Educate me please at data usage!
Mmccool719
Newbie

Switched up our plan last month from 2 blackberries and home DSL to 2 iPhones and a jet pack. We browse the web, Facebook, email, EBay. No videos, no music no gaming. My usage just for the blackberries was .25 gb (yes that is 25% of 1 gigabyte.) Now, we barely can stay below 6 gb in 1 month.  What could possibly be using all this data?  Quite honestly, data usage is about the last thing I want to be worrying about. I am seriously considering paying the fee and leaving Verizon altogether. I feel like I am kept in the dark about this data usage. How do I know it's not some scam when they can't even provide specific answers as to why I am using so much?  Coincidentally, they convinced me to leave my unlimited data plan when I changed phones. Pretty sneaky Verizon.

FYi.....at home we use a laptop and an IPad.

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Re: Educate me please at data usage!
mdram4x4
Champion - Level 1

check your bill to see what device is using it

i would almost bet its the jetpack

pc's use tons more data then phones, well in most cases

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Re: Educate me please at data usage!
Mmccool719
Newbie

THanks. Is an IPad better? How about a MacBook which we've been thinking about buying. I am just shocked my usage has increased this month.

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Re: Educate me please at data usage!
mdram4x4
Champion - Level 1

doubtful

it more of what you look at on the device

a pc is just easier to surf, and increase usage

i imagina  macbook would be similar, ipad might be a bit better, but not much

what do you do on the apad and laptop?

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Re: Educate me please at data usage!
pcryan23
Enthusiast - Level 3

Never use a hotspot for home internet, that is my advice, your home internet should never be capped, go with an internet service provider and get set up with a router.

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Re: Educate me please at data usage!
budone
Legend

The way the BB Handles data is totally different than a Droid or iPhone.. BB has always been a miser with data.

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Re: Educate me please at data usage!
pcryan23
Enthusiast - Level 3

My coworker was telling me his overage usage woes when using a 4G jetpack for his home internet service, and their family uses the internet, youtube, xbox, work and so on. You have to keep in mind that not only are you using all the data when you down load every file which even a word document is a couple hundred KB, but on top of the videos, email, and everything else, your smartphones iphone and android do constantly scan and sync with the email accounts and other services like facebook and forum sites that you have an account with. There are also many protocols like TCP, UDP and much more that is included in the packet headers when your phone is communicating to other end devices, every little byte adds up. Which is why I find it very hard to believe when Verizon says that most people don't ever go over 2Gigs, I pay for 10 gigs and I blow through 2 gigs in the first 3 days, and I really am not even using my phone that much. So if you want to have internet in your own home and you are using multiple devices to connect to the internet your best bet is to get hooked up with Verizon cable internet, Verizon Fios, Charter cable, direct tv, or some form of cable or DSL internet because you are not going to get charged with overage fees, they don't cap your data.

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Re: Educate me please at data usage!
vzw_customer_support
Customer Service Rep

Hello @Mmccool719,

pcryan23 and everyone that contributed to this thread provided really good info. It is a combination of all your devices as was mentioned. Keep in mind that your pc or Mac laptop also updates its software periodically. This is above any antivirus software, Java, and various applications found in your computer. Everything adds up!

If you have any other questions, we are all here to assist!

Thank you,
NicandroN_VZW

Please follow us on Twitter @vzwsupport  

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