I purchased an iPhone 5c for my daughter for Christmas. Now I'm scared to death about data usage

[4mygrls]

After reading through posts on this forum about iPhone data usage, i'm scared to death that her iPhone is going to break us. I don't know what to do?

[wingrider01]

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@4mygrls wrote:

After reading through posts on this forum about iPhone data usage, i'm scared to death that her iPhone is going to break us. I don't know what to do?

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depends on what you allow to access, daughter rarely comes close to her limit. Then again, I pay for the basic 3GB amount and she pays for any overages out of her allowance, it happened once now she has the personal responsibility not to over indulge

[Wild Banchi]

Just tell your daughter to take advantage of Wi-Fi whenever possible and use data only when she absolutely needs to. Streaming YouTube videos and music sites such as Pandora will eat through the data allotment like crazy, so if that's something she will likely do, I would strongly recommend telling her to do such activities only when there is a Wi-Fi network in range. If close precautions such as these are followed, then you shouldn't run into any problems.

[youngjm]

We have a shared plan and i tell her to not use video unless she is on wifi.    I also set any application that autoplay videos to only do so on wifi (Facebook, etc...)  If you get any plan under 1GB (if available) you will have issues.  a 3GB plan or better should be fine.

At least while having a shared data plan, you can turn someones data on/off via the online account management tool (OLAM).  I can monitor usage and if necessary turn off the data for the device.  It may be some work at first but it will eventually teach a leason to her if she does go over.  Give her a short leash and what what she does by teaching her responsiblility for using her iPhone.  

[logo412]

Hi 4mygrls,

As other posters stated there is a number of ways to control the data on the account. A few of our recommendations beyond the basics (Connect To WiFi)

- Keep old apps you're not using off the device.

- Limit Video Streaming and Music Streaming to WiFi only.

- Turn off Automatic Downloads (Found under Settings - iTunes & App Store).

- Use data montioring features, though MyAT&T App, *3282# from your phone.

- Smart Limits for Wireless will also allow you control data as well as messaging and phone calls.

If you have a mobile share plan, you can use the MyAT&T app to shut off data to individual devices on the account as a last resort.

[wingrider01]

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@logo412 wrote:

Hi 4mygrls,

As other posters stated there is a number of ways to control the data on the account. A few of our recommendations beyond the basics (Connect To WiFi)

- Keep old apps you're not using off the device.

- Limit Video Streaming and Music Streaming to WiFi only.

- Turn off Automatic Downloads (Found under Settings - iTunes & App Store).

- Use data montioring features, though MyAT&T App, *3282# from your phone.

- Smart Limits for Wireless will also allow you control data as well as messaging and phone calls.

If you have a mobile share plan, you can use the MyAT&T app to shut off data to individual devices on the account as a last resort.

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this website is still in it's infancy but it is being setup by the CTIA, the testing information came online about a couple of weeks ago and is being added to. They basicly run a controlled data usage test and publish the findings for apps for Apple and Android. Not a lot of apps yet but they will be adding as time goes one. Netflix is especially interesting in data usage

http://www.knowmyapp.org/browse.aspx

[Wild Banchi]

Remember to have your daughter close out active apps she may have been using so that they do not run in the background and eat up her data plan allotment. This can be done by tapping the phone's home button twice, holding an application until it wiggles, and then tapping on the little red circle in the upper left hand corner.

I do this multiple times every day and it has kind of become a routine, even though I don't have to worry about data usage.

[4mygrls]

Thank y'all for all the advise. One of the problems I have with data is also with ATT. Our home internet is att and we keep getting too close to our data cap. I use to keep my cell phone on wifi all the time when at home but I was concerned with data usage on wifi(that is using an android ph and not an iPhone). I am not familiar with how to use an iPhone. I tried one of the options given in a post and clicked on hm button twice. When we did that, all of the pages came up. For whatever reason, it didn't work how i expected it to. As for our plan, we currently have a family plan and it is less expensive for us to stay with the plan we have then to switch to a mobile share plan. The iPhone has a 3gb plan on it. Right now the data plan isn't activated. We have it set up to activate on the 13th of Jan. She can make and receive calls but she can't get online with it yet. I'm thinking my best bet is to take the iPhone to an ATT store and have them show me how to use the phone. I should say show me and my daughter how to use it.

[brainwaver]

If you are trying to close apps out on the 5c it's a little different than the explanation above. Double click the home button and you will get a thumbnail of all your open apps. To close them you swipe your finger upward on each one. To scroll the list of open apps you swipe your finger to the left (or back to the right). Tap an app to open it back up.

[dwill05]

Your home internet has a data cap? The data plan limit on the phone is for data transferred through ATTs cell network, which is separate from wifi.

[sandblaster]

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@dwill05 wrote:
Your home internet has a data cap? The data plan limit on the phone is for data transferred through ATTs cell network, which is separate from wifi.

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Yes, many ISP's impose a data cap. For ATT Uverse, it's 250GB, for DSL its 150GB. Your supposed to get charged $10 for each additional 50GB but I've read reports that it is rarely, if ever, enforced. 

[logo412]

Hi 4mygrls,

You can always go back into any company store and just about anyone there can explain anything about the iPhone to you. You can set up an appoitment online by visiting AT&T Store Locator and finding your local store. This will ensure you don't have a wait when you go in.

If you also have an Apple store close to you, many offer classes weekly that can teach you everything from the bare bones basics, to the most complex features. You can register for these online at Apple's Website by clicking Here

Hope she enjoy's the new phone!

[4mygrls]

Unfortunatly ATT has enforced the data cap and charged us $10 for going over just a little bit. They for sure enforce it with us that's for sure.

[4mygrls]

I understand that there is a difference between celular data and home internet data. Yes we have a data cap on our home internet dsl service via AT&T. It is 150gb. We have reached that limit a few times and come close every month. I have been investigating what is using that much data.

[1melon1]

now im not advertising or anything but i recently got a iphone 5c and after long periods of researchning i came across a app called DataWiz. It sets daily limits based on your plan and notifiies you when you are just abotu done with with the month. Its a very good application and i reccomend it to your daughter