Evolved Intelligence launches test to detect anti-steering 30th November 2010
Evolved Intelligence, the next generation IN company, has launched a test to detect “anti-steering”. Today most mobile operators “steer” their subscribers when they roam abroad. This means that they select the local operator that they would prefer the subscriber to connect to.
Steering is carried out for a number of reasons which include cost, quality and the need to honour agreements on traffic volume. There are a number of systems available to “steer” the subscriber in this way. However some operators, faced with a loss of revenue when their partners steer subscribers away from them, implement systems that are specifically designed to disrupt the steering process. Patents for doing so are actually held by a number of steering system vendors.
The GSMA proscribes “anti-steering” because it interferes with the right of the home operator to manage his own customers. Nevertheless, anti-steering is in use in a number of countries. It is often suspected, but is not necessarily easy to prove.
Evolved Intelligence’s new anti-steering test uses a combination of SS7 analysis, radio probes and test mobiles. These are used to first identify the likely presence of anti-steering and then capture actual instances of it. The proof is constructed by comparing the signalling sent by the steering platform and the messaging seen by the test mobiles. The test mobiles also report on the visible networks and signal strength at the point of each test.
Says Dave Edwards, Evolved Intelligence’s Systems Director: “Many people suspect anti steering is being used against them. However it can be difficult to prove whether it is actually happening or whether it is the steering platform that is not performing well. This test gives you unequivocal proof one way or the other.”
The anti-steering test is usually combined with a wider ranging battery of tests for a number of issues including the steering policies of roaming partners, the presence of SMS fraud and traffic lost to non-provisioned links.
About Evolved Intelligence
Evolved Intelligence is based in Bristol, UK and was formed in 2007. The Evolved Intelligence team has a long experience in delivering IN services.Key members of the team worked for the Bristol based company, Aethos, widely regarded as one of the principal pioneers of pre-pay mobile communications. The Evolved Intelligence team is also a pioneer in the use of the JAIN platform and of Agile Development methodology.
www.evolved-intelligence.com
For more information please contact Robin Burton:
robin.burton@evolved-intelligence.com
+44 7843 241371
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