iPhone upgrade and Data Plans

[goeagles]

I'm thinking of getting an iPhone and was looking at the data plans. Can someone explain (in relatively laymen's terms) what the various data plans mean in terms of website usage?

For example, if I were to get the advertised 6GB plan, how much actual internet usage would that translate to?

Also, I have a little under a year on my current contract, anyone in a similar situation care to share what it cost them to upgrade?

(P.S. - Sorry if this has been covered before in a previous thread, I did a quick search and didn't really find what I was looking for)

[HotHotHeat]

More internets than any one man can handle.

[FlamesKickAss]

Especially since wifi seems to be almost anywhere.

[fredr123]

Try browsing through this thread, especially towards the middle and the end: http://forum.calgarypuck.com/showthread.php?t=57454

Howard Forums also has a lot of great info: http://www.howardforums.com/

[Russic]

The quick and dirty (and probably mildly inaccurate) answer you're looking for is that to use more than 6 gb in a month you'd have to go literally crazy with the browsing. If you're like me and have wifi at work and at home then you probably will not be able to go over the 6 gigs unless you're doing something diabolical. To give you an idea, since I got mine 3 weeks ago I've sent and recieved a total of 46mb (that's about .7% of my allotted data).

I'm fully convinced that I could continue browsing as I do completely on the 3g network and never get close to my limit.

[FlamesKickAss]

stupid double post, i was in the middle of writing and it posted

[FlamesKickAss]

i have downloaded 11.6mb and uploaded 1005kb. 98% of that though is on wifi at home, too lazy to connect to computer and download from itunes and showing off the phone while at the pub with friends (also has wifi)

[fredr123]

http://getthefactsonrogersiphone.com...shawn_drew.pdf

This paper shows how much data a typical user might expect to use through regular browsing, emailing, etc. Bear in mind it was written before the $30/6GB plan was introduced but that doesn't really change the arithmetic.

[kermitology]

I've had a data plan on my 1st Generation iPhone and my general usage is around 80MB per month. So the 6GB for $30 plan is more than enough.

[FanIn80]

Originally Posted by FlamesKickAss

i have downloaded 11.6mb and uploaded 1005kb. 98% of that though is on wifi at home

The "data usage" numbers that show up under Settings on the iPhone are data only. The iPhone does not track wifi usage.


...and as for the thoughts on data usage overall, I concur with what Russic said. I've had mine since July 16th and (because I have wifi at home and at the office), I have used about 49mb of actual data.

I use this thing all the time too... like when I'm shopping, I can shop around without having to leave the store, etc. The other day I was buying a CD and I wanted to verify the tracklisting (since the packaging was kinda vague), so I googled it on my iPhone in about 30 seconds and got my answer.

Then there's the emails, etc...

Anyway... Since I don't think there's even a data plan cheaper than $30 right now, if you get an iPhone and pick a different data plan than the 6GB/$30, very bad things will happen.

[FlamesKickAss]

Oh i didnt realize that it only counted the "data" data and not the wifi data. thats cools then

[nickerjones]

wait they even charge you if you connect to wifi??? wow thats bush league... i guess it doesnt matter to me , im in the states and i get unlimited data and text for 20 bucks a month


edit nvm i just saw that they dont track wifi usage

[Russic]

I'm so pleased it doesn't log the wifi stats ... i'd have a hell of a time trying to keep it all separated. It's so nice to have it basically unlimited. In a future shop I was looking for a cable to go on an airport express. The guy knew nothing of what I was asking so I was able to just show him right there. The number of times I use it in a day is staggering.

[FlamesKickAss]

Originally Posted by Russic

I'm so pleased it doesn't log the wifi stats ... i'd have a hell of a time trying to keep it all separated. It's so nice to have it basically unlimited. In a future shop I was looking for a cable to go on an airport express. The guy knew nothing of what I was asking so I was able to just show him right there. The number of times I use it in a day is staggering.

If your were at best buy they have wifi

[algernon]

I believe FanIn80 and I received our phones the same day... I have only once used a WiFi hotspot, and I am currently sitting at 107Mb received, and 6.4Mbsent.

I have not limited myself with the internet usage (fb, mail, CP, google), but haven't downloaded anything, watched any movies or done anything too intensive,living in fear of the first bill...

After seeing others' usage, I'm feeling damn good that it would be pretty much inconceivable for me to go over the 6 gigs in a 30 day period

As for the upgraayed, it cost me $50 to keep my old plan, $250 for the phone, and my existing 3yr contract re-set to July 11. My advice would be to phone retentions if you have a crappy plan, get what you can out of them... then phone the regular customer line and do the data add-on a couple 'o days later, as the current voice plans they offer bundled with data are junk, IMO.

Oh yeah, as others have mentioned Howard forums, redflagdeals.ca, and the other thread have lots of good info, especially regarding retention plans.

[Russic]

I have a quick (and possibly ######ed) question about long distance data usage. If I'm in northern Albertaand I have my roaming setting off and manual fetch turned on do I need to worry about anything else? My data usage shouldn't be effected by my distance should it?

[missdpuck]

Originally Posted by nickerjones

wait they even charge you if you connect to wifi??? wow thats bush league... i guess it doesnt matter to me , im in the states and i get unlimited data and text for 20 bucks a month


edit nvm i just saw that they dont track wifi usage

You have AT&T correct?

[kermitology]

Originally Posted by Russic

I have a quick (and possibly ######ed) question about long distance data usage. If I'm in northern Albertaand I have my roaming setting off and manual fetch turned on do I need to worry about anything else? My data usage shouldn't be effected by my distance should it?

My reading of the Rogers website indicates that there is no such thing as roaming data charges while on the Rogers network. If you go to the US there WILL be roaming charges, but not while still in Canada.

And now that I think of it, I was using data out by Sundre a few weeks ago and there was no difference in my charges when I got my bill.

[algernon]

Originally Posted by Russic

I have a quick (and possibly ######ed) question about long distance data usage. If I'm in northern Albertaand I have my roaming setting off and manual fetch turned on do I need to worry about anything else? My data usage shouldn't be effected by my distance should it?

I phoned rogers today and asked that exact question...the csr told me as long as your in Canada, there is no extra roaming or charges... Phew, I used a ton of data in van a couple weeks ago...

[jtfrogger]

Originally Posted by algernon

I phoned rogers today and asked that exact question...the csr told me as long as your in Canada, there is no extra roaming or charges... Phew, I used a ton of data in van a couple weeks ago...

I asked the same question, and got the same answer. No data charges anywhere in Canada on the Rogers Network. Data roaming charges are insane. I think it is something like $0.01 per KB.

To be safe, you can disable data roaming on your phone. Go to Settings->General->Network to do it. The phone even tells you right there that this feature is used to "avoid substantial roaming charges".