This topic describes the rules for overdue payments and refunds.
Overdue payments
If the available credit of your Alibaba Cloud account is less than the amount due on the bill, the bill becomes overdue. The available credit includes your account balance, vouchers, and coupons. In this case, your payment becomes overdue, and the system sends text messages or emails to notify you of the overdue payment.
After a payment becomes overdue, resources within your Alibaba Cloud account enter different states based on the billing method.
Overdue payments of transit routers
Transit routers are billed based on the pay-as-you-go method. In the event of an outstanding balance on your account, the following will apply:
Within 15 days of an overdue payment, the transit routers continue to provide services.
After 15 days of an overdue payment, the transit routers are suspended and no longer forward traffic. We recommend that you top up your account balance at the earliest opportunity. The transit routers automatically resume operation when your payment is processed.
After 15 days of suspension, transit routers are automatically released. All configurations and data of the transit routers are deleted and cannot be recovered.
Expiration of bandwidth plans
Bandwidth plans are billed based on the subscription billing method. Payments must be completed before bandwidth plans can take effect. Therefore, bandwidth plans remain available before they expire. However, you cannot purchase, upgrade, or renew bandwidth plans if a payment is overdue.
The validity period of a bandwidth plan is determined by the subscription period that you specify when you make the purchase. Expired bandwidth plans are automatically released if you do not renew them within the specified period of time.
A bandwidth plan continues providing services within 15 days after the bandwidth plan expires. We recommend that you renew the bandwidth plan at the earliest opportunity. For more information, see Renew a bandwidth plan.
15 days after a bandwidth plan expires, services are suspended. Data forwarding is disabled.
During the suspension period of a bandwidth plan, the system retains the settings related to the bandwidth plan. You can renew the bandwidth plan within 15 days after it is suspended. After you renew the bandwidth plan, services are restored.
If you do not renew a bandwidth plan 15 days after it is suspended, the bandwidth plan is automatically released.
You are notified by text message and email one day before your bandwidth plan is released. After a bandwidth plan is released, the settings and data related to the bandwidth plan are deleted and cannot be restored.
Refunds
Connections and data forwarding on transit routers are billed based on the pay-as-you-go billing method and do not support refunds. Bandwidth plans are billed based on the subscription billing method and support refunds.
If you need to request a refund for your bandwidth plan, submit a ticket.