The Interconnect Voice Standard

As every CSP takes stock of their interconnect voice operations, many are trying to understand what the “standard” is by which they should measure or assess their operations, performance, success, etc. Interconnect voice is a necessity in today’s modern telecommunications environment. Just as the internet relies on a myriad of networks to move data back and forth, so to, do voice networks. 

No single carrier owns enough network and infrastructure to carry all of their calls from their customers to the receiving parties. So, CSPs must perform this core function with as much alacrity (how about that SAT word) as possible. CSPs need to begin moving forward, and they need to move forward with the “end in mind”. Knowing where you are going is extremely important. So, how do CSPs begin to move forward with their interconnect voice operations?

Well, we think the best place to start is with the interconnect voice management platform. Over the past 10 years, interconnect voice management platforms have expanded to include functions way bigger in scope and importance than simply creating Least Cost Routing tables. Today’s interconnect voice management platform is a centralized management platform covering practically everything regarding interconnect voice management, such as:

• Call Routing

• Call Rating

• Buying

• Selling

• Pricing

• Supplier Management

• Quality

• Advanced Routing Rules (%, ToD, Service Level, Personal Route Advance, Quality, Volume, Credit)

• CDR Processing

• Carrier level invoicing

• Rate Addendum Management (Both Sell & Buy)

• QoS management (Automated)

• Network Performance monitoring

• Credit/Revenue Assurance

And that’s just the beginning. Today’s interconnect voice management platforms are the “heart” of the interconnect voice operations. It is the framework by which CSPs run a critical component of their business on a daily, hourly, minute-by-minute and, even on a call-by-call basis. So, we think it is the most important aspect of interconnect voice management. CSPs need to assess their current management platform, its capabilities and limitations, and compare that to the prevailing standards that exist. Today the prevailing standard is a Dynamically based, centralized intelligent platform that serves as a central data collection and information management point for all things interconnect voice management related.

The GCS Dynamic Management platform was introduced in 2009. Since then, we’ve been laser focused on making our platform conform to this standard. Today, our customers are leveraging its capabilities to meet the day-to-day challenges of interconnect voice successfully and profitably. Most of the solution vendors in the marketplace are pursuing the same goal. This is becoming the standard in interconnect voice operations and carriers need to start pursuing it.