Yes. This is a huge difference. When I stream Netflix I don't do it on LTE. The picture quality is fine and you use much less data.
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My iPhone 5 Data is THROUGH THE ROOF!
- Thread starter ghsDUDE
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Yes. This is a huge difference. When I stream Netflix I don't do it on LTE. The picture quality is fine and you use much less data.
First, check your data usage on Verizon's website, not on your phone. When I checked on AT&T, it told me far less data than my phone did.
Second, realize that right now you might be doing a lot of app updates, etc., stuff that you don't normally do on a regular basis.
This weekend I was out driving around quite a bit, and I streamed two albums (the newest Linkin Park and Muse - rock on!) and also used Maps Turn by Turn. I did a bunch of photo uploading (about 60 photos) and the usual email and browsing. All on LTE, all for about 120mb.
If that 1gb is what your phone recorded and you are a Verizon customer, I doubt you will actually be dinged for it. I also think the first month on a new device is not a typical month, and so, you shouldn't panic.
Second, realize that right now you might be doing a lot of app updates, etc., stuff that you don't normally do on a regular basis.
This weekend I was out driving around quite a bit, and I streamed two albums (the newest Linkin Park and Muse - rock on!) and also used Maps Turn by Turn. I did a bunch of photo uploading (about 60 photos) and the usual email and browsing. All on LTE, all for about 120mb.
If that 1gb is what your phone recorded and you are a Verizon customer, I doubt you will actually be dinged for it. I also think the first month on a new device is not a typical month, and so, you shouldn't panic.
Is it worth paying more for speed + metered data + being overly worried on everyday data usage?
I still have a live contract with AT&T thru mid next year. I have an unlimited plan but AT&T has no LTE coverage in my area so I decided to get the iP5 Verizon and I've been testing the AT&T nano SIM card on it.
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Yep, let's see in few months if 2 GB is enough for those loving / sharing the metered data.
They thought they are saving money by being overly stingy with their data usage - not with LTE or with what iP5 is capable of.Speed test and streaming services will use more data on a faster connection. These are two things that will literally use more data because its available. So for example, watching a movie on Netflix will use significantly more data on LTE vs 3G even though its the same movie.
I have an Android tablet and I toggle of LTE when streaming over cellular so it doesn't kill my data.
I have an Android tablet and I toggle of LTE when streaming over cellular so it doesn't kill my data.
Thanks for the info. Do we have a thread about it or can you make a kind of complete list (re: specific apps/tasks using more data in LTE vs. 3G)?
LTE doesn't raise your usage. You have to be doing something different.
I've noticed speedtest app and browsing apple maps in satellite view as the fastest guzzlers of data.
I used 5GB+ months in a row on 4S. I'm at about 200MB 12 days into cycle with 5.
BINGO!
I'm on day 19 of my 30 day billing cycle. I intend to publish results after this month and keep an eye on it moving forward.
I do not buy into the whole "Your data use will skyrocket on LTE" BS.
Quit doing dumb things that consume a bunch of data and you'll be fine.
Yes stop using your device for what you bought it for in the first place and everything will be fine.
If you turn your phone off, the battery lasts all week.
If you dont use LTE then your data usage will be lower, if you dont use the device it will be even lower.
If you wrap it in a brick of a case it wont bend
If you wrap it in plastic it wont scratch.
SO just wrap it in plastic, place it in a huge brick of a case, turn it off and put it in a safe, and all of your issues will be solved. Wow what a great product, and its only $1,000.00
If you turn your phone off, the battery lasts all week.
If you dont use LTE then your data usage will be lower, if you dont use the device it will be even lower.
If you wrap it in a brick of a case it wont bend
If you wrap it in plastic it wont scratch.
SO just wrap it in plastic, place it in a huge brick of a case, turn it off and put it in a safe, and all of your issues will be solved. Wow what a great product, and its only $1,000.00
Agreed. Something either isn't right with the phone (something causing data use when you're not expecting it) or you're streaming YouTube or Netflix constantly...because you can.
I've had a Verizon LTE phone for several months now - first a Galaxy S3 and now an iPhone 5. I'm not particularly careful about what I do with the phone when not on wifi (though I don't use Netflix when not on wifi) and the most data heavy month I've ever had was 1.2GB on my 4GB plan. And that's even before the wifi-LTE bug was fixed by Apple/Verizon.
All things being equal, you should not be using more data on LTE than you are on 3G if your usage pattern (or application preferences) doesn't change.
Agree with you Leonard...
Some kids play with there toys far too much, and use the iphone as a computer instead of actually using the home computer, and WiFi. Cost for this is staggering, and it may very well keep going up.
Someone should do a POLL on "At what age did you stop using a cell phone for movies/games/music ?" And list some age groups. Should be an eye opener. Bet the kid stuff, using the cell phone stops in the mid 30's when the individual has a family, pays the bills, and looking towards retirement.
I'm on week 3 of my IP5 with LTE and I've used up a whopping 500mb, or roughly what I used on 3G. The extra dozen speed tests probably makes up the slight difference. So in my view, the theory is indeed correct, it's the users change in usage habbits that makes the ultimate difference.
This is a single speedtest and one episode of "how I met you mother" (20 of 22 minutes).
This is on a relatively slow LTE connection (5-10 mbs). I've seen speedtest use 30 mb for a single run.
I set it to CDMA only (3G Verizon) and watched another episode of "how I met your mother".
HUGE difference. So doing things the same way you always do isn't exactly the same. You have to be really careful when it comes to streaming.
Audio can be the same way too but it's obviously not as significant as streaming audio and video. I watched the movie a-team on hbo go on a business trip and the entire movie used 1950 mb on LTE.
This is on a relatively slow LTE connection (5-10 mbs). I've seen speedtest use 30 mb for a single run.
I set it to CDMA only (3G Verizon) and watched another episode of "how I met your mother".
HUGE difference. So doing things the same way you always do isn't exactly the same. You have to be really careful when it comes to streaming.
Audio can be the same way too but it's obviously not as significant as streaming audio and video. I watched the movie a-team on hbo go on a business trip and the entire movie used 1950 mb on LTE.
That may be true for some but it is most DEFINITELY false for others. People who stream Netflix, etc, get a more HD version of the stream and chew through a lot more bandwidth. (Some services do a quick check on your download before deciding what version of their product to send you.)
And we're the tech enthusiasts who are mindful about data and know how to look up usage. Imagine how many average users (or worse, PARENTS of kids who use HD YouTube feeds as their music player) are going to get nailed by huge data bills due to LTE.
Its funny because I have unlimited data on Sprint but no LTE while everyone else I know have great LTE speeds but a 2GB cap. It's a conspiracy I tells ya.
I'm guessing this may be an iOS 6 issue and not an ip5 one. In its first billing cycle on iOS 6, my iPad 3 is showing about 575 mb of cellular usage, which is about normal for me at this point. My Verizon is showing about 2.4 gb. I've never even gone over 2 gb, and yet I've gone over it somehow with 13 days still to go in my billing cycle. Thank goodness it's unlimited.
Mine shows I have used 3.2gb since I got my i5 on release day. I have never used over .5gb in a month before...and I have not done any video streaming(other than maybe a couple of youtube vids) and very little audio streaming. I know my habits haven't changed very much since I got my i5.
I agree with that.
Many apps already allow you to adjust playback quality, I think this will become more popular in the future.
I canceled netflix but I thought you could adjust quality already online, if not from within the app.
Agree with you Leonard...
Some kids play with there toys far too much, and use the iphone as a computer instead of actually using the home computer, and WiFi. Cost for this is staggering, and it may very well keep going up.
Someone should do a POLL on "At what age did you stop using a cell phone for movies/games/music ?" And list some age groups. Should be an eye opener. Bet the kid stuff, using the cell phone stops in the mid 30's when the individual has a family, pays the bills, and looking towards retirement.
You betcha. As I've said in previous threads, these new tiered data plans are really just the carriers forcing people to consume data more responsibly. If you already did so as we did in my family, you don't really see what the big deal is and you are rewarded with a lower monthly bill. If you are less responsible when consuming data, you are here on MacRumors complaining about the industry trends
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Disclaimer: There does seem to be a very small percentage that is really getting boned by these plans and I do feel bad for them... I'd venture a guess that *most* people could simply change their habits and would be just fine.
The thing most people forget is that these streaming services all auto-adjust the stream they are sending based on how fast your connection is. A faster pipe will beget a higher-quality (larger) stream of the same content.
What you need to do is check your streaming settings. Netflix can be set for a lower bitrate by logging in on the web site and adjusting your preferences. You can't do it from the mobile app.
The same holds true for other streaming services, most have a "High Quality Streaming" setting or something of that sort. The difference is quite substantial when multiplied over a lot of content.
I still believe there IS a glitch in that iOS sometimes uses cellular data even when a WiFi connection is available. For example, if you begin some app updates on cellular and then WiFi locks in the updates continue on CELLULAR, not WiFi. That's something I have noticed...
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Yes, for example an HD stream @ 5Mbit uses a LOT more data than a 1.5Mbit stream...and the quality difference (especially on a small device like iPhone) is not all that great.
What you need to do is check your streaming settings. Netflix can be set for a lower bitrate by logging in on the web site and adjusting your preferences. You can't do it from the mobile app.
The same holds true for other streaming services, most have a "High Quality Streaming" setting or something of that sort. The difference is quite substantial when multiplied over a lot of content.
I still believe there IS a glitch in that iOS sometimes uses cellular data even when a WiFi connection is available. For example, if you begin some app updates on cellular and then WiFi locks in the updates continue on CELLULAR, not WiFi. That's something I have noticed...
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Yes, for example an HD stream @ 5Mbit uses a LOT more data than a 1.5Mbit stream...and the quality difference (especially on a small device like iPhone) is not all that great.
I'm in the same boat, I never went over 2GB with my iPhone 4 all of the sudden I get into a tiered plan and I'm also close to 1GB after a few days, like wtf, it's horrible.
Something's up.
Something's up.
Nobody is saying "don't use the device" or even "don't use the device as intended". We're saying that if you are going to use the device to the extreme, you will have to pay for it. Every decision you make has an impact.
Battery? There's a technological limitation on battery life/capacity. The main property of a battery is that, when in use, it depletes. The more strain you put on it, the quicker it depletes. This isn't a hardware problem nor is it Samsung/HTC/Nokia/Apple's fault. It's a physical limitation.
LTE? Use it. Use it all you want. Doesn't consume more data for me... I can just look things up much quicker than before. If you want to do many more things on LTE, nobody is stopping you... Just be prepared to pay. why should I have to sacrifice bandwidth cause Johnny doomuss HAS to watch the latest season of Weeds on Netflix on their damn cell phone?
Cases? Nobody is forcing anyone to use a case. Don't use one if you so desire... just don't come b****ing to the internets when "OMG Dropped phone shattered :crying: how can I make someone else take responsibility for this?"
This is like complaining because you keep getting speeding tickets going 120MPH. Just because your car *can* go that fast doesn't mean you should always do it and if you are going to do it, be prepared to pay in one way or another...
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What are you using to meter your data? There's a known issue where iOS 6 does NOT accurately reflect data use. Check your carrier website if you haven't already...
I am not seeing heavy usage so far...I'm 16 days into my billing cycle and my wife and I have used a total of 0.326GB. I've done probably a dozen speed tests when out and about, I've streamed Pandora in my car, plenty of emails, FB, twitter, yelp, etc...
I'm feeling like our usage is crazy low. Obviously I'm on WiFi at home, but still...I was fully anticipating a lot of usage, and so far I'm not seeing it.
I'm feeling like our usage is crazy low. Obviously I'm on WiFi at home, but still...I was fully anticipating a lot of usage, and so far I'm not seeing it.