The reasons you always go over your smartphone data
Are you feeling frustrated with paying extra each month when you go over your smartphone data allowance? Some providers give a decent amount of data yet it’s very common to find yourself going over your quota without feeling as though you have spent much time online.
Here are the most common causes of going over your data, in order from highest to lowest use of data (based on an average per hour).
1. Movies 1GB/hour
Watching an episode of your favourite show on Netflix while you’re on the bus doesn’t seem like it should use too much data, but sadly it does. Around 1GB per hour in fact, which will quickly see you hitting your limits if you do it regularly.
2. Social media 90MB/hour
If you’re a Facebook or Instagram user, you may not have realised just how much data they use. All of those photos you are looking at take up decent chunks of your data, so all that scrolling can quickly add up. Save it for emergencies – or hook it up to your home and office wifi.
3. Mapping tools 60MB/hour
If you often use your phone to find your way around town, your phone keeps loading information onto your phone, which can see you using more data than you thought in a short time.
4. Music 50MB/hour
Listening to tunes via an online streaming services uses about half as much data as a movie, but if you’re using it daily it will chew up lots of gigabytes. Try downloading songs at home and just listen to them from your phone instead.
5. General internet 20MB/hour
Doing a spot of online shopping, or just looking up who sang that song that’s playing doesn’t use lots of data, but the small amounts quickly add up. Save non-essential browsing until you are safely in a wifi zone.
Have you got any tips for people who are regularly going over their data limit on their phone? We would love you to share your ideas in the comments.
Related links:
How to use your smartphone to read foreign languages
5 ways your smartphone can save you time