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 include headers that contain source, destination, and other information necessary to route the data through the cellular network.
In the case of communications via Soracom, each packet uses Ethernet, IP, UDP, and GTP headers as it travels through a cellular network. This creates a total header size of 50 to 54 bytes. These additional bytes are included in a SIM's data usage, as detailed in the subscriptions below.
Subscriptions Launched Before May 2023
For subscriptions launched prior to May 2023, the Ethernet, IP, UDP, and GTP of uplink packets (data sent from a device to Soracom) are counted toward the SIM's data usage and are subject to data usage charges.
However, for downlink packets (data sent from Soracom to the device), the IP, UDP, and GTP headers are excluded from the data usage calculation, as shown below, and only Ethernet headers are charged for:
Subscriptions launched before May 2023 include:
- plan01s
- plan01s - LDV
- plan-NA1
- planP1
- planX1
- planX2
- planX3
- planX3-EU
Subscriptions Launched After May 2023
For subscriptions launched in or after May 2023, both uplink packets and downlink packets include Ethernet, IP, UDP, and GTP headers, which are counted toward the SIM's data usage and are subject to data usage charges, as shown below:
Subscriptions launched after May 2023 include:
- plan-US
- plan-US-max
- plan-US-NA