<p>Copyright TM Forum 2008<br/></p><p><br/></p><p><b>Overview</b><br/></p><p>Real time billing mediation applications are significantly different from post paid mediation systems. The source of data is usually different (post paid billing systems usually collect call detail records after the call event), pre-paid systems take usage information from signaling networks and monitor in-call usage.  Services like Advice of charge, even for post paid usage, require real time mediation systems.<br/></p><p><br/></p><p><b>Functionality</b><br/></p><p>Capabilities required for real time mediation include:<br/></p><p><ul><li>Acquisition and validation of events received from Network element.</li><br/></p><p><li>Formatting the event into a common-formatted event record.</li><br/></p><p><li>Identifying and routing the customer/customer population group associated with an event and routes the event to the relevant rating function </li><br/></p><p><li>Communication with the session control device</li><br/></p><p><li>Communication with the rating engine<br/></li><br/></p><p></ul><b>Supported Contracts</b><br/></p><p><i>To Be Added</i><br/></p>