What does 500mb of data give me?

dansopack · 14 October 2009 at 9:18PM

I've just got a HTC Hero on an Orange contract which comes with 500mb of data per month that I really don't want to exceed.

If I have the mobile internet setting 'on' all the time will that use data even when I'm not using it? Would it help to use wifi when I'm at home?

Mostly I will just be going on sites such as Facebook and Ebay and just general browsing and checking emails so I'm hoping 500mb will be enough.

stokefan · 14 October 2009 at 10:18PM

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=2007495

dansopack · 15 October 2009 at 8:25AM

Thanks, I missed that one!

So, it's fine to the leave the mobile internet setting set to 'on' all the time the phone is on?

Sorry, am new to this and don't want to end up with a big bill!

gazelle8760 · 15 October 2009 at 8:32AM

dansopack wrote: »

Thanks, I missed that one!

So, it's fine to the leave the mobile internet setting set to 'on' all the time the phone is on?

Sorry, am new to this and don't want to end up with a big bill!

The Gazelle thinks you should be very careful with Orange Internet.

I have gotten out of Orange after 12yrs, and find that you can easily end up with a big bill if you don't know what you are using on their internet.

You are OK surfing their own web pages, but when you deviate from their pages, and go some place else, ie BBC home page as an example, you start to go into unknown territory, this is when you can easily rack up a big bill.

I moved to a new provider, and my data bundle monthly is unlimited, so that worry has gone now, but having been bitten by Orange too many times before, kept having to ask my new provider if they were certain I could go on any web page for as long as I wanted, and not incur charges, and was told yes I could, and it does work as I have had two bills already, and have not incurred any additional internet charges.

I find with Orange they don't tend to explain their useage in simple terms, they expect all their customers to be computer geeks, and know what they are talking about, so they woffle on about mb and gb as if you know what they look like, oh you can download that page, and it's only 12mb, What's that all about?

Just be careful when you come to your useage, or better still to be safe, don't surf on it at all, use your desktop or laptop, then you won't get a huge bill one month, when you least expect it.

WhichWayNow · 15 October 2009 at 8:38AM

My 1Mb allowance lasts me the whole month...just.

basill · 15 October 2009 at 9:10AM

I have the HTC Hero on Vodaphone also with a 500Mb (unlimited haha) plan.

To give you an idea of data useage, I have always on internet off to save battery but all apps can connect on demand. With internet use, facebook updates, google mail updating automatically, weather widget and google latitude on for most of the time I used about 250Mb last month. The phone is new so I downloaded lots of apps as well. (Some at home on wifi)
I don`t download video. So for me 500Mb is OK.

It is wise to use your wifi at home, it will be faster and saves your allowance for when you are out.

There are several apps available to monitor your mobile data use, 3G Watchdog for instance places a tiny green/orange/ red warning icon on the notification bar and monitors daily or monthly allowances to help you stay inside your limit.

B

dansopack · 15 October 2009 at 6:34PM

An app to monitor the useage seems the way forward then!

Thanks for all your comments

portchieboy · 15 October 2009 at 10:06PM

Thanks for the idea....new to 'Apps' having just bought a 5800.

Googled the app name, and gor to AndroLib, great site, lots of apps....but how do you download them? I have gone to links and done all sorts, but cannot find a download option.

Is it me?

basill · 16 October 2009 at 12:07AM

Well, at least on the Hero you use the "market" on the phone, search there and there will be a download or buy option on the apps details page.

With Android phones you find and download apps using the phone, its different to my Windows mobile phone where you download the app to your PC and install it using activesync.

Hope that helps...

B

jasonwatkins · 17 October 2009 at 12:46AM

I'm just two days in to having a 500mb data allowance actually with orange as well - first time i've ever had one and i've got a Motorola V8.

I've used 3.6mb so far - that's setting my email to check every 2 hours, downloading and installing opera mini 5 beta (which is excellent by the way

) and probably using Opera for a good 15 minutes on the first day and only about 5 minutes total yesterday - used twitter a few times as well.

I guess my use will tail off as the weeks go on, since I have the internet at home and I don't get that many emails - checking every 2 hours is still excessive

johhn_2 · 18 October 2009 at 10:24AM

I'm thinking about buying a new 12m contract on orange,paying extra £5/m for internet and it's a windows mobile Omnia 2, as I was thinking using the internet when I'm away from home, like browsing, windows live messenger,skype(voice calls),google maps, etc, ofc I will get a software to monitor the GPRS/3G traffic. however I'm now very gutted after reading another thread here about T.C, www1.orange.co.uk/service_plans/paymonthly/termsJune2009.html

Mobile Internet - up to 500MB anytime mobile internet browsing. Usage above 500MB will be charged at the rates set out in the Price Guide.
Not to be used for other activities (e.g.using your handset as a modem, non-Orange internet based streaming services, voice or video over the internet, instant messaging, peer to peer file sharing, non-Orange internet based video). Should such use be detected notice may be given and Network protection controls applied to all services which Orange does not believe constitutes mobile browsing. This may result in reduced speed of transmission, suspension of data browsing services and/or suspension of your account. For use in the UK only.

Now I'm not sure what to do, without all these I need, the mobile internet would be complete useless and the worst thing is the best deal on that mobile I could afford is only from orange and vodafone which costs more. I'm sure I'd take it out from O2 if it was available since O2 mobile internet is unlimited as many ppl said so.
so my question is, is it possible that I could get away with my mobile internet activities as long as it doesnt exceed 500mb ?
btw, any1 knows if and when Omnia 2 will be available on O2 ?

What does 500mb of data give me?

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