Smartphone Data Plans

[mainelypaige]

First of all, I hope everyone had a happy holiday!

I'm in the market for a smartphone, but not being technologically-minded, I'm unsure of what to expect my monthly charges to be. Can anyone give me an idea of what to expect?

 

[Skipadeedoodah]

That's going to depend entirely on your carrier (AT&T, Verizon, Sprint, T-Mobile, etc). I have AT&T. AT&T offers a 200MB data plan for $15/month, for which overages are billed at $15/200MB - meaning that if you go over your allotted 200MB, they charge you an additional $15, and give you an additional 200MB to use. They don't charge in any smaller increments than that. They also have a 2GB plan for $25. For that, I'm not sure if overages are billed in 2GB/$25 increments or $15/200MB increments. Either way, unless you're constantly streaming movies or other things that require a large amount of data, I think you'd have a hard time going over 2GB.

They also have a WiFi/tethered plan, with which you can make your phone a WiFi hotspot and let computers around you log in to it or connect your phone and your computer with a cord and let your computer use your phone's internet that way - for around $40 or $45/month, but I've never used that one, so I'm not 100% certain what it's for, how it works or what its limitations are.

Also, anytime that you're connected to WiFi, data usage is free, so if you're sitting in a Starbucks or something and you do want to stream a movie or download music or just get on the internet, it won't use up any of your data.

Unfortunately I have no idea what the other carriers' plans are like. I know that some of them offer unlimited data (Sprint, maybe?), so that might be worth looking into. Really it's going to depend on what you plan to do with your phone. I have the 2GB data plan from AT&T, and I download apps fairly often and check email and go on websites very often, and I've never had an overage, and I'm rarely connected to WiFI. My brother also has the 2GB and spent the first month he had his phone watching Netflix on it, so he almost went over, but they send you emails/text messages when you're nearing your data usage limit, so you can know ahead of time and slow down. You also can check it anytime you want by dialing a certain number on your phone or going online, so it's pretty easy to stay within whatever limits you set for yourself.

Hope that long, disorganized ramble was helpful Merry Christmas!

 

[Bothersome]

I'm not way phone-savvy... but they really have 200 MB for 15 bucks... and then 2 Gigs for 25 bucks!?!

Their 25 buck plan gives you ten times more data for not even double the price...

What's the catch there?

 

[Jagermeistered]

Thank goodness I'm 'grandfathered' with AT&T. 30 bucks a month unlimited data, and as long as I don't change my contract during rollover, no changes.

 

[Gothika]

im with boost and they have unlimited everything for 50 a month,i also know sprint has unlimited but for more and they also offer more stuff i would totaly go with a pre paid plan if u can just my opinion

 

[kurchatovium]

I was contemplating getting a smartphone. If I do I would probably go with Boost Mobile. You get everything for 50 a month and I think they knock 5 dollars off the plan for every year you stick with them down to 35 a month.

 

[Skipadeedoodah]

I'm not way phone-savvy... but they really have 200 MB for 15 bucks... and then 2 Gigs for 25 bucks!?!

Their 25 buck plan gives you ten times more data for not even double the price...

What's the catch there?

Dunno, but it's definitely true. I had the $15 one and switched to the $25 when I got my iPhone. Definitely worth it considering if you go over your 200MB you get billed another $15, so you're paying $30 for 400MB of data usage, when you could be paying $25 for 2GB. I did that too many times before deciding the 2GB would be cheaper in the long run.

 

[happy_touch]

Though an AT&T user grandfathered into their unlimited plan, I'd say Sprint is the best value carrier for smartphones. They're data plans are the best value for the price for unlimited data (meaning no overage fees), they don't limit your speed once you go over a certain amount of data used (as far as I know), and they have a wide variety of phones including the iPhone 4S and some 4G (Wi-Max) Android phones.

Don't know, much about Boost, or similar value carrier like Virgin, but if you don't need that fancy of a phone or "4G" (which is often an extra $10/month) they're definitely worth looking into.

 

[Flatfoot]

I'm not way phone-savvy... but they really have 200 MB for 15 bucks... and then 2 Gigs for 25 bucks!?!

Their 25 buck plan gives you ten times more data for not even double the price...

What's the catch there?

It was simple marketing demographics. Smartphone users generally fell into one of those two categories. If you aren't watching Netflix/Youtube all the time, the former plan is probably best (You'd be surprised how difficult it can be to approach your limit!). If you plan to be a heavy data user, you'll save more money by going with the two gigs. When AT&T got rid of their unlimited data plans (Thanks a lot, iPhone data-hogs! ), they had to have a way to charge for data in a manner that's profitable without scaring off customers. If you go the route of lesser data for $15, and then find out you use data more than you thought, having to pay $30 after a $15 fee, the $25 is actually more cost-effective for you.

As for me, I'm with AT&T, and I use an HTC Inspire. I love it, but the battery life leaves a lot to be desired (Apparently, this is common with Android phones.). My battery wouldn't last long enough for me to significantly consume beyond my data limit. I'd be amazed if I was able to watch an entire movie without juicing the battery. If I was plugged into a charger, or a USB cord hooked into a computer, odds are I'm also going to be near WiFi, and/or have access to my laptop, meaning that I don't have to use my phone's data.

 

[smokinj]

At home my wireless router takes care of any use on my data plan totally, as I use none. My iphone 4 is not anywhere close to the limit (2g) that I am allowed. Plus, at work we have wi-fi so I'm good there too. Most places now have free wi-fi so, just be judicious in your use and you can stay under the limit.

 

[Sopwith]

I work in with mobile phones and plans everyday and I can tell you that AT&T has just changed their data rates for new activations (current accounts can switch to these as well) to $20 for 300MB (psha!), $30 for 3GB, and $50 for 5GB (with tethering).

Verizon has the same data plans. Though they stopped doing their double data special for 4G phones a few weeks ago. I will say that Verizon's 4G LTE network is awesome! It is faster than my current hardline connection! lol

Sprint is pretty good as well. With you get unlimited premium data for $10 per line. That is a great deal, but in my area (Oklahoma) there is no 4G on Sprint as well as much less coverage overall.