Convergys works with Intel to take the why out of Wi-Fi

Convergys introduced a solution from its recently launched Infinys product line today that manages roaming, partner management and converged billing for Wi-Fi services from mobile and fixed wireless operators.

The Infinys solution runs on HP servers and uses Intel’s Itanium platform along with its software to manage inter-carrier billing among wireless ISPs and provide partner care and settlement for digital content providers. Convergys and Intel formed a technical alliance to advance Wi-Fi adoption and will demonstrate their solution at Telecom World 2003 next week.

"Intel is trying to be a hardware catalyst for Wi-Fi penetration. Similar to us, they see Tier 1 operators holding back little bit. We’re trying to accelerate that," said Tom Antunes, global vice president of industry solutions at Convergys.

User issues and technology issues are persisting in keeping Wi-Fi from mass-market acceptance, Antunes said. Chief among the user issues is not speed or access, but a consistent experience across different hotspots, he said.

Intel and Convergys are working together to enable a more consistent experience and allow service providers to offer line extensions that bundle local, long-distance, mobile wireless and Wi-Fi.

"It’s not just about having the chips and the hardware or the access points," Antunes said. "It’s also about account management and being able to market convergent service packs and allow more subscriber self-provisioning for content on a real-time basis."

While billing is a major component of the solution, Convergys is focusing on creating a common account for users regardless of the different access points they use throughout the course of their day. "Billing is certainly a part of the solution because at the end of the day you have to collect money for this," Antunes said. "But we also give service providers the ability to partner upstream and use our software mechanisms to create partners as dynamically as they create subscribers."

Convergys also wants to promote standards that will help provide a common framework for doing settlement between those partners. "Operators are trying to be more open-minded in helping content providers win a little bit, too," Antunes said.