Universal Service Platform

Aepona's Universal Service Platform (USP) is an award-winning, carrier-grade, software solution that underpins the transition towards the Network as a Service (NaaS) business model, as well as enabling the creation and deployment of Next-Generation IN Services.

USP allows operators to publish and monetize their network and informational assets as Web 2.0 APIs (using web services) while providing a comprehensive third-party management framework to reduce the cost of partner collaboration and maintain network integrity. Additionally, Aepona's recent acquisition of Valista adds Payment & Settlement capabilities to the USP platform to provide the industry's first complete product solution that enables operators to expose, manage, and monetize their network capabilities in either an in-network or hosted deployment.

The primary capabilities of the USP include network abstraction, Telecom Web Services API exposure, 3rd party relationship management, monetization of network capabilities & NaaS applications, and a service execution environment, with associated SDK for Telco trusted domain applications.

NaaS Platform

USP allows operators to publish their network and informational assets as web services-based APIs whilst providing a comprehensive third-party management framework to reduce the cost of partner collaboration and maintain network integrity. In addition, delivering the essential business foundations for NaaS, USP supports a powerful Payments and Settlement Engine, enabling Bill on Behalf of services and 3rd party charging.

NaaS involves telecommunications operators exposing their network functions, informational assets, and payments capabilities as developer-friendly APIs. These APIs can be then used by third parties to embed telecoms features (such as messaging, location, call control and user profile) into consumer and enterprise applications. More...

Next Generation IN

As operators evolve network technologies from SS7 towards all-IP based communications, Aepona's USP provides a smooth migration path for existing Telco services as well as a future-proof Telecom Application Server for next generation IN services within an operator's trusted domain.

Trusted Domain, Next Generation IN Services are tightly coupled with the core network infrastructure and are generally real-time. Whilst the business model is traditional, the technology deployed must be highly flexible and future-proof to support the ongoing transition from legacy TDM networks and their associated vertical Intelligent Network (IN) 'silos', towards IP-based communications and a more flexible, horizontal, network vendor-independent service layer architecture. More...

USP Components

Underpinning the whole platform is a Telco network integration layer, the Network GateWay (NGW), which spans multiple network platforms, such as switches, messaging platforms and location servers, across both legacy TDM/SS7 and IP/SIP domains. USP offers extensive, field-proven connectivity to a wide variety of underlying network platforms from all of the major network equipment providers, spanning both circuit-based (SS7) and IP-based (SIP) technologies, and to different payments instruments, both post- and pre-paid.

Supporting Next Generation IN Services is the Telecom Application Server (TAS) and the associated service creation SDK, which provides a telecom grade Java platform for implementing and deploying real-time core network services.

Supporting Network as a Service (NaaS) are three components:

  • The Telecom Web Services (TWS) platform, which exposes secure and managed Web Services to 3rd party applications. The Parlay-X and OneAPI interfaces are supported as well as a set of interfaces for payments. Other Web Services can be added relatively easily to the platform.
  • The Payments and Settlement Engine (PSE) provides all the necessary business logic and tools to enable charges to be registered against subscribers' operator accounts and for the operator to settle with the 3rd parties. The PSE module includes subscriber and subscription management facilities, both for payment purposes and for controlling access.
  • The Partner Relationship Management (PRM) component provides the tools and web interfaces for managing 3rd parties, with a strong emphasis on self care, both for 3rd parties and subscribers. As well as providing management functions, the associated portal offers development resources, forums, etc to support a 3rd party developer community and merchants.

Service applications from 3rd parties, whether simple enterprise, independent Service Providers (XSPs) or white labelled partners, are integrated through the Web Services APIs and managed through the PRM portal.

Click here to download the Aepona Universal Service Platform brochure

Further Information

TWS Telecom Web Services

PSE Payments & Settlement Engine

PRM Partner Relationship Management

TAS Telecom Application Server

NGW Network GateWay

USP - Key Benefits

For operators:

  • Full "north-to-south" solution for the NaaS business model: network and BSS/OSS integration, payments and settlement, Web Services exposure and 3rd Party Relationship Management
  • The ability to monetize network capabilities via a variety of business models (ex: revenue share, per transaction, etc) and flexibility to address changing market requirements
  • Extensive automation to allow low-cost, light-touch on-boarding of thousands of partners
  • USP has the industry's broadest range of network interfaces, spanning circuit-switched voice, IP/IMS-based voice, charging/rating, messaging and location platforms
  • Externally hosted and in-network deployment options mean that operators can tap into a global ecosystem of developers via a shared NaaS cloud, whilst leveraging its own unique assets to maintain differentiation
  • Fully exploits existing, traditional (SS7, etc) assets as well as providing smooth migration path towards IP-based (SIP/IMS, etc) networks

For application developers:

  • Easy application-to-network integration requiring no specialist telecoms knowledge
  • Extensive tools and resources, reducing development cost and time to market
  • Reach subscribers across multiple operators via an NaaS Cloud, offered by cross-operator Service Providers
  • Capability to charge a subscriber's bill directly, increasing application adoption and, hence, revenue
  • Increased differentiation - avoid applications becoming commoditised by combining multiple telecoms features to create a more compelling user experience
  • Access multiple operator capabilities using a common programming methodology, based on the industry standard OneAPI-compliant interfaces