1. Deathcommand's Avatar
    I was very happy to be able to change my data plan on AT&T to the 200 MB plan instead of the 2GB plan and save $10. My data usage has become almost laughable. Just a few months ago, I had an HTC Evo and my last month with it, I had used 8GB of data. Last month with my Bold 9000, 185MB. That's amazing to me. The weird thing is, that I feel like I use my Bold more. I don't know, but I'm happier with my bb and saving some money in the meantime. Just wanted to share.
    YOu have to take into account that you willg et speculation about this.

    you don't really use your 9000 more than your evo becausen you don't use video streaming anymore nearly as often as you did with your evo.

    plus the 8gb is easy to pull off if you are getting wifi data speeds lol
    10-21-10 08:36 AM
  2. dwaynewilliams#WN's Avatar
    YOu have to take into account that you willg et speculation about this.

    you don't really use your 9000 more than your evo becausen you don't use video streaming anymore nearly as often as you did with your evo.

    plus the 8gb is easy to pull off if you are getting wifi data speeds lol
    I'm sorry, I don't follow. Are you saying that I don't use my bb as much as I used my Evo because I don't stream video? When I say USE my BlackBerry, I mean all-around use, not just data, but the entire phone. I use my BB more than I used my Evo. My data usage has gone down considerably since switching because I engage a lot less in multimedia. I have literally replaced my multimedia habits with messaging. It was interesting to me how much a device could dictate my habits. When I owned an iPhone 3GS, I played games on it all the time. But I didn't do a lot of messaging or phone calls on the iphone. When I got my Evo, I watched more videos because of the larger screen so I streamed a lot of YouTube. I streamed Pandora and I downloaded podcasts daily. Now that I can sync iTunes through DM, I don't have to use my phones data to download music and podcasts. I haven't downloaded Pandora because after the OS 5 update, I don't have a lot of application memory left so I have to be picky about what apps I really need on my BB.
    10-21-10 08:51 AM
  3. avt123's Avatar
    I am guessing 4G made you use more data, but 8GB? That is tethering numbers and a lot of it. I also call BS with your claim. I used my BB for browsing half as much as I did on my iPhone and as I do on my Android devices. I did use it for a lot of streaming and I was able to hit 400MB-800MB a month. I only hit 1GB+ a few times. On my Android devices I use around 900MB-2.5GB a month.

    The same usage with both phones and you drop over 7.2GB a month worth of data? That does not sound realistic at all. I know RIM has great data compression but this number range is just absurd.
    10-21-10 08:52 AM
  4. avt123's Avatar
    My data usage has gone down considerably since switching because I engage a lot less in multimedia. I have literally replaced my multimedia habits with messaging. When I got my Evo, I watched more videos because of the larger screen so I streamed a lot of YouTube. I streamed Pandora and I downloaded podcasts daily.
    And this explains a lot. Messaging barely uses any data compared to multimedia. You are replacing one feature set which uses tons of data, with another that does not use much at all.
    10-21-10 08:57 AM
  5. dwaynewilliams#WN's Avatar
    I am guessing 4G made you use more data, but 8GB? That is tethering numbers and a lot of it. I also call BS with your claim. I used my BB for browsing half as much as I did on my iPhone and as I do on my Android devices. I did use it for a lot of streaming and I was able to hit 400MB-800MB a month. I only hit 1GB+ a few times. On my Android devices I use around 900MB-2.5GB a month.

    The same usage with both phones and you drop over 7.2GB a month worth of data? That does not sound realistic at all. I know RIM has great data compression but this number range is just absurd.
    Lol. You didn't read what I had posted. I didn't say that I engaged in the same data intensive activities. I said that I use my bb more (not just data), but overall use. It is possible to use a smartphone a lot without using much data. Before you start shouting "BS" read first. I didn't tether my Evo either. But I did use it as my primary web browser. And with the many widgets that I had going, I used a lot of data. Trust me, I was shocked at how much data I had accummulated. But I actually have heard many reports of others going way over. But I guess I could have anticipated it because I was downloading at least 4 podcasts a day. At around 20MB per podcast, that's a GB and a half just in that. Watching Sprint TV, Pandora, YouTube, general web browsing, and watching flash videos really consumed a lot of data.
    10-21-10 09:01 AM
  6. _StephenBB81's Avatar
    I am guessing 4G made you use more data, but 8GB? That is tethering numbers and a lot of it. I also call BS with your claim. I used my BB for browsing half as much as I did on my iPhone and as I do on my Android devices. I did use it for a lot of streaming and I was able to hit 400MB-800MB a month. I only hit 1GB+ a few times. On my Android devices I use around 900MB-2.5GB a month.

    The same usage with both phones and you drop over 7.2GB a month worth of data? That does not sound realistic at all. I know RIM has great data compression but this number range is just absurd.

    he isn't doing the same Usage at all,
    He is USING the device more, but his usage has shifted dramatically.
    He has moved from being a Media driven user to a message driven user, so 10 minutes of streaming video is approx 30MB of data, 10 minutes of BBMing is probably less than 30k of data, or 1000 times less data in the same amount of time, but device usage stays the same.

    He admits to using his browser less, and as I gave numbers for, a Android user is more likely to load a full HTML page, vs a WAP site, that alone over the course of a month can dictate 5x the data usage, with moderate use, and it only grows exponentially the more media driven the sites you visit are.

    I do not take this as an account as to BB having amazing compression, but as to how your usage can change based on a device you own, and you still will have satisfaction as to your usage, clearly moving from Apple to Android caused the shift from gaming to Media streaming, and the shift from Android to Blackberry cause a shift from Media Streaming to Messaging, all 3 past times are more than acceptable ways of using phones and show off strengths.

    THIS might be something a person concerned about data plans might be interested in if the costs are too high with their Android phone and they just can't keep it under control, they could move to a Blackberry and see usage change not just due to data compression but the nature of the device strengths.
    10-21-10 09:03 AM
  7. avt123's Avatar
    Lol. You didn't read what I had posted. I didn't say that I engaged in the same data intensive activities. I said that I use my bb more (not just data), but overall use. It is possible to use a smartphone a lot without using much data. Before you start shouting "BS" read first. I didn't tether my Evo either. But I did use it as my primary web browser. And with the many widgets that I had going, I used a lot of data. Trust me, I was shocked at how much data I had accummulated. But I actually have heard many reports of others going way over. But I guess I could have anticipated it because I was downloading at least 4 podcasts a day. At around 20MB per podcast, that's a GB and a half just in that. Watching Sprint TV, Pandora, YouTube, general web browsing, and watching flash videos really consumed a lot of data.
    And if you read my second post, I saw your explanation and said that makes more sense. And actually your podcasts were using over 2GB (close to 2.5GB) a month if you were downloading 4 a day at 20MB. That is still a ton of data even with those numbers, but I guess Sprint TV uses a ton of data as well. Streaming Pandora never caused my data to go up dramatically, and I use to stream it for almost a full workday every day. Same goes for youtube and browsing. Flash does increase data, but only significantly if you play flash games for hours.

    I guess I can see it happening, but I know people who tether as their main source of internet and they maybe reach a little more than half the amount your achieved on the Evo. Maybe it's the WiMax?
    10-21-10 09:14 AM
  8. dwaynewilliams#WN's Avatar
    And if you read my second post, I saw your explanation and said that makes more sense. And actually your podcasts were using over 2GB (close to 2.5GB) a month if you were downloading 4 a day at 20MB. That is still a ton of data even with those numbers, but I guess Sprint TV uses a ton of data as well. Streaming Pandora never caused my data to go up dramatically, and I use to stream it for almost a full workday every day. Same goes for youtube and browsing. Flash does increase data, but only significantly if you play flash games for hours.

    I guess I can see it happening, but I know people who tether as their main source of internet and they maybe reach a little more than half the amount your achieved on the Evo. Maybe it's the WiMax?
    Could have been. WiMax is overflowing here in Chicago.
    10-21-10 09:16 AM
  9. avt123's Avatar
    he isn't doing the same Usage at all
    Yes I see this. My first response was to the first post in this thread. The post above mine I read where he explained what he was using the most. My second response after the one you quoted shows my acknowledgement towards that.
    10-21-10 09:17 AM
  10. avt123's Avatar
    Could have been. WiMax is overflowing here in Chicago.
    I am almost more surprised that you were able to keep a charge while doing all this.. With that intense of multimedia use and being connected to WiMax, you must of barely been getting 3-4 hours out of your device.
    10-21-10 09:19 AM
  11. _StephenBB81's Avatar
    Yes I see this. My first response was to the first post in this thread. The post above mine I read where he explained what he was using the most. My second response after the one you quoted shows my acknowledgement towards that.
    Sorry I was typing while you were giving your second reply
    10-21-10 09:25 AM
  12. avt123's Avatar
    Sorry I was typing while you were giving your second reply
    lol it's all good.
    10-21-10 09:27 AM
  13. dwaynewilliams#WN's Avatar
    I am almost more surprised that you were able to keep a charge while doing all this.. With that intense of multimedia use and being connected to WiMax, you must of barely been getting 3-4 hours out of your device.
    Very perceptive, that's one of the reasons why I switched to a BB. I couldn't use my phone for entertainment and last on one charge for the day. Either I would just drain the battery using it and recharge it (would do this several times a day) or I would have to not use the multimedia features. Unfortunately, when the Evo stops being a multimedia powerhouse and becomes strictly used for phone calls, messaging, and PIM, it can be very frustrating.
    10-21-10 09:28 AM
  14. Dinadivas's Avatar
    here in available Unlimited Bb service for me.."
    but I new User of Android, and I apply 5 gb for my Galaxy
    Comparing the price, For bb Unlimited
    and For 5gb limited data Of my android I Pay with equal price
    i think BB cheaper than android

    till now I dont know what to do with my galaxy, others than browsing
    because the signal faster than my bb,
    but I dont know How much Bandwith i spend for it
    10-21-10 09:29 AM
  15. cbird808's Avatar
    I had the same experience, but in reverse. I had a BB9700 and couldn't ever crack 200mb of data usage. I bought myself a MyTouch 4g for xmas. From Dec 22- Jan 8 i used 4.8 GB of data. I was on vacation, and out of cell range alot. In the past week, Jan 9-present, I've used over 5gb of data.

    My usage has not changed. I tethered my BB, and used it as my primary internet connection for my computer. I used pandora, rhapsody, etc. I'd stream a few tv shows each week, I get a lot of attachments in my emails from work. The most I ever used was 200MB on a month when I didn't use an internet connection at work.

    I tether the MyTouch, but have been using my work's wireless for my computer. I don't get how I'm using so much more. I don't surf any more than usual. I have not used the GPS navigation. I do use the Dragon Dictation for text messages and my calendar. I suspect that it's background android BS that using the bandwidth. My calendar on my blackberry didn't sync over the internet. Im wondering if the blackberry email doesn't count towards your data usage?

    To solve this mystery, I downloaded an app that keeps track of how much data each program is using. I've already identified some culprits. Amazon MP3 store, Stocks, and other programs I've never used that came installed on the phone are using data. I can't uninstall them, grrr. I'll update this when I find out more.


    Jan 8-16: 5gb
    Dec 2010: 4.8gb *bought MT4G
    Nov 2010: 170MB
    Oct 2010: 170MB
    Sep 2010: 170MB

    You get the idea
    01-17-11 02:41 PM
  16. iN8ter's Avatar
    It is easy to USE the device more, but Not use as much data as usage will change,

    With a BB you'll use WAP sites, with the EVO you'd use full HTML sites, that is a difference between 70k-150k sites and 500k-1.2Mb sites ( the average difference I have noticed on my PC browser when changing,

    so assume one loads a single site 5 times a day by 30 days

    150k = 750k = 22.5Mb
    1.2m = 6Mb = 180Mb
    with Website usage alone removing any compression that BB might do you could quickly have a MAJOR change in data usage doing the same things in different methods.

    Also with the ease of use, and amount of use BBM brings almost instantly one could easily be spending 1-2 extra hours a day BBMing compressed data, over IMing non compressed data over gtalk or MSN.

    now I'll admit I don't surf on Media intensive sites on my BB because of the screen resolution, where if I had a Android or iPhone I probably would, and that would effect my data, but I can see that when I am at my notebook I wouldn't pick up my Android/iPhone, but I am always picking up my BB to blast out a quick email or BBM because I can do it faster, or only way to do it is from my BB. which increases my TIME usage.


    I would really love someone who runs both a BB and a Android to do a real test and check data consumption

    Visit all the same sites
    When a BBM is sent, send a gtalk message
    read all the emails twice
    alternate sending emails.

    it would really be interesting to see if the compression is really that much for day to day tasks
    The data size and compression is not a big factor. The big factor is simple. Blackberries just aren't that good for consuming media as Android devices. That's why there is such drastic differences in data uses.

    There's no way you're using the BB more if you're just using it for PIM data. Sorry, what do you do, take 30 minutes to input appointment details? That's not possible. Maybe if you're BBMing 24/7, but for most tasks the Android can completely replace the Blackberry and that's why the usage difference is there.

    I have trouble believing anyone would use Google Talk/Contacts/Calendar on a BB when they have an Evo, much less YouTube or any decent media site, anything with Flash Games/Video on it. Even Facebook and Twitter, most people would opt to use the Android.

    Even accounting for Compression and background data it is improbable that the Android would use more than 1GB data more over a month compared to the Blackberry if they were both used in the same way. In order to use 7GB+ more data on one device, you have to be neglecting the other one.

    It's easy to say "I sent more SMS/MMS/BBMs and looked at more emails on my BB," but that doesn't mean you have used it more and looking at an email on either device does not consume data. By the time you know the email is there, the it's already been downloaded.

    The 1-2 hours that person spent BBMing compressed data was obviously steamrolled by the 10-20 extra hours they spend watching YouTube videos, which stream High Quality (HQ) by default on most modern Android devices.

    Also, I'm not sure how long Sprint will be able to keep up the Unlimited WiMax with the way so many people are abusing their network - as if it is a home internet connection. I've seen screenshots on Sprint's Facebook of people using 10-12GB+ data in a month. The coverage is already bad enough, and the speeds are already quite lackluster, probably because everyone is spending all day streaming netflix, youtube, and tethering laptops.
    Last edited by N8ter; 01-17-11 at 03:21 PM.
    01-17-11 03:17 PM
  17. _StephenBB81's Avatar
    The data size and compression is not a big factor. The big factor is simple. Blackberries just aren't that good for consuming media as Android devices. That's why there is such drastic differences in data uses.

    There's no way you're using the BB more if you're just using it for PIM data. Sorry, what do you do, take 30 minutes to input appointment details? That's not possible. Maybe if you're BBMing 24/7, but for most tasks the Android can completely replace the Blackberry and that's why the usage difference is there.

    I have trouble believing anyone would use Google Talk/Contacts/Calendar on a BB when they have an Evo, much less YouTube or any decent media site, anything with Flash Games/Video on it. Even Facebook and Twitter, most people would opt to use the Android.

    Even accounting for Compression and background data it is improbable that the Android would use more than 1GB data more over a month compared to the Blackberry if they were both used in the same way. In order to use 7GB+ more data on one device, you have to be neglecting the other one.

    It's easy to say "I sent more SMS/MMS/BBMs and looked at more emails on my BB," but that doesn't mean you have used it more and looking at an email on either device does not consume data. By the time you know the email is there, the it's already been downloaded.

    The 1-2 hours that person spent BBMing compressed data was obviously steamrolled by the 10-20 extra hours they spend watching YouTube videos, which stream High Quality (HQ) by default on most modern Android devices.

    Also, I'm not sure how long Sprint will be able to keep up the Unlimited WiMax with the way so many people are abusing their network - as if it is a home internet connection. I've seen screenshots on Sprint's Facebook of people using 10-12GB+ data in a month. The coverage is already bad enough, and the speeds are already quite lackluster, probably because everyone is spending all day streaming netflix, youtube, and tethering laptops.
    Did you actually Read what I wrote? or go strait to the offensive?

    I my data volumes actually were taken from MY PC not from a mobile phone so no compression was involved at all. the difference in data was from using Full HTML vs WAP sites.

    I agree for the most part a Blackberry isn't as good at consuming media as an Android phone, I don't recall saying it was.

    and it is easy for me to use my BB more than it is for me to use an Android, I punch out emails on my BB even while sitting at a computer because of autotext, and the intuitive nature of the BB, on a touch screen phone without AutoText I would not use the phone, my day is not spent consuming media, I punch out 100+ emails a day and receive as many, I spend the day with BBM, so I AM USING the device more, but I am not consuming data,

    USING a device is just that using it, watching a movie, or typing an email if both take 1 hour, the usage is the same. I can say again I'd never be picking up a 4" screen to watch a movie when I have a laptop around, and not everyone uses Youtube, on weekends when I'm not working I bet I consume less than 15 minutes of Youtube all weekend, and that is with a PC, this post just feels like an argument for no sake of an Argument.
    01-17-11 03:34 PM
  18. iN8ter's Avatar
    I'm not on the offensive. Why are you defensive?

    I know tone is hard to decipher on a forum sometimes, but I thought you were a bit more intelligent.
    01-17-11 04:18 PM
  19. _StephenBB81's Avatar
    I'm not on the offensive. Why are you defensive?

    I know tone is hard to decipher on a forum sometimes, but I thought you were a bit more intelligent.
    you said
    "There's no way you're using the BB more if you're just using it for PIM data."

    that was what I took as offensive,
    in which I replied.
    01-17-11 07:26 PM
  20. BigBadWulf's Avatar
    I think the PIM was a valid point. Unless you send out hundreds of emails a day, all containing huge attachments, there's no way the data use will be high.

    I disagree that BlackBerries are that much the inferior media device. I don't tether, or stream using Pandora or the like, and have used 4.16GB so far, on a billing cycle ending 2/2.

    I think the potential causes have been covered well. Some things can be pointed to as hard cold fact, like an app that's open or weaker signal, while some of it is playing with a new toy.
    01-17-11 09:04 PM
  21. cbird808's Avatar
    I just watched one 20 minute sitcom on my laptop tethered to the MT4G. 150mb transmitted, 150 mb received. That's 300mb total, and 100 mb more than I ever saw on a monthly bill when I was using the BB9700. FWIW, this was being throttled down by tmobile because I've exceeded the 5gb threshold. i'm gonna watch a 40 minute show next, I guess that's gonna be 600mb of data, bringing me close to 1gb for the night

    I had the same experience, but in reverse. I had a BB9700 and couldn't ever crack 200mb of data usage. I bought myself a MyTouch 4g for xmas. From Dec 22- Jan 8 i used 4.8 GB of data. I was on vacation, and out of cell range alot. In the past week, Jan 9-present, I've used over 5gb of data.

    My usage has not changed. I tethered my BB, and used it as my primary internet connection for my computer. I used pandora, rhapsody, etc. I'd stream a few tv shows each week, I get a lot of attachments in my emails from work. The most I ever used was 200MB on a month when I didn't use an internet connection at work.

    I tether the MyTouch, but have been using my work's wireless for my computer. I don't get how I'm using so much more. I don't surf any more than usual. I have not used the GPS navigation. I do use the Dragon Dictation for text messages and my calendar. I suspect that it's background android BS that using the bandwidth. My calendar on my blackberry didn't sync over the internet. Im wondering if the blackberry email doesn't count towards your data usage?

    To solve this mystery, I downloaded an app that keeps track of how much data each program is using. I've already identified some culprits. Amazon MP3 store, Stocks, and other programs I've never used that came installed on the phone are using data. I can't uninstall them, grrr. I'll update this when I find out more.


    Jan 8-16: 5gb
    Dec 2010: 4.8gb *bought MT4G
    Nov 2010: 170MB
    Oct 2010: 170MB
    Sep 2010: 170MB

    You get the idea
    01-18-11 02:11 AM
  22. Rootbrian's Avatar
    Obviously the bb uses less data. My two cents. 181MB/month or less at 45MB/month for me, more than that if an internet outage occurs or I'm not at a wifi area.

    Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com
    01-18-11 06:01 AM
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