This side-aspect keeps raising its head in this thread, so I'll throw in this comment: According to AT&T, if you use up your 250 MB under the $14.99 plan, you cannot UPGRADE to the unlimited plan for an incremental $15.00, but you have to re-subscribe @ the full $29.99 for 1 month unlimited service... "Change" in this case means "change one's ongoing subscription for the next month" and NOT "change one's current plan." Some reviewers left the impression that AT&T would let you start for the month in the cheaper plan and simply jump into the unlimited plan if it proved necessary, but this is not the case, per AT&T!!! Beware - Better to shell out $29.99 up front than to pay $14.99 and then turn around and have to pay an additional $29.99 a few days later.
The previous poster is correct. My son used 250mb's an then was prompted to either purchase another 250mb's or purchase the unlimited plan for the next thirty days. I too was under the impression you would be able to upgrade to the unlimited plan if you used up the first 250 within a month. Oh well, the unlimited for $30 is a great plan. I have only used 19 mbs in eight days so I think I will be fine with the smaller plan. Good luck!
i think the 250meg plan was with iphones in mind (plenty of data) but having said that, its more of a "companion" plan for people with lots of access to wifi rather then roadies and nomadics
250 works fine if you watch a a few things. Many websites are loaded with images that insist on downloading. I found myself stopping safari from loading a web page any further if I can see the article I was wanting to read. This way I stop all the extra junk from loading that is eating up my data plan.
also, I have turned off all automatic checking of information, all of my mail app is on manual. Since I am using 3G at work, I really only need to checking for my emial during my breaks between meetings anyways.
The other thing I do is turn off 3G when I get home, that way if my old house is blocking the wifi signal, I get an error message, it doesn't switch to 3G unexpectantly and use up my data plan.
I am using numbers for iPad to figure out my usage, and predicted duration. Right now I can most likely stretch it to more than 15 calendar days, which if that is so, then I will save money by just signing up for another 250mb than going for unlimited. Only if I use my 250 under 15 days will I need to go unlimited.
I signed up for the unlimited this first month and glad I did. I am over 300megs and its only been
about a week. Remember downloading and updating apps uses some of this too.
To the person above, cmon you have an iPad, thats no way to use it. Spend the other $15 and use
it like it should be. :> You probably also not getting any push notifications either making many apps
useless.
You can also check your actual usage in the settings so you dont need to guess.
Most of my web browsing gets done after work at home, and personal email isn't done at work. That leaves.... Hmmmm let me see... Oh yeah, at home, since I don't browse in the car in traffic on my 45 minute drive home. 🙂
Push notification? I nor my wife are into any social type apps. Neither of us does any of it.
Neither of us text, we email.
Not into the mmorp games or ...
need to get instant notifications that my sports team just lost or made a trade.
So we don't have a single app that requires push. Completely turned off.
Plus it's hard enough jsjtifying the iPhone data cost, adding to it now for the iPad? Hard sale sir, hard sale.
I got the unlimited monthly plan from day one. Here is my thought process, instead of thinking what 250mb will get you, why not think what the $15 bucks extra gonna get you? I am pretty sure 99.99% of people will not save the $15/month if they don't spend it on the unlimited plan. My opinion is either don't get the data plan at all or just go for the unlimited.
examples of what $15 will get you:
-2 movie tix
-3 to 5 coffees
-a dinner entree (maybe)
-3 mixed drinks (maybe)
I would go with the unlimited plan. In my own personal opinion, the 250 Meg 15 dollar plan is a joke and shouldn't even be offered - it should be at least a couple of Gig, if not 5 Gig. But opinions are like A-Holes, everyone has one.
Anyone who can afford an 3G iPad, should be able to afford a 30 buck a month unlimited plan. I'd blow through a 250 Meg plan in one day.
Only people with very little 3G activity would benefit from the 250 plan - I'm mainly talking about the few people with light email needs.
Fortunately there are thousands of WiFi Hotspots, and a lot more are coming on line each month, and a lot of them are free. I spend a lot of time at Starbucks, and use the WiFi there, as well as the 20,000+ At&T hot spots.
If you'll look, you'll find there are many hotspots out there, both paid and free. Three of my doctors offices have WiFi, one unrestricted, and the other two just need you to see the receptionist for a key of one sort or another.
I am very surprised by the fact that I have only used 19 mbs of my $15 plan in 11 days. Not sure I will even buy a plan next month, although I have used my iPad when visiting clients in their homes. My son on the other hand blew through his 250 mbs in 3 days and has now purchase an unlimited plan.
It really depends on how you use your ipad. I am using it alot for on ipad apps that do not require access to the internet, so i am doing pretty good. I am not as low as you, I am aorund 110Mb for the same time period.
