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	Application		BILLINGUSAGE SERVICE CATALOGSMANAGE USAGE SERVICE CATALOGS	Managing 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 are a set of business rules used to control the behaviour of Usage Service Catalogs throughout their Life Cycle.  

Through the Definition you can:

• Define the values of related allowed entities.
  • Usage Service Types: the Product Types which can be included in Usage Service Catalogs. Only Product Types which are classified as Usage Services can be specified in this section.
  • Provisioning Providers: the Providers who can be used for processing the Provisioning Requests.
• Define Default values for Services of specific Types.
  Also provide default rates for Service Types in the Definition. These (updatable) rates will be automatically selected when creating new Catalogs using the specific Services.

Step 2: Creating Usage Service Catalogs

With Usage Service Catalog Definitions in place you are ready to start creating your Usage Service Catalogs, through which you can define the following:

• The Provisioning Provider that will be responsible for the provisioning Usage Services defined in the specific Usage Service Catalog.
• The period for which the Catalog will be valid. Multiple periods or always valid can be defined.
• All the Usage Services that should be provided (the services created in the Products module).
  For each Service, define the following:
  • Base Rate: The price of the Service for Billing.
  • 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 conditional rates which are different than the specified Base Rate. For example, provide a different rate for the Service if it is used during a specific period or provided via specific devices.
    

    Usage Detail Record configuration modules must be configured to define related conditions for the Tiered Rates.

• Define conditions related to Subscriptions or Accounts Receivable which will determine whether the Usage Service Catalog is 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 Scheme. Specifically, through 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 requirements.

• 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!