Nine in ten mobile operators believe a real-time approach to mobile data billing is needed, according to a new survey.

However, the research showed that only one in five operators are currently capable of collecting real-time data despite the vast majority believing such capabilities are important.

Around four in five operators said it should be possible for customers to have their mobile bills sent directly to their smartphones, while 81 percent believe that the launch of new mobile products might be delayed as a result of inflexible billing methods.

The survey, carried out by Ireland-based vendor Openet and Informa Telecoms & Media, also found that seven in ten operators believe real-time data from billing should be part of policy management.

Commenting on the findings, Chris Hoover, Openet vice-president for marketing, said: "Advanced policy and charging control (PCC) systems can work with legacy investments so that operators can evolve without needing to rip and replace existing billing systems."

The survey polled around 200 mobile operators from around the world.

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