Quick Reference
Data Usage Calculation
Overview
When a cellular-enabled device sends or receives data over a cellular network, data is transferred using packets, similar to protocols such as TCP or HTTP. These packets contain headers include source, destination, and other information needed to route the data through the cellular network.
In the case of communications via Soracom, each packet uses an Ethernet, IP, UDP, and GTP header as it travels through a cellular network, creating a total header size of between 50 and 54 bytes. These additional bytes are counted in a SIM's data usage, according to the subscriptions below.
Subscriptions Launched before May 2023
For subscriptions launched prior to May 2023, the uplink packet (data transmission from a device to Soracom) Ethernet, IP, UDP, and GTP headers all count towards the SIM's data usage and are subject to data usage charges.
However, for downlink packets (from Soracom to the device), the IP, UDP, and GTP headers do not count towards data usage as shown below, and are therefore not subject to data usage charges:
Subscriptions launched before May 2023 are:
- plan01s
- plan01s - LDV
- plan-NA1
- planP1
- planX1
- planX2
- planX3
- planX3-EU
Subscriptions Launched after May 2023
For subscriptions launched during or after May 2023, both the uplink packet and downlink packet Ethernet, IP, UDP, and GTP headers all count towards the SIM's data usage and are subject to data usage charges, as shown below:
Subscriptions launched after May 2023 are:
- plan-US
- plan-US-max
- plan-US-NA