GTE TSI puts Visibility on-line

GTE Telecommunications Services Inc. announced last week that its Visibility Services product for tracking roaming data can now be accessed using the Internet.

Version 4.0 of the system allows carriers to monitor and analyze roaming activity through either an Internet service provider connection or GTE TSI's private frame relay network. The upgrade is driven by the need for carriers' customer service representatives and other personnel to access roaming data in real time and in a familiar format, said Lara Valverde, product manager for Visibility Services.

"We're going to have a number of carriers that want to take advantage of the Internet access option," Valverde said. "The interface or front-end that the CSRs see is a lot easier and more appealing."

The Web-enabled version of Visibility Services can be used for customer service applications, fraud detection and prevention, and as a provisioning mechanism for other GTE TSI applications such as FraudForce, she said.

"It's really used in several capacities within a carrier base," Valverde said. "It's a revenue-protection tool and a customer enhancement and assurance tool for roamers."

Citizens Mohave Cellular, which operates a network in Arizona, was one of the carriers to beta test the new version of Visibility Services. Carrier representatives said the product's real-time roamer control function-which allows carriers to clear visitor location records (VLRs) out of a switch so a subscriber can roam-makes facilitating the roaming process more time-efficient.

"Previously we had to contact the other carrier and have them manually clear the VLR for one of our customers," said Don Sehulster, vice president of network operations at Citizens Mohave. "With the Web-based product, we're able to do that on our own."