IPhone Data Usage
Jan 13, 2010 | 12:57 pm
#1
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IPhone Data Usage
I will be buying an IPhone 3Gs in the near future and the packages are 300mb data for $55 or 1gb data for $85. Since I can't afford to throw money away and want to spend the minimum possible, how much usage would I get with the 300mb package? I mainly want to check emails (hotmail), Facebook, upload videos to Facebook and Youtube occastionally, go on forums with Tapatalk, check bank balances, maybe use it as a GPS occasionally.
I can use my laptop at home to download apps and Itunes and then synch it to save data usage.
How much data are you guys going through a month?
I can use my laptop at home to download apps and Itunes and then synch it to save data usage.
How much data are you guys going through a month?
Jan 13, 2010 | 1:23 pm
#2
Moderator: Aegean Miles+Bonus
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Browsing websites hardly takes any bandwidth. Videos however, do.
I dont use YouTube on the phone, and am connected to Wifi at home and work. On the road i'll use 3G and since September I have used 300MB down and 40MB upload. That is browsing websites, checking email.
For videos you can kinda calculate how much you need. Each youtube video is about 25MB. Multiply that by the number of videos you want to watch and there you go :-)
ps. In most countries its possible to get an iPhone plan, with unlimited data and free iPhone. I have such plan and only pay 30 a month. Maybe you can find something like that? On bandwidth alone you will save, and the included minutes/texts will just be more savings.
I dont use YouTube on the phone, and am connected to Wifi at home and work. On the road i'll use 3G and since September I have used 300MB down and 40MB upload. That is browsing websites, checking email.
For videos you can kinda calculate how much you need. Each youtube video is about 25MB. Multiply that by the number of videos you want to watch and there you go :-)
ps. In most countries its possible to get an iPhone plan, with unlimited data and free iPhone. I have such plan and only pay 30 a month. Maybe you can find something like that? On bandwidth alone you will save, and the included minutes/texts will just be more savings.
Jan 13, 2010 | 9:17 pm
#3
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Last month I used 441MB down. I think you could get away with 300MB if you don't watch videos or use streaming music. If you can connect to wifi as much as possible, that'd help when you need to d/l apps, videos, music, etc.
Jan 14, 2010 | 6:49 am
#4
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Jan 14, 2010 | 9:46 am
#6
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Jan 14, 2010 | 1:30 pm
#7
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Jan 14, 2010 | 3:02 pm
#8
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The phone companies are complaining that a youtube video consumes as much as 500,000 SMS messages. But these same phone companies were the ones telling us how great their future was with video voice and data and how we should rely on them to provide all this. Now that we have bought into it, they don't want to spend any money to actually have their network provide the services they have been selling. 
Jan 14, 2010 | 9:22 pm
#9
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The phone companies are complaining that a youtube video consumes as much as 500,000 SMS messages. But these same phone companies were the ones telling us how great their future was with video voice and data and how we should rely on them to provide all this. Now that we have bought into it, they don't want to spend any money to actually have their network provide the services they have been selling.
More and more smart phones are entering the market and some network operators (ATT in particular) seem ill prepared for the bandwidth onslaught.
You have to wonder if unlimited becomes limited for the hogs or everyone.
Jan 15, 2010 | 12:52 am
#10
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And it's all the major operators worldwide. I don't know any that have adequately beefed up their infrastructure. Maybe China Mobile? In England, two operators are talking about merging their infrastructures to share the cost.
Jan 15, 2010 | 2:09 am
#12
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Everyone is quick to blame AT&T, but I'm on AT&T and not convinced. Try reading this:
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/13/bu...=stross&st=cse
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/13/bu...=stross&st=cse
When I set about looking for independent data, however, to confirm the superior performance of Verizons network, I was astonished to discover that I had managed to get things exactly wrong. Despite the well-publicized problems in New York and San Francisco, AT&T seems to have the superior network nationwide.
And the iPhone itself may not be so great after all. Its design is contributing to performance problems.
Roger Entner, senior vice president for telecommunications research at Nielsen, said the iPhones air interface, the electronics in the phone that connect it to the cell towers, had shortcomings that affect both voice and data. He said that in the eyes of the consumer, the iPhone has the nimbus of infallibility, ergo, its AT&Ts fault. AT&T does not publicly defend itself because it will not criticize Apple under any circumstances, he said. AT&T and Apple both declined to comment on Mr. Entners assessments.
And the iPhone itself may not be so great after all. Its design is contributing to performance problems.
Roger Entner, senior vice president for telecommunications research at Nielsen, said the iPhones air interface, the electronics in the phone that connect it to the cell towers, had shortcomings that affect both voice and data. He said that in the eyes of the consumer, the iPhone has the nimbus of infallibility, ergo, its AT&Ts fault. AT&T does not publicly defend itself because it will not criticize Apple under any circumstances, he said. AT&T and Apple both declined to comment on Mr. Entners assessments.
Jan 15, 2010 | 6:52 am
#14
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Everyone is quick to blame AT&T, but I'm on AT&T and not convinced. Try reading this:
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/13/bu...=stross&st=cse
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/13/bu...=stross&st=cse
http://daringfireball.net/2009/12/stross_lying_eyes
Strosss primary source is Paul Carter, the president of Global Wireless Solutions, a network testing firm. Carter acknowledges that AT&T is one of his companys clients, and Verizon is not. I mean, come on.
...
Consumer Reportss rankings, which put AT&T last and Verizon first, were based on actual customer surveys. Actual customers reporting their actual experiences.
If its the iPhones fault, not AT&Ts, why arent iPhone users around the world having the same problems as those here in the U.S.? How come iPhone carriers in Europe and Canada turned on tethering support as soon as iPhone OS 3.0 was released, and AT&T still, seven months later, has not?
...
If its the iPhones fault, why have iPhone/AT&T reception problems gotten worse over time?
Jan 15, 2010 | 7:16 am
#15
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If its the iPhones fault, not AT&Ts, why arent iPhone users around the world having the same problems as those here in the U.S.? How come iPhone carriers in Europe and Canada turned on tethering support as soon as iPhone OS 3.0 was released, and AT&T still, seven months later, has not?