NetworkBased Plus Code Dialing

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Network-Based Plus Code Dialing

• April 2008

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Purpose of the Call

• To inform and answer questions about CDMA plus
  code dialing

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2008 IRT Goal

• Accelerate adoption of the IRT resolutions.
• 30 of carriers should implement at least one of
  the resolutions (plus code dialing, enhanced PRL
  or MIP) by December 2008.

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(No Transcript)
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Plus Code Dialing - Description

• code dialing allows a subscriber to easily
  place an international call without having to
  memorize each International Direct Dial (IDD)
  access code per visited country
• code dialing does not provide the country code,
  city code, choice of long distance carrier (e.g.
  in Brazil) or any other codes

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Motivations

• Many subscribers do not know what an
  international access code is.
• It is not convenient for subscribers to carry a
  piece of paper that lists the international
  access codes
• Customers require simplicity in roaming service,
  particularly when utilizing roaming service
  outside their home country
• Carriers cannot generate roaming revenue if
  customers cannot figure out how to place
  international calls

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Definition

• From IS-2000 Rel C
• Plus code dialing relieves the user of the need
  to dial an international access prefix, which may
  vary between countries and carriers. This
  capability allows telephony addresses to be
  entered, received, displayed, stored and
  transmitted in an international format (full
  ITU-T E.164 number, including country code). When
  addresses are entered by a user, the MS user
  interface can provide an input aid, such as a key
  marked with a '' sign, to indicate that the
  address is international. When displayed by the
  MS, they can be identified by a visual device,
  such as a '' prefix. When received, transmitted,
  or stored, an international indicator can be
  included with the address digits. It will be the
  responsibility of the network to ignore the
  international indicator when attached to a
  national number. This allows users to store and
  dial all phone numbers in a consistent format,
  which is particularly useful for international
  travelers.

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Basic Origination

• User enters or selects a Plus Code formatted
  number
• It is sent to the network without the symbol,
  but with an International indicator
• Network reconstitutes the International Prefix
  (IAC) and routes the call to its destination

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Handset Considerations

• Specific capabilities are required in the MS for
  voice and SMS
• Enter, save and retrieve numbers in plus format
• Transmit numbers over the air in international
  format
• DIGIT_MODE
• NUMBER_TYPE
• NUMBER_PLAN
• ORCM
• Ability to receive and present internationally-for
  matted numbers (e.g. for CLI) is also desirable.

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• Questions on handset considerations?

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Network Considerations (1 of 2)

• Network must be able to receive the format sent
  by the MS (previous slide)
• Network must apply international treatment to
  outgoing call leg
• Attach International Prefix, or
• International Nature of Address (ISUP)
• International Nature of Number propagates into
  ANSI-41, e.g.
• SMS
• ORREQ (optionally)

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Network Considerations (2 of 2)

• Care is required with terminating calls, as may
  not know if receiving mobile supports PCD.
• Billing record may indicate PCD, or appear as if
  subscriber dialed International Prefix.

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• Questions on network considerations?

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Available Documentation

• Standards
• IS-2000 (most aspects were already included in
  IS-95)
• IS-875 (describes some core network scenarios)
• CDG Documentation
• Ref Doc 145 (Specifies handset/network
  requirements in detail) http//wiki.cdg.org/wiki/P
  lus_Code_Dialing
• Various presentations available on www.cdg.org in
  IRT meetings and subject archives, dating back
  several years

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Sponsored by
Network Based Plus Code Dialing (NPCD) Business
Case Preparation Parameters
Prepared By Randall Todd
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Agenda

• Overview
• Whats Involved from a Technical Perspective?
• Where do the costs come from?
• NPCD Benefits Drawbacks
• Inbound
• Outbound
• Recap

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Overview

• A Business Case / Justification for Capital
  Expenditure (CAPEX) and Operational Expenditure
  (OPEX) is generally required in Existing
  Networks, and
• The Why Would We Do This isnt overly clear
  which makes Justification difficult.
• The following presentation hopes to resolve these
  issues for Operators so that NPCD may progress.

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Whats Involved Technically?

• CDG IRT Reference Document No. 145 provides
  detailed information as to what is involved for
  the Technical personnel.
• For the Commercial personnel, what is involved
  in simple terms is-
• New features in the MSC and BSC, and minor MSC
  configuration
• Possible new features in the MC and HLR (check
  with your vendors)
• Possible billing system modifications, depending
  on the nature of the MSC modifications

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Costs?

• The Capital Expenditure (CAPEX) costs are
  believed relatively easily determined from-
• The respective network element vendors identified
  in the previous slide, in addition to
• The internal implementation costs from the
  network element engineering personnel within each
  Operator which will also need to be determined
  and included as a CAPEX cost
• There arent believed to be any ongoing costs
  associated with NPCD support within an Operator
  once NPCD is activated and therefore an
  Operational Expenditure (OPEX) element to a
  Business Case justification for NPCD is believed
  unnecessary.

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NPCD Benefits In Brief

• The primary benefit that justifies Capital and
  Human resource allocations to a project within
  most organisations is Revenue, Margin and the
  resultant Return on Investment (ROI).
• The major revenue line of an NPCD Business Case
  is going to be the increased calls made by
  inbound Roamers.
• NPCD has an immediate revenue benefit from an
  Inbound perspective where all incremental calls
  made (because of NPCD existence) translates into
  pure margin (due to zero to minimal cost
  associated with an Inbound Roamer call)
• There is no directly attributable Roaming margin
  from an Outbound Roamer perspective from having
  implemented NPCD in your network.
• The only directly attributable Outbound Roaming
  margin benefit that can be derived in an NPCD
  situation is if the Roaming Partner your
  customer Roams on has implemented NPCD.

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Inbound Roaming Benefits Drawbacks

• Based upon industry experience, an Inbound
  Roamers call activity is generally-
• 70 of all calls made are back to their home
  country
• 10 of calls made are to another country, and
• 20 of all calls made are local calls within the
  country they are Roaming in.
• Therefore 80 of all calls made by an Inbound
  Roamer (GSM or CDMA) require the International
  Prefix number for the country they are Roaming
  in.
• International Prefix codes arent easily
  determined upon arrival in a new country for a
  CDMA Roamer, and
• Based on actual experience (TNZ and Telstra), an
  increase of 8.25 in CDMA Inbound Roamer
  International Prefix call revenue can reasonably
  be expected if Inbound Roamers can make
  International Prefix calls easily.
• Aside from undertaking the task to implement
  NPCD, there isnt a downside from an Inbound
  Roaming perspective from having implemented NPCD

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Inbound Roaming Tips!

• Determine the number of failed International
  Prefix call attempts from your Roaming Partner
  customers Inbound Roaming-
• Examine the Failed Call Attempts from Roamers
  generated by your MSC
• Use your Inbound Roamer Behaviour information to
  determine how long an average Inbound Roamer
  International Prefix call is
• Multiply the missed calls by the average
  International Prefix call length by the
  International Prefix call cost you charge and
  this will identify what revenue is not being
  captured because of an inability to dial
  International Prefix by your Inbound Roamers.
• If you dont have a view of the Average Inbound
  Roamer behaviour on your network (average number
  of calls made, types of calls made and average
  call durations etc), consult your Data Clearing
  House and Financial Clearing House to help you
  develop this Inbound Roamer Profile.
• Be careful not to assume that 100 of the Lost
  International Prefix Call Revenue you identify
  can be recovered by NPCD as this would assume
  that 100 of all Inbound Roamers have a key on
  their handset. Make a conservative estimate in
  your Business Case of the Lost International
  Prefix Call Revenue you would recover per annum
  based upon handset turnover etc.

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Outbound Roaming Benefits Drawbacks

• As stated previously, there are no directly
  attributable Outbound Roaming margin benefits for
  an Operator having implemented NPCD.
• There are however, Customer Satisfaction benefits
  derived from NPCD-
• Domestic customers who may never Roam, can
  utilise NPCD in the home network to make
  International Prefix calls without having to key
  in the International Prefix each time they do so
  (This has a value in customer retention terms),
• If Interstandard Roaming is available to your
  customers or your customers posses an WorldMode
  handset, a key will be on the handset and can
  be utilised locally as well as in CDMA networks
  overseas that have implemented NPCD (this has a
  greater value in customer retention terms),
• Accordingly, the customer satisfaction, customer
  attraction and customer retention revenue or
  margin that is generated by having implemented
  NPCD should be estimated and attributed to the
  NPCD justification.
• Important Fact - 93 to 95 of an Outbound
  Roamers total mobile phone bill that they pay you
  as an Operator is generated by their phone use at
  home......not while Roaming!, and
• These customers are generally your networks high
  value, high ARPU customers.
• Aside from the Capital and Resource costs
  incurred and the Opportunity cost associated with
  not having used these resources elsewhere, there
  isnt a downside from an Outbound Roaming
  perspective from having implemented NPCD.

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Benefits Recap

• Increased Revenue
• Increased calls by inbound roamers
• They now know how to make an international call
  so the home and serve increase their revenue
• They can use their phone book entries if they
  have saved them this way
• It is easier to send an MO SMS
• Increased calls by outbound roamers
• If roaming on a network that has NPCD they now
  know how to make calls and both the home and
  serving carrier increase their revenue
• Benefits listed above also apply

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Benefits Recap

• Customer Satisfaction
• It is easier!
• Customers who never leave their home country can
  still benefit by easier international dialing
• Roamers no longer mistakenly believe roaming is
  broken just because they dont know how to dial
  an international number
• Makes your company more competitive
• Makes the CDMA home carrier more competitive with
  their GSM competitor by matching this feature
• Makes the CDMA serving carrier more attractive as
  a roaming partner because they can offer this
  feature to their roaming partners subscribers

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Questions?

• What additional support would be helpful to make
  your case to implement Network Based Plus Code
  dialing?

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Requests

• Check into compiling a list of devices that are
  capable of supporting plus code dialing and post
  this list on the CDG website