The short answer
A charge from LIGHTSTEP* TELEMETRY corresponds to Cloud Observability, distributed tracing, or OpenTelemetry data streams billed by ServiceNow, Inc. (formerly Lightstep).
Why it shows up like this
The billing descriptor LIGHTSTEP* TELEMETRY appears on corporate credit card or bank statements when ServiceNow, Inc. processes subscription fees for Cloud Observability (formerly Lightstep). This platform provides distributed tracing, metrics monitoring, and performance telemetry for software engineering teams utilizing OpenTelemetry standards. Because enterprise usage scales dynamically based on data ingestion volume, span counts, and active services, billing amounts often fluctuate monthly or renew under predetermined developer tier agreements.
If you are an engineering manager or developer, this charge typically reflects ongoing infrastructure monitoring expenses for cloud applications configured to send trace data to the Lightstep gateway. Software teams sometimes leave telemetry collectors active on staging or production clusters long after pilot projects conclude, resulting in unexpected monthly invoices. Reviewing your organization's cloud tooling inventory or checking project ownership records will clarify which engineering squad initiated the data pipeline.
To inspect detailed billing statements, track data ingestion metrics, or modify your subscription tier, sign into the observability console using your corporate credentials. If you need to terminate service or scale down data streams, contact your designated ServiceNow account representative or adjust your telemetry collector configurations. In cases where transactions appear completely unauthorized, notify your company's finance department and card issuer immediately to secure corporate accounts.
Don’t recognize it? Common scenarios
Unexpected developer tool charges usually stem from automated cloud subscription renewals or active telemetry data collectors left running on staging servers.
- An enterprise software team routed OpenTelemetry collectors to the Lightstep Cloud Observability ingestion gateway.
- An ongoing team observability contract renewed automatically on the corporate credit card.
- Telemetry data volume scaled up due to increased application transactions.
How to locate the invoice and cancel
- Log in to Cloud Observability Console Open app.lightstep.com and authenticate with your single sign-on credentials.
- Check Account Settings & Usage review to Organization Settings > Billing & Invoices to view telemetry ingestion rates.
- Contact Account Team or Downgrade Manage your project data streams or contact your ServiceNow sales representative to terminate renewal.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does the charge say ServiceNow?
ServiceNow acquired Lightstep in 2021, rebranding the platform into ServiceNow Cloud Observability.
Can I receive a refund on Lightstep charges?
Enterprise software usage fees are non-refundable. Terms follow your corporate enterprise master service agreement.
Dispute Rights & Fraud Prevention
If an unrecognized software charge appears on your corporate account, verifying internal engineering team deployments prevents unnecessary billing disputes.
Independent reference — not affiliated with ServiceNow, Inc.. Billing names and policies change; verify with the merchant or your bank before acting.
Verified sources
Every claim on this page is checked against official sources — open them to confirm before you call your bank.
- ServiceNow Cloud Observability Documentation https://docs.lightstep.com
- CFPB: Disputing Unrecognized Charges https://www.consumerfinance.gov
Reviewed Aug 15, 2026 · high · About UnknownCharges