
Charging data records (CDRs) are a crucial part of any telecommunication system. CDRs are generated every time a customer makes a call, sends a text message, or uses data services.
A CDR typically includes information such as the caller's phone number, the called party's phone number, the call duration, and the amount of data used. This data is essential for billing and revenue management purposes.
CDRs can be used to identify trends in customer behavior, such as peak usage hours or popular destinations. This information can be used to optimize network performance and improve customer experience.
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What is a CDR
A CDR, or Charging Data Record, is a detailed record of a subscriber's call activity. It's a crucial tool for telecom operators to manage their services and billing.
The CDR contains a wealth of information, including the Calling Party Number (CPN), which is the phone number of the subscriber who initiated the call. This field is essential for identifying the caller.
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The CDR also includes the Called Party Number (CDN), which is the phone number of the subscriber who received the call. This field helps telecom operators understand the call flow and pattern.
The start and end times of the call are also recorded in the CDR. These timestamps provide valuable insights into the call duration and timing.
The duration of the call is another critical piece of information in the CDR. This field specifies the length of time the call was active, measured in seconds.
Here are some of the key fields found in a CDR:
- Calling Party Number (CPN)
- Called Party Number (CDN)
- Start Time
- End Time
- Duration
- Location
CDR Usage and Challenges
CDRs play a critical role in telecom billing systems, generating bills for subscribers based on usage data. They're also used for customer care purposes, allowing customer care executives to investigate issues and resolve them.
A single base station can generate thousands of CDRs per hour, and a large operator with millions of subscribers can generate millions of CDRs per day. This massive volume of data presents challenges in terms of storage, processing, and analysis.
CDR accuracy is another challenge, as errors can occur during data collection, leading to incorrect billing and customer dissatisfaction.
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Usage of
CDRs play a critical role in the billing systems of telecom operators. They are used to generate bills for subscribers based on their usage data.
CDRs are also used for customer care purposes. A customer care executive can use CDR data to investigate issues and resolve them. For example, if a subscriber complains of poor network coverage, the executive can check the CDR data to see if the subscriber was in an area with poor coverage at the time of the call.
CDRs are used to analyze usage patterns and optimize network infrastructure. Telecom operators can deploy additional resources to areas with high traffic to improve network quality.
CDRs can be used for charging purposes, including online and offline charging. They can be converted into Diameter format for offline charging using the CDR to Diameter module.
The following table illustrates how CDRs are used for charging:
CDRs are created based on the presence of a CUI setting in the configuration. The CUI is a string of characters that identifies the telephone number that should pay for the call being made. It can be set on a telephone user, but defaults to ddi, exten, or name if not set.
Challenges
The sheer volume of CDRs generated by mobile networks is staggering, with a single base station producing thousands per hour and a large operator generating millions per day.
This massive data volume presents significant challenges in terms of storage, processing, and analysis.
CDRs can be prone to errors, which can lead to incorrect billing and customer dissatisfaction.
A single error can occur during the data collection process, resulting in a CDR being generated for a call that was not actually connected or with an inaccurate call duration.
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Billing Gateways
Billing gateways play a crucial role in the real-time settlement of prepaid accounts using CDR-based charging. They retrieve CDRs in real-time through an external JMS-based charging listener.
The billing gateway handles rating, rating management, billing information storage, and prepaid accounts settlement. This method can also be used to support postpaid services.
Integration through a billing gateway involves the billing gateway retrieving CDRs in real-time. This flow is shown in Figure 7-1.
The use of a billing gateway can be seen in Figure 7-1, which illustrates the billing integration through a billing gateway.
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CDR Management
CDR Management is a critical aspect of the telecommunications industry. CDRs (Call Detail Records) capture essential information about telephonic calls, including call time, duration, source and destination numbers, and call completion status.
CDRs can be used for revenue generation, supporting law enforcement investigations, and optimizing operational efficiency. They contain vital call details such as call time, duration, source and destination numbers, call completion status, usage details, and billing information.
A CDR typically includes fields such as Calling Party Number, Called Party Number, Start Time, End Time, Duration, Call Type, Location, Service Provider ID, and IMEI Number. These fields provide a comprehensive view of each call, enabling service providers to manage their networks efficiently.
Here are some key CDR fields:
- Calling Party Number (CPN): Phone number of the subscriber who initiated the call or sent the message.
- Called Party Number (CDN): Phone number of the subscriber who received the call or message.
- Start Time: Timestamp when the call or message was initiated.
- End Time: Timestamp when the call or message ended.
- Duration: Duration of the call in seconds.
- Call Type: Type of call, whether it was a voice call, SMS, MMS, or data usage.
- Location: Location of the subscriber when the call or message was initiated.
- Service Provider ID: Identification number of the telecom operator providing the service.
- IMEI Number: Unique identification number of the mobile device used by the subscriber.
CDR Fields
CDR fields are the backbone of call detail records, providing essential information about telephonic calls. They contain details such as call time, duration, source and destination numbers, and call completion status.
The Calling Party Number (CPN) field contains the phone number of the subscriber who initiated the call. The Called Party Number (CDN) field contains the phone number of the subscriber who received the call. The Start Time field contains the timestamp when the call was initiated, while the End Time field contains the timestamp when the call ended.
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The Duration field contains the duration of the call in seconds. The Call Type field specifies the type of call, whether it was a voice call, SMS, MMS, or data usage. The Location field contains the location of the subscriber when the call was initiated. The Service Provider ID field contains the identification number of the telecom operator providing the service.
Here are the CDR fields in a concise list:
- Calling Party Number (CPN)
- Called Party Number (CDN)
- Start Time
- End Time
- Duration
- Call Type
- Location
- Service Provider ID
These fields are crucial for revenue generation, law enforcement investigations, and call billing. They help service providers understand their customers' call patterns and usage.
Streamlining Call Detail Record Management
Call Detail Records (CDRs) are detailed records that capture essential information about telephonic calls passing through telephone exchanges or other telecommunications equipment.
CDRs include vital call details such as call time, call duration, source and destination numbers, call completion status, usage details, billing information, and more.
These records serve multiple purposes, including revenue generation for service providers and supporting law enforcement investigations when necessary.
CDRs can be customized to fit the requirements of external billing systems, both in terms of format and behavior.
Services Gatekeeper supports integration with Billing and Revenue management (BRM), but can be used with any system that supports Diameter.
Here are some key fields that are typically included in a CDR:
- Calling Party Number (CPN): the phone number of the subscriber who initiated the call or sent the message
- Called Party Number (CDN): the phone number of the subscriber who received the call or message
- Start Time: the timestamp when the call or message was initiated
- End Time: the timestamp when the call or message ended
- Duration: the duration of the call in seconds
- Call Type: the type of call, whether it was a voice call, SMS, MMS, or data usage
- Location: the location of the subscriber when the call or message was initiated
- Service Provider ID: the identification number of the telecom operator providing the service
- IMEI Number: the unique identification number of the mobile device used by the subscriber
Accurate and reliable CDRs are crucial for supporting revenue assurance and compliance.
CDR Processing and Storage
CDR solutions provide secure and scalable storage for vast volumes of call detail records. This ensures data integrity and efficient retrieval mechanisms to access CDRs quickly when needed.
The fields in a CDR contain valuable information, including the Calling Party Number, Called Party Number, and Start Time. These fields help identify the parties involved in a call and when it took place.
CDRs can include various call types, such as voice calls, SMS, MMS, or data usage, which can be specified in the Call Type field. This field helps determine the type of service used during the call.
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Some CDRs may also include the location of the subscriber when the call was initiated, which can be useful for certain applications. The Location field contains this information.
The following table summarizes the main fields in a CDR:
CDR solutions often include additional information, such as the Service Provider ID and IMEI Number. The Service Provider ID contains the identification number of the telecom operator providing the service, while the IMEI Number contains the unique identification number of the mobile device used by the subscriber.
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CDR Compliance and Security
CDR solutions must adhere to strict privacy standards to ensure the confidentiality and integrity of sensitive call detail records.
Our CDR solutions prioritize data security and comply with industry regulations, just like Telgoo5's approach mentioned in Example 2.
To maintain compliance, telecom service providers must consider the location of subscribers, as this field contains the location of the subscriber when the call or message was initiated.
Here is a list of key CDR fields that contribute to compliance and security:
Compliance and Security
Compliance and security are top priorities in CDR management. Telgoo5 prioritizes data security and compliance with industry regulations, adhering to strict privacy standards.
We take data protection measures seriously to ensure the confidentiality and integrity of sensitive call detail records. Our CDR solutions provide robust data protection.
CDRs are detailed records that capture essential information about telephonic calls, including vital call details such as call time, call duration, source and destination numbers, and call completion status. These records serve multiple purposes, including revenue generation for service providers and supporting law enforcement investigations.
Our CDR solutions are designed to meet industry regulations, ensuring compliance and security in CDR management. This helps service providers avoid potential risks and penalties associated with non-compliance.
By prioritizing compliance and security, Telgoo5 helps service providers protect their customers' sensitive information and maintain a positive reputation.
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Data Accuracy and Integrity
Accurate and reliable Call Detail Records (CDRs) are crucial for revenue assurance and compliance.
Our solutions are designed to capture, store, and maintain CDRs with utmost accuracy.
The integrity of CDR data is maintained throughout its lifecycle, ensuring that it remains reliable and trustworthy.
This attention to detail is essential for businesses that rely on CDRs to make informed decisions and stay compliant with regulations.
By prioritizing data accuracy and integrity, our solutions help minimize the risk of errors and inaccuracies that can lead to financial losses and reputational damage.
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Scalability and Performance
As your business grows, our CDR solutions scale effortlessly to handle increasing call volumes and evolving requirements. Our robust infrastructure and architecture ensure optimal performance and reliability, even during peak traffic periods.
We've seen firsthand how our CDR solutions can handle a high volume of calls without breaking a sweat. This means you can trust that your business will be up and running smoothly, no matter how busy things get.
Our CDR solutions are designed to adapt to your changing needs, so you can focus on what matters most – growing your business.
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CDR Mediation
CDR Mediation plays a crucial role in telecom billing processes. It ensures accurate billing by transforming and validating CDRs.
At Telgoo5, CDR mediation is a vital part of their comprehensive suite of services, streamlining telecom billing processes and empowering telecom operators to optimize their billing operations.
Accurate data collection, validation, unification, and normalization are key aspects of CDR mediation, delivering accurate and transparent billing to customers.
Key Functions of Mediation
Mediation is the first step in the CDR process, and it's crucial for accurate billing. It involves transforming and validating CDRs to ensure they're in the correct format.
The processed CDRs are then seamlessly transferred to the rating engine for charge calculation. This ensures accurate billing is performed based on the transformed and validated CDRs.
Telgoo5 specializes in streamlining telecom billing processes, and CDR mediation is a vital part of their comprehensive suite of services. They empower telecom operators to optimize their billing operations and deliver accurate and transparent billing to their customers.

CDRs play a critical role in billing systems, and they're used for more than just billing. They're also used for customer care and network optimization purposes.
The billing system calculates charges based on the usage data provided by CDRs. This data is collected by the operator's billing system and processed to generate bills for subscribers.
Using Diameter
Using Diameter is a viable option for online and offline charging. Services Gatekeeper specifically supports using the Diameter protocol for online (Ro) charging.
You can use the Parlay X 3.0 Payment communications services for online charging with Diameter. This integration enables efficient and secure online transactions.
Offline charging can be integrated using the CDR to Diameter module. This module converts CDRs generated by Services Gatekeeper into the correct format for Diameter charging requests.
The CDR to Diameter module then sends these requests to an Offline Diameter server. This streamlined process ensures seamless offline charging operations.
Diameter protocol is specifically supported for online and offline charging by Services Gatekeeper.
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CDR Solutions and Benefits
CDR solutions can provide valuable insights into your business's communication habits. This information can be extracted from Call Detail Records (CDRs), which contain a wealth of data about each call or message.
The CDR fields include Calling Party Number (CPN) and Called Party Number (CDN), which reveal the phone numbers of the subscribers involved in each interaction. This can help you understand who is communicating with whom and when.
The Start Time and End Time fields in CDRs track the timestamp of each call or message, allowing you to see when interactions took place. This is useful for analyzing communication patterns and identifying trends.
CDRs also contain the Duration field, which records the length of each call in seconds. This can help you identify long or short conversations, providing insight into communication styles.
Call Type is another important field in CDRs, specifying whether a call was a voice call, SMS, MMS, or data usage. This information can help you understand how customers are using your services.
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Our CDR solutions can benefit your business by providing detailed information about your customers' communication habits. This can be used to improve customer service, optimize communication channels, and make data-driven decisions.
Here is a summary of the CDR fields that our solutions include:
- Calling Party Number (CPN)
- Called Party Number (CDN)
- Start Time
- End Time
- Duration
- Call Type
- Location
- Service Provider ID
- IMEI Number
Why Choose Trust Telgoo5
At Telgoo5, we specialize in streamlining telecom billing processes, and CDR mediation is a vital part of our comprehensive suite of services. By ensuring accurate data collection, validation, unification, and normalization, we empower telecom operators to optimize their billing operations and deliver accurate and transparent billing to their customers.
Industry-leading technology tailored to your specific needs and requirements is what sets Telgoo5 apart.
We experience the benefits of efficient CDR mediation with Telgoo5, which includes optimizing billing operations and delivering accurate and transparent billing to customers.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does data charging mean?
Data charging refers to the fees charged for accessing the internet on your mobile phone, typically based on your monthly data usage. This can vary depending on the type of content you access, such as streaming video or music.
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