Payment Module - Defining a Rate Zone

By defining day rates you can charge the user different rates for different Internet addresses (URLs).
Please note that the Payment Module will always use the most expensive zone whenever a choice has to be made, i.e. if three windows with three different rates are open, the most expensive rate prevails.

 

Zone Name

You will first have to define a rate zone for all "surfing areas" to which you want to apply a rate that is not the default rate. The name of this zone will be displayed in the browser if you have checked the box "Display zone name and rate in status bar" under Advanced.

 

URL Search Pattern

Adding URLs

WARNING:
Please make sure that each defined Domain does not start with an "*" but ends with a Slash (/). If not then users will be able to use the surf station for free by using @ or # e.g.: The URL "www.yourPage.com@www.google.com" opens www.google.com. "www.yourPage.com/@www.google.com" does not work.

At URL Search Pattern you can enter the URL addresses establishing a rate zone. You can define as many URL search patterns (e.g. http://www.mypage.com) as you like.
Example: You call a zone "journals and magazines" and assign the following URLs to this zone:


1. www.time.com/
2. www.newsweek.com/*
3. www.newyorker.*/news/*
When defining zones, the Payment Module applies what is called Best Match Logic, i.e. should two zones overlap, the Payment Module will give preference to the one matching a "more precise" search pattern. For instance, if you have two zones, one defined as http://www.time.com/* and another one defined as http://www.time.com/time/2006/*, the Payment Module will assign the URL http://www.time.com/time/2006/olympics/index.html to the second zone, as it is more precisely defined.

In order to add a URL address to the URL search pattern, simply click on Add.

Zone applies to all other URLs within frame structure as well
This setting refers to pages containing frames which, in turn, might contain subframes with content provided by third parties or other URLs. Since these URLs do not match the URLs you added, they will be displayed.


1. Always
   URLs called within the subframe will always use the rate you defined for the zone above. Other possible zone definitions will be ignored.
2. If no other zone matches
   If you explicitly assigned a different zone rate to one of the URLs diplayed in the subframe, then this is the rate that will be applied.

Example:
The page www.a-page-with-frames.com contains a subframe with the URL www.another.page.com. While the URL www.a-page-with-frames.com costs 5 credits per hour, the URL www.another-page.com costs 8 credits per hour (belongs to another zone).
Unless you select the check box "Zone applies to all other URLs ...", your customer will be charged the 8-credits rate; the most expensive zone applies.
If you selected the check box "always", the 5-credits-per-hour rate will apply.
On the other hand, should you have defined "if no other zone matches", then the 8-credits rate will apply.

 

Payment Mode Settings

Free of charge (free mode)
If you select this mode, all URLs you added to the list will be defined as a free zone. This option is especially useful for your own pages or those of your sponsors.

Important:
The web pages defined here will be free of charge on a general basis, i.e. even if there is a credit balance available, the user will not be charged for his or her surfing time. The other options will allow you to define quasi-free zones.

Add a constant amount of credit per minute (advertizing mode)
This option allows you to credit back the user for spending time on particular web sites, advertising, filling out questionaires etcetera. Enter the amount per hour in the form window (this amount will automatically be converted into the corresponding amount per minute).

Subtract a constant amount of credit per minute
This option will probably be selected in most cases. Here you specify the cost per hour of a particular zone. For obvious reasons, this hourly rate should differ from the basic hourly rate.

Multiplier depending on day rate
By selecting this function you will be able to define surcharges as a percentage of the day rate for specific zones. Enter the additional charge as a percentage.


Important
The multiplier will be of particular importance if you have defined day rates. During a Happy Hour the zone could, for example, cost 150% of the rate specified for this time!

Zone will be free of charge while user's credit balance is zero
By checking this box you will be able to specify which zone will be free of charge when the user's credit balance runs out. The Start Page is specified by default. This option ensures that the system will not still try to deduct money for a URL when the credit balance amounts to zero. This option is only available when setting the payment mode to subtracting amounts or multiplying the day rate.

 

Charging for Applications and Services

Charging for applications
By default, the Payment Module only charges the user for the time spent on HTML pages and not for the use of applications. If you like to charge users for the usage of programs then please take a look at service rates

Webcam / E-mail client
The Webcam and the e-mail button will not be available until the user has credit at his or her disposal. If a credit balance is available, the user would be charged for using the sites at the basic rate. You can also set a fee for using these services.

You will find the Webcam pages in SiteKiosk's installation folder under "skins\public\default\MediaMail.html" and the e-mail client under "skins\public\default\menu.html"

Charging one-time fees by pull mode
You will also be able to impose a one-time charge on the use of certain services such as web sites or applications. In order to learn more, please read the following pages in the Help menu.

 

1. Read the notes mentioned above if you want to charge your users for using applications or the Webcam plugin.
2. Define zones with multipliers if you have specified day rates.
3. The Start Page is free of charge by default as long as no credit balance is available.
4. When switching zones, the user will always be charged for the most expensive page that is being displayed.