CSG Systems and Tatara Systems Team to Solve Roaming and Billing Challenges

The two companies have entered into a cooperative marketing relationship and have begun to integrate the Tatara Wi-Fi Service Delivery Platform with pre- and post-paid billing software components of CSG’s Kenan FX framework. The resulting solution enables providers to offer Wi-Fi services using a broad range of pre- and post-paid pricing plans based on quality of service, location and network usage for customers accessing Wi-Fi hotspots.

In addition, providers can accurately charge customers for network usage, whether the customer is using the provider’s network or is roaming among hotspots of another provider. For example, the provider can charge based on quality of connection or the customer’s location at the time of sign-on, even if the hotspot is not part of the home provider’s network. For customers with a prepaid account, the Wi-Fi connection will only be authorized if the customer has sufficient balance and the connection may be terminated when the balance is exhausted.

The market for public Wi-Fi services is growing rapidly. Yankee Group predicts that the number of frequent users of public wireless LAN (WLAN) hotspots in North America will grow from 520,000 to more than 5 million in the next two to three years. The combination of the Tatara Service Delivery Platform and billing solutions within the CSG Kenan FX framework aligns the essential network and back-office solutions to give providers an entry point into offering Wi-Fi services.

“One of the biggest challenges that we see service providers facing is how to deliver public Wi-Fi services as part of a ‘bundle’ along with 2.5/3G services, managed network services, remote access VPN services or other complementary offerings,” said Sarah Kim of Yankee Group. “We view this announcement as a positive step toward ensuring that solutions are available to allow carriers to bundle, price and deliver public Wi-Fi services with a range of pricing, payment and billing options.”

“It’s well known that the demand for accessing email and Internet content on the go will exponentially increase over the next few years,” said Kurt Silverman, chief technical officer, CSG Systems. “As service providers assess the best way to enter the market, they want a flexible solution that will help them enter quickly and easily adapt to evolving market conditions. Our partnership with Tatara is designed to meet that need.”

“As roaming between hotspots becomes more common, operators need the flexibility to implement creative pricing schemes that can be supported even when customers use other provider’s Wi-Fi networks,” says Steve Nicolle, president and CEO of Tatara Systems. “Our partnership with CSG gives Wi-Fi service providers more control and flexibility when it comes to tracking and billing for subscriber usage, no matter whose hotspot a subscriber is using. This in turn helps Wi-Fi providers maximize their revenues.”

CSG Systems supports Wi-Fi billing initiatives worldwide and is a member of IPDR, a consortium tackling topics such as Wireless Local Area Network Accounting and Settlement (WLANAS) service specifications. The specification enables price differentiation and inter-operator settlement for universal single-bill access to public WLAN (PWLAN) hotspots.

About Tatara Systems Tatara Systems develops service delivery platforms that accelerate the path to profitability for public wireless LAN (“Wi-Fi”) service providers. Tatara’s Wi-Fi Service Delivery Platform enables both retail and wholesale service providers such as mobile operators, wireline carriers, neutral host network operators, aggregators, ISPs and cable operators to profitably support roaming relationships without sacrificing security, control or advanced capabilities. By providing unparalleled visibility into critical Wi-Fi service data such as usage and performance information – including information collected while customers are on roaming partners’ networks – Tatara’s patent-pending architecture gives service providers unprecedented control over services, usage, network quality and security using just one centralized platform. The result is more attractive Wi-Fi business models that expand revenue opportunities, deliver shorter payback periods, require less capital and produce higher ROIs. Based in Acton, Mass., Tatara Systems is a privately held company backed by the leading communications investment firms Highland Capital Partners and North Bridge Venture Partners. For more information, visit www.tatarasystems.com.

About CSG Systems With worldwide headquarters in Englewood, Colo., CSG Systems is a subsidiary of CSG Systems International, Inc. (NASDAQ: CSGS). CSG and its wholly-owned subsidiaries serve more than 265 service providers in more than 40 countries. CSG is a leader in next-generation billing and customer care solutions for the cable television, direct broadcast satellite, advanced IP services, next generation mobile, and fixed wireline markets. CSG’s unique combination of proven and future-ready solutions, delivered in both outsourced and licensed formats, empowers its clients to deliver unparalleled customer service, improve operational efficiencies and rapidly bring new revenue-generating products to market. CSG is an S&P Midcap 400 company. For more information, visit our website at www.csgsystems.com.