• After 15+ years, we've made a big change: Android Forums is now Early Bird Club. Learn more here.

matt88si

Android Enthusiast
Aug 24, 2011
259
31
Downers Grove, IL
I'm sure there are other posts about this elsewhere, but I figured as USCC customers (since we're all here for the Mesmerize) would really enjoy this app.

I found it while reading the articles here at Phandroid.com and really loved the app they recommended so I am here to recommend it to you all, as well.

The application is called 3G Watchdog. Here is the link to it in the Android Market.

So what does 3G Watchdog do? Well as USCC customers, we all know that we have a limit to our data usage. Depending on your tier, you may have a lot of data, or a little, or a lottle. Whatever the case may be, with this app, you are able to enter in your billing cycle dates to help monitor more accurately how much data you use. The first date should be the day you pay your bill (ending cycle day) and the second should be the start of your billing cycle (the day after your bill is paid for the month).

After those dates are entered, you're pretty much done! You can adjust the settings to how you'd like as far as how often the program refreshes the counter.

The app displays your usage in different formats depending on your taste. For me, I chose data display + percentages. Now let me say that before I had this app, I limited myself to how much data I used when not on WiFi. I would wait til I got home to download apps, listen to music, etc. Now, after downloading the 3G Watchdog, I've realized that it takes a LOT to hit the 5GB data mark. I'm about 75% of the way through my current billing cycle and I've only used up 5% of my 5GB data plan using apps such as Pandora, YouTube, Netflix, Browsers, etc.

If you purchase the pro version, it can work in unison with JuiceDefender (another app that disables your 3G when your phone is not in use) and as your data reaches the higher percetile (60-99%) it can activate JuiceDefender and disable your 3G until the next billing period.

Personally, this is a must have app for me as I love listening to Pandora and watching movies on my phone.

Hope this helps in some data endeavours!

Peace.
 
already been using the app for a while. It's amazing how little data I actually use each month. Best month ever was around 400mb, average is around 200mb(shows on bill actually). Makes me wish they had tiered programs but I'm sure they'd have it at 150 then 2+ which wouldn't save me any cash.
 
Upvote 0
Thank you for the very useful post. I have been using 3G Watchdog paid version for a few months now. It seems to be pretty accurate. I agree that unless you are downloading lots of video and music, you hardly put a dent in the USCC 5G data plan. Even with Facebook, Phandroid and WeatherBug Elite (updating every 15 minutes), along with ScoreMobile which I check multiple times a day I'm only at 461.39 MB as of this post.

Now the game does change if you start streaming music and video and mapping. But I've never gone over 1.5G. Which is why we should be allowed to put that extra data towards wifi hotspot usage w/o a separate plan. Are you listening USCC?? Oh well.
 
Upvote 0
Thank you for the very useful post. I have been using 3G Watchdog paid version for a few months now. It seems to be pretty accurate. I agree that unless you are downloading lots of video and music, you hardly put a dent in the USCC 5G data plan. Even with Facebook, Phandroid and WeatherBug Elite (updating every 15 minutes), along with ScoreMobile which I check multiple times a day I'm only at 461.39 MB as of this post.

Now the game does change if you start streaming music and video and mapping. But I've never gone over 1.5G. Which is why we should be allowed to put that extra data towards wifi hotspot usage w/o a separate plan. Are you listening USCC?? Oh well.

what do you mean, i dont have an extra plan and I am able to use my phone as a wi-fi hot spot using the "Portable Wi-Fi Hotspot" app that came preloaded on the Mexmerize.
 
Upvote 0
Ah so its pretty much a 'get the idiot with the fat wallet' scheme. Makes sense if someone is willing to pay top dollar for premium features. I haven't used my phone as a hotspot yet and haven't had the need to do so, either, but its good to know I wont be charged extra outside of my data plan. 5GB can go a long way. Specially when listening to Pandora. n.n
 
Upvote 0
but you need to watch your monthly limit. If you go over you'll get hit pretty hard. The tethering app has been there since Froyo. Only needed it a few times but it works well enough. The additional data plan is for those that are traveling a lot, use tablets, don't have access to conventional internet at home etc.
 
Upvote 0
X3 on the hot spot and usage. Have used mine many times without extra charges for personal laptop and my work laptop.
I did ask about the "tethering" extra, $25 for a SEPERATE 5G of data usage for tethering only.
So you would end up with 5G for phone and 5G for the tether. Not transferable either.

I was under the impression that the "tethering" was using a usb connection for data usage, not specifically the hot-spot feature.
 
Upvote 0
In a sense, it can be used as a wired-wireless network. If your laptop or PC do not have WiFi capabilities, then you can connect your phone via a USB cable and use it as a tether that way. The effect would be remotely the same and in my opinion, faster, than using the WiFi to feed off of the phone's wireless hotspot (more Mbps if its wired).

The most I've ever experimented with the hotspot feature was when my phone was connected to my wireless router via WiFi and I connected the phone to my PC via the USB cable and used a 3rd party tethering app from the Android market to enable the wired-wireless connection. I was certainly surprised to see my that this method actually increased the Mbps from 100Mbps/LAN to 225Mbps/Wireless. Usually (in my experience) the WiFi method kills the Mbps and drops it down from 100 to 50Mbps.

If you undertand what I'm talking about, sweet. If not, I apologize. Haven't had my coffee yet.
 
Upvote 0

BEST TECH IN 2023

We've been tracking upcoming products and ranking the best tech since 2007. Thanks for trusting our opinion: we get rewarded through affiliate links that earn us a commission and we invite you to learn more about us.

Smartphones