CHAPTER ONE

1.0     INTRODUCTION

          Computer has proved his uniqueness in different words of life. It provides and in different ways which reduces complexity and generates maximum output. This made possible through the unique features of computer system in the area of speeds information storage and retrieval automatic processing and adequate reports. Communication is the most important of act of economy in the society. It provides adequate communication causes great placed havoc in the society. The nature of communication determines the mode of transmission.

          Communication through the telephone system is one of the fastest and most reliable modes of message transmission. Through telephone system information can be conveyed quickly and adequately.  Information gets to the destination immediately and the sender receives feed back at the same time.

          Information storage and retrieval is also achieved through the telephone system.  Information can be stored in the absence of the receives. The receiver can also retrieve this information at any time.

          Acquiring the phone is by subscription. Individuals or groups that which to acquire phone always subscribe through the organization in charge. Information about every subscriber is taken and stored for reference purpose. Phone subscribe pay bills according to call made.

          The most speed at which the universe is being tuned into a global world is attributed to the sophistication in the telecommunication industry. These radicals changes have been possible by the invention of digital technology in electronics and telecommunication analogue. This means that the signals being handled, processed or transmitted are presented by voltages whose amplitude and frequency vary continuously with time.

          Consequently, in the telephone system, the transmitted signals are direct representation of the speech waveforms. This did not provide the easy and continuous flow of sound wave in the system.

          This project is aimed at developing a system that will help in the billing section of NITEL (Nigeria telecommunication Enugu) to enable serve its customers effectively, bill them accurately and also give customers details of how they are being billed.

1.1     STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

          The quest for a more sophisticated and effective system that can handle the telephone bills of the customers in telecommunication companies has led the researchers to the designing and development of software to handle the telephone billing system of customers in NITEL Enugu. Most times, many telephone subscribes to complain of excessive billing and this ahs often been traced to the carelessness or otherwise on the part of the staff that prepare the bills. The carelessness of staff that results. In the delay and stoppage of updating the customer’s bill account is another factor. Also, lack of working materials e.g carbon sheets and stationeries and also laziness in the repairs of faulty machines is often complained about.

1.2     PURPOSE OF STUDY

          The purpose to which this research work is being carried out is to identify the problems that are encountered in the manual telephone. System and to design and implement a web based telephone billing system for effectiveness and to ease the problems facing the manual system other purpose of this project work is to ensure accuracy in the daily operations or activities.

          Again, files and other documents are protected from unauthorized users and environmental hazards.

1.3     AIMS AND OBJECTIVES

          The objectives of the study critically look into the existing billing system with a view of locating any loophole and subsequently design a system that integrate the existing one and which should be suitable for use in the NITEL, Enugu. The new system, will be able to take care of the most of the problems experienced with the system already in place.

          Many telephone subscribes have been complaining of excessive billing and this has been traced to the carelessness of the part of the staff who prepares these bills. Bills are prepared monthly but dispatched quarterly. Also subscribes whose telephone lines are not in use for sometime, receive huge bills. So, in carrying out this work, the researchers have realized the need to arrest this ugly trend and its effect in NITEL Enugu.

          The researchers have also realized that by designing a new system, the old one should be carefully analyzed in order to detect sources of these errors and arrive at system that takes care of anomalies and give customers the best possible values of their money within the preparing cost constraints. This will also help in projecting the image and improve revenue base since cases of fraud among staff will be minimized.

1.4     SCOPE

          The system is intended to take care of every aspect that relates to the control and operation of the telephone billing for NITEL. The web page would contain the following data; the subscribers name, address, telephone number, date of bill, access charge, number of dials/unit used, cost per unit, description, cast and the data of miscellaneous serious used, his total discharge and total payment tax.

1.5     LIMITATIONS

          There are a number of factors which compelled the researchers to limit their studies to NITEL, Enugu amidst numerous communication companies.

          These factors include the following

1. Lack of finance to transport to the case study and library.
2. Unwillingness of the staff in the Nigerian Telecommunication (NITEL) Enugu to give researchers enough information.
3. Lack of sophisticated telecommunication books.
4. Lack of time due to the short semester and moreover awaits us for research and rehearse as regards to our examinations.

Furthermore, the same constraints made the researchers to develop web based program for the enhancement of the intended new system.

1.6     ASSUMPTION

          The researchers made following assumptions:

1. We assume that the staff in the billing or account department of NITEL, Enugu for which the program is basically designed are computer literate and therefore could conveniently operate the system when implemented.
2. We assume that management will give the new system the support and supervision it desires to enable it perform effectively and efficiently.
3. Finally, an assumption is made that at the  end of this research work, that the cumbersome tack of retrieving the updating records in packs of books would be eliminate and easy process of retrieving, updating and searching for the bills as its effects, NITEL, Enugu would be adequately taken care of.

1.7     DEFINITION OF TERMS   

BILLING:  Make a list of services rendered with price charged.

TELEPHONE:    Apparatus for transmitting sound (speech) to a distance especially by using optical or electrical signals.

TELEGRAPH:   Device or system for transmitting messages or signals to a distance, especially by making and breaking electrical connection.

TRUNK CALLS: These are calls made outside the vicinity.

TOSS:        This is a case in which a telephone line is put of use.

JAPING:    This is an illegal use of telephone line.

BILLS:       These are charges made to subscribers for using the telephone lines.

DESIGN:   This is preliminary plan or sketching for constructing figures that should represent a real event or action.

FILE:         A file is made up of one or more records with each record having the same field name arranged in the same order as the rest such that the entire file looks like columns of tabular information.

SOFTWARE:  System and application programs which control the performance of the computer.

INFORMATION: This is meaningfully processed data that can gain knowledge for the purpose of making decision.

INPUT:      It is the raw data; raw materials paper work, processed computer files, semi products which are used to make the output.

OUTPUT:  It is end product of the area understudy.

USER:        The personnel in various organization who prepared data for input to the computer and also those personnel who make use of the output.

SUBSCRIBER: Person hiring a telephone line and paying regularly for calls made.

DIAL:        Movable numbered disc on a telephone for making connection.