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Back to Usage Service Catalogs Main Page

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Understand the application of Usage Service Catalogs within CRM.COM

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Table of Contents

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What are Usage Service Catalogs?

Usage Service Catalogs are used to maintain information related to Usage Services, which are provided upon customer request and charged based on their usage. Information included in Usage Service Catalogs includes the pricing of the Service, the Service provider and their identifier, as well as information related to the validity of the Services. The Over-The-Top (OTT) business model is supported by using Usage Service Catalogs.

Note

Usage Services are the only Product Type whose pricing is defined in Usage Service Catalogs and not Price Plans.


Usage Service Catalogs Glossary

TermDescription
Usage Services

Services that are provided upon customer request and are charged based on their usage, e.g. a Video on Demand movie.

Termed ServicesA Subscription Service that is provided to customers and is charged recurrently, e.g. a TV channel or VOD Enabler Service.
Provisioning ProviderProvisioning Providers are third-party systems with which CRM.COM integrated and are used to provide Services to subscribers such as Video Content, Telephony or games.
Provisioning ServiceA Subscription Service (either Termed or Usage), for which provisioning signals are sent to the Subscriber.
Within CRM.COM, Provisioning Services are defined at the Product Type Level, where a 'Use for Provisioning' flag is checked.
Usage Detail RecordsUsage Detail Records (UDRs) are used to hold raw information describing the use of Subscription Services.
Price PlansPrice Plans are a set of rates which define the amount an Accounts Receivable should be billed based on the Services or Physical Goods that were sold. Price Plans provide rates for Termed Services, One Time Services, Expenses and Physical Goods. Usage Service pricing is defined through Usage ServiceCatalogs.

Usage Service Catalogs Key Processes and Concepts

Processes / ConceptDescription
Usage Service Catalogs Usage

While the rates used to bill products in CRM.COM are obtained from the Price Plans, Services of the Usage Service Product Type are an exception.

Products billed based on their usage such as VOD, PPV, telephone calls and games are considered Usage Services in CRM.COM,and their price rate is defined in the Usage Service Catalogs (along with additional information).

The information in the Usage Service Catalogs is used by several CRM.COM modules:

  • The 'Add Service Usage Action' uses the information to load the Usage Services to be ordered by subscribers based on predefined Subscription or Accounts Receivable conditions.
  • The Billing Engine uses the information to charge subscribers for their usage, considering base and tiered rate conditions.
  • The Conditional Access system uses the information to Activate the ordered Usage Service on the Usages action's device using the provisioning ID.
Add Service Usage Action and WEB API

Subscribers order Services on their device via the Add Service Action. The action is available in the Subscription Service Action list in the Action Panel of the Subscription Data Entry page.
In cases where subscribers can order Usage Services directly from their devices (i.e. their computer, decoder, smartphone) integration with CRM.COM is required, using the available WEB API.
Refer to the Add Service Usage WEB API for a detailed description of its functions.

Adding a Product to a Usage Service Catalog via the Products page

There are two ways to add a Usage Service to a Usage Service Catalog:

  • Via the Usage Service Catalog Data Entry page, by adding all the Usage Services once they are created and providing the necessary information for each one.
  • Via the Products Data Entry page, by adding the Usage Service Catalogs where appropriate and providing the information for each one, either during the creation or editing of a product.
Note

View Managing Products for more information about adding a product to a Usage Service Catalog, via the Products Data Entry page.

Usage Service Catalogs Access & Viewing Controls

Business Network Characteristics define the level of access for each entry. i.e. Whether it will be available for selection, viewing or editing.

EntityNetwork CharacteristicsDescription
Usage Service CatalogsControlled Selection Access EntitiesServices from a Usage Service Catalog can be added to a Subscription, provided the user adding the Servicebelongs to one of the Allowed Organisational Units (AOU) defined in the Usage Service Catalog, or a collaboration exists between their unit and the AOU of the Usage Service Catalog, or is a Super User.

 

Usage Service Catalogs Related Modules

EntityInteraction of Usage Service Catalogs with the Entity
ProductsServices such as PPV, VOD, games,telephone-calls need to be created as Products of Type Usage Service
Conditional Access / ProvisioningThe provider is responsible for sending the signals to a subscriber's device for which an order was placed.

Usage Detail Records

When an order for a Usage Service is executed, are automatically created.
SubscriptionsUsage Services can be added to Subscriptions via the Add Service Usage action, only if a related Termed Service (defined in the Subscription Conditions of the Usage Service Catalog) on which the Usage Services will be added, is available on the Subscription.
Normal Billing
  • Determines when the billing of Usage Services takes place, according to the configuration of Billing Term Definition.
  • Bills the Subscription Usage Services through Normal Billing Runs or "Bill Subscriber" action.
Prepaid Billing
  • Determines when the billing of Usage Services takes place, according to the configuration of Billing Term Definition.
  • Bills the Subscription Usage Services during Prepaid Billing.

 

Usage Service Catalogs - Business Examples

The following section provides business examples of how the CRM.COM Usage Service Catalogs module is used.

Set up an OTT business model

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titleCompany ZX OTT Model

Business Requirement

Company ZX has introduced new packages for OTT subscribers. The OTT packages include several PPV (Pay-Per-View) movies.

• Movies are charged €5.00 when provided between 00:01 and 6:59 and €10.00 at other times.
• Older movies are charged €3.00 at all times.
• To be able to order any PPV movies, subscribers must first have an 'Effective' PPV Service on their Subscription.
• Movies are free for VIP subscribers.
• The movies should be billed instantly.

Orders can be placed through customers' decoders or by calling the Call Centre.


CRM.COM Solution

To meet the above requirement the following System configurations must be performed:

• Product Types (Type Service Usage)
• Movies must be imported or created in the System with Usage Service Type
• Provider must be configured (provisioning IDs for each OTT Service should be defined)
• Usage Service Catalog Definitions must be configured and activated
• Usage Service Catalogs must be created including the movies to be made available
○ 1 Catalog for VIP subscribers
○ 1 Catalog for Normal subscribers 
• Subscription Billing Term Definitions must be set so that Usage Services Billing Rules define that billing should take place every time one or more movies are added.

 

  • Configuration

    • Product Types

      Product TypesClassificationPhysical Good TypesService TypeComposition MethodUsed For Provisioning
      Usage ServicesService UsageFlatYes
      Termed ServicesService TermedFlatYes

       

      Products

      ProductTypeVAT RateInformation
      PPV ServiceTermed Services10%This Service will be used to authorise the addition of PPV movies to the Subscription.
       
      PPV movies

      One product must be created per PPV movie to be made available.

      Usage Services are added in Usage Service Catalogs and not in Price Plans.

      Lord Of the Rings 1Usage Service10% 
      SerendipityUsage Service10% 
      LimitlessUsage Service10% 

    • Provisioning Provider
             NagraVision Media Live is used as an example:

      Provisioning ProviderProvisioning ProtocolEnd PointUsernamePasswordEncodingDistributorsServicesPhysical Goods
      Nagra Media PlatformNagra Media Live Platformhttp://ott.nagra.com/customer/VTV/api/smsservice_1.2?wsdlRequest passwordRequest passwordUTF-8Nagra Media Live MainDefine via Usage Service CatalogsThomson Decoders

    • Usage Service Catalog Definitions

      Life Cycle StateAllowed AttributesDefault Rates per usage Service Type
       Usage Service TypesProvisioning ProvidersService TypeBase RateTiered RateConditions
      ActiveUsage ServicesNagra Media LiveUsage Services€10.00€5.00
      • Usage Start Time: 00:01
      • Usage End Time: 06:59

      Usage Service Catalog for Normal Subscribers

      Provisioning ProviderValidityUsage Services
        Usage ServiceBase RateProvisioning IDTiered RateConditionsComments
      Nagra Media Live PlatformAlways ValidLord of the Rings€10.001AQ8€5.00
      • Usage Start Time: 00:01
      • Usage End Time: 06:59
      		Usage Service Details will be automatically set as in the Definition (Base Rate, Tiered Rate, Tiered Rate Conditions).
        Limitless€10.001BQ1€5.00
      • Usage Start Time: 00:01
      • Usage End Time: 06:59
      		Usage Service Details will be automatically set as in the Definition (Base Rate, Tiered Rate, Tiered Rate Conditions).
        Serendipity (Old Movie)€5.001BQ4Usage Service Details will be automatically set as 'Defined' (Base Rate, Tiered Rate, Tiered Rate Conditions), in which case the user must update the Base Rate to €5.00 manually and remove any set Tiered Rates.

       

       

      Usage Service Catalog for VIP Subscribers

      Provisioning ProviderValidityUsage ServicesAccounts Receivable Conditions
        Usage ServiceBase RateProvisioning IDTiered RateConditionsComments 
      Nagra Media Live PlatformAlways ValidLord of the Rings€0.001AQ8€0.00

       

      		Usage Service Details will be automatically set as in the Definition (Base Rate, Tiered Rate, Tiered Rate Conditions), in which case the user must update them all to €0.00 and remove Tiered Rates.Classification = VIP
        Limitless€0.001BQ1€0.00

       

       

      		Usage Service Details will be automatically set as in the Definition (Base Rate, Tiered Rate, Tiered Rate Conditions), in which case the user must update them all to €0.00 and remove Tiered Rates. 
        Serendipity (Old Movie)€0.001BQ4€0.00 Usage Service Details will be automatically set as in the Definition (Base Rate, Tiered Rate, Tiered Rate Conditions), in which case the user must update them all to €0.00 and remove Tiered Rates. 

      Subscription Billing Term Definition

      Usage Services Billing Rules 
      Maximum number of unbilled UDRsApplicable on Billing Term Schemes
      1All Normal Billing Term Schemes

       

  • User Process
    Subscribers can order PPV movies in one of the following ways:
    • A portal that can be integrated to CRM.COM using our WEB API library
    • The subscriber's device. Integration to CRM.COM is required
    • Through CRM.COM User Interface using Add Service Usage 
Note

Further information on modules used in the example can be found at:

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