Please Help me use more Data

[McDaddio]

Hi,
With all this talk about AT&T throttling of the unlimited plans, and the new promotions from carriers about doubling the data, I don't understand how people use so much data.

Our family has 1 legacy unlimited plan and 3 other regular plans and I was thinking of going to the 30G plan due to the sale, but looking at the usage, we are max about 2-3g/month each in the worse month, so it doesn't make sense...unless of course we change our usage to use a lot more data.

So, apart from tethering, what does everyone use their phone for that would make that type of plan worth wild?

Ideas? What are we missing?

Thanks

 

[eyoungren]

Hi,
With all this talk about AT&T throttling of the unlimited plans, and the new promotions from carriers about doubling the data, I don't understand how people use so much data.

Our family has 1 legacy unlimited plan and 3 other regular plans and I was thinking of going to the 30G plan due to the sale, but looking at the usage, we are max about 2-3g/month each in the worse month, so it doesn't make sense...unless of course we change our usage to use a lot more data.

So, apart from tethering, what does everyone use their phone for that would make that type of plan worth wild?

Ideas? What are we missing?

Thanks

Well…I have about nine email accounts that go out every 15 minutes or so to check for email. My iPhone 5 is jailbroken so I have a weather tweak that checks my forecast about every 15 minutes as well. Some of my apps check data automagically as well. Dropbox auto uploads images whenever I open it. Etc.

All of that combined with my normal usage (internet, music streaming, texting, etc) at one point totaled up to about 10-12GB a month on 3G. Then Sprint started Network Vision in my area and I've been stuck on WiFi to stay sane. That's dropped me down to a little less than 500mb per month.

But I'm sure if I was back solely on LTE that was actually fast I'd be at roughly the same amount I used to be.

 

[lemieuxfan67]

Hi,
With all this talk about AT&T throttling of the unlimited plans, and the new promotions from carriers about doubling the data, I don't understand how people use so much data.

Our family has 1 legacy unlimited plan and 3 other regular plans and I was thinking of going to the 30G plan due to the sale, but looking at the usage, we are max about 2-3g/month each in the worse month, so it doesn't make sense...unless of course we change our usage to use a lot more data.

So, apart from tethering, what does everyone use their phone for that would make that type of plan worth wild?

Ideas? What are we missing?

Thanks

I ride the train to work 50 mins each way and will stream Netflix, Hulu, or my Slingbox almost the whole time. Add that to normal web and music usage and I on average use 15GB per month.

 

[puma1552]

I don't come close to even the 2 gig limit I have.

The way I see it, if I'm out somewhere, I'm doing something more worthwhile than staring at my phone. If I'm at home, I've got devices that provide better experiences when I want to consume content.

I use my phone largely as, well, a phone. Which means for the most part it sits on my desk except when I'm calling, texting, or occasionally checking email. Or checking facebook while crapping on company time.

I guess if you have a long commute like the guy above, I could see using a lot of data.

 

[AbeFrohman]

Personally, unless the savings was really tremendous and you're 100% guaranteed not to go over, I don't know if I'd ever give up an unlimited plan.

It's not that you're not doing anything to use up "enough" data... different uses for different folks. But, given the advances in technology every year, higher speed wireless data = faster downloads. It's the same amount of data per page, just downloaded faster, meaning you can surf more pages/hour, watch more videos, etc. Many websites/apps stream higher quality video over faster connections, using more data.

Because you can't predict what your personal usage will be in the future, nor can you/me/we/anyone predict what may happen with technology, having the ability to burn up as much data as you want always seems like the better option.

Edited to add - I can easily go through 12-22 GB/month. How? Streaming music in the car all the time, heavy, heavy, heavy email usage, downloading/reading PDF files and other documents on the go, work-related web surfing and occasionally streaming Netflix during down times. It adds up.

 

[eyoungren]

There are some Sprint unlimited users who because they live in the sticks use their phone as their ISP. Everything people normally do on their computers or game stations or what have you goes through their phone because cable or DSL doesn't come out that far.

There are some Sprint users who because it's unlimited feel that they have a right to use as much data as they possibly wish. I've read of phones being used as home routers with home servers being connected to the phone. So, really, it all depends on just what you can come up with.

Note that I am not advocating any of this. I prefer to use my phone and not have it tied up so this is not what I do at all. I'm just citing examples of what unlimited data has been used for - on Sprint at least.

 

[MacManTexas56]

Hi,
With all this talk about AT&T throttling of the unlimited plans, and the new promotions from carriers about doubling the data, I don't understand how people use so much data.

Our family has 1 legacy unlimited plan and 3 other regular plans and I was thinking of going to the 30G plan due to the sale, but looking at the usage, we are max about 2-3g/month each in the worse month, so it doesn't make sense...unless of course we change our usage to use a lot more data.

So, apart from tethering, what does everyone use their phone for that would make that type of plan worth wild?

Ideas? What are we missing?

Thanks

we don't use a ton of data...but the only time we connect to wifi is at home only. other than that...friends houses/hotels/at work...we remain on LTE.

I have some friends and family that ask the wifi password at every location they go to. i find that highly annoying!

 

[McDaddio]

Personally, unless the savings was really tremendous and you're 100% guaranteed not to go over, I don't know if I'd ever give up an unlimited plan.

I agree... but the person who has the unlimited plan doesn't use it that much since he uses a lot of wifi access, while two other people use it more and have occassionally gone over their limit and we had to pay $10 more...

And we really don't want to switch phones and numbers and all that hassle...

Plus with the throttling (AT&T) I am not sure it has as much value as it had before.