[Nebula 19.10] Introducing the Pay-As-You-Go (PAYG) Subscription Model

Zyxel_Lynn

With the release of Nebula version 19.10, Zyxel introduces a Pay-As-You-Go (PAYG) subscription model for selected services. This flexible, monthly billing option is designed for our Circle Partners and provides an alternative to traditional fixed-term licenses.

How PAYG Works

Traditionally, Zyxel services require purchasing license keys tied to individual devices, while for Pay-As-You-Go, you subscribe at the organization level, not per device. With Pay-As-You-Go subscription model, your selected organization has full access to chosen services and you are billed monthly instead of purchasing fixed-term licenses.

Who Can Use PAYG?

PAYG is available only for approved Circle Partners. Access to PAYG is via the Circle portal. End customers without partner-approved accounts will not be able to log in to Circle.

Supported Services

Currently, PAYG supports two services:

(1) Nebula Professional Pack:

For all Nebula-managed devices (APs, switches, firewalls, mobile routers).

(2)Gold Security Pack (GSP):

For USG FLEX series, ATP series, and USG FLEX H series firewalls.

Steps to enable PAYG:

Step 1: Navigate to PAYG option

In Circle, go to My Devices > On Cloud > Pay As You Go.

Step 2: Enable PAYG globally and agree to the Terms & Conditions

Step 3: Select an organization from your list & Choose which services to activate (Pro Pack is always enabled; GSP is optional).

Step 4: Enter payment details (e.g., credit card).

Once accepted, your organization will be upgraded.

How to Identify PAYG organizations:

In the organization list, PAYG organizations have a blue “Pro” label next to its name.

In License & Inventory page, the organization type shows that organization type is Pay as You Go.

PAYG and Other Licenses

Expiration dates disappear under PAYG since services auto-renew monthly. You can still purchase add-on licenses for services not covered by your PAYG selection. Overlapping licenses (e.g., buying Gold Pack when you already have GSP under PAYG) are blocked.

Billing Rules

PAYG uses Device Days (DD) to calculate usage.1 DD = 1 device active in an organization for 1 day. Billing runs on the 1st or 2nd of each month (depending on time zone). Removing a device stops its DD count and adding it back resumes counting.

Different services track separate DD counts (Pro vs. GSP). For instance, firewalls with GSP are not double-charged for Pro Pack. Existing device-based licenses delay PAYG charges until they expire. Cost is always rounded up to the nearest full month.

Example Billing Scenarios

Example 1 – Mid-Month Activation

Assume that Pro Pack starts on Jan 17 with 1 AP. Then, add a switch on Jan 20 and an ATP firewall on Jan 24. The DD counts would be AP for 15 days, Switch for 12 days, and ATP for 8 days. The total DD counts would be 35 days.

Next, divide 35 (total DD counts) by 31 (one month) and get 1.13. It would automatically round up to 2 months of Pro Pack charges for the first billing.

Example 2 – Add-On License Overlap

Assume that there are two APs with active 1-month Pro Pack licenses and the PAYG activated within mid-cycle. Under this situation, no DD billed until add-on expires. After expiration, only remaining days before next billing are charged.

Grace Period for Failed Payments

If a payment fails, the organization enters a 15-day grace period with full service access. Owner receives overdue notices every 3 days. After the 15-day grace period, services downgrade to base (or GSP deactivates). Reactivating requires paying both the overdue balance and the DD cost for the grace period.

Cancelling PAYG

You can disable PAYG via the global toggle in Circle. The minimum charge is 1 month, even if cancelled on the same day when it’s activated. Billing history and breakdowns are available in Order History.

In sum, the PAYG model gives partners flexibility to scale services up or down monthly, without long-term commitments. However, the round-up billing rule means starting mid-month may result in higher first-month charges. Users should plan device activations early in the billing cycle for cost efficiency. To avoid service interruption, make sure that the payment details are always up to date