includes CBOSSstc, a service telephone cards system.

NCC's IT Director Anatoly Ponomarenko said: "Regional leadership is a result of deliberate efforts of CJSC NCC. Our company has always been committed to providing state-of-the-art services of the highest possible quality. Wi-Fi deployment in Nizhny Novgorod is a next phase of enhancing end-user services, which, as we hope, will help us satisfy user demand in innovative telecommunication technologies. We are sure that the CBOSS solution which allowed to implement the project at a minimum cost, will also provide for robust and efficient service operation."

About NCC
Established by Volgatelecom in 1995, NCC is the first GSM network operator in Russia. Now fully owned by Volgatelecom, NCC is the 8th largest cellular operator of the Russian Federation and the leader on the local market, holding 35% of Nizhny Novgorod Oblast's mobile market.

CBOSS Corporation is a world leader in the development of innovative convergent IT solutions for end-to-end automation of telecommunications enterprises, delivering a competitive edge to telecoms on all inhabited continents.

CBOSS Corporation offers the full range of equipment, system and application software and professional services, including consulting, turnkey implementation, technical support, staff training and IT outsourcing, providing telcos with guaranteed operations quality while minimizing operational and capital expenditures.

CBOSS can supply operators, service providers and MVNOs with all components of IT infrastructure and/or services, as well as with full-scale outsourcing options, providing a reliable single point of responsibility.