11 replies to this topic

[smcrack]

The Wall Street Journal is reporting on what may become a major concern for owners of the new iPad, extreme data use.

Brandon Wells got the new iPad last Friday, started wirelessly streaming March Madness games the next day and by Saturday night was out of gas. Two hours of college basketball-which he viewed mounted to his car dashboard and live at tournament games-had burned through his monthly wireless data allotment of two gigabytes.

The journal relays numerous stories of other customers who have encountered similar situations. Just a few hours of using their new tablet and poof, there goes their data plan.

4G LTE lets users browse faster and consume higher quality content. One issue complicating matters is that many web services analyze your connection to determine what quality content to serve. Thanks to the fast speed of LTE, these web services are likely serving the highest quality content previously reserved for Wi-Fi.

With cellular networks trying to squeeze every dollar possible from their customers it may be a while before you can browse freely on your new iPad.



Read More on WSJ

[via iClarified]

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[stevieg]

Don't an idiot and watch live games while driving. A depleted data plan is the least of your worries.

Edited by stevieg, 21 March 2012 - 05:26 PM.

[CrankySnorlax]

I am kinda split on this issue this iPad has created, as it is kinda both the user's and website's fault.

It is the website's fault in the sense that it serves higher quality content for 4G LTE devices as it will drain through its plan quickly. However, the User's should be smart enough to not go crazy on their data usage.

[swizzle23]

Don't an idiot and watch live games while driving. A depleted data plan is the least of your worries.

Where did it say anything about him driving? It says he was also watching them "live at tournament games" so I took it to mean he was probably tailgating in the parking lot for the later game that he was attending and watching the early games in his car on the iPad.

[hotstuff2]

Seriously, only a idiot would watch 2 hours of streaming video and NOT realize that they've used more than 2GB of data. This is NOT the web services nor AT&T's problem, it's squarely on the user.

[CaptainKatz]

Thank god I still have my iPad 2.

[CrankySnorlax]

Seriously, only a idiot would watch 2 hours of streaming video and NOT realize that they've used more than 2GB of data. This is NOT the web services nor AT&T's problem, it's squarely on the user.

As I stated before, I still think its 50/50 because given that websites detect ur Internet speed in order to determine the quality of content needs to be changed with LTE since it offers fast speeds. However, that user is stupid for doing what he did.

[GADeputy]

It's simple common sense. If you're going to be streaming video then make sure you're connected via wifi.

[Modstack]

You could also disable Mobile Data while on wifi as well to be sure.

[vinaygoel2000]

Not that I have an iPad but what would happen if I put my microsim from my iPhone 4S to an iPad 3 4G. I do have unlimited data plan. Would I get unlimited 4G until AT&T finds out?

[CrankySnorlax]

Not that I have an iPad but what would happen if I put my microsim from my iPhone 4S to an iPad 3 4G. I do have unlimited data plan. Would I get unlimited 4G until AT&T finds out?

I do not know how it works in the US, but I am pretty sure you would only get unlimited 3G. I know in Canada, to get LTE data, you have to buy a plan that has LTE data available. Any older plans will not give you LTE. But of course, this is in Canada, and the US system could be different, especially since Canadian telecommunication companies try to rob their consumers.

[RedDevil]

Idiots deserve this. Get a portable wifi hotspot for gods sake.