I only use around 200-300mb a month with my biggest month in the past year at 490. I could really used the extra $60 a year. would it be stupid for me to downgrade and loose my unlimited plan or would it be a good economical move?
Got a tip for us?
Let us know
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
is it dumb to downgrade to 2gb?
- Thread starter greenbreadmmm
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
No offense, if you could "really" use that $60 a year, maybe you should switch to a regular phone with no data plan...
I agree.
Im in the same boat and I will also downgrade to the 2GB plan.
I usually use less than 200mb per month and on some odd months maybe 300-400
I dont think I will ever go over 2GB's per month since Im always around wifi everywhere. Its nice to have but paying for something you dont use its a waste.
And the cheaper the bill gets the less taxes you also pay on your monthly bill.
if you feel like you're gonna be doing the same stuff you have been doing, why not downgrade and save the money?
Let me rephrase that, I dont NEED the extra$ 5 a month, but it would sure be nice to have it. And why have a regular phone, when i could have an iphone?
That pretty ignorant.
If someone doesnt use alot of carrier data and wants to save a few dollars in the process should get a different phone? Who are you to say how one decides to use their iphone?
NO...what do ppl do with new phones when they get them? They play with them a lot; you'll be downloading a ton of apps you already have and even newer ones. I expect to see ppl complaining about battery life going fast because of them constantly playing with the new phone all day.
I say go for it... In the past year I've had my 3GS and my highest usage was 900mb since I have wifi at home and at most places I work. I'm thinking about doing it as well but have 3 iphones on my plan, that's $180 savings a year.
No offense, but if you're going to make statements as ignorant as this then maybe you should leave the forums.
Not everybody lives in their parents basements and get's the bills paid by them. Some of us "adults" understand the value of money.
Wait, maybe I do mean to offend- LOL.
all depends on how you use the data..now that iOS 4 uses background streaming pandora/slacker ect..will use more data..i use it a lot
My wife and daughter each have iPhones. By cutting back on their plans which they don't even come close to the new limits, I will be able to get myself an iPhone and only see my bill go up by $5/month.
If you really need the extra $60 a year why not get a non smart phone! You could be saving even more.
Keep the unlimited. The 2GB will only save you $5 a month and if you go over then you would pay at least $5 more a month than the unlimited. At least for $5 more a month you have the peace of mind in knowing that you can do whatever you want should you get the urge w/o risk of overage fees.
I would personally stick with the unlimited. 60 dollars isn't that much more extra money in a year. Then again I guess it is a waste if you seriously feel like you will never go past the 2 GB barrier. The highest I have done is 4 GB on my 3G while tethering it (PDAnet is a beautiful beast), mostly in hotels with crappy internet and it comes in handy so I will never release my unlimited until they make me.
Here's the thing... this may be the last time you can ever have an unlimited data plan. And knowing technology, required bandwidth for even the simplest tasks will always be on the rise. As far as I know, an unlimited plan is like a good rent controlled apartment, sure you can find a cheaper one, but when it goes up, you'll be sorry. Personally, I'd never give it up.
No, don't give up unlimited. At least not yet. Here's why.
I average about 1gb/mo on my iPhone 3gs. I almost never use wifi at home, except to download apps >20 mb. (I'm paranoid about forgetting to turn wifi off when I'm out and having my battery die). Even with my current usage habits, I don't come close to 2gb. I thought for a while about switching plans to save $60/yr, but I'll tell you why I'm not going to.
The smartphone world is moving towards an era of higher data consumption per device, not lower. Think about all the new apps and software just for the iPhone coming out soon that will suck down data. Facetime chat. Netflix or hulu streaming. Background Pandora streaming. GPS software that runs in the background. Background VOIP/Skype over 3G. If ANY of these even remotely strikes you as something you might be interested in doing on your phone, don't give up unlimited data. And even if you're not, you still have iAds
The people running AT&T aren't idiots (mostly). They know that more and more people are using their smartphones for data and SMS than they are for voice calling. I'm willing to bet that within a year, AT&T will introduce a "new" unlimited data plan even more expensive than our current $30/mo.
So my advice is, wait it out. See how your data usage changes with iOS4 and the new iPhone.
I average about 1gb/mo on my iPhone 3gs. I almost never use wifi at home, except to download apps >20 mb. (I'm paranoid about forgetting to turn wifi off when I'm out and having my battery die). Even with my current usage habits, I don't come close to 2gb. I thought for a while about switching plans to save $60/yr, but I'll tell you why I'm not going to.
The smartphone world is moving towards an era of higher data consumption per device, not lower. Think about all the new apps and software just for the iPhone coming out soon that will suck down data. Facetime chat. Netflix or hulu streaming. Background Pandora streaming. GPS software that runs in the background. Background VOIP/Skype over 3G. If ANY of these even remotely strikes you as something you might be interested in doing on your phone, don't give up unlimited data. And even if you're not, you still have iAds
The people running AT&T aren't idiots (mostly). They know that more and more people are using their smartphones for data and SMS than they are for voice calling. I'm willing to bet that within a year, AT&T will introduce a "new" unlimited data plan even more expensive than our current $30/mo.
So my advice is, wait it out. See how your data usage changes with iOS4 and the new iPhone.
The truth is... it's your call. Everyone can share their opinions, but you have to weigh your options. If you'd like to save a few bucks and you think you'll never go over 2gb, then you're good. If you plan on using your phone for even more data, then don't.
Some people will change because they will save money. Some people may not because they like the freedom of unlimited.
In the end, it's personal preference. Regarding your question, "Would i be a good economical move?" the answer is very obviously yes. You will spend less money in the long run, even if you go over one month.
I value the ability to tether over unlimited data, of which I've never gone over 1.7 GB in a month.
The $60 I save per year can be re-allocated to 6GB of overage data or 3 months of tethering. Some months, I may even go further and downgrade to the $15 plan, esp if I'll be out of the country for part of a month...
I wish ATT would just charge $.01 per MB and be done with it there.
Aside from browsing, IM not going to download gigs of stuff over a slow 3G connection.
The $60 I save per year can be re-allocated to 6GB of overage data or 3 months of tethering. Some months, I may even go further and downgrade to the $15 plan, esp if I'll be out of the country for part of a month...
I wish ATT would just charge $.01 per MB and be done with it there.
Aside from browsing, IM not going to download gigs of stuff over a slow 3G connection.
I say keep the unlimited. IMO, you must consider your *future* usage, not your current usage. It seems like unlimited data plans are trying to be phased out by the cell carriers, so you probably won't be able to get an unlimited plan back again later. Sure, today you may not go over 2 GB a month, but in a year or two you might. I'd consider that $60 a year to be insurance against having to pay even higher data rates in the future.
Some people make certain sacrifices in order to have things they want... even if they can't afford a lot. I'm kinda that way. While not that strict... I choose having an iPhone over a monthly television bill.