InFluential_Magazine_May_June_2017

IN FLUENCE
Technology
THE DATA DILEMMA:
HOW TO CHOOSE
A MONTHLY PLAN
B
uy too little and you
could end up socked with
overage fees, or find your
data speeds slowed significantly.
The average U.S. wireless customer
consumes about 1.8 gigabytes (GB)
of data each month, far below what’s
included in many standard wireless
plans. As a result, many carriers are
beginning to shift away from rigidly
structured monthly data allowances.
Consumer Cellular, for instance, offers
no-contract plans tailored to the
50-plus crowd that allow you to change
your data plan whenever you need,
without paying any additional fees.
Whether you’re a heavy or a light user,
the data plan you choose represents
a significant part of your investment
in wireless service. By understanding
some of the basics, as well as the potential
pitfalls involved, you’re sure to
find the plan that’s right for you.
How It’s Measured
Anytime you send email,
download a photo, stream video,
HOW MUCH DATA DO YOU
REALLY NEED ON YOUR
MONTHLY CELLULAR PLAN?
BUY TOO MUCH AND YOU’RE
SIMPLY WASTING MONEY.
view a web page, or post on social
media, your phone is sending or
receiving data. A megabyte (MB)
and the larger gigabyte (GB) are the
units used for measuring data.
It’s hard to determine exactly how
much data an activity consumes,
since file sizes and download times
can vary significantly. As a general
rule, for most cellphones, one
megabyte of data is typically required
to
•
perform each of these tasks:
Sending or receiving 50 emails,
without attachments;
Streaming 2 minutes of music;
•
Viewing one web page;
Posting three photos to your
Facebook page;
• Watching 30 seconds of video
on YouTube.
One gigabyte, equal to 1,000
megabytes,
•
is consumed by:
Sending or receiving 50,000
emails (without attachments);
Streaming 33 hours of music;
•
Viewing 1,000 web pages;
Posting 2,800 photos to your
Facebook
•
page;
Watching more than 8 hours of
video on YouTube.
Tracking Your Usage
The best way to accurately assess
your cellular data use is to review your
monthly bill, which provides precise
details about your utilization. Most carriers
now even offer mobile account
management apps so you can keep
tabs right from your phone. This will
give you a feel for how much you’re
actually consuming, and let you develop
an accurate forecast for the future.
In addition, both smartphone and
iPhone models give you the ability
to track overall usage, as well as the
110 FLUENTIAL MAY / JUNE 2017