Is 500MB data enough per month?
Jaymitch1
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i have got a new contract with o2 this week on the HTC sensation XE.
i am used to 'unlimited' data, but with this contract i get 500mb. is this enough? and do you get a warning when the useage is nearing 500mb?
i only really browse webpages and and use messaging services such as 'whatsapp' and 'ping' with the 3G, i rarely watch youtube or download music. will 500mb be sufficient?
i am used to 'unlimited' data, but with this contract i get 500mb. is this enough? and do you get a warning when the useage is nearing 500mb?
i only really browse webpages and and use messaging services such as 'whatsapp' and 'ping' with the 3G, i rarely watch youtube or download music. will 500mb be sufficient?
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If you dont use any streaming sites, No Skype calls or similar services & only browse sites for information only, twitter/facebook & emails, the 500MB for most people is Ok.
Given your usage, 500MB will be more than enough.
When you have used 80% of your allowance, o2 send a text telling you and giving you the option of buying a further bolt on, or when you exceed your allowance, they slow your speed right down.
Also you can check your data allowance on your online billing.
With 02 if you go over your 500mb they then throttle the speed so you can still use it but it moves slow.... oh so slow. But its better than giving them more money.
At weekends I check Facebook, DS and other sites whilst out and about and upload a few pictures etc but my circumstances don't make me feel restricted by the data limit and I am sure the same will apply to many casual users of smartphones.
If you are trying to replace standard connections with mobile data use then I think you could have issues but I think the networks are correct when they say that caps only affect a very small number of users and I further agree that if that guarantees reliable access for the majority then it's probably best practice to ensure high levels of customer satisfaction.
Don't forget at home you can connect to home wifi.
I have only twice been 'warned' by o2 I was nearly at my download limit and both times it was a few days before my new allowance.
On my phone I use Facebook, twitter, maps, train times....
PS I also use wifi at home.
So depending on your use you may find that you start running up against the limit at the last couple of days of the month. You could always go up if you find that.
Phazer
To each his own. I have had an iPhone since day 1 (literally day 1, an iPhone 1 shipped from the States) and over the years I have never exceeded 200MB and yet I consider myself a pretty sophisticated smartphone user, it's just that I have no need or desire to stream anything.
But general browsing it is hard to exceed.
I'm on an £8 a month 500MB 300 mins contract which suffices..
I guess there's not much opportunity to use it. Can use my own wi-fi at home on it and at work my PC does everything I need .
t-mobile capping system means there is no risk of overcharging but for others which can charge £1000 per GB its certainly worth having some peace of mind.
Tesco do I think!, used to be £4,000 a gig before they reduced it.
They actually sent bills out to customers for over £1000 for data use in the UK, people posted on forums like here, MSE, 3G forums, etc with scans on the bill! Most of them managed to negotiate it down to £100 or even get it wiped all together depending on the circumstances.
You know what...Sod em!:p If I have to have my data restricted then the smartphone goes as IMO it becomes obsolete without being able to use it's full potential when needed.:mad:
A nice little earner for them though that may even keep the costs down for those that don't get caught in their 'spider web'.
I'm not against it in principal, I just hope that the prices reflect the true costs rather than what we have seen in the past.
At about £10 per GB, for a fast and reliable service, I think they have the right balance. After all, if everyone started using mobile data like they use home ADSL, we would have issues with performance due to lack of spectrum.
I'm a heavy user and make the most of Wifi where possible. So long as the prices are reasonable, I understand that a good service does cost money.
I agree, the slow down after limit is far better than the "you have used £1000" approach.
Talk about throwing out the baby with the bathwater, that's a ridiculous overreaction. I have had an iPhone for 4 1/2 years and for a good deal of that time on an unlimited plan. I have rarely gone over 100MB in a month and never over 500MB. I didn't even notice or care about being capped. I listen to a lot of audio on my phone but typically audiobooks or podcasts that are stored locally. When I am static I nearly always have wifi available and when I am on the move I don't even try and do anything that involves streaming due to the erratic nature of 3G coverage.
I remember when I had a 110 baud modem in my car in the late 1980's (yes, 110 bits per second) so I appreciate that mobile bandwidth is a limited commodity and it seems perfectly reasonable to me that those who choose to consume vast quantities of mobile data should be charged for the privilege and that those of us who use it more sparingly do not get charged for other people's usage.
The only case I can really see for streaming over 3G is live sports coverage where I will accept that there is no other way of achieving the same thing.