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Question

Help me understand "data usage" ?

Feb 13, 2015 4:09AM PST

ok.. Not a tech guy first off.
What does data usage consist of ?

My phone .. when I play music from amazon cloud
while driving is data being used ?
I wouldn't think so, but need to know.

At home I have freedom pop 10 GB max per month.
Does everything I do on computer use data from provider ?

Music on windows media player ?
How much does watching an hour long show on amazon cloud use ect..

If I put photos on shutterfly, ect ect.
Help me understand.

Thx, Pete

Discussion is locked

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Answer
data..
Feb 13, 2015 4:14AM PST

Also.. a call on Skype, does it use data ?

Pete

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Yes.
Feb 13, 2015 4:36AM PST
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Answer
Let's watch a video? How many bytes is that?
Feb 13, 2015 4:34AM PST

Let's take a look at Netflix's article on this.

https://help.netflix.com/en/node/87 pegs data use from 0.3 to 7 GB per hour. So you could get from 1 to 30 hours of video over your 10GB Freedom pop connection.

Hope this helps.
Bob

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Answer
Clueless too
Feb 14, 2015 5:30AM PST

I'm not really sure I understand data usage either. That's why I keep my data turned off on my phone unless there is an instance where it says I need it. I have wi-fi at home, so that's what is in use at all times at home...not data.

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Well, Data Is Still Being Used..Just From A Different Place.
Feb 15, 2015 2:32AM PST

Recognize that anytime you're using the internet on your phone, "data" is technically being downloaded to your phone. But since the only "data" that your phone company charges for is the data that they download to your phone from their phone service, you're not charged for time spent on your home wifi. At home, you're using your DSL or cable wifi provider, NOT your telephone provider, therefore you don't have to pay the telephone company for their air time.

Unless of course, you don't have a land-line style or cable internet service at home. If you don't, then everything is data through your phone service..

Hope this helps.

Grif

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Answer
no way to be specific
Feb 14, 2015 6:08AM PST

there is absolutely no way to be specific as to how much data is being used when you are doing anything that is using data. It all depends what is being sent, how it is being sent, the quality of what is being sent, if it has to be resent because of packet loss (behind the scenes), size of what is being sent, and more. Then you have all the updating, calling home apps does, ads that are regularly uploaded into installed apps and more. There is also absolutely no way for you to know how much you use at any given time because the service providers account for data differently. If you are worry about your data usage and how much you need, the best way to determine how much is to do a month of normal usage then adjust your usage or subscription accordingly.

you can check the following for estimating your usage but it will still will not be accurate based on what I said above.

http://www.broadbandnow.org/resources/data-usage-calculator/