100mb data for 20 bucks a month?

[njlmx6]

So, i just got my iPhone activated with ATT as a prepaid phone (clean SIM, different IMEI during activation, etc.). Its working just fine, getting good reception, and I get WiFi at home no problem, but id like to use mobile web when not in a wifi area (work, for instance). The only data package i can add is 100mb/month for 19.95. How much use is this? i really wont be using a whole lot...MMi, facebook, local news app, those sorts of things...reading a news story or two here and there. Also, i do get PUSH notifications(ESPN,facebook, etc.) Second question, when PUSH notifications are enabled, and youre out of a wifi zone, do the push alerts use continuous mobile web to stay in touch? I know i should do it the right way and have it on a normal account, but things happen so i must do this. I can live without the data, but if 100mb will get me through for a month of "casual browsing" ill gladly pay the 20 bucks to get it.

[i.Annie]

I personally think $20 is a ripoff for only 100MB. but I guess that's what they provide for prepaid.

I can't give you exact numbers but I can tell you how much I use. I average about 30-50MB a day and I use my phone all day (this counts for the days I don't have WIFI access). I am on MMi a lot going thru posts so I load probably 50-100 pages a day. Some include pictures too which can be about 1MB per pic. I use Facebook mobile, browse the app store, watch 2-3 YouTube videos a day, download apps, etc. If you take all those out and only consider browsing the web, I'd say you'd probably use maybe 5-10MB a day.

My friend on Verizon with an LG Dare just surfs the web like Craigslist or chatrooms or sports news, he used about 25MB in 3 days. So he averaged 8MB a day (he is probably online 1-2 hours a day tops (closer to 1 hour).

So let's say you're like him, using about 5-8MB a day, you'd run out in about 12-20 days assuming you use it daily. 12 days for 8MB daily and 20 days for 5MB daily. And everything else in between.

Hope that gives you a better idea. Watching YouTube vids and downloading apps should be avoided of course. YT can use up A LOT of data and so can web pages with lots of pictures.

[njlmx6]

Wow great info thanks so much. I might be able to sneak by with the 100. I don't ever use YouTube on my phone, and I'm not jailbroken (4.1) so my app browsing is pretty limited. I guess I'm going to add it for a month and see. If I use it up real quick I'll just remove the data service. I guess prepaid might work slightly in my favor since I can't be locked to the cost every month. Thanks a bunch!

[Cer0]

Only 50-100 loads a day for Annie? I would have guessed higher with as much help and tips you put in.


I do light browsing but I am mostly around wifi. I only use about 150mb a month.