Why does my Service Provider account not match TOPAZ?

[Belinda Frick]

Overview:

In countries where the currency normally translate costs to
huge amounts it is very important to have the filters setup
correct.

Example 1: Call duration

If a call is 16 seconds, but it is an outgoing unanswered call,
this will be costed as a call with a duration of 16 seconds.

If the costing for this call is per unit and the first unit is
for example 60 seconds, this call will have the minimum cost
even though no connection was made made to the calling party.

If the first unit is for example costed as "1 200" and you have
10 outgoing unanswered calls with a duration, your account
will be out by "12 000" in your currency.

If you have a couple of outgoing unanswered calls it can add
up to huge amounts and therefore huge difference in the Service
Provider and TOPAZ billing.

Solution 1:

The duration of a call on your bill from the Service Provider is
normally from the time the call was answered until the call was
ended. The duration of the call that your PABX unit gives to TOPAZ,
is from the time the number was dialed until the call was ended.
This causes a difference in call duration and therefore a difference
in the cost of the call.

In TOPAZ under [SETUP -> PROPERTIES -> FILTERS & DEFAULTS],
"Disgard initial seconds". You can set different initial seconds for
Cellular, Local, National and International. These figures you enter
will be subtracted from the total duration of the call that was
received from the PABX unit.

Example 2: Calls made

If an invalid number was entered or your stop entering the number and
put the phone down, your PABX unit will still give this information
off as a call made. For example number dialed "175" and duration 2
seconds. This will cause a call costing for the 2 second call.

Solution 2:

If a filter was set to disgard initial 10 seconds, it will exclude this
call from TOPAZ. If no filter was set you can set PABX3 to disgard calls
where the number dialed is less that x digits.

Please note that extensions can be 2, 3 or 4 digits long. If
an internal call is made then the extension number is the phone
number. If you set your digits to less than or equal to your extensions
length, then you will loose these calls.
Countries like Botswana has special service numbers which are 3 digits
long. This is normally an outgoing call with a cost involved. Do not set
the disgard digit length to exclude these calls.

In PABX3 under [GENERAL], enter the number of digits next to
"Disgard calls where the number is less than x digits long".
Example 3: Area code

Most telephone calls will be local and national. If your area code is
not in the area code file, then a local call could be costed incorrect.

Solution 3:

Do a test call to check if it costing the call correct.

In TOPAZ under [RATES -> STANDARD]

In example 1 below, I used the Mozambique rates for a call
to 175 using the area file for Machava.

Number=175 - Date=2005/06/15 - Time=02:20:51 PM - Duration=1:0
- Cost=R 1,404.00 - Category=TELKOM A - Prefix=Machava
- DialCode=17500 - Rate=1

This call is calculated as local rate (TELKOM A) at "1 404".

In example 2 below, I used the Mozambique rates for a call
to 21 using the area file for Machava.

Number=21 - Date=2005/06/15 - Time=02:20:51 PM - Duration=1:0
- Cost=R 5,335.20 - Category=TELKOM C - Prefix=GAZA
- DialCode=21 - Rate=1

The call is calculated as a national rate (TELKOM C), "5 335.20".

ALSO SEE: Testing Rates
The difference in cost for a local and a national call is "3 931.20".
If the area codes is setup incorrect in TOPAZ it an amount to
huge costing differences.

Use the latest rates available on the internet:
www.datatex.co.za -> Downloads -> Latest TOPAZ rates.
If the update does not resolve your costing problem, please contact
Datatex via e-mail to correct this, support@datatex.co.za.

Example 4: Routing

Also use the cost calculation to test your international and
cellular calls.

Solution 4:

If you are using cell router and they are not
setup under [RATES -> ROUTING TABLE] it can also cause
incorrect costing. All your cellular routing will be added to
your account.

Example 5: Long call durations

Very long calls reported on my TOPAZ report