CHF

As 5G, IoT, and cloud-native architectures redefine telecom services, Communication Service Providers (CSPs) require flexible, real-time charging solutions to support evolving business models. The Charging Function (CHF) is a core component of the 5G Converged Charging System (CCS), responsible for real-time event-based charging, dynamic policy application, and seamless prepaid/postpaid billing across multiple service types, including voice, data, and messaging.

However, managing high volumes of diverse usage data across network slices and service tiers presents challenges such as delayed billing, inaccurate charges, and revenue leakage. Without real-time data processing and normalization, CSPs risk billing errors and financial discrepancies, impacting customer satisfaction and revenue assurance.

DigitalRoute’s CHF efficiently process massive data volumes in real-time, ensuring data integrity, accuracy, and seamless interoperability with multiple charging systems (CCS, OCS, and legacy billing platforms). This enables CSPs to execute precise, real-time session-based charging while minimizing manual intervention and maximizing revenue protection.

Addressing the Challenges of Real-Time 5G Charging 

CSPs face increasing complexity in charging and billing operations due to dynamic pricing models, multi-service usage, and the growing demand for real-time billing transparency. 

Key challenges include: 

• Ensuring Real-Time, Session-Based Charging Accuracy – Customers often consume multiple services simultaneously across different network slices, requiring instantaneous charge calculations to prevent delayed or incorrect billing. 
• Managing High-Volume, Multi-Source Data Processing – The CHF relies on large-scale event data flows that must be collected, normalized, enriched, and correlated in real-time for accurate charging. 
• Minimizing Revenue Leakage & Billing Disputes – Inconsistent data collection and processing can result in discrepancies in customer invoices, leading to billing disputes, compliance risks, and revenue loss. 
• Interoperability Across Multiple Charging & Billing Systems – CSPs operate in multi-segment environments (B2C, B2B, wholesale) with different charging platforms (CCS, OCS, legacy systems) requiring seamless integration.

Without a robust CHF, CSPs risk billing inefficiencies, inaccurate revenue collection, and customer dissatisfaction.

DigitalRoute’s CHF operates with real-time, high-accuracy data, allowing CSPs to maintain financial integrity and billing precision.

How DigitalRoute’ Enhances CHF Performance 

• Processes high volumes of real-time event data from 5G networks, network slicing, IoT platforms, and legacy systems for accurate charging.
• Normalizes, enriches, and correlates charging data from multiple network sources, ensuring billing accuracy and policy compliance. 
• Delivers precise, real-time charging information to prepaid, postpaid, and wholesale billing systems, preventing billing delays and disputes. 
• Minimizes revenue leakage by ensuring accurate data flows between the CHF and downstream billing, finance, and revenue assurance systems. 
• Supports dynamic pricing models by enabling policy-driven charge calculations based on service usage, network slice priorities, and QoS-based billing models. 
• Interoperates with multiple charging platforms (CCS, OCS, legacy billing systems), ensuring seamless charging across all customer segments (B2C, B2B, wholesale). 
• Optimizes financial management & revenue assurance by providing real-time charge visibility to finance and revenue assurance teams. 

With DigitalRoute’s CHF capabilities, CSPs can automate complex charging operations, enhance revenue accuracy, and scale monetization across evolving 5G business models.

Who Benefits from DigitalRoute’s CHF? 

• Billing Teams (B2C, B2B, Wholesale) – Depend on accurate charging data to ensure correct invoicing, reducing disputes and improving customer satisfaction. 
• IT Operations Managers – Benefit from real-time processing capabilities, reducing manual intervention and improving operational efficiency. 
• Finance & Revenue Assurance Teams – Gain real-time visibility into revenue collection, reducing financial discrepancies and improving revenue forecasting. 

By leveraging DigitalRoute’s Charging Function (CHF), CSPs automate real-time charging processes, eliminate billing errors, enhance charging accuracy, and optimize financial performance across all customer segments.

The Strategic Role of CHF in 5G & Future Telecom Services

With the introduction of 5G, IoT, and network slicing, CHF has become a mission-critical component for CSPs aiming to monetize complex service models in real-time.

DigitalRoute’s CHF Supports: 

• Dynamic, Policy-Based Charging – Enabling CSPs to monetize advanced services, such as QoS-based billing, session-based pricing, and SLA-driven charge adjustments. 
• Network Slicing Monetization – Ensuring that customers are billed accurately based on service consumption and network slice priorities. 
• Seamless Multi-Network Charging – Supporting traditional (4G, SMS, voice, roaming) and next-generation (5G, IoT, cloud-based services) environments. 
• OSS & BSS Data Integration for Advanced Billing Models – CHF processing now extends beyond core charging functions, incorporating operational data (OSS) to enhance billing accuracy and service validation. 
• Future-Ready Monetization Models – As CSPs introduce new service-based pricing models (e.g., QoS-driven pricing, cloud service bundling, AI-based charge predictions), CHF must remain scalable and adaptable.

By leveraging DigitalRoute’s Charging Function (CHF), CSPs gain a highly flexible and future-proof charging ecosystem, ensuring accurate, real-time charging while enabling the next wave of telecom innovation.