Torres Networks: Turned MNO's Quota Management into Real-Time (w/Cisco)

 
Following my previous post on Torres Networks' recent PCRF deployment announcement ("Torres PCRF Deployed for Quota and Time-based Policies" - here), I got the following update from Nandita Subbarao (pictured), Manager, Marketing, Torres Networks India:

"Torres has deployed two differentiating Fair-Use Policy use cases with real-time policy control, in the network of a South-East Asian mobile operator. 

Prior to the deployment, the operator offered data service packages with quota and speed limits. The subscriber’s quota limits, however, were not monitored in real time, but instead processed batch-wise at designated times every day. As a result, a subscriber could continue to enjoy additional quota without the system detecting the transgression in usage limit for several hours, leading to a loss of revenue for the operator. With the deployment of Torres Policy Engine, this leakage is now plugged in real time.

The second policy-based package enables and enforces quota usage depending on the time of the day. A subscriber who buys this plan can enjoy higher speed and a separate quota at off-peak hours. Because the policies can be layered and prioritized, the new policies do not interfere with each other, or with the operator’s existing plans or promotions. 

The operator will migrate its existing subscribers (approx. 1 million) to these two use cases in the coming weeks. Moving forward, the operator will offer these FUP services to its entire subscriber base of approx. 11 million. Torres is in the process of rolling out more use cases at the operator’s network.

The Torres Policy Engine protects future growth with an architecture that keeps use cases agnostic to the interface provided by the PCEF. The PCEF, currently in use at the operator’s network (Cisco SCE 2020) provides a proprietary interface towards the PCRF. 

In the coming quarters, the operator is expected to add PCEFs from vendors with 3GPP-compliant interfaces (Cisco SCE 8000, using both Gx/Gy and the proprietary interface). Torres Policy Engine will simultaneously support both the legacy PCEF and the standard PCEF for the use cases.

Torres Policy Engine is deployed on standard telecom-grade hardware with a Linux OS and Oracle DB".

Ovum: "Mobile Operators in Asia will Increase Focus on QoS in 2012"; Hong Kong Carriers Lead

   
A survey by Nicole McCormick (pictured), Senior Analyst Telco Strategy, Ovum finds that " .. For the first time in four years, QoS topped Ovum’s Mobile Broadband Industry Survey, Asia-Pacific (conducted jointly with Telecom Asia) as the “most important differentiator in the mobile broadband market”. In comparison, last year’s survey found that coverage was the top issue .. the gap between incumbents and challengers has narrowed, putting more onus on QoS .. However, unlimited data tariffs remain a major barrier to improved QoS in a number of markets"

McCormick added: “Ovum was surprised to find that approximately 40% of respondents in this year’s survey believed that unlimited plans were the most effective way to charge for mobile data. As data usage increases, unlimited plans will only lead to the degradation of customer experience. Operators will need to abandon these plans if they are to differentiate themselves based on QoS .. As the findings from our survey show, many operators will increase their focus on QoS in 2012. Those that don’t may well face the wrath of regulators”.

See "Quality of service is more than just a buzzword in Asia-Pacific"- here.

In related news, CIO Asia reports that "Three Hong Kong mobile service operator -- CSL [here], SmarTone, and 3 Hong Kong -- announced Monday [13/2] that they will continue to offer unlimited local data service plans to customers in Hong Kong, but will apply network priority management in real time to ensure fair network access .. Another mobile carrier PCCW Mobile however has ceased all unlimited mobile data service plans on Monday". 

See "Hong Kong mobile carriers apply priority management to unlimited data usage" - here.