HP, Cisco align Internet billing efforts

Targeting large Internet service providers, particularly telco affiliates, Hewlett-Packard Co. and Cisco Systems have developed a three-piece platform to let carriers develop value-added services.

The first part, the Internet Usage Platform, lets ISPs extract accounting information from an Internet protocol (IP) environment similar to the way telcos distill call detail records (see figure). The other pieces include a billing system that provides near real-time rating and a usage pattern analysis tool.

The usage platform lets ISPs grab essential user information so they can tailor services and prevent churn, said John Moore, partner manager for Cisco. "It's solving a problem the ISPs have called 'flat-rate billing.'"

The platform, which also operates in near real time, collects and aggregates information into an Internet data record that can be used to develop new services such as multi-tiered plans. "What [automatic call distributor] software did for 800 number service, we expect this platform to do for ISPs," said Steve Behm, vice president of strategic alliances for Cisco.

"The cornerstone capability is to provide well-structured data in the IP infrastructure about which subscribers are using specific services," said Lee Rhodes, strategic alliance manager for HP's Internet and infrastructure operations. "With data about how subscribers are actually using their network resources, they can target new services."

The Internet Usage Billing system allows operators to bill customers based on network resource and IP service use. Information then is formatted into an Internet data record, which can be fed into a billing application such as Portal's Infranet software. Systems integrator Cap Gemini will use the billing system in its ISP services, and MCI is using it in a pilot program to develop a real-time billing interface.

"Right now it's near real time, so the ISP can feed back some of that information to the subscriber," said Rhodes.

The final piece, the Internet Usage Analysis, collects and analyzes data.

Although initially geared for the top 100 ISPs, a Windows NT version will be out near the end of the year geared for tier-two providers, Behm said.