Billing Solution For HFC Broadband Network Operators

To date, cable operators and service providers have delivered a relatively simple suite of services to their subscribers, such as basic and premium analog cable television, and cable operators have begun to roll out a variety of new broadband services over their cable infrastructure. It is well-known that these services need billing system to support. The billing system is very important to the whole HFC broadband network system in that the billing system is the direct and effective method for the service providers to get their payments which is vital for the development of the HFC broadband network system. However, the flat monthly fee has effect created some problem. In order to remain competitive, next-generation cable operators and service providers will need to differentiate their services to aid in building profitable and sustainable business models.There are many disadvantages in current IP-based billing systems, and the most severe one is the private format of the network usage record, which effect make it more difficult that the billing system exchanges data and information with other application systems.IPDR brings out standard data interface between systems, which include network application support systems, mediation systems and network elements. IPDR-based network usage record is of great benefit to billing system. It can make the collection system of network usage more dependent from the billing system, and each model of the billing system becomes more dependently from others. Also, IPDR makes it easier that the billing system communicates with other IPDR-based system.This paper proposes a new technological solution to rate data-over-cable services according to DOCSIS procotol and IPDR technology. The system is made up of three basis modules,mediation system,receiver agent and the function of billing.The mediation system and the interfaces of three modules are emphasised in the paper.The structure and the contents of the paper are as follows:In the first chapter, we summarized the current IP billing technologies and analyzed some billing systems. We summarized the shortcomings in IP billing technologies. At last we clarified the research background and main content of this thesis.In the second chapter, the IPDR and the related standards XML are introduced.As an application of XML, IPDR inherits many advantages from XML, which make IPDR describe network usage data easily.In the third chapter, HFC broadband network system technology is introduced and the billing system model and the system data follow are given according to NDM-U model.In the fourth chapter, the realization of mediation system in CMTS is particularly given. The data source of the billing system is the collection of usage data in network.In the fifth chapter, the receiver agent of billing system is introduced. The receiver agent is used to receive the IPDR records from mediation and other systems. Then the receive agent decomposes the records and save the data information in records into the database.In the sixth chapter, some functions of billing system are given and all functions are realized based on Web technology. In the seventh chapter, all achievements of this thesis are summarized, and the further work is given.