Transparent settlement model between mobile network operator and mobile voice over Internet protocol operator

Abstract

Advances in technology have enabled network-less mobile voice over internet protocol operator (MVoIPO) to offer data services (i.e. voice, text and video) to mobile network operator's (MNO's) subscribers through an application enabled on subscriber's user equipment using MNO's packet-based cellular network infrastructure. However, this raises the problem of how to handle interconnection settlements between the two types of operators, particularly how to deal with users who now have the ability to make ‘free’ on-net MVoIP calls among themselves within the MNO's network. This study proposes a service level agreement-based transparent settlement model (TSM) to solve this problem. The model is based on concepts of achievement and reward, not violation and punishment. The TSM calculates the MVoIPO's throughput distribution by monitoring the variations of peaks and troughs at the edge of a network. This facilitates the determination of conformance and non-conformance levels to the pre-set throughput thresholds and, subsequently, the issuing of compensation to the MVoIPO by the MNO as a result of generating an economically acceptable volume of data traffic.

Keywords

• Internet
• protocols
• mobile radio
• telecommunication traffic
• transparent settlement model
• mobile network operator
• mobile voice over Internet protocol operator
• MVoIPO
• data services
• MNO subscribers
• subscriber user equipment
• MNO packet based cellular network infrastructure
• interconnection settlements
• service level agreement
• TSM
• data traffic