Orange

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IPL at the heart of Orange's core service network

The challenge

Orange's growth since entry into the UK market in 1994 has been nothing short of explosive. Today, it is one of the largest mobile operators in the UK with over 14M active customers and is consistently ranked no.1 for customer satisfaction by contract customers. Its brand is synonymous with innovative, exciting, customer-centric services.

Managing such growth against a background of rapidly changing network technologies, and regulatory constraints has been a major challenge for Orange. For any mobile operator, agility is the key to success – being able to rapidly introduce new products and services without time-consuming and expensive changes to the core network.

Orange has achieved this through its choice of platforms and development partners, with IPL at the fore.

The solution

IPL has played a key role in the following programmes:

• Directory Information Base – carrier grade platform, providing real time LDAP directory and application hosting environment. Scalable to support Orange's full subscriber base. The platform is utilised by various hosted applications including the following developed by IPL:
  • GSM and 3G Home Location Registers (HLR)
  • Service routing system – application handling HLR, voicemail, and SCP addressing; provides a number of functions including MNP and CEIR
  • Interworking function – a high performance application that controls, optimises and mediates service flows between call handling and service handling entities, typically on different platforms or different networks
  • Pre-pay system including rating engine
  • Numerous service-differentiating IN applications
• Billable event mediation system
• Pre-pay tariff management system
• Provisioning services in support of IN systems
• Technical consultancy on new push-to-talk service
• PC Messenger – technical project management of development of a PC-based text messaging system integrated with MS email client
• Alcatel 3G – project management and technical design authority over introduction of OMC controlling new 3G network elements
• Multi-service bundling – business and technical consultancy throughout the design and implementation of this new and very high profile offering

The highlights

Since the early 1990s, IPL has supplied Orange with carrier-class software to support its evolving core service network, and latterly with the provision of high-quality business and technical consultancy.

IPL continues to work closely with Orange helping to ensure the future remains bright for both Orange and its customers.