Definition
A plan cycle is how long a data plan stays valid. Common cycles are a monthly plan (a calendar month or 30 days), a quarterly plan (90 days), and a yearly plan (365 days). Data billing produces a bill on that cycle, by calendar month, by activation date, or by a custom cycle.
Cycle types
- Monthly plan: A calendar month, from the 1st through the last day, or a rolling 30 days. A calendar month lines up with the operator bill. A rolling 30 days starts at activation or at the order date, which is more flexible.
- Quarterly and yearly plans: Longer cycles such as 90 days or 365 days. They fit devices that stay online and use a steady amount, and the unit price is usually better.
- Custom cycle: Any number of days the project needs, such as 45 days or 180 days.
How it meets billing
The plan cycle is the cycle data billing uses. If the cycle ends and the plan is not renewed, the SIM may be suspended. If overage billing is on, the excess is rated by usage. The platform should remind users before a cycle ends, renew automatically, and allow a plan change inside the cycle.
How the cycle is aligned
A calendar month, from the 1st through month end, lines up with the operator bill and with finance. A rolling cycle from the activation date or the order date, such as 30 days or 90 days, is more flexible, so users who order on different days renew at different times. The data plan has to state the cycle type and the start rule, so the bill and operator reconciliation stay accurate. A long cycle, such as a yearly plan, usually has a better unit price and fits a device that stays online.
Cycle and renewal
Before the cycle ends, the platform can send a renewal reminder. If there is no renewal, the SIM may be suspended when the cycle ends. Automatic renewal charges again at the end of the cycle and extends the plan. Inside the cycle, a plan change is allowed, for example from a monthly plan to a quarterly plan, and the remaining cycle and the price difference have to be settled. The plan cycle is a core dimension of data billing and of the bill. It is not the settlement cycle used for agents. The plan cycle faces the end user or the device.
Choosing a cycle
A monthly plan fits steady usage that is accounted by the month. A quarterly or yearly plan has a better unit price and fits a device that stays online. A calendar month lines up with the operator bill and with finance. A rolling cycle from activation or from the order date is more flexible. The cycle is set at plan packaging and shapes the data plan. Plan provisioning and data billing have to apply that rule so operator reconciliation stays accurate.
Renewal at the end of the cycle
A reminder can go out before the cycle ends. Without a renewal, the end of the cycle may suspend the SIM. With automatic renewal on, the charge is taken when the cycle ends and the plan continues. A plan change inside the cycle, such as a monthly plan moving to a quarterly plan, still has to settle the remaining days and the price difference. The plan cycle is how data billing and the bill are produced. It is separate from the agent settlement cycle.