Data Usage and Stupid 2GB Limit

saynt j

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When I was on Android, and even Blackberry, there were months that I tried ... and I really gave it the effort.... to go over 5GB (I'm still on unlimited data), and the closest I came to was about 4.5 GB, and that was with streaming Sirius|XM or Pandora a few hours per day. Being generous and saying that I was getting 128 kB/s all the time, that's 56.25 MB per hour. 5GB = 91 continuous hours of streaming music at 128 kBps (without internet browsing, email, watching videos, tethering).

200 MB is just inviting the subscriber to go over their allotment.
 

chris3896

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When I was on Android, and even Blackberry, there were months that I tried ... and I really gave it the effort.... to go over 5GB (I'm still on unlimited data), and the closest I came to was about 4.5 GB, and that was with streaming Sirius|XM or Pandora a few hours per day. Being generous and saying that I was getting 128 kB/s all the time, that's 56.25 MB per hour. 5GB = 91 continuous hours of streaming music at 128 kBps (without internet browsing, email, watching videos, tethering).

200 MB is just inviting the subscriber to go over their allotment.

5GB is a lot haha. So you're validating my 2GB limit argument :)
 

anon(4697585)

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2gb!!!! In the UK we normally have 500mb limits! I'm on it at least 6 hrs a day and never hit my limit.


@dp_scott

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leharris22

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I went into Usage-Cellular Usage and saw that my received data is 288 MB( this having had my device in just under a week). I was wondering when this will reset. Does it reset after the next billing cycle on my contract (thus, allowing me to know how much data I have consumed per month)?
 

cardfan

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I'm glad the limits are there. Keeps the data hogs in check. If i use more, i pay more. Great concept.
 

nycfly

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best news in a long time - verizon regrandfathered my unlimited data back to my account because it was still on there as an option somehow! love their customer service
 

E_Brown

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Yes and no.

I'm at 900 MB after 11 days of use. But I also have shut off my wifi so when I'm home I'm on 3G. I pay for it, I'm gonna use it.....

I like the idea that you have with that, but usually WIFI is faster then the 3G connection. That is why I try to be on WIFI as much as possible.
 

BigLan

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I went into Usage-Cellular Usage and saw that my received data is 288 MB( this having had my device in just under a week). I was wondering when this will reset. Does it reset after the next billing cycle on my contract (thus, allowing me to know how much data I have consumed per month)?

You have to reset this in settings at the beginning of your new billing cycle every month, to actually address the data usage correctly.
 
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ame

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When I was on Android, and even Blackberry, there were months that I tried ... and I really gave it the effort.... to go over 5GB (I'm still on unlimited data), and the closest I came to was about 4.5 GB, and that was with streaming Sirius|XM or Pandora a few hours per day. Being generous and saying that I was getting 128 kB/s all the time, that's 56.25 MB per hour. 5GB = 91 continuous hours of streaming music at 128 kBps (without internet browsing, email, watching videos, tethering).

200 MB is just inviting the subscriber to go over their allotment.

My husband and parents don't go anywhere NEAR the 200MB. The closest my husband ever got was 110mb. They just don't use their connection that often. My husband played a game through most of july that used a connection and even then, didn't go over 110. None of them use WIFI.
 

noaim

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I went into Usage-Cellular Usage and saw that my received data is 288 MB( this having had my device in just under a week). I was wondering when this will reset. Does it reset after the next billing cycle on my contract (thus, allowing me to know how much data I have consumed per month)?

The data sent and receive on the phone does not reset automatically


Sent from my iPhone 4s using Tapatalk
 

Dark_Blu

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I use WiFi at work and at home. That's the only time I stream anything. On the EVO, I rarely used 300mb. We'll see soon what I use on the iPhone 4S for my billing cycle. Thank GOD I'm on Sprint and have unlimited.
 

paul-c

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I've been listening to Pandora on the 3G connection lately. If I just stuck to wifi, my data usage would be really low. Matter of fact, since I'm on wifi most of the time, it's low anyways.
 

saynt j

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I like the idea that you have with that, but usually WIFI is faster then the 3G connection. That is why I try to be on WIFI as much as possible.

If I am downloading something big (20 mb or more) i'll jump on wifi... Otherwise I can deal. I had a Droid Incredible II before the 4s, and I think the antenna was made of lead wire. I couldn't get better than -80 DBM even if i was standing directly under a tower. And I tried that. It made my fillings tingle.
 

Dark_Blu

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With 15 days left in my billing cycle, I've used 43.5 mb. If I continue the same usage pattern, I will have used 85mb by the end of my billing cycle. I use WiFi at home, at work, and wherever I am if an open WiFi network is available. I just manually check my e-mail, I do Twitter, Google +, Facebook (as little as possible), texts, phone calls, web searches, manually check stocks, basic normal usage. I just use WiFi wherever I can.

God Bless WiFi.
 
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dwayne.williams

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I have found that the iPhone is better with data usage than Android devices. Because of Android's widgets, they are constantly using data. When I first got my EVO I went over 7GB in the first month and this was without tethering. I rarely hit 500 MB with my iPhone.


Sent from my iPhone 4S using Tapatalk
 

LVMHgirl

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Bring back unlimited data!

I agree, I think it?s nuts to have data capped plans. I do understand the networks have to control us from running down their systems, but I hate the capped plans. I am on a 4GB tethering plan with At&t and I will say that I haven?t reach my max monthly yet. I?m on 3G from 8-5 at work and have WiFi at home. I use a lot of data, I have ESPN radio on at my desk for 80% of the day at work. The streaming is the most data consuming. Visiting Facebook, and other websites aren?t that damaging. I normally use anywhere from 2.5GB to 3GB a month, and again that?s listening to ESPN radio everyday (Mon-Fri) at work. I would be willing to pay $40-$50 a month for a unlimited monthly plan. I think most people probably would too. The money At&t would make off that could afford them to be able to keep up with the high data usage servers. My personal belief why At&t phased out unlimited was because of people tethering their phones without permission. I miss my unlimited and the only reason why I got rid of it was because I wanted to tether my iPad to it and I tried to abide by At&t?s rules of not stealing data from them by tethering it on my unlimited plan. Unlimited would be great and maybe they will offer it again, who knows.

One of the reasons I was hesitant to leave T-Mobile when I got my iPhone 4S was because I had an unlimited everything plan, including data, and UMA calling. Sprint doesn't work in my area and none of the other carriers even offer an unlimited data plan which I would gladly pay for. While I had unlimited data on T-Mobile for my BlackBerry (which I never used for browsing anyway since I have an iPad) I also lugged around a separate Verizon mifi hotspot device which cost me almost $60 per month for a measly 5 GB data. (I work on location a lot and most of the time there is no wifi available for my macbook, iPad, etc.)

Right now, Verizon offers their *largest* data plan of 8 GB for around $80 (I think personal hotspot is an additional cost) and AT&T offers their 4 GB for $45 but includes personal hotspot which shares your phone's data usage.

So if they ever do bring back an unlimited data plan, it would probably be really expensive.
 
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Nov 3, 2011
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I just switched back to AT&T from Verizon and in the process gave up my unlimited data on both. It's frustrating because it's been 6 days into my cycle and I have already used 860 mb. Not to mention I am on Wifi a good portion of the day and yet I still use a lot of interwebs. Has anyone noticed a higher than normal amount of data being registered with the iPhone 4S?

I hate pitching to customers that "95% of customers do not come close to the 2GB limit" because i believe it to be completely false. I never paid attention to it before because I was on unlimited and now I have been brought back to earth. Where can we petition the carriers to either increase the limit or make changes? With Facebook and all of the other data services and the fact that minutes and texting don't really cost the carrier anything, we are paying a boatload to basically carry a small computer in our pockets with an extreme data limit. The 200 mb option is a joke for anyone that is even considering a smartphone.

Off my soapbox now. And yes I work for Best Buy Mobile and deal with this limit issue everyday.

I would get it unlocked and switch to T-Mobile Prepaid you get Unlimited Talk, Messaging, Data and Wi-Fi Calling for $50/month with faster 3G Speeds @ 7.2Mb/second