Exceeding data limits-Smart phones?

[koditten]

Been wondering about my data plan lately. My cell phone carrier is Boost Mobile. I use the prepayed, no contract version. For 55 bucks a month I get unlimited everything, BUT at 2.5 gb I get a notice that I will be throttled when I reach 3.0 gb.

So far i haven't exceeded the 3.0gb, that I know of. I'm not big on watching videos on the phone or doing much downloading. I do teather my tablet to the phone when needed. Mostly that is for reading emails and recieving books thru amazon.

Sorry about the long winded intro. I just need to know what happens when I start to get throttled back? The only thing that I have to judge speeds by is how long it takes to download a book from Amazon. That seems to take around 15 seconds at the longest.

As we use our smart phones for more and more things, can I expect to reach my cap earlier in the month.

If there are tricks to clean up the phone that help use less data, that would be good to know too.

I hope this does not bore you. This site has an *** load of members with a very broad knowledge base. I'm hoping someone will be able to put this info into a way this knuckle dragger can understand.

Thanks

KO

 

[koditten]

BTW, how much data is used being subscribed to a thread here on the GJ?

 

[forrestlaw]

1) Try to be on wifi whenever possible. Make sure it's set to use your wifi network (if you have one) when you are at home.

2) subscribing to a thread shouldn't use too much data as it will mostly be text and a few pictures. Video is the real data hog.

3) Download a speedtest app and check your speed with that. Then, if you ever go over your 3gb, check again and you will be able to see how much you are being throttled.

4) For reference, my wife and I each have and iPhone 5 and use the hell out of them of 4g. We share 4gb and in 8 months the most we have used was 2.5 gb between us. We even sometimes use it as a a wifi hotspot for our ipad or my son's ipod touch.

5) One other thought, you might want to turn off any apps that have automatic notifications. For example, I had downloaded the mlb.com app at one point and it started using a ****-ton of data until I turned off all auto notifications.

 

[cburnscrx]

I am sooo glad I am grandfathered in to the unlimited data plan with Verizon.

 

[forrestlaw]

I am sooo glad I am grandfathered in to the unlimited data plan with Verizon.

We were, too. But we voluntarily made the switch to the share everything plan so that we wouldn't have to pay extra for tethering.

 

[Kev442]

I'm not addicted to my phone, but I have yet to exceed my 300mb data cap using it for email and forum browsing. I have DSL at home for all the heavy use stuff. I do tether to my laptop too, so much easier to write.

 

[Hghgrad]

I'm on unlimited through att.

Last month was somewhere around 15gb

I'm rarely home, so my phone is my main source of entertainment between Netflix and other stuff like that.

 

[koditten]

Good info. Thanks.

Another question? I have apps on the phone that ask for automatic updating. I usually say ask me first or something like that. Do those auto update apps use more data?

 

[SiGmA_X]

Yes, it will take more data to download a update vs not download it. You could look at your bill and see how much you use monthly on average?

 

[cousin eddie]

get the free app "3g watchdog",(or something similar), its
like a gauge of how much you have used so far in a selected amount of time. even tells you the percent of your allowance you have used so far, in case you dont understand kb,mb,gb,bs.

 

[bentwrench54]

I use my phone pretty regularly everyday for facebook and here using tapatalk. I have a 2gig allowance on my plan through verizon, and i use maybe half of that a month.

Verizon has a built in app that monitors my data usage and will send me a text message when i hit 50% usage and again at approx 75%.

Sent from my DROID X2 using Tapatalk 2

 

[koditten]

This month was the first time I ever got the warning text. Thinking back, I did use the phone to run my shop netbook. I remember buying an OS upgrade thru microsoft. The download of the new OS took 7 hrs. I just left the phone tethered to the net book and went to bed. I would think that might have been what put me over the warning threshold.

I'm forced to use the phone as a hot spot. I wan't smart enough in '09 to run the cat5-6 wire the 145' to the shop.

KO

 

[SiGmA_X]

Does your shop and house share a power connection? You could do Ethernet Over Power. Or best, pull some 5e/6!

 

[Strouty]

This month was the first time I ever got the warning text. Thinking back, I did use the phone to run my shop netbook. I remember buying an OS upgrade thru microsoft. The download of the new OS took 7 hrs. I just left the phone tethered to the net book and went to bed. I would think that might have been what put me over the warning threshold.

I'm forced to use the phone as a hot spot. I wan't smart enough in '09 to run the cat5-6 wire the 145' to the shop.

KO

That was absolutely what happened. I had my shop computer tethered one time and at the end of the day I had used 7 gigs of data. I couldn't figure out what happened. Then I realized my computer had automatically synced my itunes purchases. It wasn't a problem, I am on unlimited data, but it was a shock.

Another thought on your phone is set updates to wifi only, then it won't use any of your data.

 

[koditten]

Does your shop and house share a power connection? You could do Ethernet Over Power. Or best, pull some 5e/6!

Running that cable is on my list. I've been putting it off long enough.

KO

 

[koditten]

That was absolutely what happened. I had my shop computer tethered one time and at the end of the day I had used 7 gigs of data. I couldn't figure out what happened. Then I realized my computer had automatically synced my itunes purchases. It wasn't a problem, I am on unlimited data, but it was a shock.

Another thought on your phone is set updates to wifi only, then it won't use any of your data.

I tried to set my phone to do updates on wifi only. The only problem is my work has a "guest" wifi that I don't have access to. The damn phone will grab onto it, but is stopped because the wifi sistem want a "guest" password. When that would happens, my regular internet is gagged. I don't get emails and it kill the battery.

Thanks for all the responses.

KO

 

[J Persons]

I have a IPhone 4 and use a data compression app called "Onavo Extend" It will compress data by about 30 to 45%. I'm on a fixed plan and since installing the app, have never exceeded my plan amounts.

 

[Strouty]

I tried to set my phone to do updates on wifi only. The only problem is my work has a "guest" wifi that I don't have access to. The damn phone will grab onto it, but is stopped because the wifi sistem want a "guest" password. When that would happens, my regular internet is gagged. I don't get emails and it kill the battery.

Thanks for all the responses.

KO

Turn the wifi off at work, it will save the battery and revert back to your carrier's data.

 

[Glenn M.]

WOW, and here I am, still on dial-up, measuring things in Kbytes...

 

[koditten]

Turn the wifi off at work, it will save the battery and revert back to your carrier's data.

Yep, that's what I do....It took me a week to figure out what was gointg on.

I'm walking around at work wondering why I have full bars, but not getting any emails.

KO

 

[Air_Cooled_Nut]

Turn the wifi off at work, it will save the battery and revert back to your carrier's data.

Yep, that's what I do....It took me a week to figure out what was gointg on.

I'm walking around at work wondering why I have full bars, but not getting any emails.

KO

That doesn't make sense. I have 4G and Wi-Fi turned on. My phone automatically connects to 4G when ever it can but if Wi-Fi is detected AND I have a login for the network detected then Wi-Fi will switch on (and 4G turn off) but if there's no Wi-Fi to connect to [even though networks are detected] then 4G remains 'on'. HTC 4G w/Android 2.something (2+ year old smart phone STILL going strong!).

As for your data caps, wife and I share unlimited and though I'm the biggest data hog 'tween us I've yet to hit 500MB anytime in the last 2 years. I'm thinking of reducing our plan away from unlimited to save some $$$ since 2GB is more than plenty for us. I email and web surf with auto-updates on (though those usually happen @ home w/our Wi-Fi).

As for shop internet connection, my Wi-Fi reaches the shop, which is about 70' away from the router. Wireless in my shop is my plan for greater flexibility/mobility (smart phones & laptops) with how technology is progressing and it's less wiring for me to do...even though the PO left Ethernet and fiber optic cabling in the shop

 

[koditten]

It makes no sense to me either. I've talked others and they have the same trouble with the company "guest" wi-fi.

Shop is 240' from house. Prolly better to just run the cat5/6 and go from there.

 

[Strouty]

Whatever has the stronger signal the phone usually tries to connect to it. It happens when I am out and about too. I think we discussed this recently about lows. I am pretty sure it is the way the wifi is administered, almost like it tricks the phone. Most carriers love to dump you off the network anytime they can. 4g may be a little different, but I have it and it still will try to link with wifi first. It could even be an app they preinstalled on the phone, bloatware!