mobile phone data usage?

[Terra]

I'm thinking of getting a smartphone as I want to be able to use facebook app wherever I go. I want to stay with Virgin so I can use my existing sim card and not have to change mobile number. I only want pay as you go and I have to top up £15 a month to get 1GB data usage, with the £10 a month tariff I don't get any at all. I'm new to all this, does using the apps like facebook use up the data? If I just top up with £10 a month can I still use things like facebook like will it just use up the phone credit instead? And how much does it use up. If someone can explain how all this works I would really appreciate it

[Luke]

You'll need an Internet data allowance in order to use a Facebook app on your phone. So it looks like you may just have to top up £15 a month.

[Chris Duffy]

Yes, I am sorry but the facebook app will use data. Basically anything that needs to use the internet will use up data, facebook, twitter, google, youtube ect. I can't tell you how much data it will use up because I don't know how often you'll use Facebook ect. or what type of phone you'll but as the app and therefore the data usage can vary between phones. However I can tell you that 1GB of data would most likely be more than enough data as that really is quite a lot and taking into account you'll be able to connect your phone to wifi networks if you want then when you are on those you won't be using your data allowance.

If I were you I would think about calling virgin or going into the store and explain that you want to get a smartphone of some sort and tell them how much you want to pay for the phone, how much you want to pay monthly for calls, texts and data, and tell them what you plan on using the phone for. They should be able to help you find the phone and tariff for you in your price bracket, but certainly the pay as you go option does sound quite good from how you describe it and I personally would be inclined to look very seriously at it.

[Mehedi Hasan]

I didn't understand the details fully but maybe you want to whether the facebook app will use data or credit..if that's the question then the answer is :- If you're using a data package any internet related app will use the data not the credit.apps will start using credit only if you use up all the data of you package.