⏸️ Cheapskate pro tip: When you’re out of town for an extended period, pause your internet and/or cable package. This is so much better than paying full price for those services when you’re not even using them. Get specific steps for your provider here.
Have an iPhone and want to save money? Turn this feature off
Do you know your monthly data cap? Many internet service providers give you a limit on how much data you can use. Surpass that limit and you can either be charged a fee or have your speed throttled. Even if you have an unlimited plan, your connection speed can still get knocked down.
Your contract will show how much data you are paying for, and there are other ways to check this out. Tap or click here to learn how to see your data cap, along with tips on staying below the limit.
Your iPhone can be used for streaming, gaming, email, browsing, live streaming, social media and more. All these functions take up data, which can be costly when exceeded. There’s an iPhone setting designed to make things run more smoothly but could actually be costing you data. You might want to disable it. Here’s how.
Unlimited? Not really
Your iPhone is designed for consistent and instant connectivity, but this comes at a price, and that price is data. Your unlimited data plan may not be as infinite as you think.
For example, the fine print on Sprint’s page for unlimited plans reads: “During congestion, the small fraction of customers using >50GB/mo. may notice reduced speeds until next bill cycle due to data prioritization.” Other mobile service providers have their own policies for unlimited plans.
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When you don’t want assistance
You don’t want to incur a fee or have your connection speed slowed down every time you exceed your data cap. Your iPhone, iPad and other iOS-equipped devices include a feature called Wi-Fi Assist. This has been available since iOS 9.
Wi-Fi Assist assures you stay connected to the internet even with a bad Wi-Fi connection. If you’re waiting for a website to load, Wi-Fi assist will switch your connection to cellular if the Wi-Fi signal is poor. Wi-Fi Assist works with Safari, Apple Music, Maps and more. Look for the cellular data icon in your status bar to see when Wi-Fi Assist is active.
Note: Wi-Fi assist won’t activate when you’re roaming, and it only works with apps running in the foreground.
Plus, it won’t activate with some third-party apps that stream audio or video or download attachments. Despite this, the Wi-Fi assist’s function uses cellular data, which will push you closer to your limit. This will vary from user to user.
Try this handy calculator that shows how much internet you really need
The pandemic has shown us how reliant we could become on the internet. People have been working and educating themselves remotely. Online retailers saw an increase in sales as essential and non-essential items were in high demand.
Half of Americans don't know their internet data caps - How to check yours
We’re a year into the pandemic and one thing we learned is how important internet service can be for our livelihoods. We’re used to working from home and attending school remotely. We get our essentials online.
For some people, having consistent broadband internet is beyond their means. A new federal initiative seeks to remedy this problem for those who qualify. Tap or click here to see if you qualify for a discount on your monthly internet bill.