Collaboration for Customer Service Configuration and Activation

The IBM WebSphere Business Integration Collaboration for Customer Service Configuration and Activation manages the configuration details for activating a service for the telecommunications industry. Based upon the service order this collaboration enables the setup and activation of various services such as digital subscriber lines (DSL), internet data centers (IDC) and wireless services. This collaboration processes the order after testing the delivery of the service.

If you use the Customer Service Configuration and Activation collaboration in conjunction with other WebSphere Business Integration for Telecommunications collaborations, their relationships are as follows:

The following diagram shows the relationship of the Customer Service Configuration and Activation collaboration with other WebSphere Business Integration for Telecommunications collaborations.

Customer Service Configuration and Activation and other WBI-Telco collaborations

Position in telecommunications operations map

The Customer Service Configuration and Activation collaboration handles operations related to configuring services for customers within the business domain of service management and operations. The diagram below shows the position of the collaboration in the enhanced Telecom Operation Map (eTOM) as defined by the TeleManagement Forum (TM Forum).

Position in enhanced Telecommunications Operations Map

Business rules

The following business rule applies to the Customer Service Configuration and Activation business process:

Process limitations

The Customer Service Configuration and Activation collaboration does not currently support the following function points:

System assumptions

Like the other WebSphere Business Integration for Telecommunications collaborations, the Customer Service Configuration and Activation collaboration uses WebSphere MQ Workflow Server and IBM WebSphere InterChange Server. IBM WebSphere Business Integration Adapters are used to connect between these two applications, and to other applications that participate in the collaboration.

It is assumed that the following applications also participate in the Customer Service Configuration and Activation collaboration:

This collaboration uses the IBM WebSphere Business Integration Collaborations listed below.

The system features that are expected to execute this collaboration, including IBM WebSphere Business Integration Adapters, are shown in the following diagram:

Customer Service Configuration and Activation collaboration system assumptions

Use cases

This process involves the configuration of a service for a customer. The process begins when a new customer order is created, and is completed when a customer service is activated. This process can only proceed after the Resource Provisioning and Allocation process has been completed.

Actors

The following table shows the actors for this use case:

Use case actors
Actor  Description
Call center CSR (Customer Service Representative) A person who is an agent of the telecommunications provider who performs a set of business functions in response to requests communicated over the telephone by clients. The person acting as Call Center CSR can be busy responding to the telephone and performing sales and/or support activities.
Agent A person who is an agent of the telecommunications provider who performs a set of business functions in response to requests from clients in a branch, retail, or distribution environment. The person acting as an Agent can be busy responding to individuals and performing sales and/or support activities.
Service agent A person who is an agent of the telecommunications provider who is responsible for the setup and configuration of a customer's service order along with the dispatching of the field agents to perform service installations.

Courses

This business process encompasses configurations of digital subscriber lines (DSL), internet data centers (IDC), and Wireless services. These configurations are represented in the following use cases:

DSL use case

The following table describes the course that is followed in the DSL use case for the Customer Service Configuration and Activation business process:

Use case description (main course)
# Activity by the actor System activity Reference
M1 Release Request    
M2   Initiate configuration requests to provider  
M3   Add customer's configuration record  
M4   Test service configuration  
M5   Set up service  
M6 Configure Customer Premise Equipment (CPE)    
M7   Update sales order status  
M8   Update service order status  

The following activity diagram illustrates the DSL use case for the Customer Service Configuration and Activation business process:

DSL use case activity diagram

Note: In the activity diagrams, these shapes are used to identify process activities:

Legend of activities

Business example

The following business example shows a situation where the DSL use case for the Customer Service Configuration and Activation business process is realized.

Service agent sets up new customer DSL service

This example consists of the following steps:

  1. The system notifies the service agent that a request has been made to set up a service for a customer.
  2. The service agent updates a network system, thereby enabling the customer's access to the system.
  3. The system notifies external loop providers about the configuration request, and updates a services management system.
  4. The service agent tests the configured loop.
  5. The service agent configures ADSL services in a central office.
  6. The technician physically configures customer premise equipment (CPE) at the customer site.
  7. A network system activates the new service.

IDC use case

The following tables describe the course that is followed in the IDC use case for the Customer Service Configuration and Activation business process:

Use case description (main course)
# Activity by the actor System activity Reference
M1 Design configuration    
M2   Create VLAN provisioning  
M3   Implement service feature  
M4   Install software  
M5 Configure software    
M6 Configure DNS    
M7   Update sales order status  

The following activity diagram illustrates the IDC use case of the Customer Service Configuration and Activation business process:

IDC use case activity diagram

Business example

The following business example shows a situation where the IDC use case for the Customer Service Configuration and Activation business process is realized.

Service agent sets up new customer IDC service

This example consists of the following steps:

  1. The system notifies the service agent that a request has been made to set up a service for a customer.
  2. The service agent designs the system topology and service features based on the customer's order.
  3. The network provisioning system creates a ?Virtual local area network? (VLAN) feature.
  4. The network provisioning system implements service features to complete the hardware configuration.
  5. The software distribution system installs software products to the appropriate servers.
  6. The service agent configures all software.
  7. The system updates the status of the sales order in the CRM once the software configuration is complete.

Wireless use case

The following tables describe the main course and the alternate course that may be followed in the Wireless use case for the Customer Service Configuration and Activation business process:

Use case description (main course)
# Activity by the actor System activity Reference
M1   Create subscriber Home Location Registry (HLR)  
M2   Create temporary password  
M3 Notify customer about temporary password

 

   
M4 Set up service    
M5   Update sales order status  

The following activity diagram illustrates the Wireless use case for the Customer Service Configuration and Activation business process:

Wireless use case activity diagram

Business example

The following business example shows a situation where the Wireless use case for the Customer Service Configuration and Activation business process is realized.

Service agent sets up new customer wireless service

This example consists of the following steps:

  1. The system creates a record in the Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) network Home Location Registry (HLR), thereby allowing use of the CDMA network.
  2. The system creates a temporary password corresponding to the customer's electronic serial number (ESN).
  3. The service agent enters all required provisioning information into the provisioning server.
  4. The service agent asks the customer to call a special number and enter the limited-time password.
  5. The customer completes the instructions provided in the previous step.
  6. The service agent loads all required provisioning information into the mobile station.
  7. The service agent notifies the customer once the setup is completed.

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