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I recently got two iPads with a data plan on Verizon. I'm absolutely paranoid about overages. First thing I did, right out of the box, was pick through all the

by delinka 10y ago

I recently got two iPads with a data plan on Verizon. I'm absolutely paranoid about overages. First thing I did, right out of the box, was pick through all the data-related settings. Wifi assist? No thanks. I'm paranoid enough about it that I turn cell data off unless I'm on the road. Thus far, three months in, I can say I'm not dissatisfied with the service. I'm not thrilled about the data rate, but the "competition" sells the same thing at about the same price.

theandrewbailey 10y ago
Data is always off on my phone, unless I need it. Not only does it save the data plan, it does miracles for battery life.
- SparkyMcUnicorn 10y ago
  I need my web fed notifications.
- kalleboo 10y ago
  My phone would be near-useless without data on - 100% of my messaging (like with my wife) is over data. I wouldn't get server alerts, urgent email etc. I'd rather disable voice/sms service than data service. But I've also never had issues with overages. I use maybe 2-3 GB/mo, on a cheap MVNO plan where I have 6 GB/mo with rollover. Since I never use up the 6 GB, I effectively have 12 GB/mo in case something goes crazy or I need to tether. When I tether I get super-paranoid though, since macOS has no concept of "this is an expensive connection" so it will happily download gigabytes of Photoshop updates. Little Snitch is useful for these occasions - just whitelist the software you need & trust (email, messaging, browser)
  - voltagex_ 10y ago
    Don't worry, Windows has the "metered connection" setting but it's nearly useless as no third party apps respect the setting - Dropbox and Chrome both updated over LTE today.
    - copperx 10y ago
      Oh, so it's a suggestion, just like cooperative multitasking back in the day. What could go wrong?
amorphid 10y ago
I dropped Verizon about 3 years ago for Net10 Wireless. Net10 offers "unlimited" data even on their cheapest plan, which is basically full speed for the first 500MB of data, and then 2G speed after that. Even though 2G speed is borderline useless, there are never any overages. I've been paying about $35 USD for the cheapest plan.
gambiting 10y ago
Does US not have pay-as-you-go plans at all? I have a pay as you go sim in UK, top it up automatically every month ~$20 and that gives me 4GB of data. It gives me peace of mind because I literally can't spend more than what I topped up, it's guaranteed no surprises at the end of the month.
- Broken_Hippo 10y ago
  They do, and they are slowly improving, but there are a lot of flaws in the system. From what I read that is getting better in the last few years, but there is still a lot to be desired. It has been a few years since I lived in the states, though. I was paying more than that with a prepaid "plan" with less data, for example. The service is generally more expensive - I just happen to be a light user so it worked out for me. But if I call an 800 number or answer a phone call? I get charged. Plans subsidize the cost of the phone: Pre-paid does not, and the selection is generally full of refurbished phones and models 1-2 generations out of date. Most didn't have the option of the newest phone if you were on prepay. It used to be that some prepaid services wouldn't work on other networks or would charge so much it wasn't feasible (verizon wouldn't work on at&t network). Some companies simply don't offer international calling or texting on a prepaid plan: I had an issue where the company suddenly started charging extra for international texts because Norway suddenly wasn't on their list of included countries - and that was the entire reason I paid for that bulk texting. I also found the customer service to be lacking. One company refused online customer service for prepaid customers: More than one had special, seemingly second class call centers for prepaid customers. Simply put: I think the pay-as-you-go is probably a better setup there than in the states.
- forgottenpass 10y ago
  We do, but the services offered in the States aren't on par with what we hear about from Europe and Japan. Our carriers are fighting the fact all that customers want from them is a "dumb pipe" to the Internet, and have structured services and handset purchases around funneling customers into long term contracts and complicated plans. It's been getting better over the last few years, but "buy just a SIM and get a chunk of data for a reasonable price" plans still tend to have worse geographic coverage and lower throughput speeds.

by delinka 10y ago

theandrewbailey 10y ago

Data is always off on my phone, unless I need it. Not only does it save the data plan, it does miracles for battery life.

SparkyMcUnicorn 10y ago
I need my web fed notifications.
kalleboo 10y ago
My phone would be near-useless without data on - 100% of my messaging (like with my wife) is over data. I wouldn't get server alerts, urgent email etc. I'd rather disable voice/sms service than data service. But I've also never had issues with overages. I use maybe 2-3 GB/mo, on a cheap MVNO plan where I have 6 GB/mo with rollover. Since I never use up the 6 GB, I effectively have 12 GB/mo in case something goes crazy or I need to tether. When I tether I get super-paranoid though, since macOS has no concept of "this is an expensive connection" so it will happily download gigabytes of Photoshop updates. Little Snitch is useful for these occasions - just whitelist the software you need & trust (email, messaging, browser)
- voltagex_ 10y ago
  Don't worry, Windows has the "metered connection" setting but it's nearly useless as no third party apps respect the setting - Dropbox and Chrome both updated over LTE today.
  - copperx 10y ago
    Oh, so it's a suggestion, just like cooperative multitasking back in the day. What could go wrong?

amorphid 10y ago

I dropped Verizon about 3 years ago for Net10 Wireless. Net10 offers "unlimited" data even on their cheapest plan, which is basically full speed for the first 500MB of data, and then 2G speed after that. Even though 2G speed is borderline useless, there are never any overages. I've been paying about $35 USD for the cheapest plan.

gambiting 10y ago

Does US not have pay-as-you-go plans at all? I have a pay as you go sim in UK, top it up automatically every month ~$20 and that gives me 4GB of data. It gives me peace of mind because I literally can't spend more than what I topped up, it's guaranteed no surprises at the end of the month.

Broken_Hippo 10y ago
They do, and they are slowly improving, but there are a lot of flaws in the system. From what I read that is getting better in the last few years, but there is still a lot to be desired. It has been a few years since I lived in the states, though. I was paying more than that with a prepaid "plan" with less data, for example. The service is generally more expensive - I just happen to be a light user so it worked out for me. But if I call an 800 number or answer a phone call? I get charged. Plans subsidize the cost of the phone: Pre-paid does not, and the selection is generally full of refurbished phones and models 1-2 generations out of date. Most didn't have the option of the newest phone if you were on prepay. It used to be that some prepaid services wouldn't work on other networks or would charge so much it wasn't feasible (verizon wouldn't work on at&t network). Some companies simply don't offer international calling or texting on a prepaid plan: I had an issue where the company suddenly started charging extra for international texts because Norway suddenly wasn't on their list of included countries - and that was the entire reason I paid for that bulk texting. I also found the customer service to be lacking. One company refused online customer service for prepaid customers: More than one had special, seemingly second class call centers for prepaid customers. Simply put: I think the pay-as-you-go is probably a better setup there than in the states.
forgottenpass 10y ago
We do, but the services offered in the States aren't on par with what we hear about from Europe and Japan. Our carriers are fighting the fact all that customers want from them is a "dumb pipe" to the Internet, and have structured services and handset purchases around funneling customers into long term contracts and complicated plans. It's been getting better over the last few years, but "buy just a SIM and get a chunk of data for a reasonable price" plans still tend to have worse geographic coverage and lower throughput speeds.