My Data Diet

Sally · EVDO Heavy User Joined: 19 Jun 2006 Posts: 121

OK, I thought I'd jump on here tonight to share what I've learned.

As long as I work like a dog and I'm so busy all day on my computer that I can hardly get away... I use less data.

Smile

I'm teasin a little... but today was my lowest day so far.. only 57 megs (and remember 165 is the average that works out to 5 gig a day).

I was slammed with emails and dealing with the forum I moderate all day... and I mean slammed. I did something like 200 emails today.. and hundreds more web transactions (approving messages and new members, etc) for the yahoo forum. Very few emails had any pictures... no downloads or updates today... and because I was so slammed, I didn't have any time for youtube or anything extracurricular.

Sad

So I guess the moral of the story - for me - is that as long as I'm not having any real personal fun on my machine, I might just stay under the 5 gig.

So now with 24 more days to go on my billing cycle, I am now only over by 763 megs according to SurplusMeter.

Pass me the chocolate... and allow me more data... and nobody will get hurt. Smile

waynefoutz · EVDO Junkie Joined: 31 Mar 2008 Posts: 240

Sally · EVDO Heavy User Joined: 19 Jun 2006 Posts: 121

I called "the other guys" (as in the link in the post above) today and was hoping to get some kind of reassurance that Sprint wasn't going to be able to cut them off at the knees in some way that would in turn cause customers to have to cut back - as is happening now with Sprint.

This just doesn't make sense to me. How can a Sprint reseller be able to offer up unlimited if Sprint is not doing it for it's own customers? You'd think the food chain would be going in the other direction.

Anyway.. I'm at a loss for what to do. I'd love to think that my 2 year agreement should be honored (until 2010 for me) without fear of termination.

But then I kinda like supporting the little guy but it sure seems goofy that they can offer basically a plain vanilla version of sprint at such a better deal. How long can that last?

Markgc · EVDO Heavy User Joined: 14 Sep 2005 Posts: 111

Am I right in understanding that when my Sprint account is closed then I can open an account with these guys (BYOB) since my card is one of those listed - Ovation U727

http://a different Sprint Reseller.com/mobilebroadband/BYOD.htm

and I can have a month to month account. Is there anything that I am missing?

Sally · EVDO Heavy User Joined: 19 Jun 2006 Posts: 121

Markgc · EVDO Heavy User Joined: 14 Sep 2005 Posts: 111

OK. Will my card be OK after my Sprint account is shut down at the beginning of next month?

Maybe these guys have better legal representation that we do ie more clout

Sally · EVDO Heavy User Joined: 19 Jun 2006 Posts: 121

OK, everyone... screw everything I said yesterday.

Today, I've barely been on my computer.... I've been using the same programs only much less of them... and my usage shot through the roof today.

By mid day, I had used 130 Meg... and I couldn't figure out what was sucking up all of that... the light on the modem is blinkin' like crazy and there's nothing apparent running to cause that.

So I disconnected the modem just for the fun of it... and as soon as I hit "disconnect" I'll be damned if I didn't get an Apple Update window pop up taht wanted to download 200 megs. So I hit "OK" (cuz I'll be the canary too, these days) and then it proceeded to tell me that it was starting to download the updates.

So... just doing normal work I'm now up over almost a gig from my prorated usage for this first 7 days or so. If this continues, I could get by with 10 gig a month... but I wouldn't be satisfied unless I got at least 15 - and preferably 20 if we are talking $60 a month. I'd pay $80 for unlimited. But this current thing just sucks too much.

I was told I have until Sept 11 to get out without ETF. I'll be trying to finish up my homework on that other company by then.

Markgc · EVDO Heavy User Joined: 14 Sep 2005 Posts: 111

I looked at the BYOD site and they are asking for

" Be sure to enter your device ESN HEX in the ESN field"

How can I find out what my device ESN HEX is?

Markgc · EVDO Heavy User Joined: 14 Sep 2005 Posts: 111

I think my account is being shut down on the 11th...that must be clear out date..lol

waynefoutz · EVDO Junkie Joined: 31 Mar 2008 Posts: 240

ebiz · Posted: Wed Aug 20, 2008 7:26 pm Post subject:

dhenninger · EVDO Fledgling Joined: 14 Jan 2008 Posts: 20

waynefoutz · EVDO Junkie Joined: 31 Mar 2008 Posts: 240

O'Shark · EVDO User Joined: 19 Jan 2008 Posts: 40

I'm on my second month of my own data diet. It's also the second month of closely monitoring my usage by using an Excel spreadsheet to compare the amount of data that goes through my router with what Sprint says I should have used.

I have learned that the only way to get a truly accurate assessment of your usage is to monitor the data that passes through either your card or your router. Software monitors can only tell you what passes through your PC. If you have security webcams or devices that behave like servers that are connected to your router, your software monitor will not account for them.

In addition, my security cameras and programs like Weatherbug and websites that auto-refresh (and browser add-ons that do that) were my biggest usage "wasters." Leaving your browser on a weather radar page all night while you sleep will waste a lot of your data.

Anyway, I showed that I used only 25 more megabytes than Sprint says I used. I came in with 2.2 GB this month. As I get a handle on how they count the bytes, I can ease up a little a maybe watch a video or two and maybe download a couple of Itunes songs and stay under the cap.

Sally · EVDO Heavy User Joined: 19 Jun 2006 Posts: 121