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.
Wi-Fi Assist is on by default. To disable it, go to Settings > Cellular and scroll down near the bottom of the page. Slide the toggle next to Wi-Fi Assist to the left to disable it.
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Tags: Apple, Apple iPhone, cellular data, data cap, internet service providers, malware, plans
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