Help HI, new to all this and a bit thick(!) Queries

[fairyloveheart]

Hi There

Just got my X10 yesterday and I have a few questions:

1) The timescape function, this updates everytime I go into it, presumably this is using data? How much data does it use?
2) How can you make the phone switch to a preferred wireless network when you are at home
3) I don't really understand data, data roaming, data charges etc....any clue?

THANKS

 

[powerkiter]

Yes it will use data every time timescape updates, but if you have timescape open, press the options button (the one with 4 little squares above it) you can choose how often it updates. But I have no idea how much data it uses as it depends how many friends you have and how often they post stuff up.

For wifi, if you have already set the wep key up for the phone and router and have wifi turned on it should automatically knock the 3g data off and wifi will take over when the wifi signal is detected if your wifi on the phone is off then simply turning wifi on will disable 3g.

Data is the same as home internet. So you're mobile provider will have a set amount you can use say 1gb (the next bit is not exactly true but makes it easy to understand) so if you upload 100 8 megabyte pictures than that will have used 800 megabytes of your 1gb allowance. 1gb = 1000 megabytes.

If you have a contract with unlimited internet check what the limit is as its never unlimited I'm with 3 in the uk and the limit was 500 meg and I used that in under 15 days as these phones are data hungry.

How that helps a little.

 

[huntleth]

To try and answer your question about how much data a little more specifically (not that the above reply was inadequate, all very well explained ) when I first got the phone I turned off the update automatically functions on everything and used 37mb in 2 weeks. I think if you have 1GB allowance (which is what I have) you will be fine unless you rarely use wifi.

Just to clarify, the 37mb I used was exclusively updating timescape, a few google searches etc. So it is fairly data hungry. I don't recommend leaving it on update automatically if you dont have wifi access during the day, but if you use it when you need it, there should be no need to scrimp on your usage

Sorry for the long winded post...

 

[powerkiter]

Nice to know some actual data usage.

I spent 4 hours on the phone to 3 saying unless the upped my data allowance I would leave them, I ended up being upgrade to there internet add on which is 2gb and they have now upped their data allowance to 1gb so that's now 3gb a month I get and I run a bbc news widget leave the facebook widget running use internet and email all the time for work and have used over 2.5gb of data in just under a month my contact rolls over on the 25th of every month.

 

[huntleth]

Ouch I'm glad I don't use mine so much, could work out quite expensive! My data connection isn't critical to my job or anything so I only really use it when I feel like it. Sounds like if you're planning on using it intensively you definitely need a high end data plan though!

 

[powerkiter]

Well my kite school is all internet based (scan my avatar to see what I do) and I use facebook to pimp my school and my decorating company so there can be hundreds of facebook and email message a month, website updates, I also moderate a popular powerkite forum so that uses up the data. Then the personal facebook, personal internet use using google maps navigation and even myplayer so that works out as around 5 hours a month of top gear and other shows, radio and downloading apps. I don't have wifi at home but when I do get it I try to do all my downloading then but I do a lot more over the 3g than wifi.

 

[fairyloveheart]

Thanks for your replies, that does help