Data Usage!

[foodtech46]

@Bruce To be fair the new phone has been a Godsend this past week. My mother-in-law suffered a fall on Monday and broke her hip and her arm. My wife and sister-in-law have been at her hospital bedside all week and have been able to phone and text family members about her condition.

Other than this data stuff on mobile I have been content with Internet, TV and Home Phone provided through Rogers. It really is the only option here where live in Almonte, as Bell has a satellite and ADSL setup to go with its POTS landline. No Fibe where I am.

Since there are many folks in rural Lanark County who are still on 56K dial-up I should count my blessings I suppose.

[foodtech46]

All righty then - I think I have this data stuff figured out.

1.  For now keep all the mobile data turned off.
2. Next month cautiously turn on mobile data and watch usage.
3. Never ever update apps manually. Keep phone set to update automatically when on wifi only.
4. Keep the limit on mobile data active.
5. Switch off all background updates.
6. Text only - don't attach photos.

I suppose it takes a data meltdown like I had to teach me a lesson. Once burned, twice shy.

As long as Rogers has its current mobile data policies which put the user at a disadvantage, you gotta protect yourself.

[BS]

@foodtech46  Very well put - a great reference summary of how to minimize risk to unexpected charges.

And I agree, I too have had the blessing of having the phone and its capabilities in an emergency, and it is key that we understand how to use these to meet our needs in a cost effective way (unless you happen to have money to burn 🙂  ), which I sure don't.

Great discussion everybody.  I feel that we are all more educated on our services.

Bruce

[OLDYELLR]

@BS I'm with you on the data scam. Data overage penalties must generate huge profits for Rogers at virtually no cost. When I had my old Nokia dumb phone and someone texted me a picture, it gave a URL where I could retrieve it and I'd get it at no cost with my computer. I now have a very basic smart phone (it came in a cute kid's lunch box) and now when someone sends me a picture I have to turn my data on to retrieve it. More money for Rogers. Maybe I'm old school, but to me a cell phone is an emergency device that should cost less than my home phone, not many times more.

[foodtech46]

I would like to know how US carriers can offer unlimited data plans for the price of Rogers' 500 MB plan. I read somewhere that the average smartphone user will consume about 2GB in a month. That is a recipe for disaster on one of these skimpy data plans.

[OLDYELLR]

A simple explanation why all cell phone services are much more expensive in Canada compared to the US and third world countries is our sparse population. More cell towers required for fewer people.