[Electronics-talk] Trying to Understand Data Plans

[Steve Jacobson]

There are a couple more things that may not be obvious as you move into the smart phone world.  Generally, your phone plan will also include so many minutes of talk time as well as so many text messages.  As 
a rule, text messages are not considered part of your data plan.

If you make use of iTunes to get music to your phone, listening to music is part of your data plan.  However, iTunes will download a certain number of selections that you listen to, so repeating a song may not 
mean using up more data.  If you take pictures and you have them automatically uploaded to dropbox or iCloud, that will also use data.  Some of the services that tell you what is around you access websites to 
get data.  Retrieving email uses data, but usually very little and there are shortcuts you can take.  However, if someone attaches pictures to the email they send to you, they can count up.  If you get the BARD 
app and download books to play on your phone, that also takes data.  The size of NLS books varies with the length of the book, but 100 to 200 megabytes is pretty common.  Downloading braille books from 
BARD uses much less data.  

Some services allow you to buy data ahead of time if you know you will be running out before your month is up.  Buying ahead is usually much cheaper than going over your limit and having data billed 
automatically.  Your use of data will be predictable after a while, but it is really hard to know how much data will be used at first.  It might be worth getting more data at first and then adjusting down as you get a 
better feel for what you use.

Good luck.

Best regards,

Steve Jacobson


On Sat, 13 Sep 2014 08:44:38 -0400, Christine Szostak via Electronics-talk wrote:

>Hi All,
>  Since we are on the topic of data plans and how they can be used, as a current non-smart phone user, who is finally confident enough with the iPod that I am considering an iPhone for my next phone, I have 
been trying to understand exactly what "data" is. Thus, I was wondering if anyone can help explain the following. Sorry for what will likely sound like very silly and obvious questions:

>1)  What exactly is data?

>2(  If your data plan has say 2 gigs of data, what exactly does that mean. In other words, how much of your data is used up each minute or if easier to explain, each hour...?

>3)  Does your data continue to be used if you come in contact with a wifi connection that you are permitted to use (e.g., your own home's wifi or say an internet cafe where you can connect)? If not, does it 
automatically stop using up data when it comes in contact with a wifi hotspot or do you have to turn the data off?

>4)  Are there limitations to what you can access with data (e.g., streaming, downloading, YouTube, basic internet searching...)?

>5)  Somewhat related to 4 are there certain things that take up more or less data (e.g., GPS, YouTube, streaming, basic internet searches...)?

>  Any other information that you can give me would also be really appreciated:)!
>Hope you all have a wonderful and relaxing weekend!
>Chris
>Christine M. Szostak, PhD
>Assistant Professor
>Department of Psychology
>Shorter University
>Rome, Georgia
>szostak.1 at osu.edu

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