Data usage on PM vs competitors

[buiya]

Has anyone else noticed that their data usage is significantly lower than what it was when on a competitor service?  For example, my mother has been on PM now for a few months with no phone change or behaviour with how she's using the phone and the data usage is significantly less than what it was when she was on TELUS.  In fact, when she was on TELUS, she would frequently go over her data allotment and had to pay overages, yet on PM she doesn't even come close to what she was using before.  I get that speeds are slower but it really shouldn't matter should it?

[pmmobile]

It's likely video streaming that will change the video quality from 1080p to 480p when it detects a slower connection that could account for a 3GB data usage difference

[computergeek541]

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@Luddite wrote:

@buiya When I tested the 3G plans, during their introduction, vs LTE I found the same effect. I assume it is related to apps, especially video, adjusting quality to available speeds (Netflix for sure does this). Speed testing also uses more data for LTE than PM's throttled LTE (aka 3G).

https://productioncommunity.publicmobile.ca/t5/Plans-Add-Ons/Share-Your-3G-Real-World-Experience/m-p...

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The differences in the amount of data used based on the connection speed can be startling. In addition to how Netflix and Youtube default to a different resolution based on the detected speed, I'll give an example of how faster speeds use more data.  Running the speedtest.net app, a throttled LTE (advertised as 3g) used up 7.95MB.  Using a full-speed LTE plan, running the same type of speed test used up 318.7MB when the download speed was higher than 200Mbps. The higher speeds themselves don't cause more data to be consumed, but the programming of the software can.

[Luddite]

@buiya When I tested the 3G plans, during their introduction, vs LTE I found the same effect. I assume it is related to apps, especially video, adjusting quality to available speeds (Netflix for sure does this). Speed testing also uses more data for LTE than PM's throttled LTE (aka 3G).

https://productioncommunity.publicmobile.ca/t5/Plans-Add-Ons/Share-Your-3G-Real-World-Experience/m-p...

[geopublic]

@buiya  The only reason that I can think of is that PM uses LTE throttled to 3Mbps so if you use youtube or similar sites it will consume much less data than when using LTE.

[buiya]

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@totalUser wrote:

@buiya 

Apparently apps check the data speed and when throttled data is detected they become much more prudent, I don't know the details but I was told after noticing the same

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Ah ok, that makes sense! Thank you

[totalUser · Accepted solution]

@buiya 

Apparently apps check the data speed and when throttled data is detected they become much more prudent, I don't know the details but I was told after noticing the same

[pmmobile]

@buiya  It's possible that if she's watching videos or streaming music that the website/app recognizes that PM is a slower connection and reduces the quality of the video; therefore consuming less data, but not having noticable effect since the difference between 480, 720, 1080 is not significant on a small cell phone screen.

[PAULRANG18]

There is no data overage with PM. When used up, data can be bought with an add on. Be sure to first have available funds in account to do so.

[Dunkman]

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@buiya wrote:

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@Dunkman wrote:

@buiya 

It should not matter. Slower speeds should not affect data usage unless it is slow that customer stops using earlier. 

The good news with public Mobile is no overages. Once you run out, the service just stops working. 

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Yup it's just bizarre why it's such a difference, consistently was going over her 5 GB a month but since being on PM, has yet to go over 2 GB.  To me it's a little bit fishy because they could charge for overage.

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@buiya 

That is indeed a big difference. I doubt a big company like Telus would over bill that much.  Maybe keep track for the next few months 

[buiya]

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@Dunkman wrote:

@buiya 

It should not matter. Slower speeds should not affect data usage unless it is slow that customer stops using earlier. 

The good news with public Mobile is no overages. Once you run out, the service just stops working. 

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Yup it's just bizarre why it's such a difference, consistently was going over her 5 GB a month but since being on PM, has yet to go over 2 GB.  To me it's a little bit fishy because they could charge for overage.

[Dunkman]

@buiya 

It should not matter. Slower speeds should not affect data usage unless it is slow that customer stops using earlier. 

The good news with public Mobile is no overages. Once you run out, the service just stops working.