Voice Service billing FAQ

Are unanswered voice calls charged?

Unanswered voice calls are not charged. After a call is connected, you are charged based on the actual call duration in minutes. Calls that last less than one minute are billed as one minute. For more information about billing, see Billing overview.

Will the called party be charged for receiving voice captchas and voice calls?

Whether a user incurs charges for receiving voice captchas or voice calls depends on their carrier and their specific plan. Alibaba Cloud is not involved in these charges.

Why am I being charged for Voice Service even though I have not used it recently?

Check if you have any voice numbers in your account that are incurring monthly rental fees. Unregister any numbers you no longer use. Note that monthly rental fees are still charged for the month in which a number is unregistered.

Will numbers in a Voice Service account with an overdue payment continue to be charged?

If an account has an overdue payment for three consecutive months, the associated numbers are forcibly released. Starting from the first day of the fourth month, all resources are released, and no further fees are incurred.

If you have numbers you no longer need, unregister them. The system reclaims the numbers in the following month. The monthly rental fee for the month of unregistration is charged as usual, but no fees are charged from the next month onward.

Can voice call resource plans be extended?

Voice call resource plans cannot be extended. Use your plan before it expires. Any unused portion of the plan is automatically forfeited upon expiration.

Is Voice Service billed based on the number of connected calls or call duration?

Billing is based on call duration. Calls that last less than one minute are billed as one minute. For example, calls that are connected for 2 seconds and calls that are connected for 30 seconds are both billed as one minute.

If a purchased Voice Service number is suspended, how is the monthly rental fee settled?

If the number cannot be used, you can unregister it. The monthly rental fee for the current month will be charged, but no rental fees will be charged from the following month onward.

How can I pause billing for a Voice Service number and resume it when needed?

Once a number is activated, a monthly rental fee is charged each month. You cannot pause the billing. You can unregister the activated number. No fees will be charged from the month after unregistration. When you need a number again, you can request a new one.

Is the monthly rental fee charged for the month in which a number is unregistered?

The full monthly rental fee is charged for the month in which a number is unregistered. Similarly, if a number is activated at the end of a month, the full monthly rental fee is charged.

After purchasing a dedicated number, how can I avoid overdue payments?

If you have numbers you no longer use, unregister them. The system reclaims the numbers in the following month, and billing stops.

How are dedicated numbers charged?

Dedicated numbers are charged a monthly rental fee. We currently offer numbers from nearly 300 cities across China, covering all tier-1 and tier-2 cities, and most tier-3 cities. We are continuously expanding our coverage. For information about call fees, see Pricing.

How is the common pattern billed?

The common pattern offers two billing methods: resource plan and pay-as-you-go. For more information, see Pricing for domestic voice services.

Why was I charged a full month's rental fee for a number I purchased on the 25th of last month?

Monthly rental fees are deducted at the end of each month. If you activate a number during a month, you are charged the full monthly rental fee for that month. We recommend purchasing new numbers at the beginning of the month.

Does each Voice Service resource plan come with a corresponding dedicated number?

Voice Service resource plans are not tied to specific numbers. The deduction from a resource plan depends on the voice feature used. For example, when you are billed for voice calls, minutes are first deducted from your voice call resource plan. When you are billed for voice captchas, the number of verifications is first deducted from your voice captcha resource plan. For more information about billing, see Pricing for domestic voice services.

How do I modify the company name for an invoice if the name displayed in the console is different from the actual billing entity?

To modify the company name, see Invoice management and Invoice-related FAQ. You can also submit a ticket to report your issue. A customer service representative from the invoicing team will assist you.

Where can I request an invoice for Voice Service?

You can request an invoice on the Billing page of the Voice Service console. For specific steps, see Request an invoice.

When can I request an invoice?

There is no time limit for requesting an invoice. You can request an invoice as needed.

How is the invoice amount calculated?

Funds added to your Communications Service account are part of your balance and can be refunded if unused. Therefore, we do not provide invoices for top-ups. The invoiceable amount is the payable amount on your monthly bill. Payable amount = Bill amount - Coupon deduction.

What information is required to request an invoice?

When you request an invoice for the first time, you must add your invoice information. For example, you need to provide the company name and tax ID. The company name must match your verified entity name. For more information, see Invoice-related FAQ.

How long does it take to issue a paper invoice?

Paper invoices are typically mailed within 15 business days.

After purchasing a resource plan, where can I view the caller ID number?

• If you make outbound calls using the dedicated pattern, the caller ID is the number you requested. You can view the number information in the Voice Service console.

• If you make outbound calls using the common pattern, the caller ID is a random number and cannot be viewed in the console.

Can I pay the monthly rental fee for Voice Service on an annual basis?

The rental fee for Voice Service numbers is charged monthly. You cannot pay it annually. We also do not support issuing invoices for annual fees. For more information about billing, see Billing overview.

How can I set up reminders for the remaining balance of a Voice Service resource plan?

You can log on to the Voice Service console and configure reminders on the Resource Plan page as needed.

Why are there abnormal deductions for Voice Service?

The voice call and voice captcha features are available in dedicated and common patterns. The resource plans for these two patterns are not interchangeable. Check whether your outbound call pattern matches the type of resource plan you purchased (common pattern or dedicated pattern).