Ericsson Service-Aware Charging and Control (SACC)

Complete end-to-end solutions

Through a combination of deep-packet inspection and heuristic analysis (similar to pattern recognition), the Service-Aware Charging and Control solution identifies traffic carried over the network. This is the foundation for delivery of high-quality, easy-to-use services, and makes it possible to charge for services in a way that makes sense to subscribers.

The capabilities of the solution include:

• Traffic inspection for a wide range of protocols
• Fair usage policies
• End-to-end quality-of-service control
• Multi-service APNs (Access Point Names)
• Charging based on volume, content and events
• Real-time charging.

The traffic inspection component of the Service-Aware Charging and Control solution can be integrated with Ericsson's Gateway GPRS Support Node (GGSN) or be implemented by means of the stand-alone Service-Aware Support Node.

Generating new revenues

With the traffic inspection and service classification capabilities of the Service Aware Charging and Control solution, operators can take the content, events and effective usage time into consideration, rather than charging for services based simply on the generated volume of traffic or the duration of sessions.

This approach is logical and easy for users to understand, and therefore supports higher service usage and increases loyalty, while attracting new subscribers.

Operators can also offer the kind of bonus programs and cross-promotions that have proven successful in other industries. This charging flexibility allows service providers to capitalize on the full range of multimedia services, by offering campaigns and incentives for subscribers to try new services and to use current services more.

Improving the user experience

The combination of flat rate offering and peer-to-peer applications, poses an increased risks for operators in terms of securing good user experience for all subscribers and getting a sound return on their investments.

By identifying and categorizing different types of traffic, network resources can be utilized in an intelligent way. This implies prioritizing bandwidth-intensive and delay-sensitive applications, which are usually more profitable premium services. With this increased control, operators can ensure that a minority of users do not occupy the bulk of the network resources.

Furthermore, operators are supported with usage statistics that can form the basis of informed decisions on policy control and network planning.

Benefits for the subscribers

The Service-Aware Charging and Control solution makes it easier for subscribers to activate new services and for operators to ensure they are delivered with the expected quality-of-service.

The transparent, logical pricing models enabled by the solution, also pave the way for advanced multimedia services.

Last but not least, subscribers can be provided with information about the charge of a service prior to using it and can be allowed to top up their accounts via self-service portals. This gives them better control over their spending and leads to greater satisfaction.

Market leading position

Ericsson's Service-Aware Charging and Control solution, in commercial operation since 2002, has been delivered to more than 100 operators worldwide.