Usage Service Catalogs Getting Started

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.

What Comes First

To start using Usage Service Catalogs configure the System to support your business model. In the following table, you can find the configuration modules related to Usage Service Catalogs.

Sub-module	Type	Classification	Navigation	Dig In
Usage Service Catalogs Definitions	Configuration		CONFIGURATIONBILLING APPLICATIONUSAGE SERVICE CATALOGSSET UP USAGE SERVICE CATALOG DEFINITIONS	Configuring Usage Service Catalogs Definitions
Usage Service Catalogs	Transactional		BILLINGUSAGE SERVICE CATALOGSMANAGE USAGE SERVICE CATALOGS	Creating Usage Service Catalogs
Billing Term Definition	Configuration		CONFIGURATIONBILLING APPLICATIONBILLINGSET UP BILLING TERM SCHEMES	Configuring Billing Term Subscription Definitions

Step 1: Setting up Usage Service Catalogs Definitions

First, you must set up the Usage Service Catalog Definitions. 

Usage Service Catalogs Definitions is a set of business rules used to control the behavior of Usage Service Catalogs throughout their whole life cycle. 
Through the definition you can:

• Define values of related allowed entities:
  • Usage Service Types: These are the service types that will be allowed to be added in the Usage Service Catalogs. Only services of service type Usage Service should be added here.
  • Provisioning Providers: These are the providers that will be allowed to be used for processing the provisioning requests
• Define Default values for services of specific Service Types.
  In the Definition provide as well Default Rates for service types. These rates will be automatically selected when creating new Catalogs using the specific services, however you will still have the option to update.

Step 2: Creating Usage Service Catalogs

Once the Usage Service Catalog Definitions are defined, you are ready to start creating your Usage Service Catalogs. Via the Usage Service Catalogs you have the option to define the following information

• Define the Provisioning Provider that will be responsible for the provisioning usage services defined via the specific Usage Service Catalog
• Define the period for which the catalog will be valid. You can define multiple periods as well as defining it as always being valid
• Define all the usage services that should be provided (the services are the Usage Services created via products module)
  For each service define the following
  • Base Rate: The price that the service will be billed with
  • Provisioning ID: The CA ID required by the Provisioning Provider to identify each service
  • Start and End Time: the periods for which the service should be available for ordering

  • Tiered Rates: You have the option to provide different rates that can be applied based on given conditions. For example provide a different rate for the service if its used during specific periods of the day, or if provided via specific devices
    

    Usage Detail Record configuration modules must be configured if you would like to define related conditions for the Tiered Rates

• Define conditions related to Subscriptions or Accounts Receivable which will dictate whether the usage service catalog to be available for selection. 
  Usage Service Catalogs will be filtered (when adding a service on the subscription) based on the conditions defined in the Usage Service Catalog. 

Step 3: Setting up Billing Term Definition Rules

Billing Term Definition Rules include validations and restrictions that will be used across billing terms, regardless of their schemes. Specifically via Billing Term Definitions you can define the billing rules that should be applied on Usage Services based on a set of conditions. These rules are only applicable  for Normal Billing Term Schemes. If the Usage Service is added on a Prepaid Subscription then it is billed immediately after execution of the action.

Configure the following section according to your needs

•  Billing Term Definitions - Usage Service Billing Term Rules (For Normal Subscriptions)
  • Maximum unbilled amount threshold: Define the maximum rated total amount of all Usage Services that needs to be reached in order for them to be included in a Bill 

  • Maximum number of unbilled UDRs:  Defines the maximum number of unprocessed Usage Detail Records required in order for Usage Services to be included in a Bill 

Do It Yourself!