AT&T 2GB Data Plan Working for You?

Alchematron said:

For those who have the 2GB data plan at $25.00 per month

Is it working for you?

Is 2GB sufficient for basic usage?

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Depends if it's your main data connection. I do about 200mb a day on light use just browesing websites and no video and 500+ a day on heavy use with few videos but Somedays I can do 1gb+ a day if I'm on it all day.

Also when I mean a day I mean odd browsing here and there from 6 till 10 so 4 hours not 24 hours.

Alchematron said:

For those who have the 2GB data plan at $25.00 per month

Is it working for you?

Is 2GB sufficient for basic usage?

Click to expand...

For me 250MB is enough.

xraytech said:

For me 250MB is enough.

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Have you not found your on button yet

I have unlimited but so far have only used about 80MB in half a month's worth of use.

What do you guys use your ipads for? I can do 100mb on my android phone in my lunch break in one day. Let alone 80mb in a month.

.

It's more than enough.

My Unlimited plan started on June 3rd and in 27 days I've used 327MBs.

Last month I used 249MBs.


I use 3G every single day I am at work, for email and surfing. I have no need to stream movies or tv shows while on 3G, but I do occasionally watch a few youtubes.

It's more than enough.

Another month like this and I'll ditch my grandfathered Unltd plan, for sure.

As to what I use it for... I'm at work all day so only use it in my lunch break for browsing, email etc. When I go home I just use WiFi.

The only time I'll use it for streaming etc. will be when I'm doing long car/bus/train trips where there is constant 3G reception (not very often).

I fail to see how you could possibly go through 1GB of data per day without being able to alter your usage to use less.

I Have done 145mb in the last 3.5 hrs. That's just forum browseing. No apps, no videos, no downloads. I do browse 2-3 forums at a time though so it does add up fast. If I download apps or music and watch videos then that 145mb gets blown out the window.

Angryipadguy said:

I Have done 145mb in the last 3.5 hrs. That's just forum browseing. No apps, no videos, no downloads. I do browse 2-3 forums at a time though so it does add up fast. If I download apps or music and watch videos then that 145mb gets blown out the window.

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This is another reason my we need iOS4 so badly. With it, you could run a browser that supports adblocking without closing it and having it reload all open pages when going back to it. Much bandwidth saved during forum browsing.

(sorry webmaster, banner ad clicked follow submit of post).

I've used about 1.4G in two weeks, and I haven't even started streaming (other than a little on NHK and ABC). I travel a lot and don't bother checking for wifi unless I'm at my hotel or on a flight that has wifi. I scrambled to get a 3G iPad before the 7th to get grandfathered in so I wouldn't have to ration my usage or even think about it. I could *maybe* lower my iPhone plan now that I have the iPad, but for an extra 5 bucks, I'll just eliminate one starbucks latte a month and not worry about that either.

I renewed at the $15 for 250MB plan last month and it's been 26 days and I've only used 130MB so far.

Most of the time I'm on Wifi so I don't need a big 3g data plan.

Alchematron said:

For those who have the 2GB data plan at $25.00 per month

Is it working for you?

Is 2GB sufficient for basic usage?

Click to expand...

The question is what do you plan to do while on 3G and for how long per day/week. That will help you know if it is enough. Most of the providers will tell you that 1Gb will get you about 50 hours general web surfing, 100,000 emails with no attachments, or 4 hours of Streaming video.

Also try to think about if you are going to use Programs like good reader or drop box or others like those to download files while using the 3G connection. Since that too will affect your data usage.

I just went through this decision process. I've been an iPhone owner since the beginning, so I had the UNL plan...also, I have an AT&T air card (5gig limit). We run an A/V business, so having access to the 'net is essential while on the road. Whether it's for downloading music, uploading video, or sharing edits on FCP...we have to have it.

My decision to drop the UNL plan on the iPhone so I could allow tethering really drove me nuts! BUT, we've been close to the cap on the Air Card plan several months in a row....4.8, 4.7, and 4.8 the last three months...where the next gig is $50! So, to have backup, we decided to open up tethering on our iPhones (My wife and I's).

Kinda sucks...I hate to give up the unlimited plan, but it's mandatory to take advantage of the iPhone tethering. I do find myself much more aware of being in a Wi-Fi spot these days.

I'm actually glad to see AT&T implement it. Even though I'm paying through the nose (60/month for the Air Card, 45 for the tethering/DP, etc)...hopefully, it'll relieve some network strain across the country...time will tell.

I'm jealous of you 200mb/month Unlimited Plan folks. Too bad we can't rollover bandwidth

J

I have the unlimited plan and have barely broken 1 gig a month since getting it. I do a lot of streaming, but only ever when I am on wifi. I am thinking of dropping down to the 2 gig plan to save $5 a month.

akdj said:

I just went through this decision process. I've been an iPhone owner since the beginning, so I had the UNL plan...also, I have an AT&T air card (5gig limit). We run an A/V business, so having access to the 'net is essential while on the road. Whether it's for downloading music, uploading video, or sharing edits on FCP...we have to have it.
...snip.....

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I would have kept e unlimited and bought the virgin prepaid mifi as the backup so you weren't paying unless you needed it at the end of the cycle. It probably wasn't announced yet when you decided though either

As to the OP' I'm at 770mb with 4 days to go. This is basic browsing and email whle waiting in waiting rooms. 1 6minute YouTube at the occupational therapist office to show her something.

I tried to stream something on netflix but I can't do more than browse in that location. 10 minutes and it hadn't loaded yet.

I'm out of my home and not near wifi, in waiting rooms 4-5 hours a week right now, and in the car going back and forth to those 4.5 hours. Then another 1.5 a day driving a child to and from camp. Ithe fall I will drop the camp but add in 3 more hours without wifi.

I go no where with free wifi in my daily life. I'm at chick fil a right now and there isn't wifi here (love that boil water notice i found on the door when I got home from dropping the kid at camp).

I just like not having to think about it....

Oh, and i dont get ads on Macrumors. I became a supporter and that is a perk!!!!

I dropped my unlimited for the 2G plan to save $5. I used 1.3gigs this month. If I ever run over I have a sprint phone that cries out to be a hotspot with an additional 5gig limit

vw195 said:

I dropped my unlimited for the 2G plan to save $5. I used 1.3gigs this month. If I ever run over I have a sprint phone that cries out to be a hotspot with an additional 5gig limit

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ditto only stream when im home with wifi, otherwise always on 3g, and i sulf alot during day, ended months at 1.4

I would ignore the haters. Botom line 2GB is more than enough for even heavy use. I drove 650 miles yesterday, took 12 hours (had 3 little kids and my pregnant wife with me) and everyone took turns on the iPad. Most browsing, some streaming music and videos thrown in there as well. Used 60MB of data.

If you are using more than 2GB you are a POWER user with no other connection available and likely your job must rely heavily on streaming data.

Bottom line, if you have wifi at EITHER home or work, 99%+ of users will not go over 2GB.



ash =o)

ashVID said:

I would ignore the haters. Botom line 2GB is more than enough for even heavy use. I drove 650 miles yesterday, took 12 hours (had 3 little kids and my pregnant wife with me) and everyone took turns on the iPad. Most browsing, some streaming music and videos thrown in there as well. Used 60MB of data.

If you are using more than 2GB you are a POWER user with no other connection available and likely your job must rely heavily on streaming data.

Bottom line, if you have wifi at EITHER home or work, 99%+ of users will not go over 2GB.



ash =o)

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I agree, as of right now im grandfathered but ive got my eye on my usage and those numbers look right. I'm most likely going to drop to the 2GB plan as im on wifi 80% of the time online. This bring the data from 30 to 25 bucks?

i feel sorry for you in the U.S. Here in the UK we get 10gb for £15 a month on a 1 month contract with the best 3G service in britan

Here is a quick test I did with various streaming apps:

Orblive streaming liveTV, videos, home movies - 120MB per hour.
AirVideo streaming videos - 140MB per hour.
Streaming bunch of pixelated youtube videos - 50MB per hour.
Netflix streaming a movie - 180MB per hour.
ABC Player streaming Lost episodes - 276MB per hour.

A half an hour afternoon news I normally watch during lunch at work along eats up 1.2GB a month. Add to that surfing the web, emails and my 6 year old streaming kids movies or recorded shows while in the car, I easily surpass 2GB monthly. I'm holding on to my unlimited plan.

As more media apps like above and hulu are relased for iPads and iPhones, I wouldn't be surprised soon people will be posting their regrets of giving up unlimited plan and others complaining 2GB isn't enough.

Starbucks is adding free wifi, McD's has it, anywhere ATT has it, you can access for free. For most people, 3G is the bridge between wifi spots. I travel and i am in enough places that either have no wifi or charge for it that the 3G was a no brainer. I still maintain that unless you have no wifi connection anywhere, going over 2gb is unlikely. All the data supports this conclusion.



Ash

Angryipadguy said:

Have you not found your on button yet

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I lolled



I'm glad i got my order in on June 1. I immediately signed up on unlimited when it came in june 16.

I'm at 2.8gb today.

If 2gb were 15.99 I'd do it. As it is I'm leaving 3G on just cuz. Even when I'm in a wifi place.