200Mb of Data - Enough?

[lol]

I have had a BlackBerry Curve 8900 for about a year without data and just put on the $15 200Mb plan because it was cheap enough. I knew 200Mb was enough on the BB because their push email didn't require much background data usage. After seeing how horrible the BB did on working with my GMail account, I have leaned towards getting an Android.

My question is.. is the $15 plan going to provide enough data for me to use the Android? These are the things I plan on using with an Android: GMail sync, college email sync, Google Calendar sync, Google Contacts sync, and everything else, such as surfing the web, through WiFi (which shouldn't affect data usage). I don't know how well Android works with WiFi but I know BB can restrict its browser to only WiFi.

 

[Nearly]

Hmmm, I'm going to say how much do you use wireless compared the time you spend surfing the web outside? I can't really justify if it's enough for you since I don't know how much you would use it.

 

[anoid]

If you've gone a year without data, I see no issue with you staying under 200.
Just don't do anything but email. And surf when you have Wifi available.

 

[lol]

I plan on using the 200 to just sync google.. mail, calendar, and contacts. Surfing the web is mostly done over WiFi.

Also, can Android be used to its full extent over WiFi? Basically what I'm asking is, if you were connected to WiFi 24/7, can you use an Android phone that has no data plan just like it has a data plan?

 

[Nearly]

Well if you own an Android phone you need internet because it's like a phone that revolves around the internet. Answering your question, the phone will work fine without an internet package from the phone package but you need to turn off the mobile internet or else you're going to rake up a lot of money on your bill. But 200MB shouldn't be enough depending on how much you use your phone. I mean push emails, and surfing the web can stack up a lot over time, and especially with faster internet speeds, you'll find yourself surfing the net much more often and it's not going to work, because the accessibility will widen. But this really depends on HOW much you use it, because you could be fine.

 

[lol]

I only need the data plan for syncing mail, calendar, and contacts with Google. I am always around WiFi. My college campus gives us access to WiFi basically anywhere so I am constantly connected. I most likely will never surf the web through AT&T.

I am wondering whether or not 200MB for push email and calendar will be enough or will Android's "push" technology require my phone to be constantly sending data, therefore going over the limit.

For BlackBerry, I am sure that their push email takes up very little data because it is not always constantly relaying data between the phone and BIS. I am not sure if the way Android sends email/calendar information is as efficient.

 

[colnago]

I used ~200MB last night just streaming Game 7 via Sling Mobile.

 

[lol]

I only need the data plan for syncing mail, calendar, and contacts with Google.

I am wondering whether or not 200MB for push email and calendar will be enough or will Android's "push" technology require my phone to be constantly sending data, therefore going over the limit.

I don't think you guys are grasping my question.

 

[Jay-Eff]

I am using wi-fi a lot and my average is around 70-80mb a month. 120mb when I let myself loose. I have a 500mb plan.

I recommend you download 3g watchdog. It is an amazing program that keep track of how much data you download over 3g. You can even put it a limit so if your data ever reach 95% of your plan your 3g data will be cut off and automatically resolve when your plan reset. Need apndroid for it to work

 

[safeplayer22]

I plan on using the 200 to just sync google.. mail, calendar, and contacts. Surfing the web is mostly done over WiFi.

Also, can Android be used to its full extent over WiFi? Basically what I'm asking is, if you were connected to WiFi 24/7, can you use an Android phone that has no data plan just like it has a data plan?

yes and yes.

 

[APK]

Yes it should be plenty, I had my desire for a month before I had to return it and used about 350mb, but I was using extensively for google navigation, if you mainly use wifi, and only use for emails and general syncing you will be fine.

 

[gruss]

I would watch real closely, I used to use about 200 meg a month on my BB, with the eris and Inc I'm usually between 1 and 2 gigs. with the data not being compressed like Rim does for a BB you usuage will go way up. I can't give you a yes or no but I do think you'll be pushing the limit

 

[Tinker_11]

i'm getting a new android it's the G2X.. & i also wanna know how much 200MB can do? it was the cheapest to get..

 

[chanchan05]

200mb aint even enough to download the GLu games tites.

No one can say if 200mb would or would not be enough as it depends on usage, also if the emails you receive have attachments, You can go over the limit quickly. Then you also have to remember to turn off social network sync and the like.

 

[daveybaby]

I don't know how well Android works with WiFi but I know BB can restrict its browser to only WiFi.

Android is pretty good in this regard. You can completely disable mobile data if you like. If you enable wifi and youre in range of an open access point (or one the phone has remembered the password for) then it will automatically switch all data traffic to wifi instead of mobile. Most manufacturers include widgets to quickly & easily enable/disable wifi and mobile data, but there are also loads of widgets on the market to do it.

If youre downloading emails (without large attachments), syncing calendars/contacts, a bit of light surfing (no youtube or video streaming), downloading/updating a few apps (not huge graphically intensive games), doing a bit of facebook/twitter, then 200mb a month should be sufficient.

My first android phone wasnt up to much in the way of video streaming or gaming, and my data connection at the time was pretty slow, so i was limited to the above sorts of behaviour. I had a 500mb per month limit, but i rarely went above 100mb.

I thoroughly recommend installing 3G watchdog, which will keep track of your usage over the month, and will warn you if youre getting near your limit.

 

[rui-no-onna]

I have had a BlackBerry Curve 8900 for about a year without data and just put on the $15 200Mb plan because it was cheap enough. I knew 200Mb was enough on the BB because their push email didn't require much background data usage. After seeing how horrible the BB did on working with my GMail account, I have leaned towards getting an Android.

My question is.. is the $15 plan going to provide enough data for me to use the Android? These are the things I plan on using with an Android: GMail sync, college email sync, Google Calendar sync, Google Contacts sync, and everything else, such as surfing the web, through WiFi (which shouldn't affect data usage). I don't know how well Android works with WiFi but I know BB can restrict its browser to only WiFi.

Yes, it's possible, particularly since you're always in the range of wi-fi. Whenever you have an active wi-fi connection, your email, calendar, contacts syncing will go through wi-fi and not through your cellphone data plan so if you're on campus with wi-fi, that's even more of a plan saver. My brother only uses around 15~50MB/month on his iPhone because he has campus wi-fi. However, I do recommend changing the Wi-Fi sleep policy to Never.

That said, I was monitoring my mom's internet use on her LG Thrive (AT&T's version of the LG Optimus One) trying to determine the feasibility of using Google Voice as an alternative to the carrier's voice and messaging plans. With email (2 Google, 1 Yahoo), calendar (1 Google), contacts (1 Google, 1 Yahoo, 1 Facebook) and Facebook syncing, using Google Voice for SMS (she just had a total of 5~10 texts that day) and GrooVe IP running in the background (no incoming or outgoing calls, though), billable data usage was 3.62MB according to 3G Watchdog Pro.