Conax Contego SMS Services
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Overview
Conax Contego is a TV platform that streams content to digital video broadcasting (DVB), internet protocol television (IPTV) and over-the-top (OTT) based subscriptions.
CRM.COM provides a ready-made implementation of the Conax Contego Subscriptions Management System (SMS) Services protocol and uses the Conax Contego SMS Services provisioning module, which primarily handles the activation and deactivation of signals transmitted to devices. The module can also be used to send messages to subscribers through their devices.
Major features
- Integration with Conax Contego 2.0 SMS.
- Simultaneous activation and deactivation of multiple subscriptions.
- Logging and review of errors from the CRM.COM software.
- Ability to message multiple subscribers at once.
- Utilities can be used to manage individual subscriptions (e.g., to pair devices or send messages).
- Archiving of former provisioning requests (refer to Utilities for more information).
Using Conax Contego SMS Services
- The Conax Contego SMS Services implementation submits requests on the Conax Contego system asynchronously using FTP.
- Subscription actions update the subscription provisioning state.
- Provisioning request runs identify the subscriptions whose provisioning state must be updated in CONAX Contego system and create 'Pending' requests.
- 'Pending' CRM.COM requests are grouped together in a file that is subsequently transferred to CONAX Contego system through FTP to be processed.
- Conax uses 'Error Handling' runs to provide CRM.COM with 'Accepted' or 'Rejected' requests. CRM.COM subscriptions are subsequently updated accordingly.
Setting Up Conax Contego SMS Services
Provisioning provider
The parameters that are necessary to access the CA/OTT platform and to map the CRM.COM services and physical goods to be provisioned can be supplied from Provisioning Provider Data Entry page.
Provider fields
The table describes the standard sections of a Provisioning Provider Data Entry page and explains how the fields in the page are used.
Mandatory
Configurable
| Main Information | |
|---|---|
| Provider Information |
|
Connection Parameters |
User Name, Password: Credentials used to login to the CA system. Character Set Encoding used by the web services (defaults to UTF-8). |
Distributors
| |
Distributors are used to associate the services and devices (installed items) of a subscription with the provisioning provider. Multiple distributors on a subscription represent separate viewing locations. Each device can offer different services. In a pay TV subscription, for example, two distributors can represent the decoder and channels available in a living room and bedroom. Create the distributors that can be provisioned through the provider. One or more provisioning distributors must be present for a provider to be 'Effective'. ADD a new distributor and supply the information required in the modal. | |
| Main Information |
|
| Allowed Services | Define the services available through the distributor. Once a distributor is selected, only the services defined as 'Allowed' will be available for selection when adding subscription services. Two options are supported:
The available services are filtered and validated against those defined in the 'Services' section, which can be provisioned by the associated provider. |
| Restrictions | Minimum/Maximum Optional/Mandatory service restrictions determine the number of services that can be added to the distributor. Restrictions per Service Type: Define the minimum and maximum number of services that can be added to the distributor, from specific Restrictions per Physical Good Type: Define the minimum and maximum number of installed items that can be added to the distributor, from specific |
| Dependencies | Define |
Services | |
One or more service mappings must be present for a provider to be 'Effective'.
An ID is not mandatory for a non-provisioning service (i.e. a service whose product type is not set as 'Used for Provisioning'). | |
Physical Goods | |
A list of devices that are necessary for provisioning through the provider. For example, a decoder and a smartcard, or only a decoder or only a modem. A specific device type may be mandatory for a certain provider. The Installed Item Alternative Code represents the ID of devices communicated to the CA/OTT platform. | |
| Operations Parameters | Maximum Number of Records in Each File: The maximum number of client IDs that can be included in each file (20000 by default) Add Subscription End Period in Months: A value between 1 (default) and 36, used when a request is sent to activate a subscription, to calculate the end date of the services. Renewal Frequency in Months: A values between 1 (default) and 35, which determines how often each subscription should be renewed. Renew Subscription End Period in Months: A value between 1 (default) and 36, used when a request is sent to renew a subscription, to calculate the end date of the services. Cancel Subscription End Period in Months: A value between 1 (default) and 36, used to calculate the end date of the deactivation and set the Cancel Subscription End Date. A subscription request sent to CONAX SMS must always contain a predefined end date, calculated using the Add Subscription End Period in Months. A 'renewal request' must be sent (from CRM to Conax) so that the subscription is not deactivated once the end date is reached (Renewal Frequency in Months). The Renew Subscription End Period in Months will be used to calculate the new end date of the subscription once the Renewal request is sent. |
|---|
Related configuration areas
Mandatory modules must be configured for the provisioning module to work.
| Manual Link | Area | Description | Configuration |
|---|---|---|---|
| Products |
| Configure the physical good and service types, and the physical goods and services that will be offered to subscriptions, by adding them to the provisioning provider. | Mandatory |
| Communications | Communication Queue External System | Set up the external system that will be used to handle mail messages created for the provider. | Optional |
Using Batch Processes to Handle Subscriptions
Billing > Provisioning > Conax Contego SMS Services
Processing provisioning requests
Provisioning request runs are used to create and submit new provisioning requests when a modification to a subscription affects its activation status. When the process is executed, the system searches for subscriptions that meet the following criteria and sends the respective requests to the CA/OTT platform (so that the services, hardware and status of the subscriptions match on the two systems):
- Subscriptions have services that should be activated ('Active' in CRM and 'Inactive' in CA/OTT platform).
- Subscriptions have services that should be deactivated ('Inactive' in CRM and 'Active' in CA/OTT platform).
- Subscriptions have a set of installed items that are defined in CRM and not in CA/OTT platform.
The process also gathers and submits to the CA/OTT platform all requests that are pending in CRM.COM, which were created by one of the following (if supported by the provisioning provider):
- Web APIs
- Provisioning provider utilities that are not set to be executed immediately.
- Batch processes, such as mail runs or fingerprint runs, that are not set to be executed immediately.
Provisioning request runs are created when a provisioning request process run definition is submitted.
Handling rejected requests
Provisioning requests resulting from the provisioning processing run are sent to Conax through FTP, in a 'Pending' life cycle state.
Once updated, Conax responds to CRM.COM, reporting whether each request was rejected or failed. CRM.COM is subsequently synchronized to Conax Contego.
The responses are handled by 'error handling file runs', which in case of an error in Conax, revert changes on subscriptions.
Error handling file runs are created through the error handling files run definition, once it is submitted.
Sending mail & bark messages
Mail runs are used to send messages to subscriber devices. The messages can be displayed in the set-top box (STB) mailbox or directly on the screen (once or repeatedly).
Messages can be scheduled to appear as soon as they are sent or at a specific time.
The process run does not create the messages; the messages are created in the system as communications (through notifications) and remain 'Pending' in the communication queue until the mail run is executed. The mail run identifies the communications that should be handled by matching each entry in the communication queue 'Communication Queue External System' with one defined in the mail run.
The table describes the sections of the mail and bark messages run definition Data Entry page and explains how the fields in the page are used.
Mandatory
Configurable
| Main Information | |
|---|---|
Input Settings | |
Sequence: A value between '1' and '255' (default) that determines the order in which Conax will handle the messages.
Process Immediately: Determines whether the request is sent directly to Conax, or created and processed subsequently during the provisioning request processing run. |
Using Utilities to Handle a Subscription
Billing > Provisioning > Conax Contego SMS Services
Utilities are used to handle one subscription at a time.
Pairing smartcards and set-top boxes (STB)
Pairs a smartcard with an STB (New) or add a single STB to an existing pairing (Update).
Specify the smartcard and STB that should be paired. If the selected smartcard and STB are already paired, then the pair is automatically loaded. Set the Priority to 'Express', so that Conax handles the pairing as soon as possible.
If the request is successful the 'Installed item provisioning distribution' Initialized field is updated to 'Yes'.
Sending mail & bark messages
Sends on-screen or inbox messages to a subscriber device.
Provide the required information, starting with the type of message to be sent.
There is no related Communication as the message text is provided through the utility (unlike message runs).
| Main Information |
|---|
Sequence: A value between '1' and '255' (default) that determines the order in which Conax will handle the messages. Display Duration in Seconds of bark messages on the screen of the subscriber ('20' by default). |
Conax Contego SMS Requests
The table below displays the CRM.COM processes that trigger Conax Contego SMS requests, as well as the parameters sent for each request.
Activation and deactivation commands are not directly triggered by the execution of subscription actions.
Once the 'provisioning request processing run definition' is executed, system conditions available under the Trigger Logic column must be met, in order for the respective Conax Contego command to be created.
Request | Use | Triggered by | Trigger Logic | Parameters |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Add Subscription | Activates subscription services |
| There is at least one 'Effective' or 'Short Term Effective' subscription service, which is not authorized1. |
|
| Cancel Subscription | Deactivates subscription services |
| There is at least one 'Not Effective', 'Regretted', 'Swapped', 'Removed', 'Cancelled', 'In Resting' or 'Short Term Not Effective' subscription service, which is authorized1. |
|
| Renew Subscription | Renews subscription services |
| There is at least one 'Effective' or 'Short Term Effective' subscription service, which is authorized1. The subscription provisioning distributor's authorization date AND the 'Renewal Frequency' defined in the Provider's configuration is less than or equal to the current date. |
|
| Create Pairing | Pairs Smartcards and STBs |
| There is at least one 'Effective' or 'Short Term Effective' subscription service distributed to at least one smartcard or STB, which is not initialized2. |
|
Send Message | Sends messages to subscribers |
| For requests through the mail & bark definition:
|
|
1. 'Authorized' is a field kept in CRM.COM for every subscription service that represents its state at the provider.
- Authorized = Active (1)
- Not authorized = Inactive (0)
2. 'Initialized' is a field kept in CRM.COM for every installed item that represents its state at the provider.
- Initialized = Registered (1)
- Not initialized = Not registered (0)
Conax Contego SMS Services Business Examples
Subscriptions with multiple viewing points
Scenario 1
Company ZX offers its customers the option to have multiple viewing points for each subscription. Customers can have a separate 'box and card' pair in each room, and choose to have a different selection of channels available from each pair. Up to four viewing points can be added to a subscription.
Solution
CRM.COM must have a different provisioning distributor available for each pair (box and card) offered to subscribers, as channel availability and restrictions can be set separately for each box.
To support this, the following distributors must be set up in the provisioning provider.
- Main
- TWIN1
- TWIN2
- TWIN3
Sending mail messages to subscriber boxes
Scenario 2
Company ZX wants to send personalized messages to its subscribers that are:
- Directly accessible through their set-top boxes (STBs)
- Displayed on their TV.
Solution
Agents should use the 'Mail & Bark Messages Utility', select the appropriate type of message for each method of communication and provide the message.
Messages that can be accessed through subscriber's STB inbox | Mail Message |
|---|---|
Messages that are shown on subscriber's TV | Bark Message |
Notes
- If you are using a previous release, view CRM.COM Release Changes.
- Use the WEB API to create and manage Conax Contego SMS Services provisioning requests from an external system. Refer to the Conax Contego SMS Services WEB API for a comprehensive list of available actions.
Glossary
| CRM.COM Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| Conditional Access (CA) | A system (in this case Conax Contego) that provides content to subscribers through their devices. |
| Mail Message | A message sent by the provider to the customer, which appears in the set-top box (STB) mailbox when it is received or at a predetermined time. |
| Bark Message | A message sent by the provider to the customer, which appears directly on the screen when it is received or at a predetermined time. |
| Digital Video Broadcasting (DVB) | A suite of internationally accepted open standards for digital television. |
| Internet Protocol Television (IPTV) | A system that delivers television content using the internet protocol, instead of the traditional terrestrial or satellite signal. |
| Over-the-top (OTT) | Media content, such as audio or video, that is delivered over the internet with no intervention from the service provider. |
| File Transfer Protocol (FTP) | The standard network protocol used for the transfer of computer files between a client and server on a computer network. (Wikipedia) |
| Service CA ID or Provisioning ID | An ID used in Conax Contego to identify a subscription service (channel) that should be handled (added, activated, deactivated, removed). |