ADC Enhances CBP Integration Capabilities

October 5, 2000 -- ADC unveiled a new version of its Convergent Billing Platform (CBP(R)) that is supposed to improve its integration into a greater number of operational support systems (OSSs). CBP version 3.7 for DB2/400 may enable ICPs to create more enticing bundles of products and services while complying with new Federal Communications Commission (FCC) billing regulations that require more detailed billing information.

To remain competitive, ADC says that integrated communications providers (ICPs) must deploy increasingly complex technologies to support a broader range of voice and Internet protocol (IP) data services.

According to ADC, it responded to the needs of its large CBP customer base by enhancing CBP's application programming interfaces (APIs) so that they tie more efficiently into other OSS applications. This streamlined integration may make it easier for ICPs to more quickly provide the products and services their customers demand.

CBP 3.7 may also let service providers group all types of products services together -- rate plans, equipment (such as cell phones and pagers) and discounts -- and bill for one rate for the entire package. In addition, ADC claims that ICPs can use CBP 3.7 to create more enticing bundles of products and services. Service representatives handling customer requests may be able to tailor these bundles to suit individual customers' needs and boost revenue. CBP 3.7 should also give ICPs the flexibility to configure bills to show bundled package pricing in any format they want, rather than the fixed, one-line display from earlier CBP releases.

ADC also added features that may enable ICPs to adhere to federal "truth-in-billing" guidelines. The FCC established these guidelines to help consumers understand the telecommunications charges they see on their bills. With CBP 3.7, ICPs can comply with the "truth-in-billing" guidelines by generating easy-to-read bills that clearly delineate what each carrier's charge means.

"Our relationship with ADC has positioned Birch to succeed in providing the products and services necessary to be a leader in the competitive local exchange carrier market," said Robert Segat, vice president of revenue assurance at Missouri-based competitive local exchange carrier (CLEC) Birch Telecom. "With our aggressive expansion plans and roll out of new products, we feel ADC's CBP 3.7 provides us with additional functionality that will contribute to our success."

"Telecommunications is a constantly evolving market," said Larry Barker, president of ADC's Software Systems Division. "This new version of CBP is our response to our customer's needs for more marketing flexibility, greater billing detail and enhanced integration with other OSS applications."