MegaRates
The MegaRates system provides various rating services to other systems in the MegaCall telemanagement suite.
These include call and digit analysis, rate calculations and markup calculations.
Analysis Model Used
When a call is placed, a caller dials a number made up of one or more possible components: a private access
code that controls access through a company's private network, a public access code that controls access through
a public network, and/or a public or private network address identifying the destination (the phone number). A
destination may include country and area codes, or these codes may be implied.
Regardless of how simple or complex the dialing patterns used, a dialing pattern always follows the same model.
MegaRates allows a user to adapt these principles to any network, using the data to determine (based on point of
origin and number dialed) where the call went and which carrier service carried the call.
Analysis Features
MegaRates employs user-defined information to determine a network's makeup:
- A list of common and private carriers that provide services to the net
- A list of services provided by each carrier
- Which service is a carrier's on-net service and which is the off-net service (to allow switching)
- Which is the carrier's operator service
- Which service is the carrier's default or DDD for overflow calls from other more restrictive services
- A list of all private network dialing patterns for each private network the system connects with, along with
instructions on how each modifies the dialed digits and where the call is switched to (on-net, tail-end-hop-off,
etc.)
- A list of all public network dialing patterns for each public network to which the system may be connected,
along with instructions on how they modify the dialed digits, and whether the call is switched to another carrier
(for example, PIC code 10288).
MegaRates also includes a pre-defined set of digit patterns that emulate the current North American Numbering
Plan (NANP) rules.
The system supports thirty-two characteristic flags assigned to a call in the process of analysis. Twenty-seven
of these patterns have pre-defined significances (for example, local, long distance, on-net call, off-net call,
etc.). The other five can be user-defined.
MegaRates allows the user to assign priorities to the flags. For example, a long distance call with an authorization
code might be either a long distance call or an authorization code call, depending on the priorities set. The most
significant call flag becomes the call type, which is used in reporting and in the mark-up process.
The user may define up to ten call classes, and may assign call types to call classes for summary reporting.
Rating Features
Each service provided to the net, as described in the list of carrier services, is assigned a rating method
and rating guidelines. MegaRates supports various rating methods:
- Traditional call rating, based on distance, time of day, and initial and additional duration periods.
- Day-only call rating, based on distance and initial and additional duration periods.
- WATS call rating, based on bands, discount steps, distance and initial and additional duration periods.
- Flat rate call rating, based on initial duration and additional duration periods.
Mark-Up Features
MegaRatescalculates markup features based on a set of rules called a price class. These rules are used to mark
up both calls and other charges (called miscellaneous transactions). An unlimited number of price classes can be
defined.
Each station, authorization code and account code can be assigned a price class. Additionally, each customer
is assigned a price class in MegaBill
Each rule in a price class is called a price method. MegaRates accepts the following types of price methods:
- Methods that apply only to transactions of a given type.
- Methods that apply only to calls of a given type, and specific dialed digits (the user may specify leading
digits or a complete number).
- Methods that apply to calls of a given type, and are not covered by methods with dialed digit patterns.
- A default method for calls and transactions not covered by other methods.
Each price method can specify the following:
- Use the cost as a base amount to mark up.
- Calculate the base amount by re-pricing the call using a specific named service. For example, a hotel might
have a special service for outgoing calls, but charge its guests according to an operator-assisted rate schedule.
- Apply a markup or discount percentage to the base amount.
- Add a fixed amount or a per minute amount to the base amount.
- A ceiling on the difference between the cost and the marked-up amount
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