Syniverse Technologies, a provider of technology and business solutions for the global telecommunications industry, announced that it is working closely with the GSM Association (GSMA) to define and implement a new standard that will reduce the incidence of roaming fraud.

The GSMA is encouraging all its operator members to replace the current High Usage Record (HUR) anti-fraud standard with an interoperable Near Real Time Roaming Data Exchange (NRTRDE) standard by October 2008. To help operators successfully meet this GSMA target, Syniverse has developed a cost-efficient NRTRDE platform, called Syniverse DataNet, which promises to provide immediate access to the critical information needed to combat roaming fraud.

"Syniverse is pleased to be supporting the GSMA in its drive to reduce fraud," Christer Gullstrand, director of GSM Standards at Syniverse and GSMA TADIG chairman, said in a statement. "We are privileged to be asked by the GSMA to help drive the adoption of NRTRDE, and we have had a very positive response from operators who understand the advantages of NRTRDE and wish to implement."

According to Syniverse, NRTRDE is superior to HUR because it requires roaming data records be exchanged between operators within four hours, current HUR standards allow for 36 hours. Syniverse expects that the shorter timeframe will give operators the ability to detect and act upon fraud more quickly. Adoption of NRTRDE as the new standard is expected to reduce the incidence of roaming fraud by up to 90%.