Frequently Asked Questions

Every operator gets a completely isolated database environment. One operator's customers, invoices, network configurations, and billing data are structurally invisible to other operators on the platform. This isolation is enforced at the database level — not just application permissions — so even a software bug cannot cause data leakage between operators.

The platform is built on a modern open-source stack: Python backend, PostgreSQL database, Redis caching, and React frontends. It uses industry-standard protocols — NETCONF/YANG for network devices, RADIUS for authentication, and REST APIs throughout. No proprietary dependencies or vendor lock-in.

Yes. Each operator independently configures which payment and SMS providers they use. One operator might use MTN MoMo and Twilio, while another uses M-Pesa and Vonage. Operators can either use the platform's managed accounts (included in SaaS billing) or bring their own provider accounts. All configuration is done through the operator dashboard — no code changes required. See all available providers in the [Integration Catalog](/integrations).

The platform implements TMF632 (Party Management) for customer identity, TMF620 (Product Catalog) for service plans, TMF622 (Product Ordering) for subscriptions, TMF635 (Usage Management) for metering, TMF676 (Payment Management) for payments, and TMF678 (Customer Bill Management) for invoicing.

RADIUS is used by ISPs for data-only services — it authenticates subscribers and records usage after the session ends (offline charging). Diameter is used by MNOs/MVNOs for voice, data, and SMS — it authorizes usage in real time before and during the session (online charging). RADIUS tells you how much data was used after the fact. Diameter decides in real time whether a call can connect and terminates it when the balance runs out.

SIG-RATE supports flat-rate monthly, per-MB/per-minute metered, tiered plans with included allowance plus overage, prepaid balance deduction, and bundle rating (combined voice + data + SMS plans). Multi-currency is supported natively. Each plan in the SIG-PROV catalog defines which charging model applies.

For ISP prepaid (hotspot/WiFi), RADIUS accounting records are rated in near-real-time against the subscriber's prepaid balance. For mobile prepaid, the custom Rust OCS handles Diameter Gy (data) and Ro (voice) interfaces with sub-5ms latency. The OCS reserves credit in chunks, deducts as usage occurs, and terminates the session when the balance is exhausted.

SIG-BILL generates invoices from rated usage produced by SIG-RATE. Each invoice contains itemized line items: base plan charges, overage charges, add-ons (static IP, CPE rental), and applicable taxes. Invoices can be synced to external ERP systems via adapter integrations with Odoo, ERPNext, SAP, MYOB, and QuickBooks.

The platform runs on two servers: a frontend server (Nginx serving static React builds) and a backend server (FastAPI APIs, PostgreSQL 16, Redis 7). For production mobile core deployments, additional servers are needed for Open5GS, the Rust OCS, and Kamailio/FreeSWITCH.

Yes. The platform is designed for self-hosted deployment. The deploy script handles the full setup: databases, tables, admin user, vendor catalog, dependencies, builds, Nginx, and SSL. You provide the server (Ubuntu/Debian), clone the repo, configure the .env file, and run the script.

Signal Telecom Suite is a modular OSS/BSS platform built for telecom operators, ISPs, and MVNOs. It unifies network operations, business support, MVNO enablement, and carrier interconnect into a single deployable system. Operators license only the modules they need — from RADIUS management to SIM lifecycle to billing.

The platform is built for Tier 2/3 ISPs, regional broadband operators, WISPs, and emerging MVNOs — the operators that incumbent vendors like Amdocs, Netcracker, and Huawei ignore. It serves operators across East Africa, India, West and Southern Africa, North America, and Southeast Asia.

Three things. First, modular licensing — you license only what you need, not a monolithic suite. Second, deployment speed — weeks instead of 12-18 months. Third, vendor breadth — 32+ equipment vendors and 29+ carrier integrations out of the box, compared to the 3-5 vendors incumbents typically support. The platform costs a fraction of the $1M+ upfront that traditional vendors charge. See the full [Integration Catalog](/integrations).

The platform has five product lines: Signal OSS (network operations — device registry, NETCONF, CPE provisioning, RADIUS, discovery), Signal BSS (business operations — CRM, provisioning, mediation, rating, charging, billing, payments, collections, tax, support, pro-services, point of sale, prepaid passes, portals, dashboards), Signal MVNO (SIM lifecycle, HSS integration, CDR ingestion), Signal ICX (carrier interconnect), and Signal Core (workflow orchestration, AI services, audit, notifications, reporting).

Yes. Every module (SIG-NET, SIG-RAD, SIG-BILL, SIG-SIM, etc.) is independently licensable. A small WISP might license only SIG-CPE + SIG-RAD + SIG-BILL. An MVNO might start with SIG-SIM + SIG-HSS + SIG-ICX. The platform adapts to your deployment.

The platform supports 12 operator roles including Platform Admin (P0), Network Admin (P4), NOC Operator (P5), Provisioning Operator (P6), Finance/Billing (P7), Product Manager (P8), and Executive/CTO (P12). Each persona gets a tailored view through the portal.

The platform is built on open standards: NETCONF/YANG (RFC 6241/7950) for network configuration, RADIUS (RFC 2865/2866) for AAA, Diameter (RFC 6733) for mobile signaling, and TMF Open APIs (TMF632, TMF620, TMF622, TMF678) for BSS interoperability. There are no proprietary protocol extensions.

The platform includes ERP adapter integrations for Odoo (REST API, supported), ERPNext (REST API, supported), SAP (RFC/REST, planned), MYOB (REST API, planned), and QuickBooks (REST API, planned). These adapters sync invoices, payments, and customer records between the platform and your financial system.

Yes. The platform implements TMF632, TMF620, TMF622, TMF635, TMF676, and TMF678. These provide standards-based REST interfaces that third-party systems can use to integrate with the platform without depending on the native API.

Yes. SIG-RAD integrates with FreeRADIUS via the REST module callback pattern. FreeRADIUS remains the RADIUS server — it sends authentication and authorization requests to the platform via REST callbacks. The platform responds with accept/reject decisions and bandwidth policies.

Every charge traces back to a device measurement. CPE devices (MikroTik, Ubiquiti, Cambium) send RADIUS accounting records containing bytes transferred and session duration. SIG-RATE looks up the customer's plan, calculates usage against included allowances, applies overage rates if applicable, and SIG-BILL generates the invoice with itemized line items.

RADIUS (Remote Authentication Dial-In User Service) is the protocol that controls who can connect to your network and tracks how much they use. When a subscriber connects to WiFi or broadband, the NAS device sends an Access-Request to FreeRADIUS, which checks credentials and returns bandwidth policies. After the session ends, RADIUS Accounting records capture total bytes and duration for billing.

Data usage is captured via RADIUS accounting records from CPE devices. SIG-RATE supports multiple charging models: flat-rate monthly, per-MB metered, tiered plans with included allowance plus overage, and prepaid balance deduction. The charging model is configured per plan in the service catalog.

A captive portal is the WiFi login page that appears when a consumer connects to a hotspot. The platform includes a captive portal frontend that integrates with SIG-RAD for authentication and SIG-RATE for prepaid charging. Users can authenticate via voucher codes or mobile money top-up, and their session is tracked and billed in real time.

The platform supports CPE management for Cambium (cnMaestro API), MikroTik (RouterOS REST API v7+), Ubiquiti (UniFi Controller API), Grandstream (REST API), and TP-Link (Omada Controller API). SIG-CPE handles bandwidth shaping, VLAN assignment, firmware management, remote reboot, and status monitoring across all supported vendors.

An MVNO (Mobile Virtual Network Operator) is a mobile operator that does not own radio infrastructure. It leases radio access from a host MNO (like MTN, Airtel, or Safaricom) and runs its own subscriber management, billing, and charging. Signal Telecom Suite provides the complete software stack for MVNO operations.

SIG-SIM manages the full SIM lifecycle: Available, Assigned, Active, Suspended, Ported Out, and Deactivated. It handles bulk SIM import, ICCID/IMSI/MSISDN assignment, customer binding, SIM swap, and number porting. When a SIM is activated, SIG-SIM provisions the subscriber in the HSS and creates the OCS balance record.

CDRs (Call Detail Records) are the records generated by a host MNO's switches for every voice call, SMS, and data session. SIG-MED ingests CDRs via SFTP file pull, real-time Kafka streaming, or batch CSV/ASN.1 import. Each CDR is normalized, rated by SIG-RATE, and flows into SIG-BILL for invoicing.

The platform supports 32+ equipment vendors across backbone, CPE, and wireless. Backbone/core: Juniper, Cisco, Nokia, Huawei, Arista via NETCONF/YANG. CPE: Cambium, MikroTik, Ubiquiti, Grandstream, TP-Link, Calix, ADTRAN via REST APIs. Wireless: Baicells, Mimosa, Ceragon, Airspan. See all vendors with supported models in the [Integration Catalog](/integrations).

NETCONF (RFC 6241) is a protocol for configuring network devices over SSH (port 830). The platform uses NETCONF/YANG to push and pull configurations on backbone routers — interfaces, VLANs, BGP neighbors, QoS policies, firewall rules. It supports candidate config with commit, config diff, and rollback. SIG-NET dispatches the correct YANG models per vendor automatically.

When a Provisioning Operator (P6) creates a customer and assigns a plan, the platform chains six modules automatically: SIG-ID creates the customer record, SIG-PROV activates the subscription, SIG-RAD syncs the RADIUS profile, SIG-CPE configures the CPE device, SIG-NET configures the backbone interface, and SIG-BILL generates the invoice. What used to take 60 minutes across 6 systems now takes 2 minutes in one.

SIG-NTF supports SMS, email, webhook, and push notifications. Notifications are triggered by platform events — invoice generated, payment received, service activated, device alarm. Notification templates are configurable per tenant and per locale, with support for 9 languages through the i18n module.

The platform ships with 5 SMS providers: Twilio (global), Vonage/Nexmo (global), Infobip (global/enterprise), Africa's Talking (Africa), and a generic REST adapter for any provider with a JSON API. Each operator can use the platform's managed account or connect their own. See all providers in the [Integration Catalog](/integrations).

Yes. Each operator can use the platform's managed SMS account (included in SaaS billing) or connect their own SMS provider. The platform supports Twilio, Vonage, Infobip, Africa's Talking, and any provider with a REST API. Operators configure their preferred provider through the dashboard — no code changes needed.

When a payment is successfully recorded against an invoice, the payment router automatically sends an SMS receipt to the customer's phone number via SIG-NTF. The SMS body includes the invoice number, amount paid, and payment reference. The SMS is sent through the tenant's configured SMS provider (or the platform's if no tenant config exists).

The platform ships with 9 payment gateway adapters: MTN MoMo (East/West Africa), M-Pesa (Kenya/Tanzania), Airtel Money (East Africa), Flutterwave (pan-Africa), Stripe (global cards), PayPal (international), Razorpay (India), Bank Transfer (enterprise B2B), and Cash/Manual (POS). Each operator can use the platform's managed accounts or connect their own. See the full list in the [Integration Catalog](/integrations).

Yes. Each operator has two options per gateway: use Signal AI Labs' managed account (included in SaaS billing) or bring their own provider credentials. For example, an operator can use their own MTN MoMo merchant account for local payments while using the platform's Stripe account for international card payments. This is configurable per gateway through the operator dashboard.

The platform connects to MTN's MoMo API for both collecting payments from customers (via USSD push to their phone) and sending disbursements. When a customer pays an invoice, they receive a prompt on their phone to approve the payment with their MoMo PIN. The platform tracks the payment through its lifecycle and automatically marks the invoice as paid when confirmed.

Card payments are processed through Stripe. When a customer pays online, the platform creates a payment intent and handles the full lifecycle — authorization, capture, and settlement. Operators can use the platform's Stripe account or connect their own. Stripe supports Visa, Mastercard, and local payment methods in 135+ currencies.

Operator data is isolated at multiple levels. Each operator gets a structurally separate database environment — queries from one operator can never access another operator's data. This protection is enforced at the database engine level, not just application permissions. All API communication uses HTTPS encryption. The platform undergoes regular security reviews.

Yes. SIG-DEV encrypts all device credentials at rest using Fernet symmetric encryption. Credentials are never exposed in API responses — they are decrypted only when the platform needs to connect to a device via NETCONF, SNMP, or REST API.

Yes. All payment and SMS provider credentials are encrypted at rest and never exposed in full through the interface — only the last 4 characters are shown for identification. All communication with payment providers uses HTTPS. Credentials are stored securely on the server, never in source code or client-side applications.