Data is everywhere but it’s important that users know exactly how data works to save costs and maximise the amount of time they can enjoy the benefits of a digitally connected life By Cornelia Van Heerden
Everything you do online will require some mobile data if you are not connected via wi-fi. Usage is measured in megabytes (MB) and gigabytes (GB). There are 1 024MB in 1GB of data and everything you send (upload) or receive (download) will require some amount of the data. However, as little as 500MB can go a long way if managed well.
Data is also becoming more affordable after network operators have gone the extra mile to reduce data tariffs by 13% in the past year alone and a fivefold decline over the past five years.
The load-shedding crisis, which has led to a massive increase in crime and vandalism, has severely affected network operators’ ability to continue with the pricing decreases. In response, MTN SA is rolling out an R1.5 billion programme to protect our physical network assets and infrastructure, to ensure that we are doing our part in alleviating the adverse impact of this crisis on our nation, our people and the economy.
Why does data expire?
How and why data expires creates confusion for many. First off, network operators price their data services to ensure network capacity. To this end, data expiry ensures that networks are not overloaded, so that consumers can be provided with the quality of service they expect. You can look at it like public parking.
A parking space is offered for a limited time as the building can accommodate only so many cars at any one time. If this weren’t the case, the owners would have to build a bigger parking lot.
Data validity periods allow mobile operators to use their networks consistently over a period so that the infrastructure does not lie fallow. This also enables them to accurately forecast demand which allows for benefits to be passed to customers through reduced pricing based on changes in demand and supply.
What can consumers do to save on data?
There are lots of practical steps consumers can take to ensure data is consumed wisely. For instance, ensure you are using data bundles and not using data out-of-bundle data, which can be significantly pricier. It is important to be aware of the validity period of the bundle you have purchased and note which platforms it may be used on.
Another step is to change your social media settings to only autoplay videos over wi-fi. Changing settings for applications and software updates to not update automatically will also save data.
When watching or downloading videos, select options to lower quality because high definition (HD) consumes a lot of data. The same goes for posting photos or videos on social media – don’t use the highest definition.
Importantly, to stop apps from running in the background you can restrict your background data. This, however, will not get you the best experience from your apps. For example, restricting WhatsApp is possible, but this means you will only be able to receive messages when you open WhatsApp yourself and not through notifications.
Turning off automatic updates over data connections and using wI-fI for backing up lots of files or updating apps also saves data.
You can also check how much data individual apps are using and adjust the settings where possible. Streaming music and watching movies on your phone uses data quickly, so try to rather download content when you’re connected to wI-fI and then play or watch offl-ine.
Worried about depleting data? Please check your settings. Remember that many smartphones are configured for heavy data usage and use super-fast networks capable of high download speeds like Long Term Evolution (LTE) or 4G. Benefiting from the speeds comes at a cost. Many smartphone users who use LTE-compatible handsets use a lot of data when accessing applications. Put simply, the faster the speed of the connection, the more data is used.
It is also important to take note that platforms like Facebook, Twitter, TikTok, YouTube and Instagram run automatic updates and continue to run in the background even when you’re not actively on the platform. The automatic updates are default settings on many phones. Most customers are not aware that the updates can consume up to 3GB of data. To stop automatic updates and save data, deactivate updates in your phone data settings.
What about the internet?
With websites being as interactive as they are today, our data is being unknowingly consumed by ads running on web pages. Even the ‘Google Doodle’ consumes data.
The same applies to instant messaging platforms. If background updates and back-ups aren’t consuming data, then sharing content like photos and videos is. Without realising it, consumers are spending large amounts of data per message (up to 16MB) sending videos and pictures over WhatsApp, for example.
The best advice is for consumers to always remember to check their phone and app settings, wait until connected over wI-fI to send large videos or upload large files, and keep an eye on data balances to determine how and where data is being used. By doing the above, you will have peace of mind to responsibly (and without running out of data) enjoy the digital world and the opportunities it presents.
Van Heerden is MTN SA’s chief customer service and operations officer