Understanding your hotspot data usage is crucial for managing your mobile plan effectively and avoiding unexpected overage charges. This article explores methods for tracking your hotspot data, ensuring you stay within your data limits.
One approach to monitoring data consumption involves third-party applications. I contacted the developer of DataMan Pro, who confirmed that the application tracks tethering usage. The total data used is displayed within the phone’s network data usage statistics. With the “Complete” option enabled under the “Display” settings within the “Themes” section, you can view a breakdown of data upload versus download. Setting the “Data Plan” setting to “Daily,” even on a monthly plan, provides a convenient way to monitor daily usage totals.
Initial testing in the Seattle area indicated that the data usage reported by DataMan Pro aligned relatively well with AT&T’s statistics. It’s unfortunate that DataMan Pro wasn’t active when I experienced a sudden surge in data usage, as reported by AT&T. I believe DataMan Pro would have mirrored the data activity seen in the phone’s cellular usage statistics, accessible through Settings: General: Usage: Cellular Usage.
Currently, the cellular usage statistics indicate 2.7 GB received and 333 MB sent, compared to AT&T’s report of 5120 MB (exceeding the 5 GB plan) and 127 MB overage within the next 1 GB increment. This discrepancy occurred in South Dartmouth, Massachusetts. Further testing with tethering in the same location will be conducted at the end of August to gather more detailed data. The signal reception in that area was moderate, raising the possibility of charges for resent data packets due to connection issues.
While Open Signal offers a graph for data usage tracking, DataMan Pro provides similar functionality in terms of data usage monitoring.
In conclusion, monitoring your hotspot data usage is essential to avoid exceeding your data plan limits. Utilizing built-in phone settings and third-party applications like DataMan Pro can help you effectively track and manage your data consumption. Be mindful of signal strength and potential data resends in areas with weaker coverage, as this can contribute to increased data usage. By actively monitoring your data usage, you can stay informed about how much hotspot data you have left and make adjustments as needed.
