As service providers scramble to compete in a volatile market where service demands and overheads are going up and prices are coming down, revenue assurance (RA) has become a business imperative.

Revenue Leakage is found in each link of the revenue lifecycle: from product design through customer care, up to billing. A single error at any point in the revenue chain will travel downstream, resulting in revenue loss. Analysts estimate that between 2% to 8% of the overall Telco operators' revenues – around $22B-$91B according to the Yankee Group estimates - are being lost on an annual basis. These analysts predict that by 2007 most Telco operators will implement a RA program.

New regulations such as Sarbanes Oxley and local billing regulations drive the need for auditing of all client invoices to protect the vendor and its clients from the risks involved in making billing errors. The number of class-action suits filed against providers for overcharging has risen dramatically over the past several years. This serious legal liability affects provider profitability and contributes to customer churn.

To meet these RA challenges, ESI has introduced ExpeRA - a powerful Billing Verification tool, and an invaluable addition to revenue assurance programs.