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Question about 3g usage

jen3247

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My sister has an ipad1 3g wifi. Where she lives tho she has no wifi so it is 3g only. With it set on 3g is it using up her allotted 'time' continually? Does she have to shut it completely off to avoid using up her time.
Or does it only use up time if she is on the internet or playing an internet based game.
My ipad is always on wifi so I don't understand 3g usage at all.
Thanks for any help.
 

imjune

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So ur internet (3g) plan is a "time based" I assume, which mean u have to pay for how many hours that u use the internet. As for ipad (also for iphone and other smartphone that i know), the internet (3g) is on all the time, because there're some background services that need the connection such as mail, update services, etc. So even if u don't use it for browsing, it's still running. But u can turn the 3g usage on and off in the setting. Turn off when u dont use it, and on whenever needed. Saves data usage and saves battery as well.
 

leelai

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Internet is usually not counted time wise but by data usage over a set period of time. She could be using 3G without even realizing it.

How does she have her email set up, if she has it on Push her iPad would be continually connecting even in sleep mode. She can go to Settings - Mail, Contacts and Calendars - Fetch New Data and turn Push off here and set Fetch to Manually. Does she have any other Push Notifications on? Also tell her to close Safari completely as web pages could be automatically refreshing themselves. To ensure she is not using 3G go to Settings - Cellular Data and turn it off here.
Another way is to go to Settings - Airplane Mode and turn this On the difference being I've heard that the GPS and wifi also get turned off this way. Others may know more but I believe this will help her.
 

MattIM

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leelai said:
.....Another way is to go to Settings - Airplane Mode and turn this On the difference being I've heard that the GPS and wifi also get turned off this way. Others may know more but I believe this will help her.

Airplane mode is my preferred way. It is just one step in settings. Whereas turning off cellular is a two step process. The difference between the two? Airplane mode turns all connectivity off. Whereas turning off cellular does not stop wifi connectivity--which is a moot point if you don't have wifi access.
 

SouthernDad

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My DD9's iPhone was burning through her data plan. It turned out that many apps receive data even when not on due to push technology. I bumped her up to the 2 GB plan.

I still see tons of usage each night when I know she is sleeping and the iPhone is charging. My iPad is on a grandfathered unlimited plan so I've never been able to see my data usage.

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD
 

mdholm

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SouthernDad said:
My DD9's iPhone was burning through her data plan. It turned out that many apps receive data even when not on due to push technology. I bumped her up to the 2 GB plan.

I still see tons of usage each night when I know she is sleeping and the iPhone is charging. My iPad is on a grandfathered unlimited plan so I've never been able to see my data usage.

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

You should still see you data usage; I did when I had a grandfathered unlimited plan.

Use the my AT&T app, or go online and view it on your account.

Of course, this is assuming you have AT&T.
 

SouthernDad

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I'm not able to see it. The unlimited just shows unlimited. I can reset the data counter and use that or I can call but it doesn't show on the account. Since the iPad Unlimited Plan isn't subject to throttling like my iPhone Unlimited is, I don't worry about it much.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD
 

mdholm

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SouthernDad said:
I'm not able to see it. The unlimited just shows unlimited. I can reset the data counter and use that or I can call but it doesn't show on the account. Since the iPad Unlimited Plan isn't subject to throttling like my iPhone Unlimited is, I don't worry about it much.

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

Oh, never mind. I was thinking iPhone, not iPad.
 

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