First movers take wireless broadband to the next level

MACH, the provider of effective and reliable business processes to optimise roaming profitability, has successfully completed the testing and implementation of Wireless Roaming Intermediary eXchange-d (WRIX-d) with Swisscom, Switzerland's leading telecoms provider. Swisscom will now use WRIX-d, the standard for data clearing, in live operations with other influential global operators.

MACH is the only provider in the world supporting all of the WRIX elements. Swisscom outsourced them completely to MACH based on its specialist expertise and capabilities within this field. MACH supports Swisscom by generating and sending required wholesale billing data to its roaming partners, to be used as the basis for settlement, as part of the successfully implemented and tested WRIX-d service.

WRIX is an evolution in wireless broadband advancement. With the roaming evolution and subsequent contemporary lifestyle requirements brought on by increased travel, worldwide accessibility is a must for operators to provide and subscribers to receive. Locations and time zones are no longer barriers to working or surfing the internet on the move.

Split into 3 elements covering RADIUS Interconnect, Data Clearing and Financial Settlement, the WRIX standard was created by the Wireless Broadband Alliance (WBA) and selected vendors including MACH to ensure consistency in the interfaces between different roaming partners. The WBA network has expanded to over 26 worldwide operators enabling WLAN roaming in more than 85,000 hotspot locations all over the globe.

Martin Lippert, CEO of MACH, says: “MACH as an affiliate member of WBA is proud to be at the visionary start of WRIX and at the forefront of wireless broadband innovation – helping to initiate standards that will be of benefit to all operators. MACH is committed to continuously work on improving and extending the wireless broadband standards. Our aim is to assist operators and subscribers to launch and utilise services by diminishing the technical and commercial barriers that may exist.”

The financial clearing and settlement principles of WRIX which are spearheading both the currently implemented and planned settlement principles have been defined in close cooperation with MACH’s experts. These include advanced settlement procedures and the exchange of electronically generated and processed data, enabling complete pre-invoice balancing prior to invoice generation and financial settlement.

Tommy Bertling from Swisscom’s Roaming & Inter-working department says: “By implementing WRIX-d Swisscom reduces its roaming operations burden, saving valuable time to focus on business development and extending roaming relations. MACH has been a vital partner throughout the WRIX specifications and implementation, generating and providing the WRIX data required by Swisscom’s roaming partners. MACH also helped in performing the validation and reconciliation of the WRIX roaming data on behalf of Swisscom.”