Versions Compared

Old Version 7

changes.mady.by.user Persia Xenopoulou

Saved on

compared with

New Version 8

changes.mady.by.user p_demou

Saved on

Key

  • This line was added.
  • This line was removed.
  • Formatting was changed.
Excerpt
hiddentrue

Understand the usage of Usage Service Catalogs within CRM.COM

What does this section cover?

Table of Contents
minLevel2

What are Usage Service Catalogs?

Usage Service Catalogs are used to maintain all usage service information and to define the business rules, dependencies and prerequisites between services that determine the services that are allowed to be offered to subscribers, their price rates and the conditions that should be fulfilled in order for those services to become available.

Usage Service Catalogs Glossary

TermDescription
Usage Services

Services that are provided upon customer request and are billed on a recurring basis, based on their usage

Usage Detail RecordsUsage Detail Records (UDRs) are used to hold raw information describing the use of subscription services.

Usage Service Catalogs Key Processes and Concepts

Processes / ConceptDescription
Usage Service Catalogs Versus Price Plans

In CRM.COM the price rates used to bill any service or product is taken from the Price Plans. An exception to this is any services that the Service Type of the Product Type is set to Usage Service.
Usage Service products can be  VODbe VOD, PPV, telephone calls, games e.t.c.
In general, services that are to be billed based on their usage are considered Usage Services in CRM.COM.

Usage Services cannot be added in Price Plans.
Usage Service price rate is defined in the Usage Service Catalogs along with additional information.
Information in the Usage Service Catalogs is used by various modules in CRM.COM:

  • Add Service Usage Action: Used to decide which services will be available for ordering by subscribers based on predefined subscription or accounts receivable conditions
  • Billing Engine: To charge the subscribers for their usage, considering base rate and tiered rate conditions
  • Conditional Access system: Activate the ordered service on the subscriber's device using the provisioning id
Add Service Usage Action and WEB APIIn order for a subscriber to order a service on their devices, they will need to do so, via the Add Service Usage Usage Action. The action is available in Subscription Service Action list in the Action Panel of Subscription data entry page.

In most cases however subscribers will be ordering the services directly from their devices. In this case, integration with CRM.COM is required, using the available WEB API.
Check out the   Add Service Usage WEB API for a detailed description of how it can be used.

Usage Service Catalogs Network Characteristics

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

EntityNetwork Characteristics
Usage Service CatalogsControlled Selection Access Entities
Usage Service Catalogs DefinitionsGlobal Viewing Entity

 

Usage Service Catalogs Related Modules

Interaction EntityHow
ProductsOTT services need to be created as Products of type Usage Service
Conditional Access / ProvisioningProvider is responsible for sending the signals to subscribers that have placed an order

Usage Detail Records

When an order for a usage service is executed, UDRs will be automatically created
SubscriptionsInclude the Termed service on which the Usage services will be added.
Normal Billing
  • Related to Billing Term Definition: Defines the execution time of the billing according to the configuration
  • Bills the subscription termed and usage services during Normal Billing
  • Bills the subscription termed and usage services by utilising "Bill Subscriber" action
Prepaid Billing
  • Related to Billing Term Definition: Defines the execution time of the billing according to the configuration
  • Bills the subscription termed and usage services during Prepaid Billing

 

Usage Service Catalogs - Business Examples

The following section provides business examples to help you understand how CRM.COM Usage Service Catalogs module is used.

Panel
nameblue
titleCompany ZX OTT Model

Business Requirement

Company ZX has introduced new packages for OTT subscribers. The OTT packages include a plethora of PPV movies.

• These movies are charged for 5 euros when provided during 00:01 and 6:59 and for 10 euros if ordered for the rest of the hours.
• Older movies are charged for 3 euros, independent of the time
• In order to be able to order any PPV movies subscribers will first need to have PPV Service on their subscription and it needs to be effective.
• Movies ordered by subscribers who are VIPs then all the movies are for free 

Orders can be done via the customer's decoders or by calling at the Call Centre.

CRM.COM Solution

In order to meet the above requirement the following needs to be configured in the system

• 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 and include the movies to be made available
○ 1 Catalog for VIP subscribers
○ 1 Catalog for Normal subscribers  

  • 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 usage of addition of PPV movies on the subscription
       
      PPV movies

      You will need to create one product per PPV movie you would like to make available.

      Usage service are not added in Price Plans but in Usage Service Catalogs.

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

       

    • Provisioning Provider
             NagraVision Media Live has been 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 Services105
      • 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 Rings101AQ85
      • Usage Start Time: 00:01
      • Usage End Time: 06:59
      		Usage Service details will be automatically set as defined in the definition. (Base Rate, Tiered Rate, Tiered Rate Conditions)
        Limitless101BQ15
      • Usage Start Time: 00:01
      • Usage End Time: 06:59
      		Usage Service details will be automatically set as defined in the definition. (Base Rate, Tiered Rate, Tiered Rate Conditions)
        Serendipity (Old Movie)51BQ4Usage Service details will be automatically set as defined in the definition. (Base Rate, Tiered Rate, Tiered Rate Conditions)
      In this case you will need to update manually the Base Rate to 5 and remove any Tiered Rates set

       

       

      Usage Service Catalog for VIP Subscribers

       

      Provisioning ProviderValidityUsage ServicesAccounts Receivable Conditions
        Usage ServiceBase RateProvisioning IDTiered RateConditionsComments 
      Nagra Media Live PlatformAlways ValidLord of the Rings01AQ80

       

      		Usage Service details will be automatically set as defined in the definition. (Base Rate, Tiered Rate, Tiered Rate Conditions)
      In this case you will need to update them all to 0 and remove Tiered Rates      		Classification = VIP
        Limitless01BQ10

       

       

      		Usage Service details will be automatically set as defined in the definition. (Base Rate, Tiered Rate, Tiered Rate Conditions)
      In this case you will need to update them all to 0 and remove Tiered Rates      		 
        Serendipity (Old Movie)01BQ40 Usage Service details will be automatically set as defined in the definition. (Base Rate, Tiered Rate, Tiered Rate Conditions)
      In this case you will need to update them all to 0 and remove Tiered Rates      		 

 

  • User Process
    Users can order PPV movies either by WEB API or by calling at the Call Centre. If the order is done via a call then the agent will need to proceed with the following
    • Find the Subscription
    • Confirm the subscription has the PPV Service (Termed Service) and it is effective. (If the service is not on the subscription then it should be added using Add Effective Services action.
      Note: The service needs to be distributed on the distributor of the configured provider as defined in the Usage Service Catalog 
    • Once the PPV service is added then the user should open modal for action Add Service Usage
      • The distributor related to the configured Provider must be selected
      • Search for the available PPV movies
        If the order is not to be executed directly, then first select the scheduled date, so that the correct PPV movie list is populated 
      • Select the PPV movie that the subscriber wants to order
      • Provide information to be added on the UDR to be created (and which will be used for the Billing of the movie)
      • Submit the action
 
Note

More Information on modules used for the example can be found at:

Panel
namegrey

Related Areas

Filter by label (Content by label)
showLabelsfalse
spacesV4Manual
showSpacefalse
excerpttrue
labelsusage-service-basics-r7,usage-service-advanced-r7,usage-service-admin-r7

Panel
namegrey

Popular Labels

Popular Labels
spaceKeyV4Manual
styleheatmap