Portal Software powers wireless LAN business models

EDP Weekly's IT Monitor, Dec 16, 2002

Portal Software, Inc. (Nasdaq:PRSF), a provider of billing and customer management software, is playing a major role in turning wireless LAN services into viable business models for service providers around the globe. Portal's product-based billing solution, Infranet, offers the flexibility and breadth that WLAN providers require in order to collect revenue for services, including payments to WLAN "Hot Spot" operators, and authentication of users in real-time to avoid revenue leakage and fraud. Portal's WLAN customers include Boingo Wireless, Inc., BT Openzone, the public wireless LAN service offered by BT Group plc's Retail business, Telenor Mobile and T-Mobile USA.

Built on the emerging Wi-Fi standard, wireless LAN technologies hold the promise of "anywhere, anytime" wireless access for users on the go. For WLAN service providers, however, a new approach to deploying these services is required. Traditional service deployment, which is costly and usually takes months and years, must give way to a more timely service rollout method. The service provider must be able to proto-type new models, get the services deployed, and allow the market to decide whether to keep, modify, or kill an offering. Portal customers understand that billing functionality is instrumental in providing this type of environment for the WLAN providers to succeed.

Models are currently emerging that involve providers creating their own networks of wireless access nodes, or partnering with operators of public and private WLAN "Hot Spots"--typically, hotels, airports, restaurants and other commonly-traveled areas. Service providers have recognized that the complexities of these models can be overcome through a flexible billing platform such as Infranet. Infranet enables the quick roll-out of WLAN services, rapid customer activation, real-time user authentication and service authorization, innovative service pricing, collection and sharing of revenues, and multiple payment options--all from a single platform. Portal's Infranet addresses these needs with multiple deployment options, providing value and opportunity for the entire WLAN value-chain, including service providers, "Hot Spot" operators, content providers, and end-consumers.

"No one knows for sure which business model will ultimately be successful in the WLAN space. This has created a number of billing issues and challenges for the experienced carriers as well as for the newcomers," said Chris Grejtak, senior vice president of marketing at Portal. "From pricing and bundling of services to sharing revenues with roaming and reseller partners, wireless LAN providers must have the flexibility required in their billing system and still meet their cost of ownership and return on investment objectives. This is what Portal delivers."

Portal Software develops product-based customer management and billing solutions for communications and content service providers. Portal's convergent platform enables service providers to deliver voice, data, video, and content services with multiple networks, payment models, pricing plans, and value chains. Portal's unique approach is designed to provide its customers superior return on innovation with maximum value and lower total cost of ownership. Portal's customers include thirty-five of the top fifty wireless carriers as well as organizations such as Vodafone, AOL Time Warner, Deutsche Telekom, TELUS, NTT, China Telecom, Reuters, Telstra, China Mobile, Telenor Mobil, Vivendi, and France Telecom.