Monthly Mobile data allowance

[3offTheTee]

I am not the sharpest tool in the box with mobile phones but have a Samsung S10 with a fixed monthly PAYG contract with 3 which expires in 18 months time, cost £9 per month which includes 4 GB which I have never used until this month. No intention of changing.It starts on 1st each month and yesterday I had used my allowance. I have data saver on and yesterday I took 5 pictures whilst on the golf course. This I have done before. I had to buy a further 3GB for £7 which is not a problem but I do not want this to happen agai.

Anybody any suggestions and also advise what settings I should have for connections?

Thanks

 

[jim8flog]

I am on BT mobile it lets you set a maximum spend so you cannot go over it. It also has an app to see where you are with regards to limits

If you are taking photos that you want to send why not wait until you have a WiFi connection, is there any real urgency to send them?

 

[HowlingGale]

Not sure if your limit was exceeded by backing up your photos to the cloud.
In the settings of the app where you photos are kept you can change it to backup over WiFi only or in my case it's normal android photos and the mobile data usage setting is set to 'no mobile data'

 

[HowlingGale]

I am on BT mobile it lets you set a maximum spend so you cannot go over it. It also has an app to see where you are with regards to limits

If you are taking photos that you want to send why not wait until you have a WiFi connection, is there any real urgency to send them?

Ha sorry started typing a reply and got distracted then you posted this.

What he said.

 

[3offTheTee]

No photos were sent nor backed up as far as I know

 

[Springveldt]

I’m with 3 and I get 30GB for £10 a month. Found the deal on one of the comparison sites and got them to match it when I was renewing my 12 month contract with them. Maybe you can haggle with them if you are into the contract?

As for suggestions, check if you have background downloads on, if you listen to podcasts etc check if they are auto downloading.

Don’t have an Android myself but I’m sure somewhere in the settings it tells you how much data you have used and which apps used it.

 

[DannyOT]

Check how and where your data was used and then you can determine what you need to do to stop it from happening.
https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.wikihow.com/Check-Data-Usage-on-Samsung-Galaxy?amp=1

Go to settings > connections > data usage and see what's used the data. You should be able to see data usage by day / week / month etc.

 

[fundy]

Go to settings on your phone, then Data usage, then Mobile data usage. It should detail where you used all the data (ie which app)

 

[Lord Tyrion]

I'm trying to work out what has happened here and I can't. I'm with 3 and their app let's me see my monthly usage. In 3 years I have never gone over 2gb. At home I go through WiFi but otherwise I don't hold back. I don't stream TV or similar when out and about but there is nothing that suggests you have done the same. Regular browsing has never got me over 2gb so how you have blasted through so much beats me.

That doesn't help you but it does indicate something exceptional happened and its worth trying to figure out what. Can you look at your usage somehow through your provider?

 

[backwoodsman]

As per some of the others, you can check what App has used the data.

On my Samsung, I go to Settings, then Connections, then Data Usage and finally Mobile Date Usage.

You can also set a "data limit" whereby you get a warning if you get close to your pre-set level

 

[3offTheTee]

Go to settings on your phone, then Data usage, then Mobile data usage. It should detail where you used all the data (ie which app)

Yes I have looked at that and it only states I have used 1.72 GB. 1.17 GB from removed apps, then 372MB SkyGo and other sundry amounts down to 61B.

However Three state I have used my allowance of 4GB!!!

 

[3offTheTee]

Check how and where your data was used and then you can determine what you need to do to stop it from happening.
https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.wikihow.com/Check-Data-Usage-on-Samsung-Galaxy?amp=1

Go to settings > connections > data usage and see what's used the data. You should be able to see data usage by day / week / month etc.

Thanks

same reply as Fund, appreciate your help. It also states that,” data usage is measured by your phone. This may be different from your service provider’s measurements.

However in my case it seems excessive 1.72GB compared with 4GB which Three are saying!

 

[DannyOT]

Thanks

same reply as Fund, appreciate your help. It also states that,” data usage is measured by your phone. This may be different from your service provider’s measurements.

However in my case it seems excessive 1.72GB compared with 4GB which Three are saying!

Can you see what period that is over?

I've had it in the past where the phone measures data from 1st - 31st of the month, whereas my sim data is measured from 25th - 25th, so it can be slightly misleading.

 

[3offTheTee]

Can you see what period that is over?

I've had it in the past where the phone measures data from 1st - 31st of the month, whereas my sim data is measured from 25th - 25th, so it can be slightly misleading.

They BOTH appear to be from 1st until last day of month

 

[Alan Clifford]

5 pictures a 10 MBs each is only 50 MB at most if they were backed up automatically to, say, your google account.

Maybe you have automatic updates for your apps but, again, I can't see this taking 4GB

I know it's not much use to you if you are locked in to 3 but I moved from 3 to 1pmobile after 3 put there PAYG prices up. And my money with 3 seemed to be shrinking inexplicably. 1pmobile provide details of your data usage by the hour. If you want to buy data by the month instead of 1p per MB, it is £10 for 10GB.

 

[HampshireHog]

Chances are it’s an error in their system.

Had a issue a few months ago with BT where the family settings I had put in place were wiped and my son had apparently gone over his limit and I had been charged.

Funny thing was that there was less than a minute between him receiving a text warning he was close to the limit and being told he was being charged £10. I forget how much data was involved but I don’t think it would have been possible to run up that much usage using 5g, and based on usage history they agreed it was most likely an error on their part and credited me back, no quibbling from and no threats from me.

I reckon these errors happen all the time.

 

[3offTheTee]

Chances are it’s an error in their system.

Had a issue a few months ago with BT where the family settings I had put in place were wiped and my son had apparently gone over his limit and I had been charged.

Funny thing was that there was less than a minute between him receiving a text warning he was close to the limit and being told he was being charged £10. I forget how much data was involved but I don’t think it would have been possible to run up that much usage using 5g, and based on usage history they agreed it was most likely an error on their part and credited me back, no quibbling from and no threats from me.

I reckon these errors happen all the time.

Really think you are correct HH. I have been through everything in detail and nothing has changed this month compared to other months. All 3 wanted was to sell me more data and I had little option other than to take up extra GB. Everything with 3 is online, no email and the contact centre is in India which does not help.

Probably time for a change when renewal is due but they offer free phone calls when abroad which is a bonus

 

[Pants]

I know it's not much use to you if you are locked in to 3 but I moved from 3 to 1pmobile after 3 put there PAYG prices up. And my money with 3 seemed to be shrinking inexplicably. 1pmobile provide details of your data usage by the hour.

Absolutely ditto, ditto, ditto and ditto. Added bonus is that I seem to better coverage as well. I reckon that the £10 opening credit will last me several months at £0.01 per minute/text/Mb (data usually turned off).

 

[Alan Clifford]

Absolutely ditto, ditto, ditto and ditto. Added bonus is that I seem to better coverage as well. I reckon that the £10 opening credit will last me several months at £0.01 per minute/text/Mb (data usually turned off).

1p per MB is actually quite expensive if you use a lot. But I don't. Google maps cost me 70p driving from Yorkshire to Surrey the other day and I occassionally use 1p filling in The England Golf app at the end of my round if the wifi doesn't work.

 

[PJ87]

Really think you are correct HH. I have been through everything in detail and nothing has changed this month compared to other months. All 3 wanted was to sell me more data and I had little option other than to take up extra GB. Everything with 3 is online, no email and the contact centre is in India which does not help.

Probably time for a change when renewal is due but they offer free phone calls when abroad which is a bonus

Not for much longer. Their back on the roaming charge ...