Video Overview
The Aeris platform allows for various SIM management functions from a billing and operational perspective. You have previously activated (provisioned) a SIM that is assigned to your account (in SIM inventory). This activation step, whether it was simply provisioned or simultaneously moved to an active-bill state, enables the SIM to use the services on the network for which it was configured. The SIM's state can change over time. The active states include Provision, Bill, and Suspend. The SIM can also be deactivated by changing its state to Cancel.
This article is organized into the following sections:
The diagram below shows the states that a Device can have in the AerBill system. This state diagram also illustrates a few of the actions that change a Device state—these actions are detailed later in this document.
The table below provides the definitions of each state, the actions, and fees related to those states and actions.
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Device States |
Actions |
Fees |
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Initial The state of a Device, containing an Aeris SKU radio module (“Module”), which has not been identified as belonging to any specific Customer and which has not been previously provisioned on the Aeris Network. A Device remains in the Initial state until it is moved to the Provisioned or Active-Billed state (only by Customer action). |
Initial State Fee There are no charges while a Device is in the Initial state. |
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Provision The act of assigning new identification credentials to a Device (in the Initial or Cancelled state) containing a Module as belonging to a specific Customer, assigning a Rate Plan, and storing that association in the Aeris Network, so the Device is live on, and managed by, the Aeris Network. |
Provision Fees If specified in the Device’s assigned Rate Plan, a Provision Fee may be applied at the time of the Provision action. |
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Reprovision The act of renewing previously assigned identification credentials to a Device (in the Cancelled state) containing a Module as belonging to a specific Customer, assigning a Rate Plan and storing that association in the Aeris Network, so the Device is live on, and managed by, the Aeris Network. During Reprovisioning, Aeris attempts to re-assign the previously assigned network identifiers to a Device as long as a Device retains its original radio Module identifier (the ESN or MEID) and a predetermined amount of time (e.g. twelve months) has not elapsed since a Device entered the Cancelled state. |
Reprovision Fees If specified in the Device’s assigned Rate Plan, a Reprovision Fee may be applied at the time of the Reprovision action. |
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Provisioned The state of a Device that has been provisioned, or made live, on the Aeris Network and can now by recognized and managed by the Aeris Network. A Device remains in the Provisioned state until it is moved to the Active- Billed state (by Customer action or by its assigned threshold triggers being exceeded) OR Cancelled state (only by Customer action). |
Provisioned State Fees While in the Provisioned state, an Access Fee is not charged. |
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Provisioned State Transport Service Billing Rates While in the Provisioned state, a Device is permitted a defined amount of traffic over a defined number of days to support testing and other pre-installation activities (as specified in its assigned Rate Plan). Upon exceeding any of these thresholds, the Device is automatically moved to the Active- Billed state (also known as defaulting). |
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Activation The act of moving a Device from the Provisioned state to the Active-Billed state, or from the Initial state to the Active-Billed state. |
Activation Fees For a Device with an assigned post-paid Rate Plan and if specified in the Rate Plan, if the Device is moving from the Initial or Provisioned state for the first time, then a First Bill Activation Fee is applied. Otherwise a Reactivation Fee is applied. |
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Active-Billed The state of a Device that is live on the Aeris Network and which is being charged per the Active-Billed State Billing Rates. The Active-Billed state is the most common state for a Device. A Device remains in the Active-Billed state until it is moved to the Suspended state OR Cancelled state (only by Customer action). |
Active-Billed State Fee Active-Billed State Transport Services Billing Rates While in the Active-Billed state, the Device is billed according to the fees specified in its Rate Plan. For a Device with an assigned post-paid Rate Plan, the Access Fee is pro-rated for the number of days the Device was in the Active-Billed state during the billing period in which the Device entered the Active-Billed state, whether from the Provisioned, Suspended or Cancelled state. |
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Suspend The act of moving a Device from the Active-Billed state to the Suspended state. |
Suspension Fees If specified in the Device's assigned Rate Plan, a Suspension Fee may be applied at the time of the Suspension action. |
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Suspended The state of a Device temporarily removed from the Active-Billed state while remaining under a post-paid Rate Plan and continuing to be live on and managed by the Aeris Network. A Device remains in the Suspended state until it is moved to the Active- Billed state (through Customer action or by its assigned threshold triggers being exceeded) or Cancelled state (only by Customer action). |
Suspended State Fees Upon entering the Suspended state, the Access Fee is prorated to the number of days the Device was in the Active-Billed state during the transition billing period. |
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Suspended State Transport Services Billing Rates While in the Suspended state, a Device is permitted a defined amount of traffic over a defined number of days to support off-line activities (as specified in its assigned Rate Plan). Upon exceeding any of these thresholds, the Device is automatically moved to the Active- Billed state. |
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Unsuspend The act of moving a Device from the Suspended state to the Active-Billed state. |
Unsuspend Fees If specified in the Device's assigned Rate Plan, a Unsuspend Fee (interpreted as a Reactivation Fee) may be applied at the time of the Unsuspend action. |
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Cancel The act of moving a Device from the Active-Billed state, or Provisioned state to the Cancelled state. |
Deactivation Fees If specified in the Device's assigned Rate Plan, a Deactivation Fee may be applied at the time of the Deactivation action, or the Deprovision action. |
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Cancelled The state of a Device that is no longer live on and cannot be managed by the Aeris Network. A Device in the Cancelled state cannot communicate, or be communicated with. However, a Device in the Cancelled state, if powered on, will continue to exchange ANSI-2000 protocol traffic with the network. Thus, it is an Aeris requirement that Devices in a Cancelled state be powered off or removed from the network in some fashion. A Device remains in the Cancelled state until it is moved to the Provisioned or Active-Billed state (only by Customer action). |
Cancelled State Fees Upon entering the Cancelled state, if a Device was on a post- paid Rate Plan, the Access Fee is pro-rated for the number of days the Device was in the Cancelled state during the transition billing period. |
Devices
Active-Billed State
The Active-Billed state is the most common state for a Device. While in the Active- Billed state, the Device is billed for service according to the fees specified in its Rate Plan.
Cancelled State
The state of a Device that is no longer registered on the Aeris Network. A Device in the Cancelled state cannot communicate, or be communicated with.
If the Device was on a Post-Paid Rate Plan, the Access Fee is pro-rated for the number of days the Device was in the Cancelled state during the transition billing period.
Initial State
The state of a Device, containing an Aeris SKU radio module (“Module”), which has not been identified as belonging to any particular Customer and which has not been previously provisioned on the Aeris Network.
Provisioned State
The state of a Device that has been provisioned on the Aeris Network.
The Device remains in the Provisioned state until it is moved to the Active-Billed state (through specific Customer action or by Rate Plan triggers being exceeded) or Cancelled state (only through Customer action).
While in the Provisioned state, an Access Fee is not charged, but the Device is billed for all traffic at the Provisioned State Billing Rates specified in its Rate Plan.
Suspended State
The state of a Device moved—usually temporarily—from the Active-Billed state, while remaining under a Post-Paid Rate Plan.
Upon entering the Suspended state, the Access Fee is pro-rated to the number of days the Device was in the Active-Billed state during the transition billing period. While in the Suspended state, the Device is not charged an Access Fee, but is charged for all traffic.
The Device remains in the Suspended state until it is moved to the Active-Billed state (through Customer action or by Rate Plan triggers being exceeded) or Cancelled state (only through Customer action).
If a Suspended state Device is moved to the Active-Billed state, an Un-Suspend Fee may be applied, and the Access Fee is pro-rated for the number of days the Device was in the Suspended state during the transition billing period.
If a Suspended state Device moves to the Cancelled state, a Deactivation Fee may be applied.
Actions
Activate (or Re-Activate)
The act of moving a Device from the Provisioned state to the Active-Billed state or from the Initial state to the Active-Billed state.
An Activation Fee may be applied—either a First Bill Activation or Reactivation Fee depending on the specific activation request.
For Post-Paid Rate Plans, the Access Fee is pro-rated for the number of days the Device was in the Active-Billed state during the billing period in which the Device entered the Active-Billed state.
Cancel (or Deactivate)
The act of removing a Device from the Aeris Network, which moves the Device into the Cancelled state. Devices may be deactivated at any time (i.e., moved from any current state except the Initial state, to the Cancelled state).
A Deactivation Fee may be applied.
Provision
The act of identifying a Device containing a Module as belonging to a particular Customer and Rate Plan and storing that association in the Aeris Network databases.
A Provision Fee may be applied when the Device is provisioned.
Re-Provision
The act of restoring a Device currently in the Cancelled state to the Provisioned state.
Re-Provisioning restores the Device to the Provisioned state.
There is no fee for Re-Provisioning a Device.
Suspend
The act of moving a Device from the Active-Billed state to the Suspended state.
A Suspension Fee may be applied when the Device is suspended.
Unsuspend
The act of moving a Device from the Suspended state to the Active-Billed state.
An Unsuspension Fee may be applied when the Device is unsuspended.
Other Terms
Aeris Approval
Use of the Aeris Network is conditioned upon approval of:
- an Application profile,
- the Device; and (if necessary),
- the interface between the Customer’s servers and the AerFrame systems.
Renewal Date Date
The date on which:
- a new Access Fee is applied, and
- the included data transport is added to a Device’s profile,
either of which can be based on annual or multi-year terms.
Data Rounding
Packet (e.g., 1x OnDemand) data usage is rounded up to the next KB according to the rounding rules identified in the Rate Plan.
Data Rounding within Pooling
Included packet (e.g., 1x OnDemand) data usage is aggregated (pooled) for all Devices that share the same Rate Plan and Report Group.
At the end of each billing period, Total Data Traffic is calculated for all Devices in the same Rate Plan and Report Group and rounded up to the next KB according to the rounding rules identified in the Rate Plan.
If the rounded data amount exceeds the available data volume in the pool, then an Overage Fee is applied according to the Rate Plan.
Available pool data expires (i.e., lost) only after the Deactivation of the last Device in the Rate Plan/Report Group pool.
Invoice
Statement from Aeris each billing period itemizing the fees owed to Aeris, calculated using the Customer Rate Plan(s) and these standard billing terms and conditions.
Post-Paid Rate Plans
Monthly Access Fees are billed one month in advance and Traffic Fees are billed one month in arrears.
Rate Plan
The fees associated with a Device operating on the Aeris Network.
Report Group
A collection of Devices, specified by the Customer, whose billing information is aggregated for invoicing and reporting.
Total Packet Data Traffic
Customer is billed for all packet data sent to and received from a Device, including actual user data plus other data that may be added to transmit the user data. For example, TCP/UDP overhead, retries (application and/or TCP) and failed session establishment attempts.
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