The Billing & Settlements Workstream gathered to review/refresh the best practice guideline documents to ensure that the content is still relevant for the carrier community.
We found that the Annex of Billing and Settlements Guideline is overall a valid document but made the following alterations:
- Changed the focus from declarations to invoices
- Added reference to OBR handling
- Added reference to fraud dispute handling
- Encouraged that the back office/settlements team should be involved at an early stage
Questions we have to all members:
- How many of your customers are still on declarations for:
- Regular voice traffic?
- Reverse traffic (ITFS)?
- What actions have been taken to move those customers to invoicing?
- Anything we can do collectively since we probably work with the same customers?
On reviewing the Net Settlement Statement Template Guideline our findings included:
- Suggesting that all services applicable should be included
- Removing of reference to volume commitment/true ups/deal reconciliations
- Emphasizing that open disputes should be withheld until closed
Questions to all members:
- Do you do net settlements with your counterparts?
- If yes, with most or just a few?
- Who initiates the net settlement proposal – the net payer?
- Do you have any thresholds/requirements before starting to do nettings with someone (min. invoice amounts/balance in amounts/other)?
- Do you combine various services/products in one netting (Voice/IP/A2P/other)?
- Do you combine currencies in one netting (EUR/USD/other)?
- Do you always withhold open disputes from the nettings?