Tracking trunk usage in an enterprise network

• US 8,189,751 B2
• Filed: 02/25/2008
• Issued: 05/29/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 02/26/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Asignet Holdings Limited
• Original Assignee: Service Bureau Intetel SA
• Inventors: Lopez, Claudio Marcelo
• Primary Examiner(s): Gauthier, Gerald
• Application Number:
  US12/036,623
• Publication Number:
  US 20080205612A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,555 Days
• Field of Search: 370/229, 370/238, 370/252, 370/352, 370/395.5, 370/216, 379/114.01, 379/114.02, 379/115.01, 379/221.01, 379/37, 379/45, 455/414.1, 705/7.13, 709/203, 709/217, 714/4.3, 714/48, 714/57
• US Class Current: 379/114.01
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06311 Scheduling, planning or task assignment for a person or group
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/00 Arrangements for metering, time-control or time indication ; Metering, charging or billing arrangements for voice wireline or wireless communications, e.g. VoIP

Abstract

The present disclosure is directed to a system and method for tracking trunk usage in an enterprise network. In some implementations, a method for identifying trunk expenses includes aggregating data identifying telecommunication services associated with a plurality of trunks in an enterprise network. Charges for the used telecommunication services are identified. The charges are associated with a carrier that provided the telecommunication services. Carrier charges for each of the plurality of the trunks are automatically identified based, at least in part, on the aggregated data and the carrier charges.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

aggregating data identifying different telecommunication services from different carriers associated with a plurality of trunks in an enterprise network, wherein the aggregated data includes enterprise-determined services used by each of the plurality of trunks as determined by the enterprise;

identifying carrier charges for telecommunication services from each of the different carriers, wherein carrier invoices identify the carrier charges;

automatically mapping the carrier charges to the enterprise-determined services to determine carrier charges for each of the plurality of the trunks; and

storing the carrier charges for each of the plurality of the trunks.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the carrier charges includes services used as determined by the carrier, wherein automatically mapping the carrier charges comprises:

automatically comparing services used as determined by the enterprise and the services used as determined by the carrier; and

automatically determining the carrier charges associated with each of the plurality of trunks in accordance with the comparison.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

automatically mapping each of the plurality of trunks to a trunk channel identified in carrier charges; and

wherein the carrier charges for each of the plurality of trunks is based, at least in part, on the channel mapping.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

identifying criteria for determining charges anticipated by the enterprise for the telecommunication services associated each of the plurality of trunks, wherein the criteria is based, at least in part, on a service agreement between the enterprise and the carrier;

automatically determining the anticipated charges for each of the plurality of trunks based, at least in part, on the aggregated data and the evaluation criteria; and

automatically verifying that the anticipated charges and the carrier charges for each of the plurality of trunks match.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising automatically generating a notification of one or more discrepancies in response to at least the anticipated charges not matching the carrier charges for at least one of the plurality of trunks.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein the criteria comprises one or more rates for using a telecommunication service.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the aggregated data includes calls made, duration, and trunk used.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising automatically identifying at least one of the plurality of trunks which has a service-usage below certain usage threshold.

9. A system for identifying trunk expenses, comprising:

memory configured to store information associated with charges for telecommunication usage; and

one or more processors configured to;

aggregate data identifying different telecommunication services from different carriers associated with a plurality of trunks in an enterprise network, wherein the aggregated data includes enterprise-determined services used by each of the plurality of trunks as determined by the enterprise;

identify carrier charges for telecommunication services from each of the different carriers, wherein carrier invoices identify the carrier charges;

automatically map the carrier charges to the enterprise-determined services to determine carrier charges for each of the plurality of the trunks.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the carrier charges includes services used as determined by the carrier, wherein the processors configured to automatically map the carrier charges comprises the processors configured to:

automatically compare services used as determined by the enterprise and the services used as determined by the carrier; and

automatically determine the carrier charges associated with each of the plurality of trunks in accordance with the comparison.

11. The system of claim 10, further configured to:

automatically map each of the plurality of trunks to a trunk channel identified in carrier charges; and

wherein the carrier charges for each of the plurality of trunks is based, at least in part, on the channel mapping.

12. The system of claim 9, further configured to:

identify criteria for determining charges anticipated by the enterprise for the telecommunication services associated with each of the plurality of trunks, wherein the criteria is based, at least in part, on a service agreement between the enterprise and the carrier;

automatically determine the anticipated charges for each of the plurality of trunks based, at least in part, on the aggregated data and the evaluation criteria; and

automatically verify that the anticipated charges and the carrier charges for each of the plurality of trunks match.

13. The system of claim 12, further configured to automatically generate a notification of one or more discrepancies in response to at least the anticipated charges not matching the carrier charges for at least one of the plurality of trunks.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein the criteria comprises one or more rates for using a telecommunication service.

15. The system of claim 9, wherein the aggregated data includes calls made, duration, and trunks used.

16. The system of claim 9, further configured to automatically identify at least one of the plurality of trunks which has a service-usage below certain usage threshold.

17. A computer program product encoded on a tangible, non-transitory storage medium, the product comprising computer readable instructions operable to:

aggregate data identifying different telecommunication services from different carriers associated with a plurality of trunks in an enterprise network, wherein the aggregated data includes enterprise-determined services used by each of the plurality of trunks as determined by the enterprise;

identify carrier charges for telecommunication services from each of the different carriers, wherein carrier invoices identify the carrier charges;

automatically map the carrier charges to the enterprise-determined services to determine carrier charges for each of the plurality of the trunks.

18. The computer program product of claim 17, wherein the carrier charges includes services used as determined by the carrier, wherein the computer program product operable to automatically map the carrier charges comprises the computer program product operable to:

automatically compare services used as determined by the enterprise and the services used as determined by the carrier; and

automatically determine the carrier charges associated with each of the plurality of trunks in accordance with the comparison.

19. The computer program product of claim 18, further operable to:

automatically map each of the plurality of trunks to a trunk channel identified in carrier charges; and

wherein the carrier charges for each of the plurality of trunks is based, at least in part, on the channel mapping.

20. The computer program product of claim 17, further operable to:

identify criteria for determining charges anticipated by the enterprise for the telecommunication services associated each of the plurality of trunks, wherein the criteria is based, at least in part, on a service agreement between the enterprise and the carrier;

automatically determine the anticipated charges for each of the plurality of trunks based, at least in part, on the aggregated data and the evaluation criteria; and

automatically verify that the anticipated charges and the carrier charges for each of the plurality of trunks match.

21. A system comprising:

a means for aggregating data identifying different telecommunication services from different carriers associated with a plurality of trunks in an enterprise network, wherein the aggregated data includes enterprise-determined services used by each of the plurality of trunks as determined by the enterprise;

a means for identifying carrier charges telecommunication services from each of the different carriers, wherein carrier invoices identify the carrier charges;

a means for automatically mapping the carrier charges to the enterprise-determined services to determine carrier charges for each of the plurality of the trunks; and

a means for storing the carrier charges for each of the plurality of the trunks.