300MB data plan for iPhone 4S on AT&T?

[BlueMoonForever]

I added a line to my AT&T account for my mom and got her an iPhone 4S. SHe loves it, but we're both worried about the data usage. Even connected to WiFi its still using very little. I figured that's because of VVM and the phone being idle. Anyway, the iPhone 4S is an HSPA+ device so I know it will be data hungry. I'd hate to be charged an additional $20 for 300mb of data when a 3GB plan only costs $10 more.

AT&T has really lousy data plans. Why don't they offer a 500-1024MB data plan for like $20 and make the 300MB plan $5???

 

[rgarjr]

yeah not much variety of plans on these carriers anymore.

 

[TacticalDesire]

I doubt you'll go over 300mb with light data usage. Especially if you have wifi around. My father got his 4S shortly after it came out and he's used a little over 1.6 gigs of data in the course of a year+. If my math is correct that equates to roughly 140-150mb a month.

 

[barkomatic]

I added a line to my AT&T account for my mom and got her an iPhone 4S. SHe loves it, but we're both worried about the data usage. Even connected to WiFi its still using very little. I figured that's because of VVM and the phone being idle. Anyway, the iPhone 4S is an HSPA+ device so I know it will be data hungry. I'd hate to be charged an additional $20 for 300mb of data when a 3GB plan only costs $10 more.

AT&T has really lousy data plans. Why don't they offer a 500-1024MB data plan for like $20 and make the 300MB plan $5???

I also think you'll be fine. Worse comes to worse and you get charged $20 and next month you move her to the 3GB plan.

1GB of data would be perfect for a lot of people, but they make more money forcing people to pay more for a 3GB that a customer mostly doesn't use. At least that's what I assume. Competitive pressures will eventually bring prices down.

 

[BlueMoonForever]

I also think you'll be fine. Worse comes to worse and you get charged $20 and next month you move her to the 3GB plan.

1GB of data would be perfect for a lot of people, but they make more money forcing people to pay more for a 3GB that a customer mostly doesn't use. At least that's what I assume. Competitive pressures will eventually bring prices down.

Exactly. She's not going to need 3GB, yet alone 1GB. She'd be fine on 300-500MB. I'd hate to get the 3GB plan only to find out she's barely using it with normal usage.

 

[scaredpoet]

I would jsut continue to monitor the usage, and then if you see it nearing the upper end of the plan, turn off cellular data in preferences until the end of the billing cycle. Then see about hether upping to the next plan would make sense.

 

[nilk]

For a long time time I didn't use more than 250MB a month ever. It was usually more like 50MB a month. I was under wifi most of the time, and didn't do much streaming. Even when I travelled and didn't have wifi I didn't exceed 250MB.

I now use more than that only because I use Spotify while driving (about 600MB).

Unless she's planning to use cellular data for streaming services, I say stay on the 300MB plan and only increase it if she goes over.