Internet Connection Services for RAS provides Internet service providers with the tools they need to lower support and development costs, expand their business, and improve their customer connection experience.
To significantly reduce the need for technical support calls, Internet service providers can use Connection Point Services and Connection Manager together. Connection Point Services enables ISPs to maintain a phone book with up-to-date access numbers, also known as Points of Presence (POPs). Connection Manager can then be used to automatically deliver the updated phone book to individual subscribers and employees. The update occurs each time the user dials the Internet service. It is completely transparent to the user. Connection Point Services and Connection Manager ensure that users have the most up-to-date access information for their location and service needs.
ISPs can also use Connection Manager to provide their users with a transparent solution for reducing support costs. Each time the user dials the Internet service, Connection Manager transparently checks their software configuration. For example, Connection Manager can:
If Connection Manager determines that these components are incorrectly installed, Connect Manager deploys the appropriate wizard to guide the individual subscriber or employee through the process of resolving the problem. In many cases, Connection Manager can transparently correct the problem. For example, ISPs can provide their individual subscribers with transparent support for dial-up networking (DUN). If the clients computer is not already set up to take advantage of DUN, Connection Manager transparently configures the computer. By providing the individual subscriber with an immediate or transparent resolution for technical support issues, the employees become more self-sufficient.
Many Internet service providers have built their business on the traditional flat-fee, unlimited access for consumers. Unfortunately, competition and pricing pressures have resulted in a thin margin business for ISPs. To stay competitive, ISPs today are looking for ways to expand their business into areas that yield greater profitability. With Internet Connection Services for RAS, ISPs have the technology to provide value added services to their customers.
One way ISPs can use Internet Connection Services for RAS to expand their business is to form roaming alliances with other ISPs. Roaming alliances allow ISPs to leverage their current comprehensive network without spending a great deal of money building new Points of Presence. With a RADIUS proxy server (one will be available in the Commercial edition of Internet Authentication Services), groups of ISPs can forward authentication requests between networks. That means, individual subscribers and employees can use any ISP number that is part of the alliance to access the Internet or corporate resources.
Each time an ISP joins a roaming alliance, Connection Point Services enables them to quickly exchange lists of phone numbers. And if their users are using Connection Manager as their dialer, ISPs can also automatically distribute their phone book updates. As a result, remote users always have an updated phone book of local numbers to call for remote Internet access.
ISPs can also expand their business by providing secure, dial-up VPN service to corporations. With Internet Authentication Services, corporations can authenticate employees against information in a Windows NT Server database, and provide them with secure, encrypted access to a corporate private network. ISPs can sell Internet account access wholesale to corporations, thus simplifying their billing and administration. Additionally, ISPs can use the Internet Authentication Services to monitor usage and provide specific accounting information to corporate cost centers.
Using Internet Connection Services for RAS, ISPs can offer the following advantages to corporations:
By offering these advantages to corporations, ISPs can cultivate new business relationships and attain higher, more attractive margins.
Getting connected to the Internet can be a frustrating experience for novice users. Frequently, individual subscribers and employees are forced to manually change options in their dialer software and choose correct access numbers before they can reach their Internet service. With Internet Connection Services for RAS, all configuration is done by the Internet service provider. Using the Connection Manager Administration Kit, an ISP can build a custom dialer with all the options their users need to quickly connect to the Internet. A custom dialer improves the user’s experience by reducing the need for technical support personnel. The novice user connects using an interface that is pre-configured and customized to their situation.