Convergin Extends SCIM 2.0 to Enable Converged Online Charging across Networks and Technologies.

First to enable real-time charging mediation at the SCIM layer, allowing delivery and charging for blended services in Legacy, NGN and IMS networks

NEW YORK -- Convergin, the leading provider of service interaction and service mediation solutions, announced today a key addition to its SCIM 2.0 offering, enabling true converged real-time charging across networks, technologies, and devices. As the first solution to introduce comprehensive real-time charging mediation for Service Delivery Platforms (SDPs), Convergin's Accolade WCS can now allow both the delivery and charging of blended services in converged networks. Any communication session from any network, mediated by the Accolade WCS, can be charged or rated in real-time by any IMS-compliant Online Charging system.

As operators begin deploying SDPs and extending their service offering across converged networks, unified charging incorporated in the BSS becomes a key concern. The Accolade WCS enables the convergence across Prepaid and Postpaid charging, Legacy and next gen/IMS services, wireline and wireless networks. Additionally, the Accolade supports richer, real-time credit control capabilities, and unified subscriber management.

"One of the most critical issues operators are facing when deploying Service Delivery Platforms is the real time charging for services," said Joe McGarvey, principal analyst of IP Services Infrastructure at Current Analysis. "The problem becomes much more apparent as operators begin to face the challenge of delivering and billing for services in real time across a variety of domains."

Convergin now allows service providers to horizontally expose their legacy and next generation signaling networks to IMS-based online charging platforms. The new charging mediation capabilities of the Accolade WCS utilize the standardized Ro/Rf diameter interfaces to introduce unified charging and billing solutions which address key requirements of the converged network evolution.

Using the Accolade WCS, operators can choose from a variety of different paths for migration and convergence of their services network:

* Replace legacy IN Prepaid platforms that are reaching end of life, or limited in their features or capabilities, with new, flexible, online charging solutions.

* Consolidate prepaid and postpaid billing platforms into a single unified charging and billing solution.

* Utilize investments made in IMS/SDP deployments towards the existing legacy networks and cap investments in the legacy domain.

"Facing the demands for converged service control, service providers require flexibility as they evolve to a unified BSS," said Dr. Ayal Itzkovitz, CEO of Convergin. "As the market leading SCIM/Service Broker solution, Convergin's Accolade WCS enables service providers to build a powerful horizontal service control layer that merges call control, service control, and charging capabilities across any network and any communication method."

About Convergin

Convergin is the leading provider of Service Capability Interaction Management (SCIM) core network solutions. By utilizing Convergin's Accolade WCS, service providers accelerate their evolution towards IMS and SDP while enabling seamless orchestration of mobile, legacy, next generation and web services elements. Convergin is deployed in over 15 carrier networks around the globe, and successfully integrated its Accolade platform with the major core network protocols and platforms. For more information, please see www.convergin.com.