Local Routing Manager for Softswitch Cost Optimization
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Solution Overview
Problem
Telecommunications carriers face difficulties in implementing local routing capabilities over their softswitch platforms, as existing interfaces are inadequate for manually determining, developing, and managing routes considering factors like pricing, routing, costs, and variable bit rate for domestic and international traffic.
Innovation Solution
A local routing manager (LRM) is implemented as a software engine within the softswitch network to perform least cost routing and operational overrides, generating route plans based on customer service plans, using trunk group IDs, local calling area numbers, and prioritizing routes for on-net and off-net traffic, with data stored in partitions associated with service plans.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If manual route entry using existing softswitch interfaces is used, then implementation is simple, but routing management capability is insufficient for complex pricing and cost factors
Solution Approach 1:
A Local Routing Manager (LRM) software engine is introduced as an intermediary component between the softswitch platform and the routing management requirements. The LRM receives routing parameters, pricing information, and cost data from external sources, processes this information, and generates appropriate route plans that are then applied by the softswitch. This intermediary layer enables complex routing management capabilities without requiring modifications to the core softswitch infrastructure.
Solution Approach 2:
The routing management system is segmented into distinct functional modules: parameter reception modules that gather pricing and routing data, processing modules that analyze this data against service plans, and route plan generation modules that create executable routing configurations. This segmentation allows each module to specialize in specific tasks, improving overall system adaptability while maintaining manageable complexity through modular design.
2Productivity
If automated route plan generation is implemented, then routing efficiency improves, but implementation difficulty increases
Solution Approach 1:
The Local Routing Manager is designed as a universal platform that can handle multiple routing scenarios, service plan types, and pricing models through a single integrated system. It supports domestic and international traffic, various bit rate configurations, and different service levels, all through the same automated route plan generation process. This multi-functionality improves productivity across diverse routing needs while reducing implementation difficulty by avoiding the need for separate systems for each routing scenario.
Solution Approach 2:
The system enables self-service routing management where the LRM automatically receives routing parameters and pricing information, processes this data to determine optimal routes, and generates route plans without requiring manual intervention for each routing decision. The automated generation of route plans based on pre-configured service plans and real-time parameter input significantly improves productivity while the standardized self-service process reduces implementation complexity.
3Measurement precision
If comprehensive routing parameters are collected and processed, then routing accuracy improves, but processing time increases
Solution Approach 1:
Service plans are pre-configured with routing parameters, pricing structures, and cost factors before actual routing decisions are needed. When routing parameters are received, the LRM matches them against these pre-configured service plans rather than creating routing decisions from scratch. This preliminary configuration of routing options and criteria enables accurate routing decisions to be made quickly by simply matching current parameters against existing service plan templates, thereby improving routing accuracy without significantly increasing processing time.
Data Source
AI summary
An embodiment of a method includes generating one or more route plans, each route plan being associated with a service plan, and provisioning the one or more route plans on a core routing engine accessible by a softswitch for routing calls according to the one or more route plans. The one or more route plans may include an on-net route plan and an off-net route plan. An embodiment of a system includes a local route manager (LRM) configured to generate one or more route plans associated with one or more respective service levels that customers can subscribe to. The system may further include an inventory of trunk groups containing a plurality of trunk group identifiers (IDs), wherein trunk group IDs are marked as either on-net or off-net.