Compaq Computer Corp. revealed new capabilities for its IN PrePay network-based solution and said BT Cellnet in the United Kingdom has selected and deployed the solution to serve its prepaid customers.
Compaq IN PrePay consists of a NonStop Himalaya Service Control Point Intelligent Network Server and AlphaServer system, which gives operators the ability to scale their system to support from thousands up to approximately 50 million subscribers, the company said.
According to Rick Piper, director with Compaq Telecommunications, because Compaq IN PrePay is network-based and does not use trunked signals, carriers can more quickly introduce new services to the prepaid market, including third-generation services.
He said the company is not yet sure what 3G means for prepaid, but its system will aid global communications because it supports Global System for Mobile communications and American National Standards Institute-41 standards. It also will help carriers prepare for the convergence of networks based on General Packet Radio Services and Universal Mobile Telecommunications System.
Post-pay features such as wireless data and the use of Wireless Application Protocol-enabled devices also are provided by Compaq’s solution.
Finally, in an ANSI-41 environment, Compaq IN PrePay can run as a stand-alone solution, or as part of Compaq’s home location register, which already manages roaming services for about 50 million wireless subscribers, Compaq said.
BT Cellnet is one of the first carriers to deploy Compaq IN PrePay. The U.K. carrier serves more than 7 million wireless subscribers.
