Amdocs to Buy XACCT
Amdocs Ltd., a billing and CRM company, plans to acquire the outstanding shares of XACCT Technologies, a provider of mediation software, for approximately $29.5 million. "The acquisition of XACCT will expand our current offerings and market presence in mobile, wireline and cable segments," says Eli Gelman, executive vice president of Amdocs Management Ltd. "We know the XACCT platform well and we are confident that it will complement our unique ability to facilitate rapid time-to-market of voice, data, content and commerce services, enabling CSPs to seamlessly link their networks with their customers, achieving stronger, more profitable customer relationships."
Verizon Offers ONE-BILL
Verizon small-business customers in Idaho, Oregon and Washington now can consolidate charges for the company’s local, long-distance, wireless, DSL and optional services on one bill. “Our customers deserve the convenience of one bill for their telecommunications services,” says Linda Kruse, vice president of marketing operations for Verizon Retail Markets. “They want to be able to see charges for all services on one monthly statement and be able to write one check. Verizon’s goal is to help small-business customers become more efficient and to enable them to spend time operating and expanding their businesses.”
Convergys Goes Shopping
Last year, billing, employee care and customer care vendor Convergys Corp. announced plans to acquire certain billing and customer care assets from ALLTEL Communications Inc. for $37 million. As part of the acquisition, Convergys will begin providing billing services to more than 10.5 million additional wireless and wireline subscribers. It also will add several new corporations to its list of billing and customer care clients, including Cingular Wireless LLC, the joint venture between the domestic wireless divisions of SBC and BellSouth; Centennial Communications; and Commonwealth Telephone. As part of the agreement, more than 220 ALLTEL employees will join Convergys, supporting clients in North America and the Caribbean region. Convergys launched its settlement solution to the U.S. cableco market at December’s Western Show.
Telcordia Adds IP Solutions
Telcordia has acquired key wireless intellectual property from DAX Technologies. The newly acquired DAX Optima Performance platform will allow carriers to have a unified view of their networks — thus enabling them to identify and forecast network capacity, automate network performance monitoring and reporting, and respond more quickly to network faults before they result in customer churn and revenue loss. Telcordia says this IP acquisition further strengthens offerings in its recently announced Elementive portfolio by creating two new products within the company’s Mobile Assurance Portfolio: Telcordia Network Vision and Telcordia Performance Vision.
Inland Cellular Chooses OSG
OSG Billing Services has been chosen to manage invoice presentment and distribution services for Inland Cellular, a provider of digital and analog cellular service in eastern Washington and north central Idaho. OSG Billing Services is providing invoice consultation and design, electronic composition, highlight color printing and mailing. Inland Cellular is also utilizing OSG View, a billing customer service tool that allows customer support personnel to electronically view a replica of the customer invoice through an online PDF.
McGraw Taps Info Directions
New York City-based service provider McGraw Communications Inc. has implemented CostGuard software and ASP service solutions from Info Directions to manage rating, billing and customer care functions for its growing subscriber base. McGraw provides voice, data, Internet and video services to small and medium businesses.
TelePacific Picks Intec
Intec Telecom Systems has signed a contract with TelePacific Communications, a broadband telecommunications provider in the Western United States, to provide its InterconnecT CABS CG carrier access billing platform. The deal also includes Intec’s Dispute Manager, which tracks CABS billing disputes. During the initial implementation phase, TelePacific will make the transition from its current CABS service bureau to that of Dallas-based Intec to process its CABS bills. Once the implementation is complete, TelePacific will use InterconnecT CABS CG to process millions of calls per day.
Tollgrade Adopts Brix
Tollgrade Communications Inc. will integrate the Brix System IP service assurance solution from Brix Networks with Tollgrade’s Cheetah Status and Performance Monitoring System, selling it as a private label solution. This alliance with Brix Networks allows Tollgrade’s Cheetah customers to automate the installation and maintenance process for a variety of IP-based services delivered over the cable broadband infrastructure, such as high-speed Internet, VoIP and VoD.
CSG, IE Join Forces
CSG Systems and Interactive Enterprise Ltd., the provider of Conexon — the No. 1 globally deployed system in the cable activation market — have forged a partnership that will deliver full provisioning and service activation capabilities to broadband operators that are offering bundled video, voice and data services. Under this partnership, Interactive Enterprise will bring together its recently released Open Conexon solution with CSG’s Kenan FX framework and CSG ICMS solutions. Kenan FX includes the Kenan billing engine and revenue-enabling solutions with new ordering and customer management products that address an operator’s needs throughout its relationship with a customer. CSG ICMS is an advanced, convergent solution spanning customer care, provisioning, billing, inventory management, facilities management and more.
SMARTS Unveils New Tool
SMARTS’ new InCharge for Application Servers WebSphere Edition extends InCharge’s ability to analyze and manage application services. It provides real-time visibility into the IBM WebSphere environment — pinpointing problems affecting complex, distributed WebSphere-based applications by correlating application performance with the health of the surrounding application, server and network infrastructure. “Applications based on products like WebSphere have become the basis for many business-critical applications,” says Glenn O’Donnell of META Group.
