It would be just too difficult to determine your data usage with any sort of calculator, even with knowing how much time you spend on the internet each day. There are far too many variables involved.
Most ISPs allow you to check your data usage, so check their website or give them a call. You may be able to get a history of your usage on a monthly basis. That would be the best way to determine the average amount of data you use. My own usage varies between 20GB and 50GB, and I don't do a heavy amount of downloading.
Just to give you an idea, music streaming for an hour each day is likely to use around 2.5GB a month. That figure depends a lot on the service you are using and the quality of the audio being streamed. That on top of your regular internet usage could easily push you over the top of a 6GB plan. You might want to figure out an alternate way to listen to music in order to conserve data on a limited plan.
We are currently on dial-up but trying to choose between
purchasing a smartphone and using easy-tether as a modem
or
using a USB mobile broadband (Virgin Mobile)
or
using a mobile hotspot (Sprint)
Note: We need to be able to use the service at both our primary residence and a lake cabin, that's the reason for the mobile services.
There are some unlimited data plans in the mix, but also some where I will have to choose between a 3G or a 5 or 6G plan.
We aren't heavy internet users-- email and website visits (plus about 5 music downloads from Amazon per month) comprise most of our use BUT if we are going to do this, I would love to stream music for at least an hour a day and it would be great to use it for 6-8 hours a day.
No video, just audio.
Is there a data use calculator available which would definitively help me to decide how much data we need if we do settle on anything other than an unlimited plan? I've tried a few and they have given me varied results with practically the same input.
Cnet people, you know this stuff-- what would be the best way to determine my data usage?!?!
THANK YOU!!!
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