Alright, so I pretty much know absolutely nothing when it comes to something like this. I'm getting a new smartphone soon (either iPhone 4 or Nokia Lumia 800) and I'm wondering how much data I'm going to need. What exactly is data needed for? Do I need it to listen to music that I'm going to add on the phone? Do I need it to use apps and play games?
So depending on what cell phone carrier you have it will change the prices of the data plans but data is mainly used for internet and things such as YouTube, Pandora, spotify and other things that need internet. You will need data to download apps but not necessarily for the apps themselves unless it is an internet app such as a Facebook app. I know that they do some plans that are like 5-10 GB which is usually enough for most people unless you are planning on using the internet capabilities all the time which I doubt. I also fix iPhones so if you have any questions about them just feel free ask. Also the overages for data can be outrageous so make sure you put a dollar cap for overages like I have a lock if I go over 20 dollars over and it will not allow more data to be charged for. Hope I helped atleast a bit! :smilewave
Thanks Hawthorne, you sure did help. I'd like to stay at or under $50 a month. Do you think 100MB of data is reasonable? I'm seeing that being offered alot.
Personally I would only do unlimited data. You will use a lot of data without even hardly knowing it. Every time you check email, browse the web, stream music(big data eater), text message, etc.. 100MB a month is not a lot at all.
100MB is enough if you ONLY EVER use email, and then only if you strictly avoid attachments such as pictures. If you are getting an iPhone, the bare minimum to get will be 1GB, and I'd shoot for at least 5GB for the first few months. When the phone is new, you will use a lot more data than after you've had it a little while because A. you will be downloading more apps to personalize your device, and B. the novelty factor will cause you to use it more. After you've had it a few months, you can more easily evaluate your usage, and adjust accordingly.
Yeah, I have to agree with everyone that 100mb is a terrible data plan you will eat through that easy. I used to just get online on my phone to check facebook and it was like 10 or so each month with minimal use so I would suggest something abit more bulky.
I have 2GB data per month. I use a lot, but this is plenty for me. But also when I'm at home, I use wifi. It saves tons of data.
I found a relatively cheap plan with 400MB. I'm not going to be streaming music or video, or using any sort of GPS, and I have wi-fi at home and school, so I think this should be fine. Thanks everyone for your responses! ---------- Post added 28th Aug 2012 at 10:42 AM ---------- Unfortunately there are hardly any unlimited data plans available in Canada.
Generally 2-4GB is enough per month. Like they said, 100MB is barely anything on a phone especially if you're getting a smart phone.
Are you getting an Android handset? If so get one with ICS or later - you can set a data limit and the handset can be set to automatically disable mobile data when you hit that limit (T-Mobile UK seams to calculate I've used about 110% of what Android thinks I have used so ensure you set the limit a bit below what you allowance allows) - ensure you amend the billing date accordingly too! Also review the application options - A lot of Apps have settings to only download when on WiFi and only download when on charge, in some cases this might be just on extra stuff (like email only downloading attachments when on WiFi but the body all the time). They can save you a shed load of data costs and battery too. In the last three weeks (I upgraded the software on my phone three weeks ago which reset the counter) I have used about 600MB of mobile data - and 100MB of that was just Android's background chatter, the rest is primarly email and web browsing - although there is about 50MB of data from listening to streaming radio stations. Just to give you an indication of how much data those "WiFi only" options have saved me - in the same period the WIFi connection has used 12GB, of 25% was downloading Podcasts! £35 a month for unlimited data including tethering, T-Mobile to T-Mobile calls, T-Mobile to Orange calls and a shed loads of texts is a pretty sweet deal - so much so T-Mobile have removed the tethering option for new customers (which of course is nothing to do with there September 11 launch of the 4G network - the only operator which will have it here for over a year).
I have to say... from everyone's elses post.... it just depends... price and your life. I'm basically at college ALL the TIME... there is wifi everywhere... literally, everywhere you go there are routers.... you can even sit on the big quads and be fine. So i rarely use data... I have 200MB. I run android. Works great. I really only use it when I'm out to the stores and stuff. My GPS data is cached for the most part. For music, I use Google Music which will download what I need and store on phone. EMail and web pages is all I need to use it for.... Personally, I'm a data junky, btw.... I filled up half of my 1.5 TB harddrive in less than a week... don't ask. I sometimes tether my laptop to my phone (I have custom rom so no additional monies) Anyways, depends on your situation. But I guess since you already decided... xD
