1GB 3G Data Plan

[Michael Alan Goff]

For average web browsing (Facebook games, some youtube, reading blogs, etc), just about how will my 3G fare me?

 

[wmoor004]

1g will do... You can always start with 3g and down grade.

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[DarkSorrow]

The 3GB is a good start. Much better to be safe than sorry.

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[JediJesus95]

I use the 1 gb limit now and I'm constantly monitoring my usage. I will probably jump up to the 3 gb real soon just so I don't have to worry about going over.

 

[nikolasmason]

I had to jump to 3GB because my 1GB was getting dangerously close to running out every month. All I did was use the web browser for forums/Facebook, Pulse for news, and Trillian to IM. Still ran out of data. I'd say go for the 3GB so you don't have to worry.

 

[jnewell]

Depends on your use. I don't think I'm a heavy user and I was > 1GB/week.

 

[slwerner]

The 3GB is a good start. Much better to be safe than sorry.

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I debated (with myself) 1 vs 3 GB, and decided that I'd try 3GB first (expecting to download more apps in the first month), but I've found that after my first partial month (feb28-march 15), that I've been using well over 1 GB a month - 2.8 last cycle and already 2 GB this cycle with 8 days left. (Verizon Tablet app makes monitoring easy with a desktop widget displaying a usage meter)

What I've found is, free from having to worry about the 1 GB limit, I feel free to use my Xoom much more in places where I don't have WiFi access. Based on my actual usage thus far, it seems like even a 2 GB plan would have forced me to curtail my use a bit.

Instead, I also feel like trying to use it more, just to try to use nearly all of my 3 GB that I'm paying for. The extra $15, well that's like 3 Starbucks venti drinks. A small price for the freedom to use my Xoom as much as I like, where ever I like.

 

[Michael Alan Goff]

Thanks everybody.

I'll go for the 3GB per month, which will help me out a lot when I'm not around some sort of WiFi. That's all I'm planning on getting 3G for anyway (since it seems to happen a lot more than I thought that I'm unable to get a wifi signal).

Right now my internet use is:
3 Facebook games
1 RPG Forum
ConceivablyTech
GMail
Lots of ZDnet
Some youtube

 

[jnewell]

I debated (with myself) 1 vs 3 GB, and decided that I'd try 3GB first (expecting to download more apps in the first month), but I've found that after my first partial month (feb28-march 15), that I've been using well over 1 GB a month - 2.8 last cycle and already 2 GB this cycle with 8 days left. (Verizon Tablet app makes monitoring easy with a desktop widget displaying a usage meter)

What I've found is, free from having to worry about the 1 GB limit, I feel free to use my Xoom much more in places where I don't have WiFi access. Based on my actual usage thus far, it seems like even a 2 GB plan would have forced me to curtail my use a bit.

Instead, I also feel like trying to use it more, just to try to use nearly all of my 3 GB that I'm paying for. The extra $15, well that's like 3 Starbucks venti drinks. A small price for the freedom to use my Xoom as much as I like, where ever I like.

That is an excellent point. If you are constantly trying to AVOID using data, or to minimize using data, you're just not going to enjoy the experience - my opinion, anyway. However, performance on wifi is outstanding, so if you are in a location (like your home) where you have good wifi access, just switch off the 3G radio and hook up via wifi. It's very easy and fast on the Xoom.

 

[Michael Alan Goff]

[/B]

That is an excellent point. If you are constantly trying to AVOID using data, or to minimize using data, you're just not going to enjoy the experience - my opinion, anyway. However, performance on wifi is outstanding, so if you are in a location (like your home) where you have good wifi access, just switch off the 3G radio and hook up via wifi. It's very easy and fast on the Xoom.

I wouldn't be able to use 3G through even HALF of my monthly experience, mainly because I am an unemployed College Student. I'm realizing that this would be my awesome backup plan. Heck, I don't even know what it would take for the average youtube video to load. I know they can download (using Opera) at anywhere between 10 and 150MB, depending on the resolution.

But back to telling you all how this is my backup plan. The WiFi around my sister's apartment (where I am living) is prone to sucking and dying at times.

 

[anon(49433)]

if you go over your plan they'll just give you another gig for what is it, 10? 15? dollars. I started the 3gig plan thinking it was new and I'd use it more. Didn't even use 1 gig in that month. So I bumped it down. I'd rather pay for the 1 gig plan every month and not worry about if I do go over sometimes, it'll still be cheaper in the long run - as long as I don't go over EVERY month.

 

[Michael Alan Goff]

if you go over your plan they'll just give you another gig for what is it, 10? 15? dollars. I started the 3gig plan thinking it was new and I'd use it more. Didn't even use 1 gig in that month. So I bumped it down. I'd rather pay for the 1 gig plan every month and not worry about if I do go over sometimes, it'll still be cheaper in the long run - as long as I don't go over EVERY month.

It's 20$ extra per GB with the 20$ version.

 

[SongbirdVB]

My first month I used <1GB so I downgraded to the $20 plan. Now we shall see what happens this month. Most of the time I have access to WiFi, but I might have to upgrade over the summer. It depends on how much time we spend at the lake with no computer service at all. I plan to keep a close eye on my usage which will be much easier now that I have dl the Verizon app. Thanks slwerner!

 

[REHolt218]

I have never used more than .5gig even though we had no power anywhere in the county I live in for a week. I used 3g exclusively for the whole week to check mail, update programs, track storms on radar, visit several forums that I keep up with, google maps for driving directions and keep up with news.

In the first two months I used even less even though I worried about if 1gig would be enough. Seems I am around a wifi connection more than I expected.

 

[CSI Guy]

Do you have to switch off the 3G when you are using wifi? I thought that the Xoom would automatically switch to wifi and your data would not be going over 3G. I use wifi at home and never turn off the 3G.

 

[slwerner]

Do you have to switch off the 3G when you are using wifi? I thought that the Xoom would automatically switch to wifi and your data would not be going over 3G. I use wifi at home and never turn off the 3G.

The Xoom, like most any other Android device (I know it's true of my Droid X), does a very nice job of switching to WiFi whenever it's available. The Xoom is nice in that the icon at the lower right will show you by which mode it is currently communicating.

A couple of weeks ago, something went wrong with my NetGear WNDR3400 router, causing it to stop communicating. I wouldn't have realized that it was having a problem, except that my zoom was displaying the 3G icon, and when I tried to manually switch to WiFi, it indicated that my home network as "out of range".

 

[qnet]

For some reason 3G is very slow in my home so, I'm always on wi-fi. I only use 3G when I'm out and, have never come close to my 3GB limit. The only reason I don't downgrade is because, I get a discount through my job for the 3GB plan, which makes it not much more than having a 1GB plan. Whenever LTE is finally available for the Xoom I'll probably burn through it quicker.

 

[DarkSorrow]

I agree. The Xoom does a good job switching between wifi and 3g. Almost to good lol. It was bugging me that there was free wifi in the hospital where I'm at now visiting lol.

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