In many universities, the campus network does not operate alone but rather brings in multiple operators. Students can choose between mobile, connectivity, and telecommunications packages with different fees and services. Multi-operator co-operation offers students more options and places higher demands on the campus network Authentication & Billing: the system needs to support multi-operators ' interfaces, uniform certification portals, tariff management and settlement reconciliations.
Why do you want to run a multi-operator operation?
The campus network operates in a multi-operator manner, for several main reasons: first, it introduces competition, offers services at the same time and allows students to choose freely; it benefits from user competitions to improve quality of service and reduce fees; second, cost sharing, which requires substantial funding for building and maintaining the campus network, and co-investment by multiple operators, which can ease financial pressure on schools; third, complementarity of resources, where different operators have different network coverage and export bandwidths across regions, and where multi-operators combine to provide more stable network services; fourth, policy orientation, where educational authorities in some areas encourage campus networks to introduce multi-operator competition and avoid one monopoly. Multi-operator co-operation has become the mainstream model of a network of campuses, especially in student dormitories where students are usually free to choose their own food packages.
Basic architecture for multi-operator joint operations
The campus network Authentication & Billing is in the core of the multi-operator joint operating model, which provides for uniform authentication and multi-operability. The basic structure is as follows: after students are connected to the dormitory WiFi, they are reoriented to a single campus network certification Portal page; students select their own operator (mobile, connection, telecommunications, etc.) on the Portal page and enter into the log code and password to bind the operator account number to complete certification; The campus network Authentication & Billing, after the student identification system has been validated, is launched by a corresponding dial-up gateway to Bras, the operator; the operator BRAS validates the student ' s operator account and assigns the Internet address to students; and the student ' s Internet access flow is via the counterpart operator ' s web export, which is included in the student operator ' s mobile phone suite. In this framework, the campus network Authentication & Billing is a unified certification portal and management platform where operators are responsible for web exports and billing fees, working together in a functional and collaborative manner.
Uniform authentication portal and operator selection
The key to multi-operator co-operation is the Unified Accreditation Portal. Students do not need to install separate clients or access different certification pages for each operator, but do so on a single Portal page. Portal pages are designed to take into account multi-operator presentations: the operator Logo, package introduction, matching fees, and call-in can be displayed on the Portal page for students. Some schools also support direct vendor changes and new user openings on the Portal page to achieve one-stop service. The Unified Certification Entrance is a basis for joint multi-operators operations and key to student experiences.
Account binding and multi-operator management
In a multi-operator joint operating model, students’ school numbers are tied to the operator’s account. A school number can bind multiple operators’ accounts (e.g., both mobile and connected), and students can choose which operator’s services to use according to their needs. The booking is usually completed at entry: when a student runs a cellular suite in an operator’s office or online channel, the operator provides its own school number, binds the school number to the operator’s account number, synchronizes the binding to the campus network Authentication & Billing system. Students can also query and manage their own account number binding relationships on the school self-service platform, such as adding new bindings, unbounding, switching default operators. The campus network Authentication & Billing requires support for multi-operator account binding management, including storage, querying, changing and synchronizing of tied relationships.
Rate management and settlement reconciliation
Multi-operator joint operations involve complex rate management and settlement reconciliations. Different operators have different set of meals, with different settlements, and campus network Authentication & Billing needs to support flexible tariff configuration and accurate settlement reconciliations. In the area of rates administration, the system needs to support a variety of rates strategy based on operators, such as monthly fees for mobile users, traffic-based charges for connected users, long-term charges for telecommunications users; it also needs to support school-to-operator split settlements, such as schools drawing a percentage of the overhead charge from each student’s Internet fee. In the case of settlement reconciliations, the system needs to generate regular settlement statements with various operators, including user numbers, online hours, traffic usage, cost amounts, etc., and reconcile with the operator’s bill to ensure consistency between the parties’ data. The settlement reconciliation is the most complex and problematic link in multi-operator joint operations: each side may have different statistical calibres (e.g., on-line time-use calculations, flow coverage), data synchronization may be delayed, leading to reconciliation differences. The system requires a well-developed reconciliation mechanism and variance processing process that ensures accurate settlement and financial security.
Network quality control and troubleshooting
In the context of multi-operator joint operations, students’ experiences with Internet access depend on multiple links: campus in-networks, dial-up gateways, operator Brass, and operator exports. Any malfunctioning of any link can result in a loss of access or slowness of the network. The campus network NATSHEL_AUTH_BILLING requires network quality monitoring capabilities to monitor operators' certification success rates, dial-up success rates, online user numbers, network speed, etc., and to detect and warn about anomalies in time. In the case of failure, systems need to be able to locate trouble lines quickly: whether they are campus network problems, dial-up gateway issues, or business side issues, so that there is no bulging between parties. The system can also generate a breakdown statistics report that helps schools and operators analyse the causes of failure and improve the quality of services.
Implementation recommendations for multi-operator joint operations
In implementing multi-operator joint operations, schools recommend several approaches: first, to conclude cooperation agreements with operators in advance and to clarify the rights and obligations of both parties, cost standards, settlement modalities, quality requirements and failure processing processes to avoid subsequent disputes; secondly, to select a campus network that supports multi-operators matching, rate management and reconciliations, Authentication & Billing, which ensures that the system meets the needs of multiple operators; thirdly, to ensure that account binding management and publicity are done to ensure that students understand how to bind the operator's accounts, choose the operator and change the menu; The fourth is the establishment of a well-developed network quality control and troubleshooting mechanism to guarantee students' online experience; fifth, regular reconciliations with operators for settlement and service assessments, timely identification of problems and improvement of services. Multi-operator joint operations involve multiple collaborations, communication and coordination are important, and schools should be the lead players in pooling resources to ensure smooth operation.
Multi-operator co-operation is the mainstream model of a university campus network that provides students with more options and more favourable fees, as well as reduces financial pressure on schools. The campus network NATSHEL_AUTH_BILLING system is at the core of multi-operators ' joint operations and needs to support uniform certification portals, multi-operator book bindings, flexible rate management, accurate settlement reconciliations and network quality control. The selection of a multi-operator network, open interfaces and accurate clearing campusing system Authentication & Billing, in close collaboration with the operators, will truly realize the value of joint multi-operators operations, providing quality Internet access for students and creating good operational benefits for schools.