PreRating

MATRIXX Engine uses pre-rating query data for determining when to perform a call out request for subscriber information to an external server or database. You configure pre-rating query data to be dynamic, so a different result occurs based on conditions that are valid at the time of rating.

You can configure pre-rating to perform:
  • Mobile Application Part (MAP) requests to an external database, such as an MNP (mobile number portability) database.
  • MAP-Interrogate-SS (supplementary service) requests to the Home Subscriber Server (HSS), for example to retrieve call forwarding information.
  • Lightweight Directory Access Protocol (LDAP) requests to an LDAP server.

You must define the following types of PreRating components: call out actions, profiles, and generators, and then add the PreRating generator ID to the service context type definition.

You add groups of PreRating call out actions to PreRating profiles. The call out actions specify the subscriber queries to perform.

In addition, you can add data modify actions to PreRating profiles that allow you to manipulate data in the following MDCs before the MDCs are passed to rating:
  • Field values in the MtxDiamRoMsg or MtxTcapMsg MDCs, or descendants of these MDCs.
  • Field values in the MtxLdapRequestExtensionData MDC, or its descendants. You use this type of data modify action to set LDAP call out request fields.
For information about configuring data modify actions, see the discussion about data modify actions.
Each PreRating profile is selected dynamically during rating based on the PreRating generator associated with the service being used, based on the conditions that are valid during runtime. The order in which each profile is selected by the PreRating generator is based on the PreRating generator decision tables.
Note: The call out actions listed in a PreRating profile can be performed in any order. Data modify actions in the profile are performed before the call out actions, and in list order.

Pre-rating queries, performed during call out processing in response to TCAP or Diameter messages for which additional information is required, are used to retrieve subscriber information, such as number portability data or subscriber location, from an external platform. For information about call out processing, see the discussions about MAP call outs and LDAP call outs in MATRIXX Call Control Framework Integration.

Pricing administrators configure PreRating settings in a service type definition in My MATRIXX.

In addition, if you use MtxChrgMsgWorkspace in your PreRating generator, remember that workspaces are unable to pass information between pre-rating and rating. For more information, see the discussion about message workspaces in MATRIXX Pricing and Rating.