CRX

From CDGWiki

CRX – CDMA Packet Data Roaming Exchange

A provider that facilitates packet data roaming by supplying various interconnection services between packet data roaming partners. Rather than establishing and maintaining direct connections with every packet data roaming partner, an operator may connect to a CRX which acts as an intermediary between that operator and one or more of that operator’s packet data roaming partners. CRXs typically offer a range of services that may include:

• IP network interconnection (via Xd interface to the CRX)
• Authentication, Authorization, and Accounting (via Xa interface to the CRX)
• RADIUS-based billing, clearing, and financial net settlement (via Xi interface to the CRX)

Which set of services an operator chooses to utilize from a CRX is a tradeoff between the simplicity of offloading roaming complexities to the CRX and the cost of these services from the CRX, which are typically usage-based (i.e., higher roaming traffic with a partner results in higher charges owed to the CRX). CRXs in packet data roaming are similar to RSPs in voice roaming. Popular CRXs include Syniverse Technologies (http://www.syniverse.com), Verisign (http://www.verisign.com), and Aicent (http://www.aicent.com).

The role of CRXs in packet data roaming is described in CDG Reference Document #122.

For information and guidelines on CRXs, see CDG Reference Document #94.