This guide is designed to provide a better understanding of Coscom's billing system to our users. If you require clarification or have any questions regarding your account and billing, please email
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.
Introduction
Coscom's billing system uses a concept which combines a "bank account" type idea and the normal service billing structure used by various utilities.
Your account can have several types of transactions applied to it, these are Credits, Debits and Special Payments.
Credits
There are two main types of credit which will be applied to your account, these are:
- Account Payments - money you pay to Coscom
- Account Credits - additional credit we provide (Bonus for advance payment, special promotions or signing up a friend)
Debits
There is one main type of Debit to your account, and this only happens monthly in the form of a Usage transaction. A Usage transaction is applied to your account on the first of each month. The usage transaction totals all usage charges either:
- Incurred during the previous month - for Coscom @Home Casual users
- In advance for usage in the current month - for any Coscom monthly accounts (incl broadband/web hosting etc)
- Connection Fee - when signing up to Coscom
- Service Change Fee - when changing part of your Coscom Service.
If your account is of the "advance usage" type (e.g. monthly accounts, broadband, web hosting) your account will automatically be disabled if there is insufficient credit in your account to cover the charge. Users of these accounts should ensure before the end of the month that the balance is sufficient to cover any charges for the next month. An email with be automatically sent out mid-month to notify you if you do not have sufficient credit to cover the next months charges, to give you time to make an account payment before the due date.
If your account is of the "Incurred during the previous month" type (e.g. Coscom @Home Casual - $1.00p/h access) your account will be debited regardless of available funds. You have 14 days to pay any outstanding charges which have been carried from the month before hand, if they have not been recieved your account will be automatically disabled. You do get a bonus credit on these types of accounts for keeping them in advance. These types of accounts will be automatically suspended if the total debt exceeds a preset limit on the account - generally $50.00 for most account types.
Service Change Fees apply when changing between different account types/pricing structures (e.g. Dial-Up account/plan changes have a $15.00 service fee).
Special Payments
Special Payments may be applied to your accounts in a couple of circumstances, before Jan 2003, all Connection Fees were processed as "Special Payments", however they now appear as a debit.
Other examples of "Special Payments" include: Purchase of hardware (modem/adsl router etc), Repair of a computer system etc.
Account Status
An explaination of the various account Status levels; - Normal - a normal account is just that - they are a normal user with no outstanding debt.
- Overdue - a normal account which is awaiting a payment.
- Suspended - if an account is Overdue and has passed the due date it automatically moves to "Suspended" and dialup and email access for the account is temporarilly suspended.
- Over-limit - is the same as suspended, however it is caused by the user utilising the service too much without sufficient funds to cover the usage. (Does not apply to "advance usage" type accounts).
- Terminated - if an account has been Suspended for a month it moves to the Terminated status. This account is now disabled, and a connection fee is required to restablish this account.
- Recovery - if a Terminated account has not been settled within 3 months it will move to the Recovery status. This is the point that your account will be reffered to a debt collector and logged with Baycorp Advantage. Legal proceedings will proceed.
- Closed - the account has beenb finalised and is no longer required by the user. This username is available for recycling within 12 months. The user can still re-open this account upon payment of a connection fee within this period (conditions may apply if the account has previously been in recovery state).
Example Account History
Coscom @Home Casual User
17th September - Establishes account $25.00 Setup Fee (No credits/Debits)
1st November - Usage for September - $15.20 (balance now $15.20-)
1st December - Usage for November - $10.00 (balance now $25.20- and OVERDUE because no payment received)
18th December - Account Payment $60.00 (balance now $34.80 and no longer overdue)
18th December - Account Credit $3.48 (credit for advance payment) (balance now $38.28)
1st January - Usage for December - $30.00 (balance now $8.28)
1st February - Usage for January - $15.00 (balance now $6.72- and OVERDUE because no payment received)
14th February - Account isn't automatically suspended because overdue balance is less than $20
1st March - Usage for February - $25.00 (balance now $31.72-)
14th February - Account suspended because overdue amount is greater than $20 and hasn't been paid
18th February - Account Payment - $31.72 (balance now $0.00) - account renabled. Coscom @Home Monthly User
17th September - Establishes account $25.00 Setup Fee (balance $0)
17th September - Special Payment of $12.78 (pro-rata for remainder of September) (balance $0)
17th September - Account Payment $60.00 (balance now $60.00)
1st November - Advance Usage for November $29.95 (balance now $30.05)
1st December - Advance Usage for December $29.95 (balance now $0.10)
14th December - Email notification sent as there is insufficient funds to cover next month
1st January - Advance Usage for January $29.95 (balance now $29.85- and SUSPENDED because insufficient funds)
5th January - Account Payment $100.00 (balance now $70.35)
1st February - Advance Usage for February $29.95 (balance now $40.40)
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