Usage and Non-Usage Rates

Usage rates determine the cost of a service consumed by a subscriber. They can be based on event duration, volume, occurrence, or based on any attribute of an event, subscriber, device, or product offer that you want to track. For instance, you can charge subscribers for the number of clicks, pages downloaded, online gaming levels reached, and smart phone applications purchased. Usage rates can also be based on a combination of one or more attributes.

Duration-Based Usage Rates

Usage rates based on event duration are determined by the start and end times of a session. They credit or debit balances based on a time measurement that has elapsed during usage, such as seconds, minutes, or hours. As the duration increases, the charge increases because it is based on a measurement that accrues. Phone calls are examples of events that can be charged for based on their duration.

Volume-Based Usage Rates

Usage rates based on event volume are determined by the size attribute in an event. They credit or debit balances based on a quantity that accumulates during an event session. As the volume increases, the credit or debit also increases because it is based on a unit that accrues. For example, you can create a quantity-based charge for a streaming media session that charges an amount based on the amount of megabytes streamed.

Occurrence-Based Usage Rates

Usage rates based on event occurrence credit or debit a flat rate that is not influenced by an event duration or quantity. They are used for events that occur immediately, such as SMS messages.

Attribute-Based Usage Rates

Usage rates based on a combination of attributes can be scaled, as with duration and quantity charges, and they can be flat rates that influence the total cost of an event. For example, you can create a charge for an Internet session that rates the session based on duration, network speed, and subscriber loyalty status.