| Unprecedented growth is predicted in wireless | | | | CDRs and reports the results. Call accounting |
| communications. According to a report from the | | | | software can routinely cut telecom costs by at |
| Telecommunications Industry Association (TIA), | | | | least 20%. |
| the U.S. is expected to have 270 million wireless | | | | According to a report by fcw.com, the Federal |
| users by 2010, or 87 percent of the population. A | | | | Government is also having difficulty keeping up |
| large portion of this will likely consist of corporate | | | | with its wireless bills. The 14 federal agencies |
| cell phones, BlackBerry (TM) and other similar | | | | under consideration spend an estimated $122.7 |
| wireless devices, which will require up-to-date | | | | million per year for nearly 218,700 wireless |
| Telecom Expense Management (TEM) software | | | | devices, many of which may no longer be in use. |
| to keep telecom costs in check. | | | | The spokesperson stressed the need for TEM |
| Carriers, such as Verizon and AT&T are reporting | | | | services to prevent being overcharged for |
| increased profits, driven mainly by new wireless | | | | wireless services. |
| services. And this trend is not likely to abate in | | | | Here is an example of a carrier's over billing. A |
| the near future. | | | | company of 500 employees and $150 million |
| Monitoring wireless access presents a special | | | | annual revenue upgraded service with a carrier |
| challenge, as it does not form part of a | | | | that erroneously continued to bill for both the old |
| company's PBX system. How would you solve | | | | service and the new service. The company failed |
| such a problem? Fortunately, a solution has been | | | | to catch the mistake for several months because |
| found. Corporate wireless devices can now be | | | | the bill was so complicated--resulting in an |
| outfitted with a special chip that transmits | | | | overcharge of $75,000. |
| important information about each wireless | | | | The bottom line is that if your company spends a |
| connection, such as source, destination, date, time, | | | | sizeable amount of money on telecom services, it |
| duration of the call, etc., to the corporate TEM | | | | needs telecom cost management and it will need |
| system. In other words, this is the wireless | | | | a system capable of tracking wireless devices in |
| equivalent of the PBX's Call Detail Record (CDR). | | | | addition to conventional telecom resources. For |
| The CDR is at the heart of every Call Accounting | | | | more information on telecom expense |
| and TEM system, which organizes and sorts the | | | | management, contact Telsoft Solutions. |