Get rid of the confusion with our guide on mobile phone data usage.
We’ve all been there. “How much is 1GB of data?”.actually need. You might be asking yourself, “How much is 1GB of data?”.
Data is difficult to measure. Your provider may pressure you to choose an “unlimited” package to give you peace of mind. However, finding the contract for you might be more affordable than it first seems.
So, we’re here to help. Here’s our complete guide to mobile data allowance in simple terms.
How Much Data Will You Get for 1GB?
Today, 1GB is the minimum data plan. It will vary depending on what you are doing on your phone. For streaming standard-definition video, it can take around an hour & a quarter. As for music, it takes about eight hours, and up to several weeks for basic email sending and receiving.
These activities are dependent on specific requirements – including the quality of the music you listen to and the graphic intensity of the pages you are viewing.
You won’t be streaming Netflix from your train ride if you have a 1GB monthly data limit. While you may be able to listen to a few Spotify or Apple Music songs each day or play Fortnite once a week, the majority of your phone usage will be limited to basic communications such as sending and receiving emails and checking email.
If you plan on using your phone primarily with WiFi, you may only need 1GB. However, if you plan on being out and about a lot, it’s worth looking at how much mobile data you use each month if you have a contract.
How Much Data do You Need?
This will depend on the purpose of your phone. So, you’ve determined that 1GB is too small for your needs. Then the next question, and most difficult, is whether you require 10GB, 50GB or 100GB of data, or unlimited?
Vodafone offers a handy data calculator that calculates your monthly data usage. It’s based on the time you spend on different tasks each day, so for example: streaming music, 30 minutes on social media, 40 minutes surfing the web & catching up with emails will require a 10GB allowance. For an extra hour of video each day, that will increase to a total of 37GB per month.
To get an idea of what you will need, you will have to think about your own phone habits over the course of a month.
“I use my phone just to keep in touch with family.”
Keep in touch with your family WhatsApp group, check your emails, and occasionally look at Twitter or Facebook? As long as you stay away from games or video (while not connected to WiFi), then you’ll be using between 1GB and 5GB each month.
“I use my phone for work and enjoy using social media.”
Spending a lot of time checking your email, including sending and receiving attachments, and you’re spending a lot of time on social networks (Facebook, Twitter, TikTok, Instagram etc.)? Maybe stream some radio or music while you’re on the move and the odd movie or TV shows?
If this sounds a bit more like you, then you’ll probably be looking at 10-20GB per month.
“My phone is my media centre.”
Your phone is your primary tool for work and entertainment.
Many photos and videos are sent to family and friends, even when there is no WiFi. When you travel, you like to watch Netflix, play online games and stream music.
Now is when you’ll need to start thinking about a more extensive data package, and somewhere around 30 to 40GB and upwards will be required, but that is _a lot_ of data.
Ultimately, the best way to determine how much you’ll need is to monitor your data usage. You can do this via your phone.
For iPhone:
- Go to Settings.
- Select Mobile Data or Settings.
- Go to Cellular and scroll to the bottom of the screen and tap System Services.
For Android:
- Open your phone’s Settings app.
- Tap Network and Internet. Data usage.
- Under ‘Mobile’, you’ll see how much total data you use.
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