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Just out of curiosity...how this works?

M

maceatsapple

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Oct 28, 2011
9
0
Hello,

There is one thing I am really curious.

I have seen some smart app(iPhone/Android) claims that this app allows you to send FREE text/call/or whatever data might be over 3G/4G.

(Actually, they are claiming it is free regardless of plan you have, which means data fee won't be charged at all by using this app. Actually, it is indeed true according to my experience)

The thing that I am curious is that how they do this at the application side??
Obviously, if the user has unlimited 3G/4G data plan, they don't care, though.

When they develop the sort of these app, do they have any magic code that they use in the code in order to provide free 3G/4G service for any users??..

I don't think so...

The company/or personal developed the app....they have a sort of contract with a carrier that this app somehow should not be charged for data plan??
Then how the carrier keep track of every app that has requested for free data plan service from the company?

I don't think this is possible either..

Just curious how this can be done...


Thanks,
 
Whenever the app uses data over 3G, it is charged according to ur plan
Right? If u have unlimited plan, forget about this question.
How this app uses the data without affecting ur data plan?
 
maceatsapple said:
Whenever the app uses data over 3G, it is charged according to ur plan
Right? If u have unlimited plan, forget about this question.
How this app uses the data without affecting ur data plan?
Click to expand...

It does use your data plan, but that amount of data it is sending and receiving is extremely small. So long as you aren't on an extremely restricted data plan it will most likely be entirely negligible to you.
 
abijnk said:
It does use your data plan, but that amount of data it is sending and receiving is extremely small. So long as you aren't on an extremely restricted data plan it will most likely be entirely negligible to you.
Click to expand...


I don't think this is true. I see some app that claims "free video call over 3g".
I am sure that there should be bunch of data exchanging for video/voice data over 3g...
If this app wasn't free and your data plan was not enough to handle this, you would end up being charged tons of money cuz of data usage from that application.
 
ct2k7 said:
It uses data from your data plan
Click to expand...

Yes, it uses data from your plan, but the difference is whether it is billable or not. In other words, as long as you have data plan that can cover the data usage of the application, that should be OK. However, if the app uses exceed data over your plan, that should be charged generally. However, what this app claims, it WON'T charge you. That's what I am curious how they could do this.
 
maceatsapple said:
Yes, it uses data from your plan, but the difference is whether it is billable or not. In other words, as long as you have data plan that can cover the data usage of the application, that should be OK. However, if the app uses exceed data over your plan, that should be charged generally. However, what this app claims, it WON'T charge you. That's what I am curious how they could do this.
Click to expand...


What app is this? App developers generally don't make deals with carriers, and it's highly unlikely this app has such deal to continue non billable data consumption.
 
ct2k7 said:
What app is this? App developers generally don't make deals with carriers, and it's highly unlikely this app has such deal to continue non billable data consumption.
Click to expand...
The OP is misinterpreting what was read. No app can guarantee free data. The app(s) in question just uses data instead of messaging (SMS/MMS) or voice minutes. Whether the data usage through the carrier is actually free or not is between the user and the carrier.
 
maceatsapple said:
I don't think this is true.
Click to expand...

Well, then you think wrong. Sorry, there is just no other way to look at it. It says "free" because you aren't paying a usage charge for the app itself, it just uses the data you already pay for.

Multiple people have told you this, and you are simply refusing to believe it. You asked how it works, we told you.
 
maceatsapple said:
Whenever the app uses data over 3G, it is charged according to ur plan
Right? If u have unlimited plan, forget about this question.
How this app uses the data without affecting ur data plan?
Click to expand...

the apps service is "free", so it won't cost you to be able to text someone using the app. but you have to either use it on wifi or have a data plan. a majority of users have to have a data plan regardless but may not want to pay for a texting plan on top of the data plan. So they just pay a data plan and use the free texting app that uses their data that they pay for. If you have access to wifi it won't affect how much data is used on ur data plan bc u aren't using it.

----------
maceatsapple said:
Yes, it uses data from your plan, but the difference is whether it is billable or not. In other words, as long as you have data plan that can cover the data usage of the application, that should be OK. However, if the app uses exceed data over your plan, that should be charged generally. However, what this app claims, it WON'T charge you. That's what I am curious how they could do this.
Click to expand...

that's right, the app doesn't charge you for data use. that's between you and your carrier. if you go over your data plan that is your fault not the free app.
 
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