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2011-01-09 7:09 AM

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Subject: Smart phone data usage

AT&T changed their data plan offerings a bit. My son and I are on plans for unlimited data usage at $30. They now offer a plan with a limit of 2GB for $25. Always being the one open to saving a buck or two (in this case $120/year), I thought I'd look into it. The kicker that will probably stop me from changing is that AT&T no longer offers the unlimited plan. We are grandfathered in for now but if we switch to the cheaper plan we cannot switch back to unlimited. But still, even if it is cheap why pay for something you never use? So the question is: Will I aver use more than 2GB of data in a month?

Figured we were both pretty heavy users, I'm on the internet several hours a day and check email constantly on three accounts. Then I pulled up our usage history.  The most I've used in any billing cycle appears to be 750MB, the son had one month where he used just over 1GB. Just wondering if this is typical. What does your usage average, and what would it take to exceed the 2GB per month?



2011-01-09 7:28 AM
in reply to: #3287683

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Champion
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Subject: RE: Smart phone data usage
I stream a lot of music through my phone while I'm at work so I'm over 2 GB every month.
2011-01-09 7:44 AM
in reply to: #3287683

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Subject: RE: Smart phone data usage
I've had my iphone for 8 months and have yet to hit 1 gb, but a lot of my usage is at home on the wifi.
2011-01-09 8:11 AM
in reply to: #3287683

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Payson, AZ
Subject: RE: Smart phone data usage
I think where you have to be concerned is if you watch a lot of video's or like someone else said, streaming music.  Switching it to WiFi when home is a good way to help keep the usage down. 
2011-01-09 12:13 PM
in reply to: #3287683

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Subject: RE: Smart phone data usage
I would stick with the unlimited. I have a Verizon card that is limited and I don't use it as much because I am always worried about going over the limit.
2011-01-09 12:20 PM
in reply to: #3287683

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Science Nerd
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Subject: RE: Smart phone data usage
It's worth considering.  Looking over my history for both iPhones, the max usage for a phone is 400 MB in one month.  Other people might use more, but I spend a lot of time at work on 3G and most of the time at home on WiFi.  I don't stream a lot of music on my phone; I do that on my laptop at work instead.


2011-06-09 10:17 PM
in reply to: #3287683

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Elite
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Puyallup, WA
Subject: RE: Smart phone data usage
Hubby and I are glimpsing into AT & T - I'm curious - has anyone ever gone over 2 GB use for their smart phones?
2011-06-09 10:57 PM
in reply to: #3541930

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Subject: RE: Smart phone data usage

lkct01234 - 2011-06-09 8:17 PM Hubby and I are glimpsing into AT & T - I'm curious - has anyone ever gone over 2 GB use for their smart phones?

Further information -- I can't use WiFi at work, and I'd use the phone for navigation driving and riding (which I've heard uses data streaming pretty quickly).

2011-06-09 11:44 PM
in reply to: #3541955

Master
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Subject: RE: Smart phone data usage

So the question is: Will I aver use more than 2GB of data in a month?

The question: is AT&T capable of serving that much data? Tongue out

2011-06-09 11:49 PM
in reply to: #3541930

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Subject: RE: Smart phone data usage

lkct01234 - 2011-06-10 8:17 PM Hubby and I are glimpsing into AT & T - I'm curious - has anyone ever gone over 2 GB use for their smart phones?

You would need to stream or download 6,666 songs, averaging 300KB each, a month to get to use 2GB.

2011-06-10 4:56 AM
in reply to: #3287683

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Pro
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Subject: RE: Smart phone data usage
FWIW.... If you live in an area that has good coverage for their service (I think it's basically the same as Sprint coverage but with no roaming), and you don't mind a limited choice of phones, Virgin Mobile is hard to beat from a cost perspective.... I recently picked up a VM Droid phone. My monthly fee is $25, which includes 300 minutes talk and unlimited data.... ($40/mo = 1200 min talk, $60/mo = unlimited talk). It's perfect for my purposes!


2011-06-10 6:06 AM
in reply to: #3542040

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Subject: RE: Smart phone data usage
jsnowash - 2011-06-10 5:56 AM

FWIW.... If you live in an area that has good coverage for their service (I think it's basically the same as Sprint coverage but with no roaming), and you don't mind a limited choice of phones, Virgin Mobile is hard to beat from a cost perspective.... I recently picked up a VM Droid phone. My monthly fee is $25, which includes 300 minutes talk and unlimited data.... ($40/mo = 1200 min talk, $60/mo = unlimited talk). It's perfect for my purposes!


As soon as my ATT contract is up this month, I'm making that change. I've been looking at it since the first of the year. I thought my contract was up in March. When I found out it wasn't until June I was bummed.
2011-06-10 7:12 AM
in reply to: #3287683

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Subject: RE: Smart phone data usage
Can somebody explain to me HOW my daughter keeps going over this 2GB limit? I have absolutely no idea... She says she uses it on the bus to and from school which is 40 total minutes a day. I know she's not using it while at school because I'm certain the teachers wouldn't stand for it and would take the phone away and tell me.
2011-06-10 7:17 AM
in reply to: #3287683

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Subject: RE: Smart phone data usage

I have ATT and i'm also grandfathered in, my advice don't change, it is not worth it to give it up for 5 dollars a month

I don't know what type of phone do you have know but if you ever get a Droid or an Iphone those things will use the 2GB and you won't even know how.  I have a droid Inspire 4G and i dont stream videos or do most of the stuff people do, i mostly use facebook, bt, some gps, email and web browsing and have most of the automatic updates turned off and last month i spend almost 4GB.

2011-06-10 7:24 AM
in reply to: #3542127

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Subject: RE: Smart phone data usage
Cuetoy - 2011-06-10 8:17 AM

I have ATT and i'm also grandfathered in, my advice don't change, it is not worth it to give it up for 5 dollars a month

I don't know what type of phone do you have know but if you ever get a Droid or an Iphone those things will use the 2GB and you won't even know how.  I have a droid Inspire 4G and i dont stream videos or do most of the stuff people do, i mostly use facebook, bt, some gps, email and web browsing and have most of the automatic updates turned off and last month i spend almost 4GB.



facebook HAS to be the answer. She honestly believes her computer and phone are both simply Facebook machines (Like I believe about mine being BT-COJ portals only).
2011-06-10 7:29 AM
in reply to: #3542136

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Subject: RE: Smart phone data usage
pitt83 - 2011-06-10 8:24 AM
Cuetoy - 2011-06-10 8:17 AM

I have ATT and i'm also grandfathered in, my advice don't change, it is not worth it to give it up for 5 dollars a month

I don't know what type of phone do you have know but if you ever get a Droid or an Iphone those things will use the 2GB and you won't even know how.  I have a droid Inspire 4G and i dont stream videos or do most of the stuff people do, i mostly use facebook, bt, some gps, email and web browsing and have most of the automatic updates turned off and last month i spend almost 4GB.

facebook HAS to be the answer. She honestly believes her computer and phone are both simply Facebook machines (Like I believe about mine being BT-COJ portals only).

Make sure all her auto updates and applications that are not needed are off.  If you live a smart phone with the factory settings on, you won't even have to open the browser or facebook to go over 2GB.  If i wouldnt use my work computer for BT i would most likely get my plan cancelled by ATT Wink



2011-06-10 7:44 AM
in reply to: #3541930

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Subject: RE: Smart phone data usage

lkct01234 - 2011-06-09 10:17 PM Hubby and I are glimpsing into AT & T - I'm curious - has anyone ever gone over 2 GB use for their smart phones?

In my 18-month history, my highest monthly usage has been 765mb. I have a iphone 3Gs and use it throughout the day for web browsing. No wifi at work.

2011-06-10 7:52 AM
in reply to: #3542123

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2011-06-10 9:10 AM
in reply to: #3542171

Lafayette, CO
Subject: RE: Smart phone data usage
the bear - 2011-06-10 6:44 AM

lkct01234 - 2011-06-09 10:17 PM Hubby and I are glimpsing into AT & T - I'm curious - has anyone ever gone over 2 GB use for their smart phones?

In my 18-month history, my highest monthly usage has been 765mb. I have a iphone 3Gs and use it throughout the day for web browsing. No wifi at work.

I have to thank you for posting this thread!  I decided to go look at my useage and like you the highest I've ever had is around 750mb.  However, I had for the first time gone over my texts last month and incurred extra charges.  Something tells me that will continue with my friends, especially through summer so for no cost total cost change I was able to 1000 text messages (gawd help me if I ever go over that) and reduce my data plan. 

2011-06-10 9:21 AM
in reply to: #3542127

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Subject: RE: Smart phone data usage
Cuetoy - 2011-06-10 5:17 AM

I have ATT and i'm also grandfathered in, my advice don't change, it is not worth it to give it up for 5 dollars a month

I don't know what type of phone do you have know but if you ever get a Droid or an Iphone those things will use the 2GB and you won't even know how.  I have a droid Inspire 4G and i dont stream videos or do most of the stuff people do, i mostly use facebook, bt, some gps, email and web browsing and have most of the automatic updates turned off and last month i spend almost 4GB.

Thanks. This is the type of thing I was wondering, and seemed to remember something about 3G/4G being data-usage hogs.

2011-06-10 9:25 AM
in reply to: #3542404

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Subject: RE: Smart phone data usage

I"d be a bit worried as to why they are changing it,  note I'm on AT&T also and grandfathered in the same plan, I'm sure it's due to cut back on the data or collect more money from heavy uses.

what I'd be concerned about is..  maybe right now you are at 1gb,  but as phones get more advanced will the apps/data that you using also be larger or something new comes out that you use often that tips you over the limit on a constistant basis, then you can't go back.   At least that how I convice myself to not switch also 



2011-06-10 9:28 AM
in reply to: #3287683

Elite
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Puyallup, WA
Subject: RE: Smart phone data usage
Doing "research" for our new phones I've been reading that Verizon's unlimited data plan will probably only be for a limited time...ha ha.. unlimited for a limited time.
2011-06-10 9:43 AM
in reply to: #3287683

Champion
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Subject: RE: Smart phone data usage
I live on my iPhone I'm texting pics and videos and I'm on Facebook all day long. I just looked and I only average 780 MB per month. But I will still keep my unlimited plan because someday my kids will be on my plan.
2011-06-10 9:52 AM
in reply to: #3287683

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Subject: RE: Smart phone data usage
I have a $15/mo, 150MB (megabytes, not gigabytes) plan through Verizon and I've only gone over once (they charge another $15 and give me another 150MB, instead of charging per MB). I'm vigilant about not using the 3G data when I don't have to, always sucking on a wi-fi signal if I can get one. And I use the Dolphin browser that allows you to not load images unless you're on wi-fi which helps keep the data usage to a minimum. Checking my work e-mail on my phone uses like 12kb of data so you'd have to check your e-mail a hundred and sixty six thousand times a month to use 2gb, if my math is correct.

If you go over, my guess is that you'll just have to "buy" another 2GB block for the $25, but check with AT&T to be sure. If they start charging per MB after that then it could get pricey, but I doubt you'll hit the 2GB mark given your usage history and if they just sell you another block for the random month that you go over, it still would take five months of overage to eat up your $120 annual savings.
2011-06-10 9:52 AM
in reply to: #3542425

Lafayette, CO
Subject: RE: Smart phone data usage
briderdt - 2011-06-10 8:21 AM
Cuetoy - 2011-06-10 5:17 AM

I have ATT and i'm also grandfathered in, my advice don't change, it is not worth it to give it up for 5 dollars a month

I don't know what type of phone do you have know but if you ever get a Droid or an Iphone those things will use the 2GB and you won't even know how.  I have a droid Inspire 4G and i dont stream videos or do most of the stuff people do, i mostly use facebook, bt, some gps, email and web browsing and have most of the automatic updates turned off and last month i spend almost 4GB.

Thanks. This is the type of thing I was wondering, and seemed to remember something about 3G/4G being data-usage hogs.

That's weird.  I have an iPhone 4G that I use mostly for email, FB and web browsing and an occasional GPS.  And have averaged well below 700mb.  I have history back to November 2008. 

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