VZW Data Plans

[Chaznsc]

Didnt know where to put this and this seems a safe place LOL.

Got my son a new VZW phone, not a smartphone, but a MM phone that requires a 9.99 per month data plan. As I understand it, that plan allows 25MB of use per month.

Seems like a skimpy amount. Can anyone give me a visual of how her could use this without going over by much? Would facebook use blow this up?

chaz-

 

[Jedii]

Its hard to tell. And even harder to tell on a mobile phone. You can monitor your data usage online at Verizon Wireless-My Account

Thats really about the best way to do it.

Each webpage register differently. Some may be 15kb (such as www.google.com) and other much larger (ebay for example.) I would assume that FaceBook will be rather large due to the images on just about every page.

 

[Nsane1]

25mb isn't worth having personally. You just asking for an outrageous bill. If you think your child isn't going to use it even in a minute amount go ahead and get the unlimited plan that way you don't have to worry about getting a 3 or 400 dollar bill.

 

[tommy_ed]

most people on MM phones are fine with the 25mb, but it's DEFINITELY something to keep an eye on. You could always go to the unlimited data plan and keep an eye on it, and if he's staying below the 25 megs you could bump it back down to the 9.99 plan. BTW you can also check data usage by dialing #DATA (#3282)

 

[Fynx]

Most MMphones use mobile web or just sms right? nothing major on bandwidth and usage there. I haven't had a non data plan in years, but with typical use you should stay under that. On the other hand, I could see Big red trying to get some money out of you when your kid goes over the limit.

 

[Chaznsc]

Most MMphones use mobile web or just sms right? nothing major on bandwidth and usage there. I haven't had a non data plan in years, but with typical use you should stay under that. On the other hand, I could see Big red trying to get some money out of you when your kid goes over the limit.

We have unlimited texts and picture messaging already. I guess we will have to try it and see what happens.

 

[sho95]

We have unlimited texts and picture messaging already. I guess we will have to try it and see what happens.

That should work fine. Being that you can get facebook to update and send via text if im correct and the occasional picture taken on her phone wont make your data go over.

Are you sure you got Unlimited text/pictures or do you got unlimited Verizon to Verizon/500 max for others?

 

[Fynx]

you can text to status update twitter, then selective tweets plugin for FB which updates your FB status with #fb hashtag, and sms or mms post to posterous or twitpics for pics?

I'm about ready to return my phone. Okay maybe not.

 

[IOWA]

Want to know how much 25mb really is?

This youtube video, would put that phone over it's limit by itself.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kICv0h3ikc4

 

[3devious]

The multimedia phones don't load 25mb videos. They also don't really use a very fast connection. It really isn't worth it. A kid is going to go through 25mb because they want to download music and games all the time.

For people who just want to get their email and browse the web with that horrible web browser they put in those phones, you aren't really going to go over your limit because sane people don't have the patience to wait for pages to load that fast.

There's no flash. There's only very limited java in the browser. Most of your data usage on those feature phones will be Youtube (they have a specialized version) and song/VCAST downloads. You won't be able to get large YouTube videos and not all of them are available. Sometimes, waiting for the things to buffer is reminiscent of using dialup. The experience is too unpleasant for people used to 21st century technology to do that.

Where you could run into problems on a feature or multimedia phone is if you figure out how to tether with it. You can USB tether the EnV Touch quite easily without having to use the Verizon software. If you aren't careful, you can rack up the data charges that way. Again, streaming video with it isn't really accepable unless you're desperate.

 

[IOWA]

The multimedia phones don't load 25mb videos. They also don't really use a very fast connection. It really isn't worth it. A kid is going to go through 25mb because they want to download music and games all the time.

For people who just want to get their email and browse the web with that horrible web browser they put in those phones, you aren't really going to go over your limit because sane people don't have the patience to wait for pages to load that fast.

There's no flash. There's only very limited java in the browser. Most of your data usage on those feature phones will be Youtube (they have a specialized version) and song/VCAST downloads. You won't be able to get large YouTube videos and not all of them are available. Sometimes, waiting for the things to buffer is reminiscent of using dialup. The experience is too unpleasant for people used to 21st century technology to do that.

Where you could run into problems on a feature or multimedia phone is if you figure out how to tether with it. You can USB tether the EnV Touch quite easily without having to use the Verizon software. If you aren't careful, you can rack up the data charges that way. Again, streaming video with it isn't really accepable unless you're desperate.

Sorry 3Devious but your wrong.. the multimedia (and even data connected dumb phones) use the same internet we got, EVDO. Sure they might have a Rev0 chip, but that just means slightly lower speeds, but not by much.. I know this because I've been tethering before all these modern smartphones, and I did it all with flip phones, and I got pretty decent speed back then as well. Also, the multimedia phones which have a you tube app, will in fact stream 25mb videos, although it will be compressed so they might have to view that video 4 times to go over that 25mb limit, but it can happen none the less.