This topic answers frequently asked questions about cross-border services.
General questions
What are China Unicom cross-border Express Connect and cross-border Cloud Enterprise Network?
China Unicom cross-border Express Connect and cross-border Cloud Enterprise Network (CEN), collectively referred to as cross-border services, are cross-border data products for enterprise customers. These products are jointly offered by Alibaba Cloud Computing Co., Ltd. (Alibaba Cloud) and China Unicom. The cross-border circuits, also known as cross-border leased lines, are operated by Zhejiang Unicom. These circuits provide data connection services to you through the sales channels of Alibaba Cloud.
Is Alibaba Cloud the operator of the cross-border services?
No. The cross-border services are operated by China Unicom. When you purchase these services from Alibaba Cloud Marketplace, you are purchasing services provided by China Unicom.
Why do I need to submit a compliance application for China Unicom cross-border services?
According to relevant national and local laws and administrative regulations, such as Order No. 42 of the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) of the People's Republic of China and the MIIT Letter [2017] No. 32, China Unicom is required to create and maintain user profiles for all cross-border services. As required by MIIT, China Unicom must request and verify your identity information when processing your service request. China Unicom will accurately record the type of certificate and the name, number, and address shown on the certificate. If you refuse to provide a valid certificate, refuse to provide the identity information on the certificate, use someone else's certificate, or use a forged or altered certificate, China Unicom will not process your service request. For more information about the regulations, refer to the following documents:
MIIT Letter [2018] No. 54
MIIT Order No. 42
MIIT Letter [2017] No. 32
What documents are required for a cross-border service application and how do I provide them?
You are required to provide the following identity information:
Organization Code Certificate.
Business License.
Legal Person Certificate for a public institution or a social organization.
Other valid certificates or documents required by laws, administrative regulations, and national provisions.
In addition to one of the preceding certificates, you must also provide a valid certificate of the handler and a Letter of Authorization from your organization.
You can submit the documents on the China Unicom Cross-border Leased Line Online Application page. For a Letter of Authorization template, see Download documents for China Unicom cross-border services.
What is the timeline for application and approval?
You can submit your application materials online at any time. The approval process typically takes one to two business days. Note that China Unicom does not process compliance applications on the last two business days of each month. Applications submitted during this period will be processed on the first business day of the following month.
How do I check the approval status?
Go to the China Unicom Cross-border Leased Line Online Application page. In the upper-right corner, click Query Application Status.
On the Query Application Status page, enter your Alibaba Cloud account ID and the handler's mobile phone number. Then, click Query Now.
The system returns the approval status of your application.
Contract questions
Which company is the Service Agreement for this service with?
By selecting the relevant agreement and confirming your purchase on the product page, you electronically sign the service agreement with the Hangzhou branch of China Unicom.
Click to view the China Unicom Cross-border Express Connect agreement template.
Click to view the China Unicom Cross-border Cloud Enterprise Network agreement template.
Can I obtain a paper contract?
Offline signing of paper contracts is not supported.
Payment and refunds
To whom are the service fees paid?
All fees for China Unicom cross-border services are paid in full to China Unicom through Alibaba Cloud Marketplace. The Zhejiang Unicom and Customer Cross-border Circuit Service Agreement states that China Unicom delegates Alibaba Cloud to collect these service fees on its behalf.
What is the billing method?
The China Unicom cross-border services use the subscription billing method.
What if the invoicing party is different from the payee?
For China Unicom cross-border services, China Unicom delegates Alibaba Cloud to collect the service fees through Alibaba Cloud Marketplace. Alibaba Cloud can issue a document to certify that it collects payments on behalf of China Unicom. If you need this document, contact your account manager.
Can I unsubscribe from the service and receive a refund for a subscription order before it expires?
No.
Invoicing questions
Which company issues the invoice and where can I request it?
Invoices for China Unicom cross-border services are issued by the Hangzhou branch of China Unicom. You can request an invoice for the service on the invoice service page of Alibaba Cloud Marketplace.
Can I obtain a VAT special invoice?
Yes, you can.
China Unicom cross-border services support both VAT general invoices and VAT special invoices. To receive a VAT special invoice, you must enter the required invoicing information in the system. For VAT general invoices, China Unicom provides electronic invoicing.
How do I request an invoice with multiple company names?
To request an invoice with multiple company names, you must provide the business license of each company named on the invoice. You must also provide a stamped VAT Invoice Information Maintenance Form and a multi-company invoicing certificate that proves the relationship between the invoiced companies and the paying company. For templates of these documents, see VAT Invoice Information Maintenance Form and Multi-company Invoicing Certificate.
When can I request an invoice, and how long does it take to be issued?
If you pay a bill in the current month, you can request an invoice in the following month.
If this is your first time requesting an invoice for a China Unicom cross-border service, it is typically issued within 8 business days after you submit the request with accurate information. For subsequent requests, the invoice is typically issued within 5 business days. If you request an invoice with multiple company names, it is typically issued within 10 business days.