Internet Plans can be created and managed by the Organization/Location Manager, depending on how the Location is set up and the delegation privileges set. An Internet Plan needs to be assigned to an end-user profile for that end-user to access Guest Wi-Fi. To learn more, visit Assigning Internet Plan to end-users.
When creating a new Internet Plan, the following fields need to be filled out. You can change these fields at a later time.
- Name: the name of the Internet Plan.
- Description: a short description of the Plan.
- Status: indicates whether the Plan can be used or not. A Plan that has been disabled is not available.
- Type: indicates the type of Plan, which can be a Recurring Profile (with automatic renewal) or a One-time Profile (valid for a limited time).
- Self-provisioning: if you set No, then you are creating a free-of-charge Internet plan, not based on Access codes and not listed on the Splash Page as an available plan for the end-user.
If you set Yes, then you can set also Access code, Publish on the Splash Page, options.
If Self-provisioning is Yes, then you can set the options below:
- Access code: if you enable this option, authenticated end-users are required to enter an activation code in the special input field before accessing the service.
This option is disabled by default when you set Self-provisioning: No
For more information about access code Internet Plans, check the article Internet Plan based on access codes. - Self-Provisioning: if you enable this option, the Internet Plan appears in the list of those available that end-users can select from the Splash Page.
This option is disabled by default when you set Self-provisioning: No
For more information, see Assigning Internet Plan to end-users. - Service model: indicates whether the service is Free-of-charge or Paid.
This option is set as Free-of-charge when you set Self-provisioning: No - Price: indicates the purchase price if a paid plan.
Service parameters
Parameters regarding navigation time and validity time need to be configured. These parameters may differ depending on the type of Internet Plan - Recurring or One-time.
For Recurring plans, the following information is required:
- Allocate time: this indicates how long the end-user can use the service. After this allocated time, the validity of the profile is expired until renewed.
- Renewal frequency: indicates how often the validity of the profile is renewed.
- Validate: this indicates a date interval where the Internet plan is valid. Outside this time interval, the Internet plan cannot be consumed.
For One-time plans, the following information is required:
- Allocate time: indicates how long the end-user can use the service. After this time the validity of the profile is expired.
- Expiration: if this is selected, the One-time plan is based on "expiration", otherwise on "consumption".
Example: A 2 hours One-time Profile allows the end-user to navigate for two hours. After this time the navigation will be interrupted.
- Consumption: in this case, the end-user can take advantage of the plan in different browsing sessions, also not contiguous. The system considers the time that has been consumed and allows the end-user to enjoy the remaining time in more subsequent sessions. A "consumption" One-time profile can be created by leaving unchecked the Expiration checkbox.
- Expiration: in this case the end-user session inevitably expires after the expected duration of the plan, starting from the moment when the end-user makes the first access. An "expiration" One-time profile can be created by selecting the Expiration checkbox at the bottom of the creation form.
- Set validity: if you check this option, then you are able a time amount where the Internet plan is valid. The time amount starts when the Internet plan is assigned to the end-user.
Regardless of the Profile type, it is also possible to set the following options:
- Force time-out: it is possible to disconnect the sessions of end-users (to whom the plan is assigned), after a set amount of time. Please note that by selecting this option, you cannot increase the remaining time of your end user's session: so, if the remaining time of an end-user session is less than the value set here, then the duration of the session cannot be modified.
Advanced parameters
By clicking on the Advanced parameters link at the bottom (enabled upon request) of your Internet Plan page, you can configure additional parameters to limit the bandwidth for your end-users. In most cases, you do not need this configuration.
We don't recommend you to set these input fields unless you know what are you doing. For further information, please read the following article Setting QoS parameters on Internet plans.
