When a new phone prefix is introduced, service providers receive an updated price list from their vendor that includes the new rate. After vendor tariffs are updated in PortaBilling, service providers must quickly add the new rate code with appropriate prices to their customer and reseller tariffs to ensure accurate call rating. Updating each tariff individually is inconvenient and time-consuming, especially when many customers have individual prices configured via override tariffs.
With this release, admins can add a rate for a new rate code to multiple tariffs in a single operation, saving time and minimizing pricing errors.
The Bulk tariff change tool guides admins through the process of adding a new rate to multiple customer and reseller tariffs. It works with two key concepts:
- Target rate code – the new rate code for which a rate will be added to the selected tariffs.
- Source rate code – an existing rate code that already has a rate defined in the tariff. The pricing parameters of this rate, such as interval and price, are copied to the new rate. If a tariff does not include a rate for the source rate code, that tariff is skipped.
Admins can review and adjust the list of tariffs to be updated and see a summary of the changes. For more details, refer to How to add a new rate to multiple tariffs.
Owl Telecom provides calling services to Philippine phone numbers for its US customers. A Philippine mobile operator, which already owns the 63920 prefix, is assigned a new prefix, 63925. The vendor sends Owl Telecom an updated termination price list that includes the new prefix, and Owl Telecom updates the vendor tariff in PortaBilling accordingly.
Owl Telecom has 35 customer tariffs with Philippine destinations and 150 override tariffs for customers with negotiated rates for Philippine destinations. The Owl Telecom admin must update all of these tariffs by adding a rate for the new 63925 rate code with the same pricing parameters as the existing 63920 rate.
The admin opens the Bulk tariff change tool, enters 63925 as the target rate code and 63920 as the source rate code, and confirms the list of affected tariffs. PortaBilling creates a new rate for each tariff, copying all pricing parameters (such as price per minute and interval) from the source rate of that tariff. Override tariffs that do not include the 63920 rate, do not get a new rate for 63925.
Calls to Philippine phone numbers starting with 63925 are immediately charged using the new rates.
How to add a new rate to multiple tariffs
To add a rate for a new rate code to multiple tariffs at once:
- Go to the Service catalog and open the Tariffs page.
- Click Bulk tariff change to open the tool.
- In the Configuration step, fill in the following fields:
- In the Target rate code to be added field, enter the new rate code for which to add a rate in tariffs.
- In the Source rate code field, enter a rate code that already has rates defined in tariffs. The tool copies the settings of these rates in each tariff to the new rate, such as first and next interval, first and next price, and payback.
- In the Effective from field, define when the new rate becomes active: immediately or on a specific date.
- For If the target rate code already exists in a tariff option, select how the system handles tariffs where the rate for the target rate code already exists:
- Skip tariff – the existing rate is kept unchanged.
- Overwrite rate – the existing rate is overwritten with the settings of the source rate.
- Click Next step.
- In the Review & Scope step, review the list of tariffs to be updated and adjust the selection if needed. PortaBilling populates the list with all tariffs in the system. Tariffs that contain the source rate are pre-selected for the update.
- Use the Applied to customer and Applied to reseller checkboxes to include or exclude tariffs by type. Deselected tariff types are removed from the list and will not be updated.
- Use the search field to find a specific tariff.
- For each tariff, the list shows the pricing parameters that will be copied from the source rate, such as the first and next interval and the first and next price per minute.
- After reviewing the list of tariffs, click Create rates.
- The Finish step confirms that the rates have been created. The Cloned Rates table lists each tariff to which the new rate was added, along with its status and copied pricing parameters. Click Start again to add another rate code, or Close to exit the tool.
