ServicePlans/Data
Contents
Introduction
Data Billing Tab
Service Plans where the service type category has an underlying Data class will require data billing configuration before any data-based usage can be rated correctly.
This is achieved by settings in the Data Billing Tab. This configuration is applicable to both BUY and SELL plans, at all tier levels. It is also a mandatory UI requirement to have this Data Billing configuration set before a service plan can be saved and approved.
Important: Once a service plan has been Approved, you cannot change the Billing Type - but you can make changes to the underlying configuration values like Quota and Excess Charge rates.
If, for some reason, you cannot add/edit or save a data billing configuration (normally due to imported plans that have since been Approved), you will need to submit a new ticket requesting assistance from Emersion Support.
There are 3 types of data billing configurations available, with "Volume Billing" being the most widely used. In this user interface this is called the Billing Type.
VOLUME BILLING
Volume billing is processed by utilising following tariff configuration;
| Carrier Honor | will use whatever we were given by the carrier, or a data rate time table if none |
| Carrier Ignore | (will use data rate time table regardless) |
| Carrier Force Peak All | will change ALL tariffs to Peak |
| Carrier Force Peak and Honor Zones | will force peak for all tariffs that are NOT traffic zones |
The data rate time table, unlike the normal timetable editor will force the bands available from the tariff table to be created, you cannot create your own. You can then map each of these zones based on the the normal timetable modification procedure.
Setting up a quota
| Quota | is the ACTUAL quota. (in Megabytes) |
| Bonus Amount | is ALWAYS uncharged, and is used in situatiosn where the quota'd amount may be charged. |
| Charge Usage? Flag | is talking about the main quota, whether we will charge whilst you are using it. |
| Bonus Applies | talks about the bonus quota, whether it occurs before or after the main quota. |
| Action at End |
AFTER ALL QUOTAS ARE EXHAUSTED - what to do!?
|
| Charge upload / download | determines whether we are charging uploads and/or downloads |
| Excess Rate | If you EVER charge excess, what rate we will use. Please note: NORMAL rate, only has effect in the 'charge_usage' function of the main quota. |
| Normal Rate | the rate used whilst within your QUOTA if 'charge_usage' is set to 'charge' (versus no charge). |
TIME BILLING
Does not use the rate timetable, and there is only the one rate you can set, because (obviously) billing is done based on time, not volume, so traffic is irrelevant.
| Quota | How many hrs you get. |
| Cap Amount | how many THINGS you get after the initial quota, until you are capped on price |
| Cap Type | what type of THING it is
|
| Normal Rate | This value is used to calculate the rate per hour charged, after you exceed the base quota. |
VOLUME BILLING (ROLLING 30 DAY USAGE)
This particular setting is very rarely used and has specific use cases. We recommended contacting Emersion Support should you wish to discuss using this configuration.
Most suppliers use strict period based volume usage, or period based time billing for data products to bill customers for usage. However, some suppliers bill their customers based on a 30 day rolling cycle, and in some situations customers would like to bill their end users in a similar fashion.
Rolling usage is independent of the service subscription period and measures usage for the prior 30 days. That is, on any given day, the usage for the previous 30 days for a given service determines whether the service is shaped or not.
The difference between a 'Rolling Usage' plan and a 'Volume Usage' plan is that the services on a 'Volume Usage' plan will have their usage reset to '0' at the end of the service subscription period (at the end of the month usually).
- To change a Service Plan to 'Volume Based - Rolling 30 days usage' click the 'Edit' button and select the 'Volume Based - Rolling 30 days usage' radio button.
A selection will need to be made whether or not you are charging uploads and/or downloads for both peak and/or off peak data, as well as enter a value in MB for the quota, once these values are entered, click Save once configuration is complete.
Example Data Billing Config
An example of a configured SELL service plan, offering a customer;
- 500 GB of included quota (500,000 Mb)
- $0.50c excess charge for each 1 GB (1000 Mb) of data usage over the initial quota
- Charged in increments of 1 GB (1,000 Mb) - Charged in increments of 1 GB (1,000 Mb)
When configuring the linked BUY service plan, most customers simply do not charge upload/download;
