Ericsson's charging solutions offer flexible tools for you to handle payments and charge for your content, services and applications.

Depending on the business model needed, different software development kits are available:

• Realtime charging (online charging and online mediation) of voice, SMS, MMS, content, services and applications deployed in the operator-controlled domain (i.e. within the walled garden) - Diameter Charging SDK and Parlay Charging API                 
• Non-realtime charging (file-based and event mediation) of voice, SMS, MMS, data, content, services and applications deployed in the operator-controlled domain (i.e. within the walled garden) - Detail Records              
• Payments for content, services and applications deployed in the open domain (i.e. the Internet and mobile Internet) - Internet Payment eXchange (IPX)  

Realtime charging means that the service is rated and the funds are reserved before the service is delivered. Therefore you will always know that you will get your money for providing the service. Realtime charging has traditionally been used for voice and SMS services to prepaid subscribers only. It is though getting increasingly important to charge the complete subscriber base in realtime. One of the main reasons for this is that realtime charging provides spending control for the subscribers, putting them in charge of their spending, creating trust in the solutions and pushing them to consume a bit more - thus increasing your revenues. Doing the charging offline is in many cases something that needs to be done as well, in order to gather additional usage information.

Ericsson is providing the software development kits to you as a developer and we provide the network operators with the charging solution; you can then use the operators charging solution to generate revenues from your applications, services or content.

Ericsson is the market leader in realtime charging and mediation - guaranteeing a huge number of operators supporting the APIs and interfaces. Ericsson's commitment to standards will make your investments safe for the future.