Commitments

Ticket Number	PMD-655 (FR-262 & FR-288 & FR-304)
Project Goal	Implement possibility of : creating and assigning Contracts with binding and open-ended periods to Customers in PortaBilling defining terms, providing special offers and applying penalties in case the Contract terms are not fulfilled by Customers or Contract is terminated earlier than it's end date Contract suspension for a defined period during Customer's vacation and automatic prolongation of Contract for the period of service suspension applying debt management procedure in a result of which - Contracts are automatically terminated for debtors
Why this project exists ?	Currently there is no possibility of creating and assigning Contracts to Customers in PortaBilling. CSP was suggested to use Add-on products with life cycle defining the period of Contract and Subscriptions with minimum usage period to set penalties in case the Contract is terminated earlier. However such workaround doesn't suit CSP because mechanism of penalty calculation on subscriptions doesn't meet their requirements. As a workaround for a Contract suspension CSP was suggested to use blocking of Customers, but it doesn't fit as there will be refund xDRs for that period and Contract won't be prolonged automatically. Also, in course of specific debt management procedure only 1 of the required functionalities - Customer suspension - is present in PortaBilling and there are no workarounds to cover it.
Who are the users / whom we bring value ?	CSP of VoIP, I-net, TV and bundled services. The services are provided either on special terms for defined period 12/24/36 months with some discounts and penalties in case of non-fulfillment or for the open-ended period without special offers and penalties at the end. The services are provided to both residential and business customers. Contract terms for them differ.
What are the benefits for CSP/ PortaSwitch owner?	CSP will have possibility and flexibility in defining the following service subscription terms for Customers in PortaBilling : period of service usage by Customer with its automatic prolongation for the same period or transfer into open-ended period after the defined period ends additional services to the main one for the period similar to the main contract special offer discounts for recurring and one-time fees as a fixed value penalties as a sum of all provided discounts during the period in case customer terminates contract earlier than the binding period of contract enabling/disabling penalties in case of contract termination penalties for failing to return the devices that are provided for rent by CSP voluntary temporary suspension period for Customer's services during Customer's vacation/absence etc and automatic Contract prolongation for that period Contract transfer terms between Customers Contract movement to another Customer's address without service interruption time-limited free upgrade terms of Customer's service to attract Customer by Contract upgrade with higher recurring fee All the mentioned above points will assure that Customer will stay with CSP at least for a defined term. Also providing different special offers like discounts or time-limited free upgrade of service will dispose Customer to buy more because it reflects CSP's care about its Customers at the same time providing revenue assurance to CSP company.
Target Release	FR-262 = MR86 FR-288 = MR88 FR-304 = MR88
Area	BillingAdmin

Additional Info

SP provides a lot of special offers to his Customers as it's one of regulator requirements on which SP can bind Customer by Contract for long tems as 12 and 24 months.