The NAMS Firefly® SS7 - SS7 collector utilizes state of the art electronics and software to passively collect SS7 messages in a reliable and non-intrusive manner. Many applications that offer the user essential Network Visibility have been developed around the NAMS Firefly® SS7 collector. Revenue Assurance, Fraud Prevention, Network Maintenance, Network Planning, and Billing Collection and Mediation are key applications that can be utilized in the NAMS Firefly® SS7 package. This very powerful and comprehensive toolset empowers wireline and wireless telephone companies to gain full control of their networks.
The NAMS Firefly® SS7 is very scalable offering an economically affordable system for companies of any size. Using Oracle® Enterprise with RAC (Real Application Clustering), the system can be scaled for even the largest of networks. Conversely, smaller networks can easily be accommodated at an affordable price.
Simplify network and data analysis by automated utilization of all available data sources
- Oracle® Database
- SS7 Search
- SS7 Reports
- Call Record Search
- Call Record Reports
- SS7 to Call Record Correlation
- Network Engineering
- Revenue Assurance
- Data mediation
- Billing Transport
Oracle® Database
The Oracle® Enterprise database is at the foundation of NAMS Firefly® CR. The primary benefit of Oracle® Enterprise versus Oracle® Standard is partitioning, which makes queries on enormous datasets practical. Oracle®’s RAC can also be deployed to facilitate large networks. Clustering distributes the load across multiple servers, increasing query speed exponentially.
SS7 Base System Functionality
The components of NAMS Firefly® SS7 include hardware, processes, and a suite of GUI applications. The NAMS Firefly® proprietary SS7 probe passively collects ISUP and TCAP/SCCP messages and imports them into a relational database where they can be searched and reported on. An additional record called an ISUP Session Record (ISR), is created from the five main ISUP messages that are generated for each call. These ISR’s can be used for billing and also provide a much more efficient way for the applications to manage the call data. Queries and reports can be run on ISUP, TCAP/SCCP, and ISR data. NAMS Firefly® can also be configured to work with SS7 probe data collected by other probe manufacturers.
SS7 Search
The NAMS Firefly® SS7 search utility is extremely flexible and user friendly. It is as much a report generator as it is a straight search utility. ISUP messages are collected and made available for queries on a real-time basis. An ISR - ISUP Session Record is created and stored in the database when the call has terminated. During the ISR creation process, associations are established with the component ISUP messages. In addition, if AMA, UMTS, or EMI records are present, these are associated with the ISR as well. If an ISUP message search is performed, the user can also look at the associated ISR, AMA, UMTS, and EMI records. A search of any of the different record formats will yield all other associated records if present. If TCAP information (800, LRN, CNAM) was involved in the call, that is also associated and made available within the search. Switching between the different associated records for a given call is as easy as a click of a button. Pertinent LERG™ information is part of each ISR record and can also be searched and displayed in search results.
The new user interface supports an extremely flexible reports interface that allows users to define their own search fields and designate fields displayed in the report itself. Reports can be saved for future use and also scheduled to run at user defined intervals.
- ISUP session record search - ISR searches are fast and intuitive
- ISUP message search - All 5 ISUP messages can be searched and viewed in real time
- ISUP and ISR search template and output format can be user defined
- SCCP/TCAP search - Search CNAM information as well as 800 and LRN dips
- Call Trail - Real-time ISUP and TCAP call trailing
- View raw SS7 records - ISUP and TCAP
- ISUP traps - Trap traces on ISUP messages. Traps on calling#, called#, Orig/Term point code, CIC, JIP, TG#
SS7 Search - Reports
With the existing SS7 search, there are a number of pre-defined reports available to the user. The new user interface supports more flexible ad hoc reporting as well as report scheduling. In ad hoc mode, each user can select fields included in the search, fields included in the output, and the actual format of the report, e.g. PDF or Excel.
- Ad Hoc reporting
- Drill down capability
- Multiple Report Formats - PDF, Excel, Word, RTF, XML
- Scheduled reports execution
- Report delivery by email
- Partitioned database allows for fast searches on very large datasets
Revenue Assurance
Revenue Assurance may mean something different from one company to the next depending on the type of Telecom Company or network configuration. One common need for all companies is to increase revenue by stopping access avoidance. Also, companies often require visibility and applications to help them identify with whom it makes sense to negotiate an interconnection agreement. Regardless of your particular needs, CMSI will have a solution for you. The following eleven applications relate to revenue assurance in one form or another.
SS7 to AMA Correlation
This application correlates SS7 CDR’s to AMA call records. The purpose of this application is to ferret out possible switch translation problems and phantom traffic. The NAMS Firefly® probe collects the SS7 ISUP messages and creates the SS7 ISR’s. Switch generated call records can be collected by NAMS Firefly® or can be sent to the system by existing collection systems that are already in place. The SS7 ISR’s are then automatically correlated to the call records. After correlation, various reports can be generated, including correlation percentage reports and detail reports showing SS7 ISR’s and call records that could not be correlated. This application requires NAMS Firefly® SS7 ISR’s or other vendor’s compatible SS7 record.
EMI to Call Record Correlation
Access Tandem trunk groups. Most IOC’s have an Access Tandem trunk group. Calls sent from the RBOC to the IOC on the Access Tandem trunk group are then terminated by the IOC on their local network and are settled (or billed) at a pre-defined rate. The RBOC submits EMI records to the NECA Pool for settlement of these calls. The EMI records are generated by the RBOC’s system and are based on the AMA generated by the RBOC’s Access Tandem switch. The IOC has no way to validate the accuracy of the access charges. Using our EMI to SS7 correlation software as well as other NAMS Firefly revenue assurance applications, the IOC can identify terminating usage that may not be included by the RBOC. Once identified, this usage can be back-billed through NECA, and what was lost revenue is recovered by the IOC. This application requires NAMS Firefly® SS7 ISR’s or other vendor’s compatible SS7 record.
Phantom Tracker
Phantom traffic is telephone traffic that terminates at local exchange carrier switches lacking information needed for billing (i.e. does not have information that identifies the originating carrier from which it came.) It is estimated that 20 percent of terminating traffic cannot be billed for this reason. This is costing IOC’s and CLEC’s thousands of dollars each month in lost access revenue.
Stripping or eliminating information in call detail records or SS7 IAM messages allow phone companies to avoid paying access charges. These manipulated records and messages enable offending companies to route long-distance traffic over IOC / CLEC trunks that are dedicated to carry only local phone calls. Manipulation of the AMA / CDR / SS7 IAM messages also allows InterMTA wireless traffic to be terminated on mixed-use tandem trunk groups since that traffic cannot be readily identified as wireless. Transiting carriers can also create billing problems by stripping pertinent origination data from the SS7 message thereby, altering AMA / CDR.
CMSI’s new Phantom Tracker™ software includes EAS, IntraLATA Toll, Common Toll, and feature group Phantom Usage reporting and detects call laundering on many different types of trunk groups. The software will help identify long distance traffic that has been terminated over trunks designated only for local traffic such as EAS groups. It also breaks calls down by LATA / MTA jurisdiction so that Common Toll and IntraLATA toll groups can be monitored.
BTC - Bypass Traffic Controller
The NAMS Firefly® BTC is a very useful and effective tool for controlling Phantom Traffic or Bypass Traffic. It provides the capability to reroute certain telephone calls based on call criteria. The primary purpose of this application is to reroute traffic whose origination information has been altered or removed to bypass normal access charges. BTC can reroute calls sent over EAS groups that did not originate within the agreed upon local calling area, thereby preventing this particular form of access charge avoidance.
Tandem Transit Usage Statements
The Tandem Transit Usage application produces billing statements to wireless companies with whom an interconnection agreement has been arranged. Jurisdiction is typically categorized as interstate, intrastate, and reciprocal compensation although the user can define additional categories as well. The wireless carrier’s trunk group is assigned static jurisdiction percentages and rates specified in the interconnection agreement. NAMS Firefly® offers several applications that will quickly identify the wireless companies with enough traffic to justify negotiating an interconnection agreement such as Call Record Search, Company Type Usage, and NetPlan.
Balance of Traffic
This report calculates usage by trunk group and carrier for wireline to wireless and wireless to wireline calls. This usage is also broken down by inter-MTA and intra-MTA. The purpose of this report is to help the telephone company determine with which wireless carriers there is sufficient usage to justify negotiating an interconnection agreement.
CABS Validation & Carrier Bill Validation
Carrier Access Billing and Switched Carrier Billing are critical segments of the IOC’s or CLEC’s business. The NAMS Firefly® CABS Validation application provides usage reporting that assists network accounting payables/receivables personnel in verifying usage billed by or to other carriers. The CABsMate® application allows the user to accumulate Tandem and End Office usage by trunk group for originating / terminating, interstate / intrastate, and toll free usage. Real-time queries can be made or batch reports that duplicate the carrier bill billing cycle can be configured to run automatically. The Switched Carrier Bill Validation application allows the user to set up mock carrier bills that run on the same cycle as the actual bills. The usage is broken down by trunk group, state, LATA, and tandem CLLI code.
Company Type Usage
This application generates usage reports by company type and can be sorted by OCN and/or trunk group. For instance, this application determines the number of calls and minutes of use which come from or go to Wireless Companies, CLECS, etc.
CIC Usage
CMSI designed this package to aid the IOC in recovering unreported terminating minutes from the RBOC’s and wireless companies. Using the CIC Usage reporting application combined with the AMA/CDR Search and Reporting function of the Mediation Package, the IOC is able to identify usage by Carrier Identification Code.
Toll Fraud Detection
Identifies fraudulent use of the toll network such as gray traffic. The Toll Fraud module protects the telephone company from costly fraudulent use of the toll network. It applies thresholds of usage and number of calls for both hourly and daily time periods. Domestic, international and hot spot threshold sets can be defined for each ANI. When any of the thresholds are exceeded, the system alerts the user so that toll calling from the offending number can be disabled. The Fraud Detection/Prevention module is also designed to accommodate large scale networks with multiple switches and millions of ANI’s. The interface for setting thresholds is easy, fast, and intuitive, and the alarm delivery is reliable and flexible.
Gray Traffic
Identifies irregular traffic that originates from a media gateway. Gray traffic occurs on wireline and wireless networks and there are several forms of gray traffic. In general, gray traffic can be defined as international traffic that previously terminated on toll trunks but currently terminates as local through spoofing/manipulation of the calling number so that call origin or jurisdiction cannot easily be determined. This can also be done on the wireless network with SIM media gateways using illegal SIMS. NAMS Firefly® can pattern the calls, identify these calls and even block or reroute these calls once identified.
Network Engineering
The NAMS Firefly® Traffic & Engineering application automatically collects the trunk and line measurement statistical information generated by the switch and then allows the user to generate useful reports that help manage the network. The facility engineering reports help insure that the trunk-side network is efficient, and the forward trending will help insure that it stays that way. The report scheduler saves time by automatically delivering the reports to your email.
- Traffic Engineering Reports - Gives both detailed and summary reports based on trunk and line data
- Traffic Charts - Gives graphical charts for easier summary comparison of traffic data
- Traffic Forecasting - Allows the customer to glance back on previous data to determine how to provision trunks in the future to streamline network
LERG™ (Local Exchange Route Guide) - NAMS Firefly® incorporates much information contained in the Local Exchange Route Guide. All fields in each of the 15 LERG™ tables can be queried individually or in combination with other fields. Culling through mounds of data to identify particular information about a call, an office, a carrier or routing information is no longer necessary. With a point and click graphical interface, searching and reporting is easy and fast. A composite table allows the user to input an NPA-NXX and view pertinent information associated with that NPA-NNX such as Homing Tandem, End Office, Feature Offerings, LATA, etc. The composite table is a NAMS® exclusive and combines elements from several LERG™ tables. This reduces time spent table-hopping while trying to assimilate information that may be contained in multiple tables. Queries can be performed on any field in the composite table and the results viewed on a screen display or sent to a printer.
Collection & Data Mediation
The NAMS® Call Collection and Mediation is one of our most mature products having first been deployed in 1988. The collection application supports many protocols and can be configured in several ways depending on the requirements of the customer. The Mediation software supports many file formats and can be easily configured to automatically deliver all or only selected billing records to multiple platforms simultaneously. Billing transfers utilize a CMSI developed Self Recovering Protocol that makes billing record FTP transfers extremely reliable by enabling the system to overcome (LAN/WAN) network outages.
Billing Transport
Transport and distribution of the AMA/CDR/ISR is automated and supports many different formats and configurations. Automated file transfers to downstream systems utilize the NAMS® Self Recovering FTP Transfer application which eases the work load on IT professionals. Network outages that occur during regularly scheduled outages normally interrupt file transfers leaving incomplete files on downstream systems. The NAMS® Self Recovering FTP Transfer application will automatically re-transfer incomplete files when network connectivity has been restored. All CMSI collectors include extensive logging capabilities that aid the customer and CMSI support personnel by providing sophisticated diagnostic capabilities.
Have questions, we can help! Click here to contact us or arrange a demonstration.