Portal Software Teams with SAP to Deliver Unprecedented Financial Control to Communications Service Providers

Portal Software, Inc., the premier global provider of billing and Revenue Management solutions for telecommunications and media markets, today announced immediate availability of an integrated financial solution that combines Portal 7 Revenue Management with Revenue Management and contract accounting functionality from SAP’s leading solution for the telecommunications industry, SAP® for Telecommunications. The combined solution has been designed to give greater financial control to communications service providers, which will allow them to maximize their revenue streams and quickly react to changing market conditions and customer requirements. The announcement furthers an existing relationship between the companies (see the related press release titled, “Portal Software and SAP Team to Deliver Revenue Management Solution to the Telecommunications Industry,” available at: http://www.sap.com/Company/Press/Press.epx?PressID=2174&Query=Portal%20Software).

“The combined Portal and SAP integration will enable WorldSpace to optimize its business processes and gain complete visibility across all financial and accounting functions,” said Mike Berkely, CIO of WorldSpace. “As a result, we will be able to provide our customers with the best possible service while closely managing associated costs and revenues. We were impressed with the level of collaboration between the companies.”

The new solution has received “Powered by SAP NetWeaver®” certification, which enables seamless integration of key revenue, rating, and billing capabilities of Portal 7 with the collections and accounting functionality of SAP for Telecommunications.

“Consumer adoption of converged services has been both a great opportunity and a great challenge for service providers,” said Bhaskar Gorti, senior vice president of global sales, marketing, and alliances for Portal Software. “While the proliferation of these services provides countless revenue opportunities, it is only through tight financial control that providers can reap the benefits. Portal and SAP have delivered an integrated financial solution which will help service providers maximize their revenue streams and better navigate this market.”

By integrating critical financial processes that impact a service provider’s financial reporting, the solution should improve financial control and visibility into credit limit management, accounts receivable management, collections management, billing, payment processing, and accounting. Service providers should benefit from:

• Improved financial control
  • Reduced revenue leakage through improved visibility into customer revenue relationships and tight credit limit management

  • Reduced days sales outstanding (DSO) via efficient management of collections and dispute processes

  • Consolidated general ledger which simplifies and increases accuracy of financial reporting
• Improved customer service
  • Quicker response to customer inquiries through real-time invoice retrieval

  • More flexibility with additional payment options and payment plans

  • Customer-centric view of Revenue Management and collection processes
• Reduced total cost of ownership (TCO)
  • Pre-delivered integration between the two solutions significantly reduces implementation time and a service provider’s ongoing infrastructure costs

“The financial complexities of the telecommunications industry have created a challenge for service providers to maintain solid control of their revenues,” said Harald Hinderer, VP and head of the industry business unit for telecommunications and media, SAP AG. “Revenue leakage caused by numerous factors, such as unbilled services, uncollected revenue, and a lack of visibility into financial systems, has resulted in losses of billions of dollars and issues in complying with Sarbanes-Oxley and similar legislation for the industry as a whole. Our integrated solution will address these issues and provide a great overall fit for our joint customers.”