Online Product Activation
One of the concerns of managing a large number of units in the field is the monthly tracking and billing of many small airtime charges.
The M2M Online Product Activation & Automated Billing System easily solves this problem for you. Each M2M Communications product is assigned to a private and secure customer account. Each customer can monitor and control their units (and only their units) from their private administration page on the web server.
The Online Product Activation process allows the end user to activate their products online just before they are used. This process allows the customer to create his or her own user account and passwords, to select a billing plan and enter a credit card number or an M2M account number to establish billing.
The purpose of this process is to facilitate large numbers of individual product orders without the need for manual processes related to web account creation and device management.
OEM M2M resellers and distributors can sell the products to end-users without the need for post sale interaction with the customer.
Provisioning
All units include a cellular radio that is “provisioned” with the cellular or satellite network. This step occurs during the assembly and test process, prior to shipping.
Product Activation
All devices include a quick start guide with the private label web site address or the www.M2MComm.com web server address as well as an activation key for the device. Additionally, a sticker is placed directly on the device stating that the product must be activated before it can be used. The sticker also contains the web site address and activation key.
Local configuration of the unit can occur before product activation, but activation must occur before any transmissions can be made.
Armed with the activation key and quick start guide, a new customer can easily activate a new device.
Specifically, the customer will
- Create a new account or select an existing account if they have one,
- Select a billing plan, and
- Enter address and billing information including either a credit card number or an existing billing account.
The device associated with the activation key will then be assigned to the new account.
GSM based products have the additional requirement of a SIM card for each unit. The SIM card will be included with the unit or will be delivered to the end user when the unit is activated for use, depending on the selected airtime carrier.
Only Pay for It When You Need It!
This is very useful for seasonal products such as agricultural applications.
The end customer can use the M2M on-line system to de-activate a device and terminate billing at the end of any month. There is no charge to deactivate a unit.
The account can then be re-activated either on-line exactly when needed, or by scheduling it in advance. There is a $25 fee to reactivate a unit, and then billing will be resumed according to the selected plan. There is no charge for the first activation of the unit.
Automated Tracking and Billing
All billing options and monthly costs are defined in the Customer Activation process. There are several billing options, primarily to define the expected amount of data to be transmitted per month. Higher cost rate plans typically have a lower cost per byte of data.
Monthly usage is automatically measured and recorded by the M2M NOC. Charges are normally billed to the user’s credit card (Visa, MasterCard, or American Express) or they can be invoiced on a Net 30 basis.
The cost of excessive transmissions (beyond the amount purchased) is billed at approximately the same rate. There is typically no penalty or overcharge fee for additional calls or data transferred.
The M2M system can handle all of the billing chores for OEM and private label customers. Please contact us for more specific options.