Besides deploying the Mobile Location Centre (MLC) locally inside the mobile operator network, Mobile Arts can also provide the MLC as a fully hosted and managed service (Software as a Service). Besides reducing CAPEX and OPEX costs, this also facilitates very rapid deployment of the MLC.
Our Hosted MLC System (that provides the MLC as a Service) connects to our customers’ core and radio networks in two ways:
Via a Secure Remote Internet Connection (VPN)
For GSM/UMTS, the VPN connection carries the SS7 SIGRAN signalling between the Hosted MLC System and the remote network’s SS7 Signalling Transfer Points (STPs). For LTE, the VPN connection carries the Diameter/SCTP signalling between the Hosted MLC System and the remote network’s Diameter Relay Agents (DRAs) or the LTE network nodes.
Via the Global SS7 Network
Mobile Arts holds a mobile network license in Sweden (MNC 240-33). We don’t have a mobile network, nor provide any mobile end-user services in Sweden, but use the license to connect our Hosted MLC system to the global SS7 network via our partner and international SS7 carrier Comfone (based in Switzerland). Via Comfone, who can relay the signalling via other international SS7 carriers when needed, our MLC System thus can easily interwork with the remote network using legacy global SS7 SCCP routing mechanisms.