Rating by Date and Time with Pipeline Manager

About Rating by Date and Time with Pipeline Manager

A time model defines a combination of time periods. Each time period covers a specific time range for one or more days.

You use time models and time periods to charge different prices for the same service depending on the day and time.

Each time period contains the following information:

Day code: The day or days the time period covers. For example, Weekdays (Mon.-Fri.).
Time interval: The time range the time period covers for the day code. For example, 08:00-17:00 Peak Time.

Note:

A time model must cover all the days of the week. Within a time model, although you can create multiple day codes, you cannot use the same day in multiple day codes.

For example, one time model contains these time periods and is associated with pricing that charges for GSM telephony service as shown in Table 30-1:

Table 30-1 Rating by Date and Time

Time Period	Day Code and Time Interval	Charge from Pricing (Euro Cents per Minute)
WEEKPEAK - Weekdays Peak	Weekdays (Mon.-Fri.) 08:00 - 17:00	.15
WEEKOFF1 - Weekdays Off-Peak 1	Weekdays (Mon.-Fri.) 17:00 - 22:00	.12
WEEKOFF2 - Weekdays Off-Peak 2	Weekdays (Mon.-Fri.) 22:00 - 08:00	.10
WENDOFF - Weekend Off-Peak	Weekends (Sat., Sun., Holidays) 00:00-24:00	.09

Note:

Special days are not treated as normal days, so you can add special days to a time period without conflicting with any other days.

You include time models and time periods in charge configurations, which specify a pricing for a charge version. When a call is rated, the time model and time period, with the service code and impact category, determine the charge.

About Special Day Calendars

A special day calendar is a set of dates that you designate as being eligible for special rating. Each date can either be a specific date valid only in one year, such as May 11, 2003 for Mother's Day in the US, or a recurring date valid each year, such as January 1 for New Year's Day.

You include a calendar in a charge. The rating module uses the calendar to determine if a date in an event detail record (EDR) is a special day. You can include the same calendar in multiple charges, but you can also create different calendars for different charges.

Configuring Date and Time Rating

To configure date and time rating, do the following:

Create time models in Pricing Center or PDC and link them to charge configurations.
Create special day calendars in Pricing Center or PDC and link them to charges.
Configure the DAT_TimeModel and DAT_Calendar modules.

Note:

When you update time model and calendar data, you must use the Reload semaphore to reload data into the DAT_TimeModel and DAT_Calendar modules.

About Special Day Rates

Use special day rates to create special rates for specific times or days, independent of time models. You can create two types of special day rates:

Global: Special day rates that apply to all accounts in your system. See "Setting Up Global Special Day Rates".
Account-specific: Special day rates that apply only to one or more specific accounts in your system. You must create an extended rating attribute (ERA) for each account for this type of special day rate.

See "Setting Up Account-Specific Special Day Rates".

Note:

When you create a special day discount, such as a birthday discount, any usage that begins on the discounted day and continues into the next, non-discounted day is fully discounted. Discounting does not split the charge packet at midnight but applies the discount for the entire call. For example, a customer receives a discount for 10% off on all birthday calls. On his birthday, the customer makes a 40 minute call that starts at 11:50 p.m. and ends on 12:30 a.m. the next day. The entire 40 minutes is discounted 10%.

Setting Up Global Special Day Rates

To set up special day rates that apply to all accounts, do the following:

Define special day rates in Pricing Center or PDC.
Configure the FCT_Dayrate module to calculate charges for date-based rates.
Configure the DAT_Dayrate module that stores the data used by the FCT_Dayrate module.

Note:

When you update special day rate data, you must use the Reload semaphore to reload data into the DAT_Dayratemodule.

Setting Up Account-Specific Special Day Rates

To set up special day rates for a single account or group of accounts:

Create an ERA for the special day.

On the Promotion tab, select Special Day and enter the name BIRTHDAY and a date. For example, when creating a special day rate for a birthday, enter the date of the subscriber's birthday.
In Pricing Center or PCC, create a usage type that corresponds to the special day.

For example, for a birthday special rate, you might create a usage type with a code of BIRTH.
In Pricing Center or PDC, include the usage you defined in a discount.

You specify the usage type as part of the discount filter. The discount also specifies the amount of the discount for this rate.
Configure the IRL_UsageType iRule to map this usage type to EDR data.

For example, for the usage type BIRTH, add a line similar to the following to the IRL_UsageType.data file:
```
N;N;.;.;.;.;.;.;.;.;.;.;Y;.;.;BIRTH
```