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Do many people actually use data plans?

mammador

mammador

Platinum Member
With lots of public places like uni campuses, shopping malls, restaurants, etc. having free wi-fi, do many people still use data plans?

What is the point in a data plan, when extensive browsing on a large site costs plenty? I only use to check out sports scores, or for a quick glance on Facebook or something.
 
I've been exclusively using my data plan since I got on SERO over 6 years ago, I've actually wondered if people used the wifi option at all (I only use it as a last resort).

With data caps I can see trying to use wifi more, but my current sprint plan is still unlimited and I get great coverage, with the best use being on the highway streaming music/live navigation.
 
I don't go to school so I can't use their wifi. Only high end shopping malls around here have wifi and I don't go to those. The only restaurants I see that have wifi are chain restaurants and I don't visit those too often. I'm not gonna stop off at a Starbucks just so I can check my email. I don't even like coffee.

Plus if you're getting a smartphone you have to get a data plan anyways. Maybe you only use a data plan for casual stuff but other people actually get real use out of their smartphones.
 
zerocool84 said:
I don't go to school so I can't use their wifi. Only high end shopping malls around here have wifi and I don't go to those. The only restaurants I see that have wifi are chain restaurants and I don't visit those too often. I'm not gonna stop off at a Starbucks just so I can check my email. I don't even like coffee.

Plus if you're getting a smartphone you have to get a data plan anyways. Maybe you only use a data plan for casual stuff but other people actually get real use out of their smartphones.
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Why do people keep saying this? I don't know what the carriers in the USA are like, but there's no rule here that would force me to get a data plan. I can go buy a smartphone and get a $15 per month plan if I want, or even go prepaid.
 
I pretty much only use WiFi at home and I use between 100-300mb a month according to AT&T.

dpodblood said:
Why do people keep saying this? I don't know what the carriers in the USA are like, but there's no rule here that would force me to get a data plan. I can go buy a smartphone and get a $15 per month plan if I want, or even go prepaid.
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A data plan is usually required for any discounted smartphone on US mobile telcoms.
 
mammador said:
With lots of public places like uni campuses, shopping malls, restaurants, etc. having free wi-fi, do many people still use data plans?

What is the point in a data plan, when extensive browsing on a large site costs plenty? I only use to check out sports scores, or for a quick glance on Facebook or something.
Click to expand...

Not everyone is you?
 
mammador said:
With lots of public places like uni campuses, shopping malls, restaurants, etc. having free wi-fi, do many people still use data plans?

.
Click to expand...
because i don't go to any of those places often if at all.

also the only restaurants that ive seen with wifi are fast food or starbucks
 
Aikouka said:
I pretty much only use WiFi at home and I use between 100-300mb a month according to AT&T.



A data plan is usually required for any discounted smartphone on US mobile telcoms.
Click to expand...

That's only if you go with a contract though correct? There's nothing stopping you from going and buying a smartphone. Then you can use any plan you want.
 
I use pandora in the car. Can't do this with free wifi. Data is also very useful for google navigation in the car.

Also, free public wifi is a potential vector for malwar. It's better to have your own nice line to the Grand Intertubes.
 
dpodblood said:
That's only if you go with a contract though correct? There's nothing stopping you from going and buying a smartphone. Then you can use any plan you want.
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That is not correct. I believe the only carrier in the US that is friendly with the whole non-contract situation is Tmobile. If you're on ATT, regardless of whether or not you got your phone with a contract, if the service detects you are using a smartphone, it will automatically add a data plan.
 
iahk said:
That is not correct. I believe the only carrier in the US that is friendly with the whole non-contract situation is Tmobile. If you're on ATT, regardless of whether or not you got your phone with a contract, if the service detects you are using a smartphone, it will automatically add a data plan.
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That seriously sucks. And I thought our carriers were shifty...
 
dpodblood said:
That's only if you go with a contract though correct? There's nothing stopping you from going and buying a smartphone. Then you can use any plan you want.
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You don't know how it works in the US. Two of the major carriers (Verizon and Sprint) use CDMA, so you can't just get a sim card and stick it into a smartphone and use any plan you want. Even if you buy a phone outright, no contract, they will still require you to have a data plan.

T-Mobile is less strict, and I believe you can use most smartphones with prepaid services on their network and choose whether you want data or not. AT&T is GSM as well but you can't just swap a sim card in - they will see you're on a smartphone and automatically add data to your account. And most people buy their phones with a subsidy because to buy a smartphone outright costs a lot.

Things do not work the same in every country.

EDIT: It's interesting because it has led to completely different markets for smartphones. In the US, there's no point in getting a lower-end smartphone since you pay the same anyway and if you use a subsidy (and face it, there's not much reason not to), the price difference is small. The prevalence of unlimited data has led people to use a ton of cell data, which is causing problems for the carriers. Even though many are now instituting caps, the caps are still pretty high for the average user. This is totally different from metered data where any amount you use, you pay for. Checking Wikipedia might only cost you a fraction of a cent, but it costs you, so people are more likely to seek out wifi hotspots. In the US, there's no reason to, since checking your email or doing other low-bandwidth activities have almost no effect on your bill or your total data usage in a month.
 
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AstroManLuca said:
You don't know how it works in the US. Two of the major carriers (Verizon and Sprint) use CDMA, so you can't just get a sim card and stick it into a smartphone and use any plan you want. Even if you buy a phone outright, no contract, they will still require you to have a data plan.

The GSM carriers are less strict, especially T-Mobile, and I believe you can use most smartphones with prepaid services on their networks and choose whether you want data or not. But most people buy their phones with a subsidy because to buy a smartphone outright costs a lot.

Things do not work the same in every country.
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Yes; that's why I was asking.
 
When I purchased an old Windows Mobile phone (without a contract), I just swapped my SIM card into it and had to manually add data. In fact, AT&T never changed my listed device on my account page until I told them that I had changed my phone. I don't know if this is still the case or not, but I don't see how they can force you to have a data plan if your current contract does not state that you must have one. If I upgrade my current smartphone today to a new one, chances are the 2-year contract will state that I must keep a data plan.

EDIT:

zerocool84 said:
I hate you
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Find solace in knowing that a LTE user needs to know the location of the nearest plug at all times in case they run out of battery 😉.
 
zerocool84 said:
Plus if you're getting a smartphone you have to get a data plan anyways.
Click to expand...

I think this is only true if you're purchasing a phone on a contract (i.e. paying a subsidized price, rather than full price). Requiring the purchase of a data plan with a subsidized phone allows the carrier to recover the remaining cost of the phone over the contract term (as a portion of the monthly charges), whereas going prepaid or voice-only might not.
 
AstroManLuca said:
AT&T is GSM as well but you can't just swap a sim card in - they will see you're on a smartphone and automatically add data to your account.
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Only if your phone is in their IMEI database: which means only if it's a phone they carry or have carried. If you have an imported stock SGS or Desire HD, for example, they have no idea what your device is and you can even use $10 dumbphone data.

Mind you, if they start carrying your phone later, you can be detected then. Some people who had been using imported X10s had this come up...
 
Aikouka said:
When I purchased an old Windows Mobile phone (without a contract), I just swapped my SIM card into it and had to manually add data. In fact, AT&T never changed my listed device on my account page until I told them that I had changed my phone. I don't know if this is still the case or not, but I don't see how they can force you to have a data plan if your current contract does not state that you must have one. If I upgrade my current smartphone today to a new one, chances are the 2-year contract will state that I must keep a data plan.
Click to expand...

My memory is getting fuzzy, but if I recall correctly, this requirement started in October 2009. There were some exceptions if you were grandfathered into a feature that's listed as "Smartphone Exclusion" on your account (you would have that if you were on a smartphone without a data plan prior to the requirement). You would lose that grandfathered feature if you ever added the data plan on your account. I can't really recall the details of it all.. might be able to google it or just ask one of the reps.
 
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