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StarHub - Triple Play Provisioning through Conexon

Introduction
With the merger in 2002 of a mobile wireless company (StarHub) and a cable operator (Singapore Cable Vision), StarHub is now Singapore's leading information, communications and entertainment company. StarHub provides a full range of services over fixed, mobile and Internet platforms. The company operates its own nationwide broadband network that delivers multi-channel cable TV services, data services, voice services and Internet access services. StarHub also operates its own GSM network that is fully upgraded for GPRS (General Packet Radio Service) and 3G. ConexonTM from Interactive Enterprise (IE) enables StarHub to automate the provisioning and activation of multi-play data, voice, wireless and video services from a single platform, managing services for more than 400,000 subscribers including approximately 190,000 subscribers of high speed data service. StarHub has implemented a highly integrated Conexon architecture with interfaces to multiple billing systems, as well as Conditional Access, Voice IPDT, and set-top box middleware. In addition, Star Hub has deployed many Service Management Modules from IE that enable StarHub to address different market segments and payment models, increase ARPU and deliver an optimum quality of service to its subscribers. Such applications include on-demand services, customer self-care and self-activation, IP video streaming, wireless hotspot activation, on-demand gaming, and prepayment for a wide range of other broadband services.

Background
StarHub has excelled in satisfying subscriber demand by offering a full range of content from various sources and in various packages. With the arrival of Mobile 3G, wireless broadband and interactive digital services, StarHub needed to further expand their range of offerings and prepare their front and back office environments to attract and retain subscribers in addition to reducing operational costs and maximizing revenue. Interactive Enterprise was selected by StarHub as the key strategic partner to help:

• Prepare their front and back offices so that immediate order fulfillment and end-to-end integration of multiple disparate systems within the supply chain could be achieved so that subscribers are served in an instant, automated, zero touch and cost-effective manner.
• Expand their range of services and payment options: Data (Internet, email, hosting, and instant messaging), Video, Voice, Gaming, Business to Consumer (B2C) services, and offer services in partnership with external organizations.

Adopt a 'subscriber-centric' rather than a 'service-centric' approach. Subscribers demand access to multiple services within a single account and customer support environment. This approach simplifies the introduction of new services and packages and improves the subscribers' experience.

An important factor for StarHub in rolling out new services is the ability to rapidly deploy new revenue streams, reduce costs and up-sell across the existing subscriber base. Conexon enables StarHub to achieve this through:

• Automated deployment of individual services and bundled multi-play services that generate new revenue streams quickly and efficiently.
• Eliminating the requirement for a truck roll to the subscribers' premises helping reduce costs and increase the speed at which services are deployed.
• Reducing the number of calls to the CSR call center
• Allowing subscribers to self manage their accounts and upgrade to new services, providing an enhanced level of customer satisfaction and greater opportunity to generate new revenues.
  

Conexon Automated Service Provisioning in StarHub
Conexon rapidly provisions a host of services across the StarHub network. These services include:

High-Speed Data (HSD) - In the StarHub HSD environment, Conexon has a central role to play in ensuring the complete end-to-end provisioning of data services and supports both prepaid and postpaid services. Conexon interfaces with the Billing System, Inventory module, CRM, IP Management System, Credit-card payment gateway, Prepaid Card gateway and other HSD element managers and back office systems to ensure fast and accurate delivery for excellent customer satisfaction.

Digital TV (DTV) Service Management - Conexon significantly reduces the complexity of activating DTV services for subscribers, authorizing movies or events on a subscriber's STB, and populating the scheduling information across all systems that require this information.

Digital Voice or Voice over IP (VoIP) Service Management - In StarHub's VoIP environment, Conexon ensures the complete end-to-end provisioning of voice services across the network and onto the subscriber's residential equipment.

Digital Voice - SIP Voice Service Management - In addition to the existing VoIP service, StarHub is offering new SIP-based VoIP service to their broadband customers. These services can be offered through a SIP Adapter or using a SIP softclient, in which case the customer just needs to download the SIP software client unto his computer to enable him to make telephone calls. Also, SIP calls can be made from anywhere in the world as long as the user has his SIP adapter or softclient on his computer and internet access. Conexon also functions as a mediation system to filter, reconcile and rate call detail records according to StarHub's business requirements.

Conexon Business Applications in StarHub
Conexon is the key enabler to assist StarHub in introducing new services to their subscribers. These applications focus on maximizing revenue generation for StarHub in addition to delivering a high quality of service and user experience. They include:

Prepaid On-Demand High Speed Data Services (MaxOnline FlexiSurf) - Conexon's Prepaid On-Demand Service application provides the capability to define innovative and flexible fixed-usage and fixed-duration service plans; sign up new subscribers and renew current customers through a secure "walled garden" portal; and interface with bank or credit card payment clearing gateways, prepaid card system or operators' billing systems. It also provides end users with information about their current and remaining usage metrics and initiates and schedules the termination of service once the purchased usage time has elapsed without the need for manual intervention.

Conexon provides prepaid services for specific cable modems and retains information on all cable modems in the network. Cable modems with prepaid service configured will not have a bill pay service (postpaid). Therefore, cable modems with prepaid service configuration will only have access to a walled garden. This walled garden allows the subscriber's CPE to access a prepaid service activation web page only and some pre-defined websites for service trials.

To ensure continuity of service, Conexon enables StarHub customers' to easily switch between Prepaid and Postpaid service plans based on their individual requirements.

Wireless Hotspot Authentication and Usage Collection - Conexon's Wireless Hotspot (WiFi) application provides an interface with Radius for activation, authentication, authorization and collecting call detail records, performs mediation to process the call detail records before sending them to the billing system, and interfaces with single-sign-on server for subscriber account management and changing services.

Subscriber Self-Service - Conexon's web-based self service user interface allows subscribers (or installers) to activate services. This process can be used to associate a particular device to the subscriber's account and allows subscribers to manage their services and purchase upgrades or additional services. The module supports self-subscription and retail-type provisioning models. In these scenarios, new subscribers can sign up for service by providing an account number and username where they are already a subscriber to at least one service (such as Digital TV). Conexon uses the Service Catalog to determine what services may be offered to this subscriber, and carries out all required provisioning steps including package subscription, service activation, and device configuration. As part of Conexon's self service capabilities, subscribers can enable/disable access to certain websites using StarHub's "SafeSurf" product. This is ideal for parents who want to protect children from harmful web content. Other useful self-service tools include a "Speed Test", allowing customers check their connection speeds, and a "Broadband Qualifier" which allows customers to check if their PC, modem, and network card are suitable for various HSD services.

On-Demand Gaming - StarHub offers two types of gaming services-StarHub's Hosted Games and Microsoft Xbox Live games. Conexon provides web portals for subscribers to activate gaming services and acts as the service activation platform to make payment to the merchant bank payment gateway; activates the service for a specific time period and allows customer access to StarHub or XBox gaming servers.

Prepaid Card System - Conexon's prepaid card system is one of the payment methods for StarHub customers. Customers can purchase the prepaid cards from StarHub outlet shops and use these cards to self-activate StarHub services. Currently, services include Broadband On-Demand (FlexiSurf), Gaming on Demand, WiFi Hotspot usage. This solution is fully flexible to enable delivery of additional prepaid services in the future.

Prepaid On-Demand for Analog and Digital TV - Prepaid on-demand service enables StarHub customers to sign up to either analog or digital television channels in a flexible manner. The customer can sign up for a fixed number of days viewing. This service allows subscriber self-subscription and activation in addition to the existing Customer Service hotline subscription. For example, a StarHub customer that does a lot of traveling may only require television services on the weekend. Conexon provides a simple interface enabling the customer to select from a calendar the times that he wants access to the television services. He can select either to immediately activate the channels or to schedule the channels to be activated on a specific date and time. Conexon will then track the number of days used and deactivate the channels when the service period expires.

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Conclusion
Conexon enables StarHub to deliver and manage a full range of information, communications, and entertainment services across its subscriber base. By enabling significant incremental revenue opportunities along with greater cost reduction and quality of service, it helps StarHub maintain its market leadership in a highly competitive and changing marketplace. As StarHub continues to expand its wide range of offerings , Conexon will continue to play a central role in enabling the design, bundling, marketing and rapid activation of subscription and on-demand services.

About Interactive Enterprise
Founded in 1998, Interactive Enterprise Ltd. (IE) develops and markets broadband service management solutions to operators throughout North America, Latin America, EMEA and Asia. Through its modular and flexible service activation and management solution, Conexon, IE enables operators to rapidly deploy voice, video, data and wireless (multi-play) services to their subscribers across multiple broadband platforms. A suite of integrated management modules give operators the ability to enhance the customer broadband experience by delivering feature-rich applications that enable self-provisioning/self-care, pre-paid services, content management and quality of service tools. With headquarters in Dublin, Ireland, the company delivers an integrated end-to-end broadband solution working with a host of industry partners including Motorola and Comverse. More information on Interactive Enterprise and Conexon can be found at www.interactive-enterprise.com.