FAQ about billing
This page answers common billing questions about Cloud Enterprise Network (CEN).
Am I charged for connecting two VPCs in the same region using an Enterprise Edition transit router?
Yes. A connection fee and a data forwarding fee apply.
Am I charged for connecting two VPCs in the same region but different accounts using an Enterprise Edition transit router?
Yes. A transit router connection fee and a transit router data forwarding fee apply.
When you grant the Enterprise Edition transit router permissions on the virtual private cloud (VPC) in the peer account, specify which account pays: the VPC account or the transit router account. For details, see Acquire permissions to connect to a network instance that belongs to another account.
Am I charged for connecting VPCs in different regions and different accounts using an Enterprise Edition transit router?
Yes. Three types of fees apply: a connection fee, a data forwarding fee, and either a bandwidth plan fee or a data transfer fee. The bandwidth plan allocates bandwidth resources to the inter-region connection.
When you grant the Enterprise Edition transit router permissions on the VPC in the peer account, specify which account pays: the VPC account or the transit router account. For details, see Acquire permissions to connect to a network instance that belongs to another account.
Does CEN support data transfer plans?
No. CEN does not support data transfer plans. CEN supports transit router savings plans, which offset the data forwarding fees of Enterprise Edition transit routers. For details, see Overview of transit router savings plans.
Do inter-region connections support pay-as-you-go billing?
Yes. When you create an inter-region connection, select pay-as-you-go for bandwidth consumption. Charges are based on the amount of data transferred. Data transfer fees are managed by Cloud Data Transfer (CDT). For billing details, see Inter-region data transfers.
Can I switch inter-region connections from bandwidth plans to pay-as-you-go?
Yes. Change the bandwidth allocation mode of the inter-region connection. Note that bandwidth plans use subscription billing and do not support pay-as-you-go directly. For details, see Modify the bandwidth allocation mode of an inter-region connection.
Am I charged for bandwidth overages if my inter-region connection exceeds the maximum bandwidth?
No. When bandwidth allocated from a bandwidth plan reaches its maximum, packets are automatically dropped. No overage charges apply.
What fees apply to a Basic Edition transit router?
Basic Edition transit routers have been unavailable for purchase since March 31, 2022, except in Cloud Connect Network (CCN) regions. In other regions, only Enterprise Edition transit routers can be created. For a feature comparison, see Functions and features.
If you use a Basic Edition transit router, a bandwidth plan fee applies only when you create an inter-region connection through the transit router.
How do I estimate the overall cost of CEN and what key metrics do I need?
To estimate the overall cost of using CEN for cross-region or cross-border connectivity, gather the following key metrics:
Average monthly bidirectional traffic (GB)
Connection duration (for example, whether the connection operates 24/7)
The following reference estimates are based on a typical scenario (1 TB monthly traffic):
Component | Estimated monthly cost (CNY) |
CEN connection fee | ~288 |
Cross-border traffic fee | ~5,734 |
These figures are reference estimates only. Actual costs depend on your access method, traffic volume, connection duration, and the billing rules for your specific regions. For details, see the CEN pricing documentation and the Cloud Data Transfer (CDT) billing rules.
How is billing calculated when non-Alibaba Cloud resources connect to CEN?
If non-Alibaba Cloud resources, such as servers in Taiwan, connect to an Alibaba Cloud VPC through a dedicated line or a VPN Gateway and then access other regions through CEN, the CEN connection fee is charged based on the region of the access point.
For example, if the access point is in a region outside the Chinese mainland, the connection fee is CNY 0.40 per connection per hour.