Device States and Billing – Aeris

Basics

During the activation process, you activated (or provisioned) a SIM that was assigned to your account in the SIM Inventory. This activation step, whether it was simply provisioned or simultaneously moved to an active-bill state, enabled the SIM to use the services on the specified network. Device states determine your device’s functionality and fees.

Note: SIM states may change over time or by user intervention. You can also deactivate a SIM by changing its state to Cancel.

The state diagram below shows the multiple states a device can have in the Aeris billing system. This diagram also illustrates a few of the actions that change a device state—these actions are detailed later in this document. See the table below for a comprehensive look into each device state and the associated actions and fees.

Device States and Actions

The following table provides descriptions of the device states, actions, and the associated fees.

Device State

Available Actions

Fees

Initial

A device remains in the Initial state until it is moved to the Provisioned or Active-Billed state (only by customer action).

Devices in this state contain an Aeris SKU radio module (“Module”), which means the device does not belong to any specific customer.

Note: Devices in the Initial state have not been previously provisioned on the Aeris network, unless it was previously cancelled.

Initial State Fee

There are no charges while a device is in the Initial state.

Provision

The act of assigning new identification credentials to a device (in the Initial or Cancelled state) to a specific customer. During provisioning, the Aeris network assigns a Rate Plan and stores the association so that the device is live and manageable.

Provision Fees

At the time of the Provision action, there may be a Provision fee (if specified in the device's assigned Rate Plan).

Reprovision

The act of renewing previously assigned identification credentials to a device (in the Cancelled state). Reprovisioning restores a device from the Cancelled state to the Provisioned state.

During reprovisioning, the Aeris network assigns a Rate Plan and stores the association so that the device is live and manageable once again.

Note: In this process, Aeris attempts to reassign the previously assigned network identifiers (and device name) to a device as long as the following is true:

The device retains its original radio Module identifier (e.g. ESN or MEID).
A predetermined amount of time (e.g. twelve months) has not elapsed since the device entered the Cancelled state.

Re-activation Fees

When a device is reprovisioned, there may be a Reactivation Fee (if specified in the device's assigned Rate Plan).

Note: If applicable, the Reactivation Fee is applied at the time of the reprovision action.

Provisioned

The state of a device that has been provisioned, or made live, on the Aeris network and can now be 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 exceeding the assigned threshold triggers) OR Cancelled state (only by customer action).

Provisioned State Fees

While in the Provisioned state, an Access Fee is not charged, but the device is billed for all traffic (Provisioned State Billing Rates) as specified in its Rate Plan.

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).

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 (if specified in the Rate Plan), if the device moves from the Initial or Provisioned state for the first time, then a First Bill Activation Fee is applied. Otherwise, a Reactivation Fee is applied.

Note: 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 (whether from the Provisioned, Suspended, or Cancelled state).

Active-Billed

Note: The Active-Billed state is the most common state for a device.

The state of a device that is live on the Aeris network. 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

Devices in this state are charged per the Active-Billed State Billing Rates as specified in its Rate Plan.

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. The billing rates usually vary based on the type of traffic (Data/SMS/Voice) and the zones where traffic occurs. The Access Fee may cover a specified amount of included usage (Data, SMS, or voice, or any combination of the three). The device does not incur any usage fees until the included usage is fully exhausted. No devices will incur usage charges in the rate plan’s home zone until the associated Rate Plan pool is fully exhausted.

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.

Suspended

The state of a device temporarily removed from the Active-Billed state while remaining under a post-paid Rate Plan. In this state, a device remains live 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

In this state, the device is not charged an Access Fee, but is charged for all traffic. Additionally, there are one-time charges to place a SIM into the Suspended state.

Note: You should consider these costs when determining how to use the various SIM states in your operations.

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.

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 testing and other offline 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).

Unsuspend

The act of moving a device from the Suspended state to the Active-Billed state.

Unsuspend Fees

At the time of the Unsuspend action, there may be an Unsuspend Fee (interpreted as a Reactivation Fee).

Cancel

The act of moving a device from the Active-Billed state, or Provisioned state to the Cancelled state. This action removes a device from the Aeris network.

Note: You can deactivate a device at any time (i.e., move from any current state except the Initial state, to the Cancelled state).

Deactivation Fees

At the time of the Deactivation or Deprovision action, there may be a Deactivation Fee (if specified in the device's assigned Rate Plan).

Cancelled

The state of a device that is no longer live and registered on the Aeris network.

A device in the Cancelled state cannot communicate, or receive any communication. However, a device in the Cancelled state (if powered on) continues to exchange ANSI-2000 protocol traffic with the network. Thus, it is an Aeris requirement that devices in a Cancelled state are powered off or removed from the network in some fashion.

A device remains in the Cancelled state until it moves to the Provisioned or Active-Billed state (only by customer action).

Cancelled State Fees

Upon entering the Cancelled state, if a device is 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.

Useful Scenarios for Device States

This section describes practical scenarios of how the following device states can optimize functionality and costs:

Provisioned State
Suspended State

Provisioned State

The Provisioned state enables testing capabilities, and ensures you are charged only for the services you use. Provisioned SIMs are not access fees, which makes it an ideal state during manufacturing, supply chain management, fulfillment, etc.

Suspended State

The following describes scenarios where the Suspended state is beneficial:

Managing seasonal demands: During peak time, ensure all SIMS are in an Active-billed state. In slower times, move idle SIMS into a Suspended state. This reduces overall monthly charges of a fleet of SIMs.
Managing the end of life of individual IOT devices: The SIMs associated with these devices are typically unused or no longer actively consuming services. Place these devices in a Suspended state and examine them over time before making a final decision to remove them from service altogether. In this scenario, the Suspended status offers the benefit of enabling SIMs to demonstrate their ongoing usage without incurring monthly fees.

Billing Terminology

The following table provides definitions of terms related to the AerPort billing system.

Term	Definition
Aeris Approval	Use of the Aeris network is conditioned upon approval of the following: Application profile Device (If necessary) Interface between the Customer’s servers and the AerFrame systems
Renewal Date	The date on which both events occur: Device incurs a new Access Fee. The included data transport is added to a device’s profile. Note: Aeris bases these events 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 then 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, an Overage Fee is applied according to the Rate Plan. Note: Available pool data expires (i.e. is lost) after the final device deactivation of 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 monthly.
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	The total packet data traffic includes all packet data sent to and received from a device, which includes the actual user data, in addition to any additional data added to transmit the user data. The additional data includes TCP/UDP overhead, retry attempts (application and/or TCP), and failed session establishment attempts.