HGC has deployed XConnect’s Global Number Range (GNR) data to determine if its A numbers are valid, enabling the company to reinstate almost half of its routes terminated into Europe that had been previously removed because of OBR surcharges.
“OBR adds complexity to an already challenging voice market. As a growing number of countries implement OBR across the globe, carriers are becoming more fearful of facing costly surcharges. In HGC’s case, this caused it to discontinue up to 50% of the routes it was terminating into Europe,” said Tim Ward, VP of number information services at XConnect.
“By harnessing our data for checking A-Numbers, HGC can be confident that it is maximising profitability while protecting against surcharges. As a result, it has been able to reinstate all its discontinued routes. We are committed to helping carriers to increase their sustainability and health of voice business across the globe.”
OBR considers both the origination and termination of a call when billing, with the terminating network usually apply surcharge to the mobile termination rates based on the country of the call’s origin.
Unexpected surcharges can be up to 10x of the cost with some as high as 35x the standard termination rate.
“In an evolving voice landscape, OBR has become a critical consideration that carriers of all sizes must face. To stay ahead, it was essential that we acted quickly to take the necessary steps to reduce its impact on our business,” said Carrie Chan, vice president of voice and cloud communications at HGC.
“By deploying XConnect’s GNR data, we have been able to cut disputes to almost zero and restore our routes, allowing us to focus on uninterrupted business growth. XConnect’s solution has enabled us to continue providing a seamless service for our customers whilst removing risk to our margins.”
