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How can you live with a data cap?
- Thread starter ChouGoku
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Those saying they don't get bothered because they barely use it: if you stop and think about it, it's more likely the other way around.
When you know you have a cap, your entire usage pattern changes when you aren't on unlimited wifi. So no watching YouTube, no streaming music, not clicking on gifs. Then of course you can stay under the cap, because it accomplished its objective: making you conscious about your data usage and wary of using it.
When you know you have a cap, your entire usage pattern changes when you aren't on unlimited wifi. So no watching YouTube, no streaming music, not clicking on gifs. Then of course you can stay under the cap, because it accomplished its objective: making you conscious about your data usage and wary of using it.
200mb on phone.
I just use Opera mini with extreme savings on plus pictures/video turned off.
It's rare there isn't a place with free wifi these days, so it works for those situations. I could probably turn the pictures back on since I don't even come close to cracking 100mb even.
I just use Opera mini with extreme savings on plus pictures/video turned off.
It's rare there isn't a place with free wifi these days, so it works for those situations. I could probably turn the pictures back on since I don't even come close to cracking 100mb even.
BigJonsson
Member
I can manage to stay under my 3GB cap pretty easily but if it was uncapped I'd be watching video all the time, especially NHL games during hockey season............especially since I have a pretty good power bank now
As everyone else is saying: I use Wi-Fi at home.
Streaming music and social networks never get me over my data cap outside the house.
Nah, it's because I don't often use bandwidth-intensive stuff when I'm out in public.
Streaming music and social networks never get me over my data cap outside the house.
Nah, it's because I don't often use bandwidth-intensive stuff when I'm out in public.
I intentionally chose to have a data cap on my phone, because it saves me a lot of money. I have 5GB, and pay 7 for it. I could have perhaps went even lower, but for a Euro less I didn't want to bother.
That way I have plenty enough to use WhatsApp or to surf the web when I'm not at home or at work. And the time I'm not at either place is very rare.
I usually even have plenty of data unspent at the end of the month, so it rolls over to the next.
That way I have plenty enough to use WhatsApp or to surf the web when I'm not at home or at work. And the time I'm not at either place is very rare.
I usually even have plenty of data unspent at the end of the month, so it rolls over to the next.
Liberty4all
Banned
I use a lot of data on the go and I'm always pushing my 5 gig cap. My rule of thumb when outside of wifi - no streaming or big downloads.
titiklabingapat
Member
Not using the phone much when I'm away from a wifi hotspot seems like it's antithesis to what a mobile phone should be.
I'm fifteen days into my cycle and I'm already at 10gb.
I'm fifteen days into my cycle and I'm already at 10gb.
Sgtpepper89
Member
Not that hard to survive to and from school on 24gb, especially when downloading the spotify playlists.
John Caboose
Member
It's only been a problem on vacation for me, but honestly I think all data caps in all countries should be immediately abolished. Especially those on broadband connections.
With wifi at home and uni, I only use around 2 GB a month. But on vacation without wifi that is immediately increased by a ton (youtube, on demand movie streaming etc).
With wifi at home and uni, I only use around 2 GB a month. But on vacation without wifi that is immediately increased by a ton (youtube, on demand movie streaming etc).
Irishonion
Member
Granted I don't like useing my wifi at home, I spend about a gig a day just on the internet on my phone daily.
Unlimited is life.
Unlimited is life.
eddievanclaylen
Member
Im grandfathered in on Sprint. No data cap. It's quite nice.
CyberMiguel
Banned
True, it is the antithesis, BUT you also have to consider battery usage skyrockets when trafficking data on 3G/4G-LTE networks, so that is another incentive to not use as much cellular data outside wifi areas (which use a lot less battery).
styl3s
Member
Good lord do you just stream music 24/7 without going on wifi? I don't think i have broken a GB ever in the history of owning a phone but i also haven't been in situation where there wasn't wifi. Work has wifi, home has wifi, doctors office has wifi, retail stores have wifi, mall has wifi.
Unlimited data is the best thing ever.
Hell i actually downgraded my 5GB cap to i believe 500mb 2 months ago because i rarely go over 150-200mb. I guess i just don't watch videos or listen to music on the go.
I used to have unlimited data but switched to 2gb as I barely use it. Honestly, most places I go have wifi, and my most used Spotify playlists are synced. Most months I barely break a gig
Only way I could see needing unlimited again is if I spent a lot of time on the train or something
Only way I could see needing unlimited again is if I spent a lot of time on the train or something
mmazurkiewicz
Member
In Poland on vacation right now. Got 100gigs for a little over $2.
I pay $30 a month for 1 gig back in NY.
I pay $30 a month for 1 gig back in NY.
Pankratous
Member
Unlimited data here.
Usually average about 30GB a month. I don't use WiFi and I don't use any other computer besides my phone.
Usually average about 30GB a month. I don't use WiFi and I don't use any other computer besides my phone.
I have a 300 MB mobile data cap.
- use browsers' functions to reduce traffic
- no videos when not using a wi-fi, ever
- no downloads, updates etc. when not using a wi-fi, ever
- no streaming. For music, I use mp3s instead of Spotify.
- don't use your phone all the fucking time
It's not extremely difficult.
I seriously doubt I would start watching youtube on mobile all the time if I didn't have such a limited cap. For browsing while commuting (bit less than an hour a day) it's fine.
- use browsers' functions to reduce traffic
- no videos when not using a wi-fi, ever
- no downloads, updates etc. when not using a wi-fi, ever
- no streaming. For music, I use mp3s instead of Spotify.
- don't use your phone all the fucking time
It's not extremely difficult.
I seriously doubt I would start watching youtube on mobile all the time if I didn't have such a limited cap. For browsing while commuting (bit less than an hour a day) it's fine.
Zepp Twofist
Member
I spend 90% of my day within wifi distance, so I hardly ever need data in the first place.
natsuyasumi
Member
Sometimes they can be cute.
Beer Monkey
Member
My grandparents lived without running water for the first ten years they were married.
StalkerUKCG
Banned
To be fair even if you do have an unlimited usage it's still subject to sprints 600kbps video limit and there ability to throttle your speed under the guise of "improving network performance" for other users a loophole in the FCC mandate against throttling.
That said I don't have a data cap and I never exceed 4gb monthly and I'd expect those who do are not ensuring they are connected to nearby wifi options are really going mad with the data usage.
That said I don't have a data cap and I never exceed 4gb monthly and I'd expect those who do are not ensuring they are connected to nearby wifi options are really going mad with the data usage.
I have a 300 MB mobile data cap.
- use browsers' functions to reduce traffic
- no videos when not using a wi-fi, ever
- no downloads, updates etc. when not using a wi-fi, ever
- no streaming. For music, I use mp3s instead of Spotify.
- don't use your phone all the fucking time
It's not extremely difficult.
I seriously doubt I would start watching youtube on mobile all the time if I didn't have such a limited cap. For browsing while commuting (bit less than an hour a day) it's fine.
Same, except I have a 750 MB High-speed Internet data cap.
I'm basically using it only for Pokémon Go, and it works perfectly. In fact, I haven't hit the cap yet, and I'm able to refill my cap on Wednesday.
If you avoid some basic things it's relatively easy to live with a low data cap.
- my podcast app downloads over wifi only which is fine as things can wait until I get home or am at the office
- I don't watch a lot of streaming video - helps that my train commute is in a patchy signal area. If I want to watch something I'll download it over wifi for offline viewing
- Offline playlists
- app updates etc wifi only
I recently switched from a 1GB to a 10GB plan and it is taking some getting used to. Although I burned 1GB when our office wifi went down and I used my phone as a hotspot.
My kids have 500MB plans to keep the costs down and those can be a little tricky - online apps and general usage outside can use that up fairly quickly even if you aren't consciously using 'data heavy' apps. My guess would be 1GB is enough to relax with mobile data on all the time but being careful of video etc. <500MB and you might be turning mobile data off manually now and then just in case.
- my podcast app downloads over wifi only which is fine as things can wait until I get home or am at the office
- I don't watch a lot of streaming video - helps that my train commute is in a patchy signal area. If I want to watch something I'll download it over wifi for offline viewing
- Offline playlists
- app updates etc wifi only
I recently switched from a 1GB to a 10GB plan and it is taking some getting used to. Although I burned 1GB when our office wifi went down and I used my phone as a hotspot.
My kids have 500MB plans to keep the costs down and those can be a little tricky - online apps and general usage outside can use that up fairly quickly even if you aren't consciously using 'data heavy' apps. My guess would be 1GB is enough to relax with mobile data on all the time but being careful of video etc. <500MB and you might be turning mobile data off manually now and then just in case.
beat
Member
T-Mobile already doesn't count data use on streaming music, right?
Also free wifi is shit these days. Even when you're using known hotspots that you've registered with before, my iPhone will not use the wifi in apps etc, and it'll take a while before safari clicks over to the forced 'hello again Mrklaw - click this button to continue' which I hate. You're tracking my usage anyway so you know I'm in/near store X, so just bloody auto connect and let me use data
Makes me actually want to turn wifi off
Makes me actually want to turn wifi off
This whole "have to be in a car" thing is more upsetting to me than the data cap subject. I walked my kids to school for most of last year. I live in a borderline rural area though so I guess it's easier. The field we used to cut through starting getting turned into a subdivision at the end of the school year so now they get to ride the bus
I'm with you. I know the family of a girl in my son's class that only has one car, and the dad uses it for work. The mom stays home with the kids. We did some extracurricular activities and provided rides for the kids before, and they were super embarrassed to ask for the extra help. What a way to add a burden to people.
Free wifi is also quite dangerous due increasing amount of places bypassing/reducing SSL certificates with man in middle attack.
Linkstrikesback
Member
It's easy. I managed 20+ years without having to be on the internet every moment of every day. I think I can manage, especially when I'm outside.
kraspkibble
Permabanned.
i have a 6gb soft cap. the first 6GB are "full speed" and after it that it gets throttled. i don't seem to ever use over 2GB but i like knowing that i have a bit extra capacity or that it won't completely cut out no matter how much i use. the reason i only use 1-2GB is probably because the "4G" speeds are ridiculous. apparently i have good coverage in my area but downloading a 40mb update takes about 10 minutes. same happens on every other phone i've had an unfortuantly it's the best service i can get.
TheOnlyOneHeEverFeared
Member
I only have 5gb a month, but I don't often seem to go over. Public transport has free wifi which helps.
AgentLampshade
Member
I have the same amount. It doesn't bother me so much, I only really browse my phone Internet when I'm waiting for something/someone. The move into my new flat and waiting for my Internet to kick in however, was the longest week of my life.
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