thinking of getting iphone but what is and how does data plan work?

[largefruit501]

like if i download the facebook app and check my messages and notification several times a day is that data? i wont be downloading music or movies or doing any streaming also. I would just like it for simple things like checking facebook using instagram, checking email etc. i never had a smartphone i have some money saved now so i want one getting tired using still using a filp phone lol.
so if i use the facebook app it is using data?

[Android Core]

data is..... internet, downloading, uploading... downloading apps, social networking apps and websites (facebook, twitter, myspace, linkin, tumblr, foursquare), streaming AM/FM/XM and internet radios and podcasts, vide streaming like youtube or netflix, internet pic sharing (like instagram or twitpic or facebook)

90% of apps use data is some way or fashion... hence the mandatory data plan on iphone and android

[Cameron]

Yes, using the Facebook app is using data, unless you're connected to Wifi. Look at it this way: if your service gets cut off, and you don't have wifi, what can you use? What apps can you use? The ones you can use don't use data. The ones you can't, do. (Other than calling and texting obviously, which don't use data).


How do data plans work? Well it depends on your service provider. I have Verizon. I've had Verizon since April (almost a year now!). I love it. I have unlimited data because I signed a two year contract with them before they got rid of unlimited data. You can buy data by the MBs or GBs (megabytes and gigabytes). It depends on how much data you use. If you check your Facebook, Instagram, Email, Twitter, and surf the internet quite a lot, I'm going to tell you to get as much data as you can. The more data you purchase, the more expensive it'll be. For example: AT&T. 200 MB of Data is $15 a month. 2G is $25 a month. Etc. According to AT&T, the "average" user doesn't go over 2G of data a month. I've gone over 2G of data quite a few months and I always have my MacBook Pro with me, so I use the internet on my cellphone lightly.

If you're getting an iPhone with Sprint, they have an unlimited data plan. So you won't have to worry there.


But, like I said, it all depends on how much data you use, how much money you have to spend monthly, and if you'll be in places with wifi more often than not. I don't know if AT&T still has it but about a year ago, they had a data calculator on their website (att.com), and you would choose how often you did certain things and it'd tell you how much data you're likely to use monthly and which data plan you could buy.

If you have any other questions, call up your service provider and ask them. They'll definitely help you out and tell you which would be the best plan for you. Good luck and welcome to the iPhone world