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posted by CoolHand on Monday December 28 2015, @07:56PM   Printer-friendly
from the helpful-tips dept.

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/12/17/technology/personaltech/how-to-track-data-use-and-choose-the-right-smartphone-plan.html

I looked into a number of different approaches for calculating cellular data use. Each of the big American carriers offers an app or web tool for monitoring data consumption. But I recommend against those solutions because in my testing, they were generally time-consuming or poorly designed.

Instead, the quickest way to monitor your data use is by simply using your phone. Each carrier has a hidden code that you can punch into your phone to get an update on data use.

For AT&T subscribers, the method is simple. You place a phone call to *DATA# (*3282#). AT&T will send a text message showing the amount of megabytes you have used out of your monthly allotment. It showed that so far this month I have used 464 megabytes out of 3 gigabytes.

[...] Similarly, Sprint customers can send a text message containing the word "Usage" to the number 1311 and get a text message with a data report. T-Mobile subscribers can place a call to #WEB# (#932#) to receive a quick data summary.


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  • (Score: 3, Insightful) by jmorris on Monday December 28 2015, @08:38PM

    by jmorris (4844) on Monday December 28 2015, @08:38PM (#281828)

    Everybody does know the handset itself can tell you how much data you have consumed. Plus it will tie the usage to the app that generated it so you can identify the hogs and throttle/uninstall them. (Assuming the iFruit stuff is as functional as the Google based ones.) The carrier's number is also useful though since is is aware of and thus expressed in terms of their billing cycles.

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  • (Score: 3, Informative) by frojack on Monday December 28 2015, @09:46PM

    by frojack (1554) on Monday December 28 2015, @09:46PM (#281868) Journal

    Exactly.
    Android has this in every version since inception. On any current version it is in settings under More...

    And it is more accurate than the text message sent from AT&T, which is always a day or two late.

    Further you can set warning limits in that same place and be warned before you go over.
    All you need do is set your billing Month end day to have it know when your new allotment of data is available.

    It also tracks your WIFI and talk Minutes, although most plans in the US these days don't limit those.

    While the article might help the first time smartphone user, its sort of wrong headed.

    --
    No, you are mistaken. I've always had this sig.
  • (Score: 1, Interesting) by Anonymous Coward on Monday December 28 2015, @09:55PM

    by Anonymous Coward on Monday December 28 2015, @09:55PM (#281873)

    This does not work as well if you commonly mooch from WiFi hotspots.

    My own cellular hot-spot forgets the data usage every time I power it down :P

    • (Score: 2) by Nerdfest on Tuesday December 29 2015, @01:22AM

      by Nerdfest (80) on Tuesday December 29 2015, @01:22AM (#281928)

      The data counters in Android handle this perfectly. I tend to be on hotspots most of the day and mobile just when out or in transit from work. It's always been exceptionally accurate from what I can tell.

      • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday December 29 2015, @03:12AM

        by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday December 29 2015, @03:12AM (#281953)

        I meant that I never turn on the cellular radio.

        So I have a situation where some of the bits are metered, while others are not (or metered as a much lower rate). These are all blended together in the same chart.

  • (Score: 1) by esperto123 on Tuesday December 29 2015, @12:36PM

    by esperto123 (4303) on Tuesday December 29 2015, @12:36PM (#282037)

    I come to say the same. This is a no issue, it is easly accessible on every phone (also assuming aPple has it) and is just a matter of people not knowing all the setting menus of their device.

    Said that, I also have an app from my carrier in Brazil and noticed a small difference between what the phone tells me and what the carrier says I've used. furtunately the carrier one is lower, so not a problem.