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Do I Need to Turn Off 3G?

F

FubsyGamr

macrumors regular
Original poster
Sep 20, 2010
116
0
Hey guys!

Just got my iPad yesterday, and I have a quick question: I've signed up for my 2GB a month, and now I'm at work where there is no Wi-Fi, and I'm a bit worried: do I need to go into settings and disable 3G, so that it does not randomly connect when I'm in a different app, say...taking notes or something? Or does it prompt me before connecting?

I'm just worried because I don't want to be doing something, and not know that it's using up my precious 2 GB a month without me knowing. Any tips?
 
FubsyGamr said:
Ok, so do most people leave it turned 'off' unless they are actively trying to use it for something specific?
Click to expand...

You need to leave it on if you want to receive push notifications. It's not like it'll start downloading videos in the background without you noticing. If you are unsure which kinds of activity requires Internet connections, just leave it off, and you'll get prompts or error messages when you try to do something that needs Internet. After a while, you'll know which activities to avoid if you don't want to use bandwidth.
 
I'm not too sure what your doing on your iPad, but I'll doubt you will hit 2GB unless your streaming Netflix, Air Video, or something else constantly.
 
Yeah, as the above poster pointed out, e-mail polling, and status notifications shouldn't be a problem.

If you're listening to Pandora 8 hours a day, or watching a bunch of NetFlix, you'll probably want to use WiFi or monitor your usage more closely. You can do those things infrequently through a month and still be under quota, so don't sweat the small stuff like Facebook updates.
 
I have wifi at work and at home, so admittedly I am not a huge 3G user, but I didn't even come close to using up my 2gb the month I bought it.

I did fly through 250mb though. I really wish there was a 1gb plan. Seems as though it'd be perfect for me.

Pandora uses very little bandwidth. I pandora'd the crap out of that thing that month and it barely made a dent.
 
I'm lucky enough to have an unlimited data plan. That being said, our WiFi at work is locked and we are not allowed on it with personal equipment, (I don't think the company trusts us!). This means that whenever I use my iPad it must be on 3G, and although I use it at breaks and at lunch everyday I have not come close to 2Gigs.

As has been posted already, it won't randomly download data on its own. You could turn the 3G off to save battery, but you will lose your push.
 
I was lucky to buy iPad while unlimited plan was still available but I must say it's pretty good at automatically switching to WiFi when available.
 
I have the 250mb plan because I have wifi @ work & home. I like keeping the 3G off unless I need to use it, because it chews through my battery faster than when I'm just using the wifi.

Unless you're streaming Netflix/Pandora heavily, you shouldn't have to worry about chewing through your 2gb during a normal month. Apple also gives you an email when you're getting close to your limit.
 
melman101 said:
I'm not too sure what your doing on your iPad, but I'll doubt you will hit 2GB unless your streaming Netflix, Air Video, or something else constantly.
Click to expand...

As someone who is in the same boat as this guy (no Wifi at work), you can in fact hit the 2gb limit without streaming Netflix, etc....as I come close monthly and do none of the above. Maybe a few minutes of music but that is it. Yet through my news apps, email, internet, etc.....I come close monthly.

I argued with someone else about how I must be hiding something and I wish I were so I could identify it and stop it but the fact is that I do enjoy reading many news apps, love emailing, and maybe play a few games.

Yet....I guess I am thus a "heavy user"....laughable really

To get to his specific question, I turn my 3g off while going TO work and such just to be careful.
 
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