It starts with the phone vibrating against my hip at 7 a.m. I’m firing off texts to work friends. By the time the third cup of coffee hits my system, I’m uploading a massive batch of iPhone photos from the weekend. I download an album for the work soundtrack. Every email gets saved to the cloud. I eat lunch while reading stock forecasts on my tablet. Dinner is on the table, and I’m already wondering if I’ll have time to stream the latest Hell on Wheels before doom-scrolling through Pinterest.
From smartphones to tablets to desktops, these devices are part of us. Data usage follows us.
You think gaming burns through your allowance? Fruit Ninja (paid) and Grand Theft Auto III each use about 25 MB. That’s 2.5% of a standard 1 GB monthly plan. Hill Climb Racing? It eats 100 MB. Ten percent in one session. But games aren’t the silent killers.
A March 2013 study by Actix, a mobile network analytics firm, found something worse. 70% of data sessions on mobile networks are initiated by “chatty apps.” These are the apps that automatically check for updates or push alerts. Facebook. Twitter. Messaging apps. They are the biggest offenders.
Mobile ads are another drain. They average 1% of a typical smartphone data plan. This number is climbing. Media-rich ads with video use 10 times the data of static ads.
So how do you know when the tap runs dry? Whether you’re burning through a mobile plan or hitting the hard cap on your home ISP, you need to gauge the numbers. And while you’re at it, check your memory.
How Much Data Do You Have on Your Computer?
There are 2.4 billion Internet users worldwide. In the U.S., nearly 8 out of 10 people are online. They are sharing, tagging, and uploading content. In 2007, video uploads were rare. By 2013, YouTube saw 100 hours of video uploaded per minute.
Knowing your usage matters. Monthly Internet data covers everything you send, receive, stream, download, or upload. Images. Movies. Photos. Files. Exceed your monthly allowance, and your provider will charge you extra.
Plans vary. A middle-of-the-road cap is typically 150 GB per month.
That sounds like a lot. It’s enough to download 40,000 MP3s. Or transfer 35,000 12-megapixel images. Consider that in 2011, the average household used only 26 GB. Some estimates suggested household rates would average 84 GB by 2016. Still well under 150 GB. But it’s getting close.
Most providers let you view usage on their websites. Many send email or text alerts when you approach or pass your threshold. Log into your account to set these notifications.
You can also install a bandwidth monitor. Most are free downloads. They work on Windows, Mac, and Linux. They calculate daily, weekly, and monthly usage.
Networx for Windows. iStat Pro for Mac. BandwidthD for Linux.
Keep in mind, most data monitors only track the computer on which they’re installed. If you have multiple computers, you’ll need multiple bandwidth monitors.
Mac users have a built-in tool. Activity Monitor sits in the utilities folder. It doesn’t give you clean bandwidth numbers. It offers a real-time look at total data consumption.
Conduct a Memory Audit
Do a memory audit while you’re auditing data. You need to know how much RAM you have left.
PC users: Right-click My Computer. Select Properties. Open the system window. Under the General tab, you’ll see the installed memory (RAM).
To see how much is being used, right-click the taskbar. Select Task Manager. Go to the Performance tab.
Mac users: Click the apple icon in the upper-left corner. Select About This Mac to see installed RAM. For usage, open the utilities folder (inside Applications). Launch Activity Monitor. Click the System Memory button.
How Much Data Do You Use on Your Mobile Devices?
The data-hungry future isn’t waiting. We are already seeing the early stages of a wearable technology boom. Devices like Google Glass and Samsung’s Galaxy Gear are just the beginning. These gadgets will constantly pull data. If you aren’t tracking your consumption, your bill will hurt.
You need to get ahead of this. Start building the habit of monitoring your mobile data now. Some carriers will help. AT&T sends email alerts when you are nearing your limit. The message includes a stark reminder about overage fees. As of October 2013, customers are billed $20 for every additional 300 MB. Verizon and Sprint offer similar notification services. You can also check usage by dialing *DATA# for a text summary or downloading the carrier’s app. Don’t forget to check your monthly bill too.
You can also check your device directly.
iPhone/iPad: Go to Settings/General/Usage. You will see sending and receiving data stats. Reset these numbers monthly. This helps you track trends. You can also spot which apps are memory hogs.
Android: Go to Settings/Wireless & Networks/Data Usage. This screen shows total usage. You can set warnings and hard limits here. This prevents surprise charges.
Third-party apps like 3G Watchdog, My Data Manager, and Onavo Count are useful. They monitor usage and let you set alerts. Always use WiFi when possible. It lets you play Candy Crush or use Snapchat without eating your data allowance.
Smartphone Data FAQ
How many GBs does the average home use per month?
Latest statistics show the average household consumed 344 GB of data in 2020.
Is 50 GB enough for one month?
If you work from home with limited internet use, 50 GB should suffice. Watching videos or 3-hour movies consumes significantly more data.
How do you know how much data you have left?
Check your phone settings. Weekly or monthly usage is available on the device or via your SIM service provider.
How many hours does it take to use 1 GB of data?
If you stream music and movies 24/7, 1 GB lasts about 12 hours. That includes one 2-hour movie or 200 songs.
Should cellular data be on or off?
Android users can drain data quickly. Turn off cellular data when not in use. iOS users can turn data on for specific apps only. Keep data off for everything else.
