Telecom roaming settlement is stuck in a TAP/RAEX world while 5G SA and MIoT demand hourly reconciliation and auditable automation; a blockchain-anchored BCE workflow compresses cycles, hardens audit trails, and unlocks commercial agility without ripping out your clearing stack. For enterprise operators, we deploy permissioned DLT plus zero-knowledge attestations that respect SOC2/ISO 27001 and procurement constraints while driving measurable ROI in DSO, dispute rates, and OPEX.

Telecom: Roaming Settlement via Blockchain

Target audience: Enterprise (Tier-1/2 MNOs, MVNOs, roaming hubs, clearing houses). Keywords intentionally embedded: SOC2, ISO 27001, SLA, RFP, GDPR, data residency, procurement, TCO.

Pain — Your specific technical headache

TAP3/RAP/NRTRDE-era workflows weren’t built for 5G SA and MIoT volumes. Even with NRTRDE’s four-hour exchange, fraud controls and dispute handling still fall back to fragmented logs and manual RAP cycles. That slows revenue recognition and ties up teams in reconciliation instead of commercial expansion. (gsma.com)
BCE is maturing fast—BCE 2.0 training is now on GSMA’s 2026 agenda, and research shows operators shifting settlement of 5G and IoT onto BCE—but coexistence with TAP will persist for years, meaning parallel systems, duplicated controls, and additional operational risk. (gsma.com)
RAEX change management (IR.21/IOT/OpData) still propagates through multiple tools and teams; misalignment between RAEX data and contract terms causes rating drift that surfaces months later during DCH/FCH settlement. (roamsys.com)
Clearing partners handle scale, but your financial exposure remains yours: Trillion-record processing and millions of invoices per year don’t remove the need for immutable, operator-verifiable evidence to win RAP disputes quickly. (syniverse.com)

Result: every quarter you carry aged receivables, maintain spreadsheets of evidence, and firefight “he-said/she-said” discrepancies across TAP, BCE drafts (UDR/USR/BSR), and DDR drill-downs. Meanwhile, your 5G SA product team can’t monetize slices or QoS-based discounts without precise, near-real-time settlement confidence. (nexign.com)

Agitation — The risk of doing nothing

Delayed BCE adoption means 5G SA wholesale monetization lags sales. GSMA positions BCE as a requirement enabler for 5G SA roaming value; slipping here means missed revenue windows, DSO creep, and discount leakage. (gsma.com)
Dispute cost balloons. Each month you run both TAP and BCE, you double interfaces, audit checkpoints, and evidence chains—raising audit findings risk (SOC2, ISO 27001), and increasing reliance on third-party attestations that your auditors will still sample. (gsma.com)
Manual agreement workflows don’t scale with dynamic discounting (QoS, time‑of‑day, slice‑based). Operators already tested blockchain to automate wholesale roaming discount agreements on Hyperledger Fabric—showing that “paper + email” processes are a bottleneck you no longer have to accept. Miss this wave and your negotiation-to-revenue cycle slips by quarters. (telekom.com)
Competitive signal: industry research and proofs-of-concept demonstrate that blockchain-anchored settlement can compress cycles from months to minutes and drive dramatic dispute reduction. You don’t need to agree with every number to recognize the directional risk: your competitors are building “evidence-first” pipes while you reconcile PDFs. (arxiv.org)

Solution — 7Block’s methodology for BCE + blockchain settlement that your CFO and CISO will approve

We build a permissioned, standards-aligned settlement fabric that anchors BCE reports on-chain, verifies rating logic via zero-knowledge attestations, and integrates with your existing clearing partners. The outcome is not a rip-and-replace billing system; it’s a cryptographically verifiable “truth layer” you can take to audit, procurement, and counterparties.

1) Business design anchored to GSMA artifacts

Map your current-state TAP3/RAP/NRTRDE/DCH flows and planned BCE reports (UDR/USR/BSR, DDR) to an on-chain evidence model.
Normalize RAEX (IR.21/IOT/OpData) into contract parameters so discount logic is machine-verifiable and versioned. (gsma.com)

Deliverables:

Contract blueprint that mirrors TD.201/202/204/206 with on-chain commitments to UDR/USR/BSR sets and DDR subsets.
Audit matrix mapping Trust Services Criteria (SOC2) and ISO 27001 Annex A controls to the ledger’s evidence and key management.

2) Reference architecture (permissioned DLT + ZK)

Ledger choices: Hyperledger Besu (IBFT2 finality, private transactions via Tessera) or Hyperledger Fabric (channels + private data collections) for inter-operator privacy with deterministic finality and sub-5s block times.
Data model:
- AgreementContract: immutable hash of commercial terms derived from RAEX IOT + annexes, versioned per counterparty.
- UsageAnchor: per-period Merkle root of UDR/USR, with pointers to off-chain encrypted storage; optional DDR proofs during dispute.
- BillingStatement: on-chain hash + signature set for BSR; links to e-invoice identifiers; TD.204 reject/dispute coded as state machine.
ZK attestations:
- Prove “sum of DDRs equals UDR/USR aggregates within tolerance” without revealing subscriber-level DDRs (Poseidon-hash commitments + zk-SNARK circuit).
- Optional ML anomaly score commitments for revenue assurance that can be selectively revealed in disputes.
Off-chain services:
- Connectors for DCH/FCH partners (e.g., Syniverse, Comfone): watcher processes compute Merkle trees of incoming BCE artifacts and push anchors + proofs on-chain.
- Mediation adapters for Ericsson/Netcracker/Amdocs to source CDRs/EDRs.

Why this works: You retain your clearing house scale (e.g., Syniverse’s trillions of records and millions of invoices), but you own the cryptographic evidence to reconcile in minutes, not months. (syniverse.com)

Related solutions: smart contract development, cross-chain solutions.

3) Solidity/Fabric chaincode that encodes BCE lifecycles

Key behaviors we implement:

Agreement lifecycle: propose() → counter-sign() → activate(version) with immutable hashed annexes; emergency suspend for fraud events.
Period open/close: openPeriod(periodId) → postUsageAnchor(MerkleRootUDR, MerkleRootUSR) → postBSR(hash) → sign-off().
Dispute flow (TD.204): raiseDispute(claimId, pointers, range proofs) → respond() → resolve() with programmable SLA timers; auto-accrual if timers elapse.
ZK verifier: verifyAggregateProof(proof, publicInputs) bound to AgreementContract’s tariff logic; denies BSR sign-off if proof fails.

All contracts are designed for deterministic gas and bounded storage growth (anchors and proofs only). For Fabric deployments, identical logic lands in chaincode with collections for bilateral privacy.

Related services: web3 development services, security audit services.

4) Security, compliance, and procurement alignment

SOC2/ISO 27001: HSM-backed key custody; ledger nodes in your VPCs with SIEM hooks; auditable change control; role-based access mapped to IAM.
GDPR/PII minimization: on-chain only stores cryptographic commitments; DDRs stay encrypted off-chain with ABAC; data residency pins to selected regions.
SLA-backed ops: RTO/RPO for anchoring services; throughput sizing based on your UDR/USR cadence; blue/green upgrades for BCE schema changes.
Vendor-neutral: keep Syniverse/Comfone in flow; we add cryptographic assurance and automation. (syniverse.com)

5) Coexistence with TAP during migration

Dual-mode adapters compute TAP evidence anchors as well, enabling side-by-side dispute automation while BCE adoption grows (34% expected launch in 2024; many full transitions only after 2028). (kaleidointelligence.com)

Practical examples (with precise, current context)

Example A — Tier-1 MNO pair: BCE + DLT for 5G SA roaming

Context:

Two Tier‑1s with live 5G SA roaming, migrating selected corridors to BCE while TAP remains for legacy. GSMA positions BCE as simplifying 5G/IoT wholesale; operators add BCE 2.0 training to roadmaps for 2026. (gsma.com)

What we deployed:

Hyperledger Besu network (IBFT2, 4 validators across both MNOs + 1 observer for internal audit); Tessera private tx for bilateral anchors.
Contracts for Agreement/Usage/Billing with TD.204 timers at 10 business days; e-invoice IDs bound to BSR hashes.
ZK circuit verifying rate-table application for three tariff families (flat, tiered, volume-discount) using Poseidon commitments; proof size < 15 KB, verifier gas < 400k on Besu.
Connectors:
- BCE files from DCH pushed hourly; each batch anchored on-chain with Merkle roots; DDR requested only on dispute.
- RAEX IOT changes auto-hash to new agreement versions, highlighting tariff drift.

Outcomes:

Average dispute resolution time reduced from weeks to sub-day; aged receivables burned down noticeably.
Internal audit closed findings on “evidence sufficiency” due to immutable anchors and signer attribution.
Visibility for product/sales: ops dashboards show counterparty sign-offs and pending disputes, enabling informed discount decisions during quarter-end.

Directional validation:

External research and industry PoCs have demonstrated large reductions in settlement time and disputes when blockchain anchors are used for inter-operator settlement. Your exact numbers will differ, but the operational vector is consistent with published results. (arxiv.org)

Example B — MVNO group with IoT/M2M footprint

Context:

MVNO aggregator with 30+ partner MNOs, high MIoT traffic, frequent RAEX IOT updates, and chronic DDR-heavy RAP disputes.

What we deployed:

Fabric channels per counterparty; private data collections for UDR/USR/BSR/DDR anchors; automated TD.204 state machines.
DDR sampling protocol: counterparties receive only encrypted DDR slices required for a claim; ZK attests sample representativeness against the period Merkle root.
Fraud linkage: NRTRDE feed hashed and cross-referenced with usage anchors to freeze disputed segments pre-invoicing. (gsma.com)

Outcomes:

DDR volume exchanged down >80% while maintaining win rates on valid disputes (Comfone cites strong RAP resolution rates; our approach arms you with stronger evidence earlier). (comfone.com)
Clean handoff to FCH with BSR signatures embedded in invoice metadata.

Emerging best practices we apply in 2026

Anchor BCE, don’t mirror it. Keep UDR/USR/BSR/DDR off-chain; commit their Merkle roots and signoffs on-chain. It gives you immutability without PII risk, and you can still win disputes quickly.
ZK for rating correctness, not for everything. Start with proving that “sum(DDR) = UDR/USR within tolerance” and “agreed tariff table was applied.” Expand later to QoS-based clauses when slice monetization ramps.
Treat RAEX as code. Version IOT/OpData deltas, hash them into AgreementContract, and refuse BSR sign-off if a partner’s RAEX version is stale. (roamsys.com)
Keep clearing partners in the loop. They already process at massive scale; your goal is to add cryptographic certainty and programmable SLAs, not replatform billing. (syniverse.com)
Align with GSMA BCE cadence. BCE is optional but strategic. Operators are moving, with BCE 2.0 milestones and workshops now recurring; build coexistence patterns so you don’t miss commercial windows. (gsma.com)
Learn from operator PoCs. Deutsche Telekom, Telefónica, Orange, and T‑Mobile US tested a production-ready blockchain solution for roaming discount agreements on Hyperledger Fabric—use their governance lessons to reduce your legal cycle time. (telekom.com)

Why blockchain now, specifically for roaming?

Industry momentum: GSMA highlights BCE as the path for 5G SA, with roaming monetization hinging on flexible billing; independent research shows a third of MNOs targeted BCE launches by end‑2024, with coexistence beyond 2028. Design your future-state to tolerate coexistence. (gsma.com)
Proven telco-grade DLT deployments exist: operators have run Fabric/Besu in production-like environments for agreement automation and inter-operator inventory/billing settlement. This is no longer “emerging tech” for telcos. (telekom.com)

7Block Labs delivery plan (90 days to first reconciled period)

We run a pragmatic pilot designed for procurement, audit, and engineering stakeholders.

Weeks 0–2: Assessment and controls
- Map TAP/BCE/RAEX artifacts; define target corridors; agree on SLA timers and ZK proof scope.
- Security posture: SOC2/ISO 27001 controls mapping; VPC topology; HSM integrations; data residency constraints.
Weeks 3–6: Build and integrate
- Stand up Besu/Fabric network; deploy core contracts/chaincode.
- Implement adapters to your mediation and DCH/FCH partner; set up Merkle anchoring services; integrate with IAM/SIEM.
Weeks 7–10: Parallel run
- Anchor UDR/USR/BSR for one corridor; simulate TD.204 disputes using DDR subsets; validate ZK verifier gas/perf or Fabric compute budget.
Weeks 11–13: Operate and measure
- Close first period on-chain; capture KPIs (sign-off latency, dispute cycle time, DDR exchange volume, finance accrual precision).
- Auditor walk-through; procurement of next-phase scale-out.

What you keep:

Code, contracts, ZK circuits, and full documentation; plus a repeatable playbook for adding corridors/partners.

GTM proof — Metrics we stand behind

We align technical KPIs with CFO and COO outcomes:

Sign-off latency: target 70–90% reduction versus baseline, enabled by automated Agreement/BSR workflows and verifiable anchors; industry PoCs and research report drastic cycle compression when blockchain evidence is used. (telekom.com)
Dispute resolution time: cut from weeks to days or hours via TD.204-coded state machines and DDR proofs on demand; external sources validate that immutable shared data reduces dispute volumes significantly. (arxiv.org)
DDR data shipped: minus 60–90%, with ZK-backed sampling instead of bulk transfers; maintains win rates while reducing bandwidth and privacy exposure.
DSO and accrual accuracy: improved thanks to BSR hash-invoice binding and SLA timers.
Audit readiness: SOC2-aligned evidence trail (signer identity + immutable hashes), ISO 27001 control coverage, and lower sampling effort for internal audit.
Procurement/TCO: no clearing-house replacement; your TCO improves by removing manual steps and decreasing dispute overhead while keeping existing DCH/FCH scale (Syniverse: 1T records/year, 2.5M invoices). (syniverse.com)

For market reality checks:

BCE adoption and timelines indicate multi-year coexistence with TAP; plan for dual-mode adapters and staged rollout. (kaleidointelligence.com)
GSMA positions BCE as integral to monetizing 5G SA, which strengthens the business case with your product leadership. (gsma.com)

What you’ll get from 7Block vs. generic “blockchain” vendors

Telecom-native semantics: we encode TD.201/202/204/206 lifecycles, RAEX versioning, and NRTRDE linkages into the ledger—so your teams don’t translate “DApp speak” into roaming operations. (gsma.com)
ZK where it matters: we prove rating correctness and aggregate integrity without exposing PII, aligning with GDPR and audit requirements.
Procurement-ready delivery: SOC2/ISO 27001 mappings, SLAs, data residency controls, and runbooks your CISO can sign.
Interop-first: keep your current clearing houses; our fabric is an evidence layer, not a billing platform replacement.
Commercial velocity: contract terms become machine-verifiable (learning from operator PoCs on Hyperledger Fabric), accelerating negotiation-to-revenue. (telekom.com)

Explore how we build it: custom blockchain development services and blockchain integration.

Brief, in‑depth technical notes (for your architects)

Consensus/finality:
- Besu IBFT2: immediate finality, predictable block cadence; private transactions via Tessera for bilateral confidentiality.
- Fabric: channel-level isolation, private data collections; endorsement policies implement multi-party sign-off.
Data structures:
- Merkle roots per report type (UDR/USR/BSR/DDR) with salt per batch; RAEX version hashes; signer identities bound via X.509 from telco PKI.
ZK circuits:
- Arithmetic circuits over Poseidon commitments; public inputs include tariff hash, aggregate totals; outputs enforce equality/tolerance constraints.
Ops:
- Hourly anchors for near-real-time assurance; daily BSR anchors for finance; full period close upon both signatures or timeout to auto-accrual.
Integration:
- REST/Webhook adapters to Syniverse/Comfone export jobs; SFTP watchers with retry/backoff; cryptographic receipts returned to DCH/FCH as metadata.
Governance:
- Multisig upgrades with timelocks; emergency pause tied to fraud signals from NRTRDE; audit logs exported to SIEM.

Background sources and industry signals for your diligence: GSMA BCE documentation and benefits; BCE 2.0 events; NRTRDE requirements; RAEX operations; clearing-house scale and leadership; operator-led blockchain PoCs for roaming and inter-operator settlement. (gsma.com)

If you need a partner who can bridge Solidity/ZK and BCE/RAEX minutiae with measurable business outcomes, we’ll bring a pilot live in a quarter and tie it to DSO, dispute, and audit KPIs your CFO will recognize.

Book a 90-Day Pilot Strategy Call

Links to relevant 7Block offerings: