stomer care management management Service/resource Inventory Service/network Trouble management and management provisioning management operations Figure 19.3 Mapping of the support system process. data to the inventory system for allocation of appropriate resource. If some manual setup is required before starting the automated provisioning, then a work request a trouble ticket is created. Using the workforce module, the request is assigned to a technician for resolution. Once the setup is ready, the provisioning module initiates provisioning of service and the network. Once provisioned, the service is activated and the billing module is triggered to collect and work on the billing records. 19.8 Conclusion The overview presented in this chapter is just the foundation for the chapters that follow. The difference between OSS and BSS was discussed in the context of sup- port systems. The ambiguity associated with OSS as a complete support system including network management, against a support system for service management alone was also handled in this chapter. The shift from the popular TMN to eTOM was also handled. Support systems are a vast subject and once the reader gets the fundamentals from this book there are many support processes where the reader can specialize as a professional. Additional Reading 1. Kornel Terplan. OSS Essentials: Support System Solutions for Service Providers. New York: John Wiley & Sons, 2001. 2. Hu Hanrahan. Network Convergence: Services, Applications, Transport, and Operations Support. New York: John Wiley & Sons, 2007. 3. Kornel Terplan. Telecom Operations Management Solutions with NetExpert. Boca Raton, FL: CRC Press, 1998. Chapter 20 OSS/BSS Functions This chapter is intended to give the reader an understanding of the fulfillment, assurance, and billing support systems. The building blocks in each of these sup- port systems and the activities performed by the building blocks are explained in this chapter. There is fulfillment, assurance, and billing associated with both busi- ness 