Beware of Mobile Internet Usage

[kiMMie]

Those who have new tech phones, beware of the costs of surfing the internet. As the technology advances with new gadgets, the internet plans from local companies does not seem to follow. I almost had a heart attack yesterday after receiving a bill for $2200!!!!! :|

Apparently, my new phone had "data usage" on one day of surfing equivalent to $1400 = 27 mb (5 cents for 1K). Hard to believe when the phone wasn't even remotely used for internet that day due to work.

Why someone would surf or download that on a cell phone when you get unlimited thru a home computer for $40/month is just hard to comprehend.

Just insane...

[brittni]

hollyy shit... I went onto the internet on saturday to check my email and went on msn for a few mins when i was in tofino in my cabin, i hope it doesnt cost too much.. thats nuts

[MC Hammered]

Unlike the US we do not have unlimited data plans.

Yet another reason to skip the Canadian cell companies and buy a phone down South with a North America plan then activate a cheap VOIP line and CF it to your phone for local use.

[miss.myra]

Actually Winston, the data cece is referring to judging from the cost per kb is probably mobile browser data, and all carriers in Canada offer an unlimited feature for that.

Concerning packet data, carriers in Canada are no longer offering unlimited solely because of the fact that data connectivity through an air card or PDA is not intended to replace an at home unlimited connection and is not intended to even be competition for that market. Most companies do offer quite large data packages which are still not unlimited, but who knows, that could change at any time.

[.LxT]

Even if you're supposed to use data with your cell/PDA only, it's still way overpriced. I read a recent study [sorry, link maybe when i get home] saying how Canada has the highest prices on these things.

Even though an 'unlimited' data plan isn't unlimited down south either [I heard over 2 GBs they get suspicious as to what you're doing with the phone] the prices are still way better. Looking through the iPhone data plans, the basic one [unlimited data, 450 minutes, 200 SMS] ran US$59.99. My 450 minutes cost around $45 [and that's with huge discounts because I go to UBC] - after tax and all, almost the same price. For about half the features. Talk about a second anal orifice...

But I stay the hell away from tethering over GPRS. If I update my RSS reader it will knock down close to a MB on a good day. Don't even want to go into e-mail and stuff...

[thebobman]

do you guys really need to get that much porn on your cellphones? I mean, are you really ever THAT far away from a WiFi hotspot?

[KrisisID]

TELUS got me covered :)

[Serotonin]

i would tear a strip into them literally if i had a bill for that amount i mean like who would be dumb enough to rack their plan $2200 ouch Ce i'm sure you handled it properly. It's funny how receiving a bill from a company can actually raise your blood pressure =) i hope all is well now

[dj_soo]

stupid carriers still desperately clinging onto their outdated model. Can't wait till VOIP on mobile devices become standard.

[.LxT]

So who's up for setting ourselves with a nice Asterix switch that everyone can call in and route their calls overseas?


In other news, some girl in the States managed to pull in over $1000 in messaging alone, so $2200 for data access, in Canada, doesn't sound impossible.

On the other hand, maybe you got cloned.

[narc]

CityFido Classic - Unlimited local calling from Horseshoe Bay to Hope + Unlimited Fido Data (no longer offered) = $110.00

Canadian data plans are stupid compared to those in the usa.

[decypher]

I just got offered unlimited data for 3 months on Rogers for free. That's their plan, get me hooked then take away the unlimited data.