Client Overview

Ucell (COSCOM LLC) is the largest cellular mobile operator in Uzbekistan and operates in a highly competitive telecommunications market. With over 26 years of presence and 27.4 million subscribers, Ucell is a market leader, covering 97.8% of the country’s settlements and generating an annual revenue of $403.7 million. Ucell faced challenges managing its growing subscriber base and platform user load and providing efficient payment processing. Their existing infrastructure needed optimisation to handle increasing transactions and streamline billing and payment processes for better service delivery.

Client feedback

Helge Raitanen, Chief Technical Officer of COSCOM LLC (Ucell trademark) Telesens demonstrated their ability to respond promptly and flexibly to our needs. The Payment Gateway system provided a much-needed upgrade to our interconnect business, ensuring we maintain our leading position in the market.

Business Objectives and Challenges

Key problems The rapid growth of Ucell created a bottleneck in its transaction management. The mobile operator struggled with an outdated system and legacy code that wasn’t scalable to meet their expanding subscriber base. Manual processes across different platforms hindered efficiency, and there was a growing need for an integrated payment gateway to streamline transactions and provide a seamless customer experience. Operational impact The lack of an efficient payment solution led to increased operational delays. Closing work shifts took too long, and using three separate programs to manage payments and billing could have been more efficient. This inefficiency was leading to customer dissatisfaction and potential revenue loss. Unique challenges Ucell required a highly secure, scalable, and flexible payment gateway solution that could handle multiple payment agents, integrate with existing systems, and reduce transaction time while ensuring the security of customer data.

Telesens Solution

Development process and implementation

Telesens implemented a Payment Gateway (PGW) solution based on telecom provider needs that were established during the discovery phase. The system included a unified platform for managing payments, and integrating various third-party payment agents and existing billing systems, including Comverse ONE, COIN, and others. The process included all aspects of product implementation, from personalisation to level-based technical support after deployment. System design and deployment ● Integration with external payment systems such as PayNet ● Transition from three separate programs to a single, optimised solution

Technologies used ● Oracle EE for database management ● Java2EE and Spring for system architecture ● OSGI framework for modular deployment ● Red Hat Enterprise Linux for robust and secure operations ● Integration with third-party systems for seamless payment processing and reporting Product customisation All Telesens’ products are designed to be easily adapted to clients’ needs. We tailor-made PGW to meet Ucell’s specific requirements, including the creation of custom billing adapters and secure SMS connectors. Special attention was given to streamlining cashier and administrative operations, significantly reducing the time spent on manual processes. Implementation timeline The project was delivered within pre-establshed timeframes of several months, despite external challenges such as regulatory changes and rapidly evolving market demands. Telesens maintained constant communication with Ucell, ensuring smooth progress and timely adjustments. Collaboration highlights Telesens worked closely with Ucell’s technical team to ensure minimal disruptions during the transition. We also conducted training sessions to onboard Ucell’s staff on the new system, ensuring they’re fully equipped to handle the upgraded platform.

System Specifications

Telesens PGW abilities The Payment Gateway (PGW) system is designed to streamline the payment process for telecom operators by integrating multiple payment methods and providing seamless, real-time transaction processing. It allows subscribers to replenish their mobile balances through various channels, including cash payments, cards (such as VISA and Mastercard), and online payment platforms. One of PGW’s standout features is its ability to work with unified ECO payment cards, which offers subscribers a flexible and convenient way to manage their accounts. By automating these processes, PGW reduces human intervention, manual mistakes, and enhances transaction speed, ensuring both operational efficiency and customer satisfaction. Product architecture The PGW system is designed to handle high transaction volumes securely and efficiently. Its flexible architecture easily integrates with existing billing and third-party payment systems, ensuring smooth communication between all platforms. Running on a secure, high-availability platform, PGW supports seamless payment processing and user management. With features like real-time transaction inspection and easy reconciliation of payments, the system ensures smooth operations for cashiers, accountants, and administrators, making it a reliable solution for telecom operators to optimise their financial processes.

Core business processes The PGW system simplifies balance replenishment for subscribers by supporting multiple payment methods, including cash, payment cards such as VISA and Mastercard, and online platforms for real-time top-ups. It also integrates ECO payment cards for additional user convenience. This unified system ensures fast, secure transaction processing. Telesens Payment Gateway reestablishes other cashiers' processes such as handling payment card sales, refunds, and cash collection, as well as some of the accountants’ functions, namely, reconciling bank statements and managing financial guarantees. Administrators and back-office teams rely on PGW to manage user access, inspect transactions, and generate reports more efficiently and accurately. This ensures that the system operates efficiently and transparently.

Results and Outcomes

Quantitative results ● Shift closing time reduced from 1 hour to just 3 minutes ● Transaction processing improved with a unified system that replaced the need for 3 separate programs, optimizing operations and increasing efficiency ● Payment processing accelerated as Telesens PGW reduced delays and improved real-time transaction handling Qualitative results The new PGW system significantly improved the overall operational efficiency of Ucell’s payment processing. Employees could now manage transactions and customer payments more effectively, leading to a better user experience and higher customer satisfaction. Financial benefits The implementation resulted in notable cost savings by streamlining the payment process and reducing administrative overhead. Ucell saw a clear return on investment through reduced processing times and improved transaction accuracy.

Future Collaboration and Growth

Long-term impact The success of the Payment Gateway implementation has opened the door for future collaboration between Telesens and Ucell. The system is designed to scale as Ucell’s subscriber base grows, ensuring continued efficiency in payment processing. Scalability Telesens’s solution is highly scalable and capable of handling future increases in transaction volume and integrating additional features or payment agents as needed. Sustained reliability Our solution guarantees long-term reliability. The architecture is built to ensure uptime and consistent performance, even as the transaction load grows. This ensures that Ucell can confidently rely on the system for seamless payment processing in the future. Unlock your payment potential Do you have similar challenges in payment processing? Discover how Telesens can streamline your operations and improve your service delivery. Contact us today for a consultation and explore our tailored solutions.