GB or MB?

Susan1942

I changed my phone last week and this is the first time that I have access to the internet. Looking at my usage the very helpful person said that this package would meet my needs. I don't use the phone to call and unlimited texts It has got not sure if it is 1 GB or MB
My question is this using it to check email phone calls and texts and a bit of maybe browsing (not used it yet)
I am concerned that I might use up more than the package and then incur expensive whatever . What kind of allowance in terms of time using the phone. He said that average calls over 3 months said I used 55 mins. I think 140 or near this figure of texts. Don't really understand and I am very much a silver surfer. That said I love the phone best thing since sliced bread!
I would appreciate if someone could explain or point me in the right direction
Many thanks
Sue

phatbear

Susan1942 wrote: »

not sure if it is 1 GB or MB
My question is this using it to check email phone calls and texts and a bit of maybe browsing (not used it yet)

You're allowance wont be 1mb as you would barely get an email with some images in it with that allowance.

1gb, which is 1024mb, is pretty standard nowdays and you'll be suprised how quick you will hack through it especially if you are on facebook looking at pics etc

paddyrg

Sue, you've identified one of the very real problems in mobile data just now - the terror of going over your package because of the terrifying 'overage' rates some networks apply. If it isn't too late, look at the networks three and t-mobile who are much more data-friendly.

As it is, 1GB is plenty of emails and quite a respectable number of photos, but not so many videos. The problem is that smartphone apps often also use data allowances in order to get adverts, background sync, update or install apps from the store, or even occasional operating system updates that comes over the air.

To give you a reference point, I am an abnormally heavy user, and probably on average get through 2GB in a day. You won't do a fraction of the things on your phone and network that I do on mine, but 1GB will reduce your freedoms to play around a bit.

Your phone may have a data calculator built in, which can alert you if you're getting close to your 1GB - it's a blunt instrument thanks to various network overheads and missed packets, but it'll give you a guide at least. When you're anywhere with WiFi, use that instead - it won't count towards your 1GB.

tyllwyd

Have you got online access to your mobile phone account on your pc or laptop? It would be a good idea to set that up, because you can use that to log in and check how much of your data allowance you have used.

Do you have broadband with wifi at home? You should definitely set up your phone so that it uses the wifi when you are at home rather than using data over the mobile network.

sho_me_da_money

First things first - what type of phone is it? If its a smartphone and your upgrading from something bog standard then you may find yourself using more data. That said, there are applications available where you can monitor your data usage ensuring you do not go over. I believe the Lumias have one built into them called Data Sense.

You defo have 1GB. Is it enough? well it depends on what you will end up doing. If you think you will be using the internet or web alot, it might be worth getting a unlimited booster for the web, which is an additional fee for addon and doesnt affect your 1GB data allowance (not sure who offers this but some networks do).

Susan1942

I only want to be able to call or send texts I am not working and I have the wifi switched on. Most of the time I would be using the pbone from home. If I out I would call a taxi etc I don't intend to download anything and I don't want to play any games.
Also I almost 100% of them take my photo's with my digital camera I Have 2 a Nikon digital can't remember it SLR?? Big camera which was my husband's I want to keep it for sentimental reason.. I use it almost never as I have a sony digital camera and I take.
The thing I like best is that all these words appear and I no longer have to press the button 1,2,3,4 times to spell out a aword, It is taking me to change the way I use my fingers and want to use the pad of the finger rather than the tips.
I have just had it about 10 days so finding my way around it.
Today whatever happened is that all the writing is huge so can't really see much. With my laptop I know how to increase or decrease the lettering.
I looked at settings but I cant read what it says I have tried to move my fingers over the screen without any joy.
Most of all I would like to thank all of you out there who help me with problems I encounter. Thanks again

Sue .

Neil49

You don't say what phone it is so it's difficult to make precise suggestions, however, I would guess that your overall data usage would be fairly low from what you have intimated above.

I have an android type phone and have changed the settings within Google Play (which is where the apps come from) to only download apps and updates to apps when connected via wifi. Some updates can be quite large and can eat up your data allowance pretty quickly.

I don't know if there are such controls with iPhones and Windows phones but if you let us know what your phone is then we may be able to assist further.

Also, when I am out and about I make full use of free wifi in coffee shops, Debenhams etc and this is typically provided by either The Cloud or O2. You just need to setup an account with them (free) and in the case of The Cloud my phone now connects automatically to their wifi whenever within range.

prowla

phatbear wrote: »

You're allowance wont be 1mb as you would barely get an email with some images in it with that allowance.

1gb, which is 1024mb, is pretty standard nowdays and you'll be suprised how quick you will hack through it especially if you are on facebook looking at pics etc

There is no such thing as 1gb, nor 1024mb.

Memory sizes are expressed in bytes (big "B"), and line speeds are expressed in bits (little "b").

B = Bytes (1 Byte = 8 bits)
b = bits

Preceding multiplier letters are uppercase "M", "G", "T", "P" except that the captial "K" was already assigned as the Kelvin, so they had to use a small "k" instead, so:

m = "Milli" = /1000
k = "Kilo" = x1000 (or 1024 in computer memory)
M = "Mega" = x1000000 (or 1024k in computer memory)
G = "Giga" = x1000000000 (or 1024M in memory)
T = "Tera" = x1000000000000 (or 1024G in memory)
P = "Peta" = x1000000000000000 (or 1024T in memory)

Speeds are normally expressed as a quantity per second

/s, /sec, ps = per second

And the gramme is given the letter "g"

g = grammes

Thus an amount of data or computer memory is normally sized in MB or GB, whereas line speeds are usually expressed in Mb/s or Gb/s.

Thus:

gb = grambits = meaningless
mb = millibits = impossible
Gbps = Gigabits per second, a typical measure of line speed
GB = Gigabytes, a quantity of data or memory size

(Curiously, by another standard, GB is for Great Britain.)

Susan1942

My phone is a Nokia 520 I am getting the hang of it and have gone into the local o2 shop yesterday as I was confused with a lot of things. The chap was very helpful. Unfortunately I didn't ask about the problem I have to day.
There was a lot of technical information which will I am sure help many people. No problem with the laptop and desk top but this is all new to me again. My family buy me lots of things like a Kindle which I love and a NANO which I tend just to use when I am on holiday. My Son puts a lot of music and this great as he puts on things I don't know as well as do know. It is a bit of an adventure . I think he transferred this to my laptop. Again thanks a million

Sue

prowla

Oh, and back to the OP, the allowance will not be 1MB, as that is nothing at all.

Plans are often 500MB or 1GB, which should be plenty if you don't download updates over the mobile network and don't watch movies.

Susan1942

I have learned another lesson. I switched the phone off and then restarted it and the text is back to normal.
Thank you all for the help

Sue