How much data needs for one day Seatlle tour?

[tqlam]

I am driving from Vancouver to Seattle for one day trip in mid August and want to purchase data add-ons for google map navigation.  Does anyone have any ideas much which add-ons should I purchase, $10, $15 or $20?

Also, the plans stated for 10 days.  Do you have an option to specify dates start and end?

Thank you!

[koimr1]

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@tqlam wrote:

It work now after following your instructions and go back to complete step two repurchase.  Ehy did not PM notify users instructions fir purchasing roaming data or simply the process?

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I'm not a fan of that process either. But you're fixed!

Enjoy your trip! I gotta get down there too, heard good things about Pike Place Market. 🙂

[tqlam]

It work now after following your instructions and go back to complete step two repurchase.  Ehy did not PM notify users instructions fir purchasing roaming data or simply the process?

[koimr1]

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@tqlam wrote:

How can i get a MOD help?  I called 611, it just told me my balance.  I logged in my account and see my balance $15

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Ahhh! It sounds like you haven't completed your add-on purchase.

It's a bit strange as it's a two-step process - you first "buy" the add-on which puts the funds into your account but then you have to go back and "re-buy" it again - then it will use that $15 and actually show the add-on in your account.

Do you remember doing that?

If not and since you appear to have wifi right now go to the Self-Serve site and see if the add-on appears on your account - if not try to "buy" the add-on again and this time it will use those available funds.

[tqlam]

How can i get a MOD help?  I called 611, it just told me my balance.  I logged in my account and see my balance $15

[srlawren]

@tqlam did you try rebooting your phone?

[tqlam]

I am using iphone 8

[tqlam]

And my account shows i have $15 balance 

[tqlam]

Yes roaming is enabled and the phone shows full signal lte, but I cannot to any sites, google map keeps loading, same as Facebook app.  

[koimr1]

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@tqlam wrote:

I bought US roaming on aug 11 for 500mb $15, and today i am Seattle, my phone shows t-mobile  network but I cannot google, Facebook, etc.

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First thing to check is if you have data roaming enabled. This is separate from just having data enabled.

When you say you "can't" do those things, what do you mean? The pages just never load or is there some kind of error message shown?

Finally, what phone (make and model) do you have?

[tqlam]

I bought US roaming on aug 11 for 500mb $15, and today i am Seattle, my phone shows t-mobile  network but I cannot google, Facebook, etc.

Can someone please help?

there are no free wifi everywhere in US, and i called 611 and no way to talk to operator.

[tqlam]

I bought US roaming on aug 11 for 500mb $15, and today i am Seattle, my phone shows t-mobile  network but I cannot google, Facebook, etc.

[dna2016]

@srlawren I actually live in Toronto.  Went to Vancouver for the first time a few years ago, and then visited Seattle during that same trip.  Vancouver to me is amazing, and the air in Whistler is so fresh.  Hoping to go back eventually.  I guess I may have had different expectations for Seattle, but then again I have to remind myself Seattle is in the USA so not going to be the same. 

I think we've hijacked this thread from @tqlam and turned it into a "best vacation spots" thread.  Sorry about that @tqlam, lol.

[srlawren]

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@dna2016 where abouts do you live?  Glad you like Vancouver!  It's funny, I used to hear people talk about how clean Canadian cities are, but never really thought much about it until this summer when I went to Paris and London for the first time.  I get it now!!

My better half quite likes the shopping in Bellevue, so we end up in the Seattle area at least a few times a year.  It's a nice easy getaway for a weekend or even a day trip, as @tqlam is planning.

[dna2016]

@srlawren half the places you mentioned I went to, ya I guess it depends what the person is into as you mentioned.  I was in Seattle about 4 or 5 years ago, I'm sure things have changed since then.  Just didn't do it for me I guess. Lol.  Vancouver on the other hand, just beautiful.  

[srlawren]

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@cappaj wrote:

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You forgot Frasier!

takes a bow, sees self out

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...that was on purpose 😉

[cappaj]

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@srlawren wrote:

@dna2016 Seattle can be fun, depends what you're into I guess.  Pike Place Market is pretty cool, you can visit the original Starbucks location (if you don't mind lines), and there's some good eats there including a nice restaurant called Cutters and a ton of small food vendors etc.  There's the EMP Music Muesum and Sci-Fi museum, both of which are on my to-do list.  There's the space needle.  There's Mariner's baseball, Seahwaks football, MLS football, and soon NHL hockey.  There's some decent shopping in the Bellevue area (Bellevue Square and some other boutiques and stuff).  There's Boeing, where I think you can get a tour.  There's the automated Amazon Go store.  There's.... errr lots more stuff, I'm just drawing a blank now.

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You forgot Frasier!

takes a bow, sees self out

[srlawren]

@dna2016 Seattle can be fun, depends what you're into I guess.  Pike Place Market is pretty cool, you can visit the original Starbucks location (if you don't mind lines), and there's some good eats there including a nice restaurant called Cutters and a ton of small food vendors etc.  There's the EMP Music Muesum and Sci-Fi museum, both of which are on my to-do list.  There's the space needle.  There's Mariner's baseball, Seahwaks football, MLS football, and soon NHL hockey.  There's some decent shopping in the Bellevue area (Bellevue Square and some other boutiques and stuff).  There's Boeing, where I think you can get a tour.  There's the automated Amazon Go store.  There's.... errr lots more stuff, I'm just drawing a blank now.

[dna2016]

@tqlam the $10 US data should be more than enough for one day in Seattle (especially Seattle, not a whole lot to do there, I was there for about 6 hours and that was good enough for me, lol).  And if all you're using is maps then you're definitely good.  I was in New Orleans for 5 days and had the 500MB and still had about 100 MB left, keep in mind I used more than just the maps.  

Also, consider downloading offline maps, I did that before I went to New York and that saved me from having to purchase US data.  WIFI was pretty much everywhere, and I used my offline map when needed.  You would need to download it from Google Maps, very useful option if all you need is a map.

[stonechucker]

@smp99, I don't use it, but I think Apple Maps has very similar functionality.

I have an old Garmin somewhere... no data required.  Just a pain updating the maps as they take forever!!

[srlawren]

Yeah, offline maps are an option.  There may be potential other benefits to having mobile data, such as being able to look up reviews, puchase tickets for entry into attractions, etc.  If budget is tight, yes downloading the maps at home over WiFi might be a viable option.

[smp99]

Yes, so long as you are "logged into" Google Maps with your gmail ID, you can select an area,  to download to your device. Zoom in or out as big as you want within reason. Maps will use this download to navigate for you. You can set this up ahead of time. No real-time data required. I think the offline maps will 'expire' in 30 days. This includes all street names and POI's.

 https://support.google.com/maps/answer/6291838?co=GENIE.Platform%3DiOS&hl=en

[cappaj]

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@stonechucker wrote:

Save your maps ahead of time, and you may not even need the data add-on.  GPS signal isn't dependant on data (I believe, please correct if I am wrong).

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This is anecdotal and I'm sure there are variables like region, device, etc. - but when we were in France a couple years ago I had no data and just relied on Wi-Fi - and I remember Google Maps was still able to show me on the map where our (Wi-Fi-less) train was in real-time while en route between Nice and Cannes.

[stonechucker]

Save your maps ahead of time, and you may not even need the data add-on.  GPS signal isn't dependant on data (I believe, please correct if I am wrong).

[tqlam]

@srlawren, thanks for the info.   No, it's only navigation.

[srlawren · Accepted solution]

@tqlam the 10 days start as soon as you complete the 2nd step of the 2-step add-on purchase process.  How much you will need for a day trip really depends on how you plan to use it.  I would think the cheapest 250MB US Roaming Data add-on would be sufficient for most people for a single day, unless you plan to stream a bunch of music on the road or something.  For basic maps nagivation it's really not too heavy usage.