Qwest Offers OCN Billing Option for IP Voice Terminating Service

Qwest Communications International Inc. (Booth 611) today announced it will provide operating company number-based (OCN) billing to wholesale facilities-based carrier customers of its IP voice termination services.

The new billing option provides pricing at the individual OCN/LATA level, giving wholesale customers the ability to manage costs more effectively.

Traditionally, customers pay for services using blended or averaged rates. However, with the OCN billing option they will receive pricing for more than 25,000 OCN-based rates.

Qwest introduced its OCN billing product for TDM termination this summer. Roland Thornton, executive vice president, wholesale services for Qwest, said the rollout was well received. “Forty carriers jumped right on it,” he said.

Now, the product is available with IP termination, which allows customers to deliver IP voice traffic directly to Qwest for termination to the PSTN, without converting it to TDM.

Thornton says Qwest also has plans for an OCN billing offer for rebillers, which he expects to be ready by second quarter 2006.