Why is 1GB of data different for the USA addon?

[ChowtimeApricot]

the USA addon is 1000MB but the holiday addon is 1024MB yet they're both labeled 1GB

[Nezgar]

@ChowtimeApricot thanks for testing all the combos in US, valuable intel. 

Its great to be able to call 611 while in the US, as it allows purchasing/starting the roaming add-ons after arrival, instead of before, without wi-fi. (Still should add the funds prior though)

As an anecdote, the gigabyte/gibibyte debate has been a long pain in the computer industry... 1000MB doesnt even equal 1 GiB in this case - most probably just the bucket size that their US roaming providers offer...

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gibibyte

[Anonymous]

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@ChowtimeApricot wrote:

@Anonymous 

We did our best to use all the data.

Speed test was around 3 up and down on tmobile. I couldn't find the ResultID to save it and didn't bother trying again.

I guess that ends this thread. I'll just get the 500MB addon next time I go as I know that's way more than enough and I could always call 611 on both networks to get more. Lets hope this one is labeled correctly.

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Thanks again for all the reporting and fiddling while you were away.

The thread title still hasn't been answered of course (through no fault of our own). I'll be in the US on Monday for a couple weeks. I'm going to get the texting and 250mb data and see what happens with things in a week or so.

It just is interesting that other 1gb add-ons say 1024 but this one does not. Larger data plan buckets display as like 5120 not just 5000. But the smaller ones say 200mb or 250mb ($15).

[ChowtimeApricot]

@Anonymous 

We did our best to use all the data.

Speed test was around 3 up and down on tmobile. I couldn't find the ResultID to save it and didn't bother trying again.

I guess that ends this thread. I'll just get the 500MB addon next time I go as I know that's way more than enough and I could always call 611 on both networks to get more. Lets hope this one is labeled correctly.

[ChowtimeApricot]

T-mobile.

611 works (without the star)

*611 does  not work(with)

1855~~~ works.

AT&T.

611 works (without star)

*611 works now.... (with star) this is weird.

1855~~~ does not work.

We are heading back today. I'll hotspot the car and stream music. I have about 900MB left so we'll see how much data I use. I want to get a speed test in on T-mobile too.

[Anonymous]

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@ChowtimeApricot wrote:

I can't register to Verizon.

T-mobile I can call 18554782542 but not *611

AT&T still does not work.

So I guess you want to force register to T-Mobile if your phone doesn't automatically.

Outbound sms still does not work but I never expected it too.

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This is really great of you to take some time and report these things.

PM doesn't have any roaming agreement with Verizon so it makes sense that that doesn't work.

Interesting that T-Mobile will pass the call along but AT&T won't. Some claim that *611 is somehow different than just 611. Did you try both on both? In the case of PM it seems that both get to the same place.

No, outbound calls and texts have not been reported to work and that has been my experience too.

[ChowtimeApricot]

I can't register to Verizon.

T-mobile I can call 18554782542 but not *611

AT&T still does not work.

So I guess you want to force register to T-Mobile if your phone doesn't automatically.

Outbound sms still does not work but I never expected it too.

[ChowtimeApricot]

@Anonymous 

T-Mobile works. Call went through I used the 1855 number

[Anonymous]

Hey how about manually connecting to either AT&T and T-Mobile and seeing if either number works.

It had been my experience that inbound calls and texts work. Texts sorta makes sense as when you land in the states you get a text from PM inviting you to buy add-ons via the self-serve. But I suspect it's actually unofficial and so could change at any time.

My more recent visit to the states I actually got a little bit of data. But I couldn't reproduce it to be sure.

[ChowtimeApricot]

It doesn't hurt to try and call them too. Maybe it'll work for you. I doubt it but it might be worth it to see if we have the same experience.

I figure the "free" stuff you get from telus works without a problem. So incoming texts and calls(if you don't answer) will not result in overages.

As soon as you send a text or make a call that's when it would result in overages. Because we can't have overages with PM it just doesn't work.

Sending an sms and having it fail is kind of annoying. Your phone just keeps trying and trying. I had to delete it and reboot my device for it to stop.

[Anonymous]

I will be in the states in a few days. I'm going to finally test the roaming texting bug to experience it for myself. Maybe I'll get the minimum data too and see what it gets to when it runs out.

I _was_ intending to check out those IVR numbers but now not apparently.

[ChowtimeApricot]

@Anonymous 

No problem. I was sure they'd work too. If your out of Wi-Fi and need data or to make an urgent call it's reasonable you should be able to call and add it. Ah well.

The data looks like it's 1000mb and not 1024mb like the holiday add on too. It's frustrating that they both are labeled the same (1GB) but the amount you get is different. They should label the usa one 1000MB.

[Anonymous]

 @ChowtimeApricot 

Thanks for reporting.

I had thought that those numbers would get to the IVR so that one could spend money to _buy_ add-ons to use the service.

Oh well.

[ChowtimeApricot]

18554782542 and *611 doesn't work. I also tried without the star just in case and it doesn't work. The call starts to be connected and then it drops. No message no nothing. Just hangs up on me. I'm roaming on AT&T.

I forward incoming calls to my voip number and use a voip app so that's no problem.

Incoming sms and mms works. Outbound sms does not. Outbound MMS works and I assume it's because I have data.

[Anonymous]

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@ChowtimeApricot wrote:

@Anonymous   here ya go.

Nice side note. I can not call 1800 or *611 At all. I can receive texts but not send... however I can send MMS messages.... I guess it's because I have data.

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Hey thanks. So we do get 3 digits  on the data line like the others.

Can you call 18554public?

I thought we _could_ call 611 from the states. Oh is that 611 or *611?

You might also receive calls but calls and texts are unofficial.

[ChowtimeApricot]

@Anonymous   here ya go.

Nice side note. I can not call 1800 or *611 At all. I can receive texts but not send... however I can send MMS messages.... I guess it's because I have data.

[computergeek541]

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@geopublic wrote:

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My point is it all depends on how it gets calculated from the backend system.

8 bits is one byte

1024 Kb = 1MB * 1000 = 1GB

1024MB =1GB

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1024 KB is 1 MB (the small/capital "b" matters).   But if 1024KB is going to equal 1MB, then 1GB should be 1024MB.

If the we're going to say that 1GB equal 1000MB, then we should also be saying that 1000KB equals 1MB, based on 1MB being exactly 1 million bytes. 

I am almost certain that Public Mobile's systems are using the definition of 1MB being equal to 1,048,576 bytes.  In that regard, for them to show 1GB but then only including 1000MB in the counter doesn't make any sense.

[computergeek541]

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@geopublic wrote:

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@ChowtimeApricot  1GB of data is 1GB of data regardless on how it's being displayed on the usage counter.

so on the counter showing 1024MB usage of 10MB will show up 10.24

and on the counter showing 1000MB it will show as 10

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If they're going to to use one definition of 1GB one place, that same definition should be used in the other as well.

As for 10MB showing up as 10.24MB in self serve, there really isn't any way for use to confirm that. 

[Anonymous]

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@ChowtimeApricot wrote:

I dont know what point we're trying to prove here but its simple enough and I'm happy to oblige.

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Just the finer points of life with PM.

See how the counter shows on that roaming data line. Whether it goes into 3 decimals.

I guess if you don't use your 250 you really won't use the 1gb. If you were to use the 1 gb it would be interesting to see when exactly it cuts off. But certainly don't go out of your way on that point.

[ChowtimeApricot]

While we're measuring, I'm a Linux System Administrator for one of the 3 big telcos.

My point is simple. At best the page is inconsistent. Worst case your out 24MB. In the end, for me, It's not that big of a deal as I've never used up my 250MB.

@AnonymousI leave tomorrow and will be away a couple days. I'll take screencaps of my usage over the days and update this weekend.

I dont know what point we're trying to prove here but its simple enough and I'm happy to oblige.

[Anonymous]

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@geopublic wrote:

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@Anonymous wrote:

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@geopublic wrote:

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My point is it all depends on how it gets calculated from the backend system.

8 bits is one byte

1024 Kb = 1MB * 1000 = 1GB

1024MB =1GB

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Yes. Thank you. I made my living in the computer business for most of my working life. I'm well aware of how bits and bytes calculate.

I'll give you your point. General as it is. It's just curious that they display differently.

I was questioning your statement that the roaming add-on would show just MB's rather than MB's and 3 decimal points of MB's (being KB's).

Maybe someone has a screenshot of the roaming add-on consumption. Maybe the OP could watch for that when they use that add-on perhaps in the next 10 days.

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Me too!!... been in it since 1981. My guess is that the US Roaming data consumption info gets updated via a third party interface system and that is why the discrepancy. 

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Well then you might have a couple few years on me 🙂 Not many!

I had mused that maybe it's how the roaming contracts work. But then there's the 250. ?? The summer and gift data both show 1024 on my account. The 200MB would show 200. So there're little discrepancies all over the place. Good ol' Public Mobile. Baling twine and gum.

Oh well. I guess we'll see.

If you had written that you were guessing then I wouldn't have asked. It was your assertion that I asked on.

[geopublic]

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@Anonymous wrote:

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@geopublic wrote:

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My point is it all depends on how it gets calculated from the backend system.

8 bits is one byte

1024 Kb = 1MB * 1000 = 1GB

1024MB =1GB

---

Yes. Thank you. I made my living in the computer business for most of my working life. I'm well aware of how bits and bytes calculate.

I'll give you your point. General as it is. It's just curious that they display differently.

I was questioning your statement that the roaming add-on would show just MB's rather than MB's and 3 decimal points of MB's (being KB's).

Maybe someone has a screenshot of the roaming add-on consumption. Maybe the OP could watch for that when they use that add-on perhaps in the next 10 days.

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Me too!!... been in it since 1981. My guess is that the US Roaming data consumption info gets updated via a third party interface system and that is why the discrepancy. 

[Anonymous]

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@geopublic wrote:

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My point is it all depends on how it gets calculated from the backend system.

8 bits is one byte

1024 Kb = 1MB * 1000 = 1GB

1024MB =1GB

---

Yes. Thank you. I made my living in the computer business for most of my working life. I'm well aware of how bits and bytes calculate.

I'll give you your point. General as it is. It's just curious that they display differently.

I was questioning your statement that the roaming add-on would show just MB's rather than MB's and 3 decimal points of MB's (being KB's).

Maybe someone has a screenshot of the roaming add-on consumption. Maybe the OP could watch for that when they use that add-on perhaps in the next 10 days.

[geopublic]

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@Anonymous wrote:

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@geopublic wrote:

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@ChowtimeApricot wrote:

the USA addon is 1000MB but the holiday addon is 1024MB yet they're both labeled 1GB

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@ChowtimeApricot  1GB of data is 1GB of data regardless on how it's being displayed on the usage counter.

so on the counter showing 1024MB usage of 10MB will show up 10.24

and on the counter showing 1000MB it will show as 10

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I would be interested to know where you got this factoid from. That 250MB bucket is the even 250 too and it shows 3 digits for kilobytes. I guess we could wait to see what @ChowtimeApricot experiences if he would report back with usage.

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My point is it all depends on how it gets calculated from the backend system.

8 bits is one byte

1024 Kb = 1MB * 1000 = 1GB

1024MB =1GB

[Anonymous]

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@geopublic wrote:

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@ChowtimeApricot wrote:

the USA addon is 1000MB but the holiday addon is 1024MB yet they're both labeled 1GB

---

@ChowtimeApricot  1GB of data is 1GB of data regardless on how it's being displayed on the usage counter.

so on the counter showing 1024MB usage of 10MB will show up 10.24

and on the counter showing 1000MB it will show as 10

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I would be interested to know where you got this factoid from. That 250MB bucket is the even 250 too and it shows 3 digits for kilobytes. I guess we could wait to see what @ChowtimeApricot experiences if he would report back with usage.

[geopublic]

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@ChowtimeApricot wrote:

the USA addon is 1000MB but the holiday addon is 1024MB yet they're both labeled 1GB

---

@ChowtimeApricot  1GB of data is 1GB of data regardless on how it's being displayed on the usage counter.

so on the counter showing 1024MB usage of 10MB will show up 10.24

and on the counter showing 1000MB it will show as 10

[computergeek541]

I believe that this may end up resulting in the customer being short-changed by that 24MB if the data stops working as soon aa that counter runs out.  That represents a reduction in about 2% of included data. At the very least, this is inconsistent.

[Anonymous]

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@ChowtimeApricot wrote:

the USA addon is 1000MB but the holiday addon is 1024MB yet they're both labeled 1GB

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Interesting. It's only 24MB but still...interesting that they display them differently. Maybe it's the contractual arrangement with the roaming partners.

And the 250 is just 250.

[Triguy]

They are the same amount.  One gigabyte expressed as binary is 1024 KB.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gigabyte