I know this question is very subjective to each individual, but how much data do you guys use on a monthly basis? It would be awesome if you included the average number of things you do each month with your phone (internet time, emails, videos, etc.) I am unsure whether or not to go with a Verizon plan on the GS4 because I have no idea how much data I will use (yes, I have looked at usage calculators), but your averages would be greatly appreciated!
10 - 15 gbs on average
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Imprezive13 said:
10 - 15 gbs on average
Sent from my SCH-I545 using xda app-developers app
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I fluctuate between 1.5 gb and 8 or 9GB depending on how often I use my Vulkano box to placeshift my TV. Many things use little data, but streaming video forget about it. It's a data hog and I'm not giving up my unlimited until forced to. It's a BS money making farce. Case in point.......Last week had to take my wife to the ER at 1 am. Kids had to be with us (young). To keep them entertained and not a total mess I tethered my tablet so they would watch the Disney channel. Vulkano is like a sling box......allows you to watch your TV on your device. In the time we were there while my wife was in the ER (she's fine btw) I used almost 2gb of data with them watching TV on the tablet.
The argument against unlimited is that there not enough "bandwidth" to go around, so they limit you to keep the network unclogged. 90% of my data comes at non peak times like this. There is no bandwidth shortage when I'm using it, so to charge me extra for data is nothing more than profiteering.
so, how much data? 2gb is standard. Do you have access to a lot of wifi, or will you be stuck on the network most of the time? That can HIGHLY influence your data usage. If wifi most of the time, you can go as low as 1. I do believe with the shared data, they update you before you go over so you can bump up the plan and not pay outrageous overages fees, and just pay for the extra data for that month.
I use between 2-4gbs a month depending on how much I'm working (work wifi sucks)
I used to have Unlimited data and ditched it to save over $120. I was using a total of 4 devices and paying over $300.00. I'm now down to 3 devices and paying around $200.00. I have the 6GB plan and we average maybe 2GB if that. I'm always using WiFi. All the hospitals I go to have WiFi and I go to many a month. Other public places have WiFi as well.
I use an average of 1 or 2gb a month. I probaly use about 1&half hours on internet/social networking apps and about 1 hour of watching youtube. But I am on wifi most of the time.
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DarkMenace said:
I used to have Unlimited data and ditched it to save over $120. I was using a total of 4 devices and paying over $300.00. I'm now down to 3 devices and paying around $200.00. I have the 6GB plan and we average maybe 2GB if that. I'm always using WiFi. All the hospitals I go to have WiFi and I go to many a month. Other public places have WiFi as well.
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If all the public wifi was reliable I would be more apt to let go of my unlimited (except on a 4 phone plane with only 2 smartphones I'd pay $10 MORE for a limited plan), but in the hospital story above, there was an xfinity wifi available, and I am a customer so I can use it free, but they all limit your bandwidth, and the video stream wouldn't work.
I used to take wifi over the network when I could just to save battery life on my rezound, but the S4 lasts me a full day no problem, and if it needs a slight charge in the evening, it charges so darn quick, so I take whatever data is giving me the fastest speeds
Data Usage is never over 4 gb
I feel your concern for Data usage averages and I just wanted to tell you what I wish someone would have told me before I switched to Sprint from AT&T. Most companies that offer unlimited Data plans aren't entirely unlimited anyway. For example Sprint only allows 300 mb roaming Data. The unlimited Data connection that sprint provides in my area (Georgia) is totally garbage. Verizon 3G was honestly much faster than Sprint's 4G LTE. The point I'm trying to make is: If you have unlimited but it takes the entire month to load a YouTube video (not true of course but Sprint is EXTREMELY slow) why even bother? Just connect Wi-Fi! Sprint offers unlimited Data to reel in customers but never talk about the real speed compared with other providers. I have my own theory: the people who have unlimited Data must abuse the heck out of it. There are people who average close to 20-30 gb a month on Sprint. I honestly applaud Verizon for not allowing people to upgrade and get a discount without changing their plan. Makes my connection faster for when I need it.
Checkm8 said:
I feel your concern for Data usage averages and I just wanted to tell you what I wish someone would have told me before I switched to Sprint from AT&T. Most companies that offer unlimited Data plans aren't entirely unlimited anyway. For example Sprint only allows 300 mb roaming Data. The unlimited Data connection that sprint provides in my area (Georgia) is totally garbage. Verizon 3G was honestly much faster than Sprint's 4G LTE. The point I'm trying to make is: If you have unlimited but it takes the entire month to load a YouTube video (not true of course but Sprint is EXTREMELY slow) why even bother? Just connect Wi-Fi! Sprint offers unlimited Data to reel in customers but never talk about the real speed compared with other providers. I have my own theory: the people who have unlimited Data must abuse the heck out of it. There are people who average close to 20-30 gb a month on Sprint. I honestly applaud Verizon for not allowing people to upgrade and get a discount without changing their plan. Makes my connection faster for when I need it.
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No it doesn't, and that's what the carriers want you to believe. True there is only so much bandwidth to go around, but when I'm using 2 gb between 12-2am while your asleep......it doesn't do anything to your connection, just costs me more without unlimited. If they were honest and upfront, they'd go to peak time limits like they used to do with minutes. And if I'm at a football game in the city with 60,000 fans in the stands, limit or unlimited the phone is still unusable because of all the people connecting to the same tower. Bandwidth is just a pipeline, whether it's a gush or a trickle, the data coming through is the same. It's not a commodity that they charge for.
I use roughly 60 gigs of data per month. I tether everyday while I'm at work. I stream plenty of movies and music. I'm on the unlimited plan.
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20 - 30 gig on netflix and thethering. Downloading new roms and music playing games etc. I refuse to use wifi tho because I pay to keep unlimited.
PhotonSean said:
20 - 30 gig on netflix and thethering. Downloading new roms and music playing games etc. I refuse to use wifi tho because I pay to keep unlimited.
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I am the same way, I avg 60-70 gigs a month just because i can. I travel for work , for me to watch netflix on my ps3 and to send out my reports. Its bad enough I pay 168 $ a month on one phone, so yes I take advantage
250 g per month grandfather unlimited plan. ....
Sent from my SCH-I545 using xda premium
WhiteRice said:
I know this question is very subjective to each individual, but how much data do you guys use on a monthly basis? It would be awesome if you included the average number of things you do each month with your phone (internet time, emails, videos, etc.) I am unsure whether or not to go with a Verizon plan on the GS4 because I have no idea how much data I will use (yes, I have looked at usage calculators), but your averages would be greatly appreciated!
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I'll assume you're asking because you need to choose a data plan. Thus, you may need to disregard the folks who are running 10-250GB/month on their unlimited plans, because you can be sure that most would not be running those levels without 'unlimited' plans.
You also need to discount a bit for the fact that this board is chock full of enthusiasts, and probably not representative of the general population.
Personally, I had the same question when I switched from Sprint. On Sprint, I was using under 1GB/month, but not b/c I'm a low-user, it was b/c Sprint's data service s*cked so bad that I could (or would) never use it. So I had no real frame of reference when I switched to Verizon.
I chose the 2GB plan, and have found that, provided I use wi-fi where possible (home, work), I can live within the confines of that plan* (more on that in a bit).
As a user, I do maybe 30-40 minutes of web surfing a day, check FB maybe 2 or 3 times, occasionally watch a youtube video, push several email accounts multiple times per day, use Google Maps regularly (mostly weekends), download a podcast or two, listen to Pandora (10-15 mins/day), probably spend another 15-30 mins in misc. data consuming apps, and have a variety of apps running that pull background data such as weather apps, calendar sync, twitter, etc.
* So, 'living within the confines' of the 2GB plan requires some level of 'awareness' on my part, which would likely not be necessary with a larger plan. That doesn't mean heavy restrictions, just certain things I make a conscious effort to do only on wi-fi include updating Google Apps, streaming Netflix or HBO, downloading multiple podcast episodes, etc. If I had a child that had to be entertained (as another poster indicated) anytime-anywhere, I could see where the data usage could pile up. IMO, streaming video is probably the biggest consumer.
Of course, your mileage will vary
On a related note, I think it's great that the S4 allows you to track your data usage on the device, and not only tells you your cumulative monthly total, but also totals for any period and exactly which apps are using data.
Capp5050 said:
I'll assume you're asking because you need to choose a data plan. Thus, you may need to disregard the folks who are running 10-250GB/month on their unlimited plans, because you can be sure that most would not be running those levels without 'unlimited' plans.
You also need to discount a bit for the fact that this board is chock full of enthusiasts, and probably not representative of the general population.
Personally, I had the same question when I switched from Sprint. On Sprint, I was using under 1GB/month, but not b/c I'm a low-user, it was b/c Sprint's data service s*cked so bad that I could (or would) never use it. So I had no real frame of reference when I switched to Verizon.
I chose the 2GB plan, and have found that, provided I use wi-fi where possible (home, work), I can live within the confines of that plan* (more on that in a bit).
As a user, I do maybe 30-40 minutes of web surfing a day, check FB maybe 2 or 3 times, occasionally watch a youtube video, push several email accounts multiple times per day, use Google Maps regularly (mostly weekends), download a podcast or two, listen to Pandora (10-15 mins/day), probably spend another 15-30 mins in misc. data consuming apps, and have a variety of apps running that pull background data such as weather apps, calendar sync, twitter, etc.
* So, 'living within the confines' of the 2GB plan requires some level of 'awareness' on my part, which would likely not be necessary with a larger plan. That doesn't mean heavy restrictions, just certain things I make a conscious effort to do only on wi-fi include updating Google Apps, streaming Netflix or HBO, downloading multiple podcast episodes, etc. If I had a child that had to be entertained (as another poster indicated) anytime-anywhere, I could see where the data usage could pile up. IMO, streaming video is probably the biggest consumer.
Of course, your mileage will vary
On a related note, I think it's great that the S4 allows you to track your data usage on the device, and not only tells you your cumulative monthly total, but also totals for any period and exactly which apps are using data.
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That's kind of the exact same boat that I am in at the moment. I currently have Sprint, and their data speeds are awful. I consistently end up on roaming in buildings and what not, so I cannot judge the amount of data that I might actually use. So when you mentioned the things you do regularly (web, social media, maps, etc.), are those mainly done via their LTE network? And thank you for this post; it was right on track in regards to my same mindset.
It's not hard to restrain yourself to a certain plan. Like I was saying I had a 10GB plan but switched to the 6GB plan. The only reason I keep the tablet active is because they used my tablet to upgrade my primary phone to the S4. Even though the tablet never leaves my house usually I still don't use a lot of data. I never used a lot of data while on unlimited either. It;s down to personal preference and that is up to you. Everyone can say what they use and you would never have an ideal. You should have made the post say no unlimited plan since you can't get a true feeling with the unlimited's poking in.
DarkMenace said:
It's not hard to restrain yourself to a certain plan. Like I was saying I had a 10GB plan but switched to the 6GB plan. The only reason I keep the tablet active is because they used my tablet to upgrade my primary phone to the S4. Even though the tablet never leaves my house usually I still don't use a lot of data. I never used a lot of data while on unlimited either. It;s down to personal preference and that is up to you. Everyone can say what they use and you would never have an ideal. You should have made the post say no unlimited plan since you can't get a true feeling with the unlimited's poking in.
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Yeah I didn't think about the grandfathered unlimited plans before I posted it, my mistake haha.
WhiteRice said:
Yeah I didn't think about the grandfathered unlimited plans before I posted it, my mistake haha.
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Edit your post and change the title
WhiteRice said:
That's kind of the exact same boat that I am in at the moment. I currently have Sprint, and their data speeds are awful. I consistently end up on roaming in buildings and what not, so I cannot judge the amount of data that I might actually use. So when you mentioned the things you do regularly (web, social media, maps, etc.), are those mainly done via their LTE network? And thank you for this post; it was right on track in regards to my same mindset.
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All I can say is WOW are you going to be in for a pleasant surprise. The short answer is yes, almost all of my non-wifi usage is via 4G LTE. I live near NYC and work in Philly, and with Sprint, I kept 4G toggled 'off' b/c whenever it was 'on', there'd rarely be a 4G signal available, and when there was, it wasn't very impressive.
With this phone, the first thing I'm asking is, "Where's my 4G toggle?" Truth is, I never needed it, because a) 4G LTE is pervasive by comparison to Sprint and b) it doesn't burn battery on my S4 as it did on my S2. In fact, because of my 'conditioning' on Sprint, I always look to see what signal I'm at whenever I'm about to use data. I'd say (unscientifically), 8 or 9x out of 10 it's 4g LTE...
good luck
Capp5050 said:
All I can say is WOW are you going to be in for a pleasant surprise. The short answer is yes, almost all of my non-wifi usage is via 4G LTE. I live near NYC and work in Philly, and with Sprint, I kept 4G toggled 'off' b/c whenever it was 'on', there'd rarely be a 4G signal available, and when there was, it wasn't very impressive.
With this phone, the first thing I'm asking is, "Where's my 4G toggle?" Truth is, I never needed it, because a) 4G LTE is pervasive by comparison to Sprint and b) it doesn't burn battery on my S4 as it did on my S2. In fact, because of my 'conditioning' on Sprint, I always look to see what signal I'm at whenever I'm about to use data. I'd say (unscientifically), 8 or 9x out of 10 it's 4g LTE...
good luck
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Thank you very much! Also, I know you mentioned it in your first reply to some extent, but exactly what all do you have syncing during the day while on LTE, and what do you think a solid estimation is for the amount of data you use in a day?
Related
I have the samsung vibrant and recently downloaded pda net so I can tether my phone. then this morning I wake to a discouraging text message that says my data has been slowed for the billing cycle. definitely a problem for me. because according to my contract I have unlimited 3g data not capped 3g. is there any way around this.
Sent from my futuristic phone
Yea I got that too but I still got 3g connection
Sent from my SGH-T959 using Tapatalk
Wrong, the contract says unlimited data. It doesn't specify a speed.
evilkorn said:
Wrong, the contract says unlimited data. It doesn't specify a speed.
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And being that that contract actually says unlimited I should the able to call them and have them give me back my full speed
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ironlood said:
And being that that contract actually says unlimited I should the able to call them and have them give me back my full speed
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u dont get it right?
unlimited data doesnt mean unlimited full speed
Sent from my rooted 030 x10i using XDA App
I don't think they're capping your data. They're capping your speed, slowing down your data connection. So when they say unlimited data, it still is unlimited data. I'm no longer a T-Mo customer, but from what I remember, they don't guarantee speeds.
Just so it is clear. Read your T&C for more details.
T-MobileUSA recently started enforcing data throttling. This is different from a data cap. Specifically, if you use more than 5gb of data in your billing cycle, T-mo may throttle your speed down to a slower speed. This is to discourage people from tethering their phones to their computers for internet, and push the use of their usb data rockets.
A simple google search for "tmobile data throttling" will provide you with even more information.
Yea thats right. After hitting the 5gb data usage you get that txt msg and supposedly they will throttle to a lower speed. But like I mentioned before. They didnt do that to me. So OP. Check first before you want to complain. And yes its unlimited data. Just be glad tmo doesnt charge us more for hitting past 5gb. Other carriers throttle past 2gb. I know before our cap was 10gb.
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tribalb said:
Yea thats right. After hitting the 5gb data usage you get that txt msg and supposedly they will throttle to a lower speed. But like I mentioned before. They didnt do that to me. So OP. Check first before you want to complain. And yes its unlimited data. Just be glad tmo doesnt charge us more for hitting past 5gb. Other carriers throttle past 2gb. I know before our cap was 10gb.
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Yeah definetly must have over looked that part in a fit of I just got throttled rage
Well I think in turn all t-mobile users should tether their phones and attack data intensive sites and devour the limitless data
Hopefully they add a solution for tethering because the vibrant is due to get froyo and the ability too tether is included without apps even a 5 dollar fee to prevent throttled data would be nice
Sent from my futuristic phone
Give me a break, using >5G of data on your mobile phone is CLEARLY not using the data ON the phone, therefore they should have the right to do whatever they want to limit you at that point.
I'm sure T-Mobile has a plan that's intended to be used as your main internet connection. What you have is intended to feed your phone, not your torrents.
khaytsus said:
Give me a break, using >5G of data on your mobile phone is CLEARLY not using the data ON the phone, therefore they should have the right to do whatever they want to limit you at that point.
I'm sure T-Mobile has a plan that's intended to be used as your main internet connection. What you have is intended to feed your phone, not your torrents.
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that's not true, I have used well over 5 gb and have never tethered my phone. downloading roms takes a lot of usage. I am on verizon though and never been throttled
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khaytsus said:
Give me a break, using >5G of data on your mobile phone is CLEARLY not using the data ON the phone, therefore they should have the right to do whatever they want to limit you at that point.
I'm sure T-Mobile has a plan that's intended to be used as your main internet connection. What you have is intended to feed your phone, not your torrents.
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I don't tether or download torrents or anything like that with my data plan. I dont even download ROMs. What I do use it for is to use applications on my phone like the MediaHUB, beyondPOD and amazonMP3 and i watch tv shows, movies and pod casts and buy music. you know, like the Avatar movie that came with my phone so they could show off how great it is for doing that sort of thing.
To then throttle my speed because I use the phone to download content from apps that come installed on my phone when I bought it is bull. They claim that only 1% use over 5GB a month, but that is the same thing they said when it was at 10GB throttle point. Is that 1% counted from only the people that have unlimited data plans? do they include phones that don't have really have many apps that are data centric, like the sidekicks, blackberrys and even winmo... Are they going to throttle everyone that exceeds 5GB a month on the Galaxy S Tab too?
camalot said:
I don't tether or download torrents or anything like that with my data plan. I dont even download ROMs. What I do use it for is to use applications on my phone like the MediaHUB, beyondPOD and amazonMP3 and i watch tv shows, movies and pod casts and buy music. you know, like the Avatar movie that came with my phone so they could show off how great it is for doing that sort of thing.
To then throttle my speed because I use the phone to download content from apps that come installed on my phone when I bought it is bull. They claim that only 1% use over 5GB a month, but that is the same thing they said when it was at 10GB throttle point. Is that 1% counted from only the people that have unlimited data plans? do they include phones that don't have really have many apps that are data centric, like the sidekicks, blackberrys and even winmo... Are they going to throttle everyone that exceeds 5GB a month on the Galaxy S Tab too?
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I don't download torrents I tether my phone to my home computer because its easier to work with a full keyboard (not too mention streaming netflix).
The fact that they cripple or cap the functionality of the data is unfair. I understand that they have a data modem that they try to promote but they shouldn't force you into its arm's.
I still ask what they will do when FroYo introduces tethering ... Will they cap everyone who exceeds the 5 gb limit
Sent from my futuristic phone
You did agree to the terms and conditions of their service, right?
It may have changed since you signed up, but here is the current one:
http://www.t-mobile.com/Templates/P...&PAsset=Ftr_Ftr_TermsAndConditions&print=true
Some of the highlights that I believe have not changed for a few years now are:
Number 1. Acceptance.
Number 5. Our Rights to Make Changes.
Unfortunately those two topics are seen with almost any provider. You can continue with T-mobile and pay less per month, or you can always go to Verizon where they (so far) haven't put a throttle in place and pay more per month.
I thought they already announced a tethering plan for an additional 15$ with the unlimited data so 40$ a month is what it still cost .well in my neck of the woods
Sent from my SGH-T959 using XDA App
T-mobile is planning on charging for tethering just like every other company is already doing..You should be happy your able to get more than 2gb unlike at&t..The cap was 10gb before they introduced Hspa+ I'm not complaining..Like i said be happy you actually have unlimited data
Wow I don't think you realise how lucky you are being capped at 5gb.... here in the UK most networks cap "unlimited" at 500mb! I'm with vodafone and I get 1gb, if I exceed that then I instantly get charged £5 per 500mb (even 1kb over and I'm charged!)
sent from my Dell Streak (rooted 2.2 v1.0 by dj_steve) using Tapatalk
Im on vodafone uk and theu told me i had unlimited data but its only one gb cap ****ing lying scum bags
Sent from my GT-I9000 using XDA App
ironlood said:
I don't download torrents I tether my phone to my home computer because its easier to work with a full keyboard (not too mention streaming netflix).
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Wait...so you use your phone as your home internet connection?
Edit: Also, saying you want everyone to start tethering their phones and basically flood their network, to punish them? More than likely that would just cause them to put a data cap on their plans, like every other provider is doing. I'm on Verizon, so I don't care, but shooting yourself in the foot isn't exactly smart.
khaytsus said:
Give me a break, using >5G of data on your mobile phone is CLEARLY not using the data ON the phone, therefore they should have the right to do whatever they want to limit you at that point.
I'm sure T-Mobile has a plan that's intended to be used as your main internet connection. What you have is intended to feed your phone, not your torrents.
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it is SOOOOO EASY to get that much data usage ON a phone. Simply just keep pandora or other internet radio constantly running along with the fact that you can multi-task and use data for other **** too and before you know it you're over 5gb
so is there anything like this with verizon ?
i m currently with tmobile and want to switch.
raydm said:
so is there anything like this with verizon ?
i m currently with tmobile and want to switch.
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A lot more than tmobile (who has a 2gb cap before they throttle you).
Before july 7th the unlimited data plan for $30 will have no cap which is a big plus for people who live in a 4g area. Starting on the 7th new customers will have to pick data packages what start with 2gb a month for $20 or $30. New plans suck.
Sent from my ADR6400L using XDA Premium App
Existing plans will be grandfather in.
rooted Tbolt w/ tapatalk
yareally said:
A lot more than tmobile (who has a 2gb cap before they throttle you).
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Currently with T-Mobile, they don't throttle you until you reach 5 gb. Some plans are different but being with T-Mobile for several years and NEVER been throttled, my plan is 5 gb. I am also going to switch to Verizon to take advantage of their data plan before they change.
yareally said:
A lot more than tmobile (who has a 2gb cap before they throttle you).
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new t-mobile unlimited plans are 2gb for the special price, all others are still 5gb and they will throttle you (found out the first month).
raydm said:
so is there anything like this with verizon ?
i m currently with tmobile and want to switch.
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Verizon's official position is that they may throttle those that are in the top 5% of data users, esp during peak data usage times. Only been with them a couple of weeks so not sure how hard ass they are. Haven't seen anyone complain.
I've only used about 4gb so far in 2 weeks.
I've been using about 10-15 gigs a month for the last 3 years and have never seen any cap,I'm sure they will start it when the new pricing plans start but I plan to keep my service the way it is.
Posted from my Nokia V560
I have also been told by Verizon employees that plans in place before 7/7/11 will be grandfathered. If you don't have a VZW data plan yet but have been considering it, pull the trigger before the 7th.
I have not been able to confirm that the unlimited cap on grandfathered plans will be "for life" but this has been the general consensus from what I've heard.
so there is no data throttling on verizon as of now ! cause i might just use about 10 -15 gb of 4g in a month.
verizon throttles but that was 3G... not sure if that applies to 4G... yet.
6.6gb in third week and haven't been throttled. unlike the tmobile where i got throttled to 56k speeds.
I have never heard this 5% thing before. I am on a 3g only area and can say my data is getting throttled pretty rough. Been days since I got solid speeds and my girlfriends dinc, my old phone, is getting way better speeds. I am currently over 4.5 gb this month and she is under 2.5
Sent from my ADR6400L using XDA App
Good god what do you people do to use that much data? If I TRY to use a lot, I may use 4gb in a MONTH! I just don't find out practical to watch full movies on my phone... Sure a youtube video every now and then, but not a WHOLE movie. Talk about a battery killer...
Sent from my stock HTC Thunderbolt using Swype
http://iosdroid.net/2011/06/22/details-of-verizons-new-data-plans/
Recently, in order to save battery whenever im home which is most of the time i switch off the 3G network and go on wifi. Since I dont have 4G coverage near my home yet its much better than running of 3G. not only has it been lowering my data usage which is small to begin with but been making my battery last forever. even on my extended battery.
I have a boring job and no super vision. plus I tether a lot...
Sent from my ADR6400L using XDA App
Well data flies when you tether,a movie on the phone might only be 300mb but the same flick on a pc it 2gb,anyway since I have been a vzw slave I have bounced as much a 20gb but average 10-15gb,i drive a truck and this is my internet,as far as speeds go some 3g markets are slow some are fast but I have never seen it throttled,as far as 4g goes fastest I have seen is phoenix, slowest was oklahoma city, los angeles is consistant all over the valley.
Posted from my Nokia V560
I just switched to verizon yesterday after learning this so that I would be grandfathered in. I spoke to 2 different store reps and 1 online rep and they all confirmed that data usage is 100% unthrottled and uncapped if you sign up before the 7th. Now I imagine there is some fine print which says if you use 50GB in a month they can throttle you if they wish, but obviously this is well above and beyond anyone's usage pattern.
On tmobile I was routinely hitting the 2GB cap without doing much at all. I stream a lot of music while I drive, and email a lot of 5MP pictures to myself to watch on my computer so I dont have to worry about a USB cable. I also surf on my lunch break and in the evenings on the couch. I can use about 1GB a week doing this.
I think im getting throttled. my 3g used t be much faster.
David 617 said:
I think im getting throttled. my 3g used t be much faster.
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Go download speedtest and tell us what you get. Make sure you are doing this in a known good area.
I used over 70GB the first month this was out and never got throttled and still don't(Didn't have internet for that month so my phone became the internet). So its a good bet its quite high and will stay there for the unlimited people. >1MB/sec upload speeds <3 for torrents
One of my friends (he has jailb. iphone and used tethering for ~3 weeks) just got letter from ATT: stop using tethering or we'll change your plan to 4gb teth. plan (+$45)
Another friend though (android device, 2 months tethering) spoke with ATT rep. about tethering and plan overlimit and he was told : we'll just charge you $10 for each addnl Gb.
I'm using tethering for 3 m. If I use browser I change User Agent to Opera mobile (but not all the time) and had no any warnings.
where is the true about tethering? is this device specific? I mean is there something in iPhones that lets ATT to know about "illigal" tethering
is this the f. way for ATT to make money to lock device/software capabilities and then unlock them for $$$. OK lets lock volume or brightnes to 0 and charge people for each % added. lets lock BT - kinda tethering as well
all this is so stupid. it's like if electric company will charge you extra for using toster but not teapot.
who cares how I spend data that no longe belong to them. this is my 2gb. and I can put it in my ... if I'd like so
there are some ?? in this post so I posted it here not General. may be I'm wrong but not so wrong as ATT
i've personally never read about android devices being caught tethering (if anyone can show me otherwise, i would appreciate it)
the way AT&T picks up on people doing illegitimate tethering is by iphone users using mywi, not sure how they do it but every single post i've read of people who got served was using an iphone.
uuh... Bluetooth is not even remotely close to tethering. The reason they charge extra for tethering, compared to simple data plans... and why they don't (technically) allow tethering on unlimited plans, is because if you're using a laptop or desktop and have it connected to the internet via your phone... you're capable of downloading a LOT more information a LOT quicker, thus congesting their network.
Also would need a bit more information about how your friends were tethering. The first mentioned friend with the iPhone was probably doing what Alcapone said... using MyWi to tether for free, while probably on an unlimited data plan. That's probably why he got a letter saying that if it continues, he will be switched to the 4GB Tethering plan. They probably noticed an unusually large amount of bandwidth being used, which raised a red flag.
The second friend i'm assuming probably actually pays for tethering... or at least that's probably what the AT&T rep was assuming. In that case they'll charge per extra GB downloaded.
Only time i've ever heard the possibility of someone's plan being switched is if they're doing something that's not possible on their plan to begin with. Kinda like the people that were praying they could keep their dumbphone unlimited data plan to use with a smartphone.
zelipukin said:
One of my friends (he has jailb. iphone and used tethering for ~3 weeks) just got letter from ATT: stop using tethering or we'll change your plan to 4gb teth. plan (+$45)
Another friend though (android device, 2 months tethering) spoke with ATT rep. about tethering and plan overlimit and he was told : we'll just charge you $10 for each addnl Gb.
I'm using tethering for 3 m. If I use browser I change User Agent to Opera mobile (but not all the time) and had no any warnings.
where is the true about tethering? is this device specific? I mean is there something in iPhones that lets ATT to know about "illigal" tethering
is this the f. way for ATT to make money to lock device/software capabilities and then unlock them for $$$. OK lets lock volume or brightnes to 0 and charge people for each % added. lets lock BT - kinda tethering as well
all this is so stupid. it's like if electric company will charge you extra for using toster but not teapot.
who cares how I spend data that no longe belong to them. this is my 2gb. and I can put it in my ... if I'd like so
there are some ?? in this post so I posted it here not General. may be I'm wrong but not so wrong as ATT
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
this rant and its questions have all been debated and answered time and time again on this forum. search.
all have 2gb no tethering plan. Large amount of data? Am I not free to use my 2gb in one day? I mean I can spend only 2gb I paid for. in one day or 1 month, what's the difference? why not to change calling plan to unlimited if att noticed you "spoke to much yestarday"
zelipukin said:
all have 2gb no tethering plan. Large amount of data? Am I not free to use my 2gb in one day? I mean I can spend only 2gb I paid for. in one day or 1 month, what's the difference? why not to change calling plan to unlimited if att noticed you "spoke to much yestarday"
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This has been covered over here...
Going over your 2gb data plan is one thing and tethering is another. The iphone OS records the amount of time tethered and somehow notifies att about the devices usage. Also, from what I've learned when I had my iphones, not syncing to itunes after you've installed jailbroken apps will not register with apple. The only tethering apps I think most people getting caught with is an app called MyWi. Not sure about PDAnet. My wife uses MyWi but has never synced her phone to itunes after installing and we've never gotten a notice. Might also being looked at cuz the iphone doesn't have flash so other than netflix....how can you use a ton of data other than streaming or tethering.
ccrows said:
This has been covered over here...
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Click to collapse
ty, ty, ty
I knew kind people will point me to the right topic I couldnt find myself.
elementaldragon said:
why they don't (technically) allow tethering on unlimited plans, is because if you're using a laptop or desktop and have it connected to the internet via your phone... you're capable of downloading a LOT more information a LOT quicker, thus congesting their network.
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Click to collapse
Is this necessarily true though? With a phone that's capable of multitasking like the Atrix, I don't see the real issue. AT&T claims that by using a laptop, you will end up eating more data, but I always saw the service they provide as the real bottleneck. No matter how many devices you tether to the Atrix, whether it be 1 or 4, you're still unable to use more bandwidth than what you are capable of receiving. If your speed tests run at the miserable 1.5Mbps down and 1Mbps up that I get, how can they claim that you download information QUICKER from a computer? This may have been true before, when phone's couldn't handle as many operations as they do now, but I can definitely stream some music from pandora, browse the web, and hell, even download a torrent all at the same time if I wanted to.
I feel like all of the "modern" updates AT&T has made has just hurt the consumer in the process. Tethering on an unlimited plan shouldn't be allowed, I understand that. Your cell phone plan shouldn't be the basis for your home internet, and that's fair. But if you're on a tiered plan, your 2GB should be yours to do whatever you want with. And while I'm ranting about the tiered plans, I think for the price they charge for the 200MB plan, they need to start offering more. As their service supposedly gets faster, that 200MB cap becomes so much easier to reach. Come on AT&T, get with the times.
EDIT/UPDATE: File your complaint with the FCC over the bandwidth throttle;
http://esupport.fcc.gov/complaints.htm
Original Post:
Using AT&T and a new SGS2. I've had a grandfathered "unlimited" plan for 10 years @ $30/mo.
"Unlimited" by definition means 'without limitations, unrestricted'. I was getting over 700KB/sec download before the throttle, now I barely get 15KB/sec, it's effectively crippled my phone and certainly made GPS unusable. Calls to AT&T are pointless, they have a different definition of 'unlimited' and are telling me the throttle won't be lifted until my next billing cycle in January.
Two questions;
Does anyone else find this absurd? "Unlimited" is a very specific, non-ambiguous term.
And has anyone found a way around this?
Sent from my Galaxy II.
of course its absurd but there's no way around it
I'm not a lawyer but this seems like class-action material. It's false advertising, at the very least.
Sent from my Galaxy II.
Just wondering, how much did you use per minutes of internet before hey started throttling you?
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I777
There's a thread in the Vivid forum discussing this. People are being throttled after as little as 1 GB. Can't figure out what their use of measure is. Calendar month? 1 GB is unacceptable. I said over there top 5% is likely a lot lower than people probably think considering tons of people on grandfathered unlimited plans probably use hardly any of their data. Smartphones are no longer for the power user. My dad as an Android phone and he might have his email setup, but I'm sure that's all the data he uses.
edit: They did find a way to change the APN to where you weren't throttled anymore though, not sure if that applies here as well.
rquinn19 said:
There's a thread in the Vivid forum discussing this. People are being throttled after as little as 1 GB. Can't figure out what their use of measure is. Calendar month? 1 GB is unacceptable. I said over there top 5% is likely a lot lower than people probably think considering tons of people on grandfathered unlimited plans probably use hardly any of their data. Smartphones are no longer for the power user. My dad as an Android phone and he might have his email setup, but I'm sure that's all the data he uses.
edit: They did find a way to change the APN to where you weren't throttled anymore though, not sure if that applies here as well.
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Click to collapse
Not throttled yet. 10GB last month and about 3gb this month so far
hyelton said:
Not throttled yet. 10GB last month and about 3gb this month so far
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Click to collapse
That's the complaint there, can't figure out what's triggering the throttling.
rquinn19 said:
edit: They did find a way to change the APN to where you weren't throttled anymore though, not sure if that applies here as well.
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Click to collapse
That works only for LTE phones. They hit the Throttle on the LTE data, they can switch APNs to use HSPA+ data at full HSPA+ speeds. So they go from 30+ Mbps on LTE to like 0.25 Mbps, then switch to HSPA+ and get 6-8 Mbps.
In my area I get 2-3, at best on HSPA+. I use 6-8 GB on a normal month, as high at 10.5 one month. I have never been throttled.
Sent from my Galaxy S II (i777)
quarlow said:
That works only for LTE phones. They hit the Throttle on the LTE data, they can switch APNs to use HSPA+ data at full HSPA+ speeds. So they go from 30+ Mbps on LTE to like 0.25 Mbps, then switch to HSPA+ and get 6-8 Mbps.
In my area I get 2-3, at best on HSPA+. I use 6-8 GB on a normal month, as high at 10.5 one month. I have never been throttled.
Sent from my Galaxy S II (i777)
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Click to collapse
I feel like I'm capped at 3 Mbps. No matter what it tops out at that. Kinda odd if I'm not capped.
rquinn19 said:
I feel like I'm capped at 3 Mbps. No matter what it tops out at that. Kinda odd if I'm not capped.
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Click to collapse
3G and Faug G data speeds vary greatly by market. I think LTE is fairly consistent market to market, and in those markets the HSPA+ data is generally 8-11 Mbps.
Some people complain when they are throttled down to 100KB/s, something that's a good day for me.
Sent from my Galaxy S II (i777)
To answer those that asked, and yes, I admit this might seem ridiculous, but I did ~10.6GB in 14 days. Prior to that, I averaged 10-20GB a month with no hassles. With the new phone, the $0.10 Google market sale and a lot of experiementing, it was higher than expected with the new speeds. Still, "unlimited" is unlimited.
The notice I got came in the form a text, informing me that I should check their data plans (again, I have unlimited, why would I care?) and then a second notice that came in hours later - sometime around 4-5am that read:
"ATT Free Msg: Your data use is approaching the top 5% of users. Avoid reduced data speeds, use Wi-Fi where available. Visit att.com/dataplans or call 866-344-7584"
That's it. The warning came but I was already throttled and the "smart" part of my phone is effectively useless.
Read this story it explains how AT$T determines who should get throttled.
In a nut shell if you live in a area that has high data usage then the threshold is a lot higher then if you live in a area that has low data usage.
http://www.tomsguide.com/us/AT-T-iPhone-data-throttle-4G-2G,news-13445.html
Dude 25GB is excessive!
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I777
But the i777 doesn't have LTE.....right?
Can't we sue at t for throttling since we never signed up for throttled plan.. It suppose to be unlimited and they are not throttling other data plans
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I777 using XDA App
It doesn't say anywhere in your agreement you are set to get certain speeds. It also says all over that att will do whatever they deem necessary if they feel your use can cause detrimental affects on other users.
Sent from my Galaxy S II (i777)
Made an update to my earlier post. My account on att.com reports that I did 10.6GB and was roughly half-way into my billing cycle.
Since their nerfbat hits entire neighborhoods (by design) it makes for some ridiculous scenarios. This **** was obviously derived by committee.
Question: Is it even possible to consume all of the data in your plan if you are restricted to 2G? No. It's not.
AT&T's plan caps can't even be consumed at 2G speeds, it would be fun to see a class-action against AT&T for failure to fulfill contract by deliberate act.
Scenario:
1) you use a bunch of data quickly to DL something in the beginning of the month.
2) AT&T flags you and demotes you to 2G for the remainder of the month.
3) At full 2G speed, you DL everything you can, but are only able to use up 2/3 of your paid data plan simply because it is not possible to use more than that with 2G in a month.
While you're stuck at 2G, your 3G-equipped neighbor is now in the top 5% and gets demoted to 2G, too.
Yes, I smell class-action.
Tried once more to get a rep on the phone, it's pointless. This is a direct quote:
"Sir, I realize you have an unlimited plan but we've placed a limitation on it."
AT$T use a different dictionary to define 'unlimited'. Even if they wanted to, nobody can remove the throttle until the billing cylcle ends. Bastards.
Captain Zero said:
Tried once more to get a rep on the phone, it's pointless. This is a direct quote:
"Sir, I realize you have an unlimited plan but we've placed a limitation on it."
AT$T use a different dictionary to define 'unlimited'. Even if they wanted to, nobody can remove the throttle until the billing cylcle ends. Bastards.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Technically you are unlimited, they're not completely shutting down your data. You can still transfer all day long, just at a slow pace.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I777 using Tapatalk
Creative English at it's best. ATT: Oh we didn't mean unlimited we were saying "Hey, its uhh, limited. "
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I777 using xda premium
All,
Long time lurker, don't really post much. I've had the UDP for a long while now, and have tethered a lot with no issues. this week
i've been throttled heavily not just tethering but in normal usage. I"m still in contract on my UDP as well. I've tried flashing a different rom to make sure i didn't mess any settings up or anything happened with Alliance rom26, but its still happening, after reverting back to Stock. Connection will be fine for awhile than all of a sudden super slow.
I didn't think they were starting this until October??? It hasn't happened at all before....
laughingcolors said:
All,
Long time lurker, don't really post much. I've had the UDP for a long while now, and have tethered a lot with no issues. this week
i've been throttled heavily not just tethering but in normal usage. I"m still in contract on my UDP as well. I've tried flashing a different rom to make sure i didn't mess any settings up or anything happened with Alliance rom26, but its still happening, after reverting back to Stock. Connection will be fine for awhile than all of a sudden super slow.
I didn't think they were starting this until October??? It hasn't happened at all before....
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Maybe its begun..
xredjokerx said:
Maybe its begun..
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Click to collapse
reflashed the MJ9 firmware and its speeds are a bit more stable, but if it does happen again, will update. likely i am assuming it will..
laughingcolors said:
reflashed the MJ9 firmware and its speeds are a bit more stable, but if it does happen again, will update. likely i am assuming it will..
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
still throttling after reflashing the firmware this morning.
laughingcolors said:
still throttling after reflashing the firmware this morning.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
What kind of data usage do you normally hit? I'm UDP but not a heavy user, in fact I should drop it and share with the wife. I have not had any slowness.
TonikJDK said:
What kind of data usage do you normally hit? I'm UDP but not a heavy user, in fact I should drop it and share with the wife. I have not had any slowness.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
last month 230 gigs (no internet at home- only options are TWC and ATT DSL) this month 30gigs with the end of the month being end of cycle.
230 gigs?! No wonder they are throttling you. Even 30 gigs would probably be cause for them to throttle you.
laughingcolors said:
last month 230 gigs (no internet at home- only options are TWC and ATT DSL) this month 30gigs with the end of the month being end of cycle.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I see why they throttle you lol.
Sent from my GT-N7105 using XDA Free mobile app
I was getting on average of 15-18mbps a month ago but now I am getting on average 3-4mbps. Pretty crappy but that is why Verizon is no longer the #1 carrier in my eyes.
230 gigs through a cell phone is excessive. I use the crap out if mine and barely make 4 gigs. I can't even imagine 230 gigs.
Driodx isnt the only one using that amount of data last month I hit 263 gigs I stream a lot,Netflix etc. After I rolled over this month im at 70 gigs so I say unlimited should be unlimited I pay 29 for unlimited and its 30 for 2 gigs the basic data plan Verizon's greed is running a muck
Sent from my SCH-I605 using XDA Free mobile app
I have grandfathered unlimited data, and I only use 2-3 GB / month. sounds like some of you guys are the reason my data speeds have been so slow lately...i.e., tower congestion as opposed to throttling. I for one am OK with VZW's plan.
Wait a second your saying tower congestion is to blame and putting that on those who use their unlimited data as an unlimit to which means NO LIMIT as the reason for your slow connect (one word) location you live in NJ where as im in the country in kansas a half mile from the tower I connect to I highly doubt that affects your data speed no its Verizon's decision to throttle and force those of us on an unlimited plan to change simply because of greed
Sent from my SCH-I605 using XDA Free mobile app
b0nz said:
... as the reason for your slow connect (one word) location you live in NJ where as im in the country in kansas a half mile from the tower I connect to I highly doubt that affects your data speed ...
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Click to collapse
hey man, I hate this over populated state and all I want to do is escape to the country someday, but I'm stuck here at the moment, you don't have to rub it in.
PhilDX said:
I have grandfathered unlimited data, and I only use 2-3 GB / month. sounds like some of you guys are the reason my data speeds have been so slow lately...i.e., tower congestion as opposed to throttling. I for one am OK with VZW's plan.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm in the 5-9 GB myself but am surprised that you're satisfied with VZW limiting our speeds because you have low usage. VZW ought to be expanding their network capacity with more towers and more fiber trunks than throttling paying customers.
They've begun throttling me in so cal, i use about 10-30 gigs a month but its all twitch streaming, youtube videos, netflix. Nothing nefarious. Sometimes getting the google.com page to load up takes a min, thats how bad they are throttling. Its horrible.
sp000n said:
I'm in the 5-9 GB myself but am surprised that you're satisfied with VZW limiting our speeds because you have low usage. VZW ought to be expanding their network capacity with more towers and more fiber trunks than throttling paying customers.
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I'm not happy with VZW throttling, it would definitely be much better if they upgraded their network to support more bandwidth. I have been buying phones at full retail just to hang on to my unlimited data plan, that's how much I want to keep it.
the problem is none of us are under contract for unlimited data anymore, the two year contracts have all expired (or will soon). so basically VZW can do whatever they want to maximize profit - they can throttle the heaviest users or they can terminate the unlimited data plans entirely and force all of us back on 2 Gb plans. that's what I want to avoid. I would rather keep unlimited data and be forced to stay below their stated throttling threshold (5 Gb per billing cycle) than lose it entirely and be limited to 2Gb per billing cycle.
I was able to keep my unlimited data when I purchased a new phone and started a new 2 year contract by using the best buy website trick.
issues also going on with others via reddit;
http://www.reddit.com/r/AskLosAngel...ne_else_having_trouble_with_verizon_wireless/
They tried to steal my UDP. I've noticed that occasionally it goes to a crawl. As of now I'm on stock rooted 4.4.2 unlocked. Everything else runs great. I'd say on a really data heavy month (using pbay etc) I can get to 20 but I usually float around 10-15