Data Usage for San Fran on PAYG??

[Guest Stevieblueyez]

Hi all,

Wondering if someone can help me with this. My 12 year old just bought one of these with his birthday money as he thinks mine is cool.

Whilst I'm on an O2 contract with a data plan, I'm fine.

However my son is 12 and has a tendancy to be a less Frugal with his credit than I'd like. He's got an O2 payg sim.

My question is, if he's installs an app that access the network (News/Mail/Web) etc..... it'll start eating into his credit.

Is there a setting to turn data transfer on/off so that he can only user data via WiFi?

Hopefully someone can give me a steer on this.

Steve

[Guest Azurren]

Settings, Wireless and network, Mobile network and uncheck "Data connection"

That Should prevent all conforming apps from using data

(Some past badly written apps didn't check this before using data)

Some people may suggest APN droid.. It works by mutilating the APN to prevent you from using 3g. NOT 2g

In other words APN droid is useless here

[Guest prufrock]

Hi all,

Wondering if someone can help me with this. My 12 year old just bought one of these with his birthday money as he thinks mine is cool.

Whilst I'm on an O2 contract with a data plan, I'm fine.

However my son is 12 and has a tendancy to be a less Frugal with his credit than I'd like. He's got an O2 payg sim.

My question is, if he's installs an app that access the network (News/Mail/Web) etc..... it'll start eating into his credit.

Is there a setting to turn data transfer on/off so that he can only user data via WiFi?

Hopefully someone can give me a steer on this.

Steve

Switch him over to giffgaff.

[Guest Azurren]

Switch him over to giffgaff.

*cough*

If you want him to keep his data (And not worry about him being charged for overuse) Then I suggest the £20 6months internet booster from T-Mobile

[Guest mrgubby]

*cough*

If you want him to keep his data (And not worry about him being charged for overuse) Then I suggest the £20 6months internet booster from T-Mobile

*cough*

I've got one in my San Fran & one in my iPad :)

[Guest craig17]

I think giffgaff is a better idea because his phone would not have to be unlocked if he is currently using 02.

[Guest Azurren]

I think giffgaff is a better idea because his phone would not have to be unlocked if he is currently using 02.

If he is using O2 then his phone is already unlocked :)

Correct me if I'm wrong but GifGaf has a 500mb limit / is changing to a 500mb limit this December?

[Guest craig17]

I think giffgaff is a better idea because his phone would not have to be unlocked if he is currently using 02.

Sorry, misread the question. Switching networks to giffgaff would be my prefered method simply because I think they offer better pay as you go deals. He definitely needs to switch from Orange, though. Their data caps are terrible.

[Guest craig17]

If he is using O2 then his phone is already unlocked :)

Correct me if I'm wrong but GifGaf has a 500mb limit / is changing to a 500mb limit this December?

That's the first I've heard of it!

I know they're getting rid of the 100mb per day free usage without a goodybag in december, but as far as I'm aware usage with a goodybag is staying unlimited...

[Guest Azurren]

That's the first I've heard of it!

I know they're getting rid of the 100mb per day free usage without a goodybag in december, but as far as I'm aware usage with a goodybag is staying unlimited...

My bad. But the £5 goodybag is 100mb per day :)

Still, for data only T-Mobile is the best value for money P&G.. Unless you want to use your phone as your permanent home internet connection :)

[Guest jonep]

My bad. But the £5 goodybag is 100mb per day :)

Still, for data only T-Mobile is the best value for money P&G.. Unless you want to use your phone as your permanent home internet connection :)

Don't agree with this. The Blade is a phone as well and using T-mobile PAYG its an expensive one.

GiffGaff is better because data is unlimited on most bags and the calling cost is (along with asda) the cheapest per minutes available.

I currently use the Lab Bag which costs £5 and all calls are 2p per minutes and 1p per text. The data is free albeit capped till December. But hay you could of been stuck with the original orange chip and cap.

[Guest Lew247]

Giffgaff has UNLIMITED internet for ANY "goodybag" package of £10 a more and does NOT stop in Dec, its permanant.

They use the O2 network so if you get a good O2 signal you'll be fine (and most places in the UK do)

the phone can be unlocked for under £2 I've got 3 now on Giffgaff and I was previously on O2 contract for the past 10 yrs Giffgaff rocks :)

[Guest 40nine]

I think giffgaff/o2 have better coverage than t-mobile especially where 3g is concerned.

[Guest ed.dark]

I think giffgaff/o2 have better coverage than t-mobile especially where 3g is concerned.

But now have merged networks with Orange to make a mega network...

[Guest mark2410]

I think giffgaff/o2 have better coverage than t-mobile especially where 3g is concerned.

no, they dont. o2 has good 2g coverage but the suck for 3g. tmob is 2nd only to 3 for 3g coverage

[Guest zuccster]

Some people may suggest APN droid.. It works by mutilating the APN to prevent you from using 3g. NOT 2g

In other words APN droid is useless here

That's not the case here (Tesco Mobile, but that's not relevant). With APNdroid enabled, the phone reports all network interfaces down and is unable to route outbound packets, 2G or 3G

# netcfg

lo	   UP	127.0.0.1	   255.0.0.0	   0x00000049

dummy0   DOWN  0.0.0.0		 0.0.0.0		 0x00000082

rmnet0   DOWN  10.124.32.36	255.255.255.252 0x00001002

rmnet1   DOWN  0.0.0.0		 0.0.0.0		 0x00001002

rmnet2   DOWN  0.0.0.0		 0.0.0.0		 0x00001002

sit0	 DOWN  0.0.0.0		 0.0.0.0		 0x00000080

[Guest sedj]

Forget the other posts

GiffGaff is for you, buy a £10 goody bag and this gives you unlimited text and internet no chance of going over plus you get 150mins talk time for the month.

If you dont like it go elsewhere there is no contract.

Simple :)

[Guest Raspa]

I second (third? fourth?) giffgaff - little point owning a smartphone then having it crippled on a network with limited data caps. I don't think unlimited internet for £10 a month can be beat (especially considering you also get unlimited texts and 150 x-net mins).

[Guest redcup]

little point owning a smartphone then having it crippled on a network with limited data caps. I don't think unlimited internet for £10 a month can be beat (especially considering you also get unlimited texts and 150 x-net mins).

Plenty of point for a 12 Year Old!

Thanks to the OP for this - gives me some ideas.

Kids do NOT need data connection when out and about.

They need a phone.

They need texts.

They need something they can play games and music on. (like an IPOD touch, but cheaper)

Something they can fiddle with at home on Wi-Fi.

The SanFran with 2g/3g data nobbled is perfect for this.

[Guest nicksoph]

yes you can turn off data from the telephone operator

from the home screen

press menu

select

settings,

wireless and network

mobile networks

data enabled - if its not ticked it will not use the telephone for data

[Guest nicksoph]

stay away from orange on PAYG internet - when I spoke to them they told me data was 4pounds a megabyte. When I said are you sure you don't mean "Giga"byte they said no it was four pounds a Megabyte.

I can't recommend Orange.

You can get the phone unlocked for four dollars which is very easy to do.

3 seems to give the best deals but check coverage -

edit: having just read about giffgaff - it looks like a no brainer - just check signals

Edited November 7, 2010 by nicksoph

[Guest SpruceyB]

Giff Gaff, T-Mo or 3 all have pretty good Pay As You Go

GiffGaff has already been done to death by people above.

T-Mo offer "Top up just £10 each month and get unlimited free texts the whole of the next month" add the £20 6 Month Internet to that that's equivelant of £13.33 a month for Unlimited Texts Unlimited Net and the £10 of TopUp to spend on calls etc or save towards the next 6month Net Booster.

I also find T-Mobiles 3G network much better than o2 (GiffGaff), and now you can share network with Orange even the 2G is better than o2.

3 I can't find as much info on, as its all about "Add Ons" but it used to be (as little as 2 months ago). That TopUp online (or over the phone) with 3 by £10 and you got

600 Texts, 150MB Data, Free 3-3, Free Windows Live & Skype that lasted for 90 Days. Then you could use £5 to add 500MB of Data and keep the other £5 for calls.

[Guest 5867dude]

Giff Gaff, T-Mo or 3 all have pretty good Pay As You Go

GiffGaff has already been done to death by people above.

T-Mo offer "Top up just £10 each month and get unlimited free texts the whole of the next month" add the £20 6 Month Internet to that that's equivelant of £13.33 a month for Unlimited Texts Unlimited Net and the £10 of TopUp to spend on calls etc or save towards the next 6month Net Booster.

I also find T-Mobiles 3G network much better than o2 (GiffGaff), and now you can share network with Orange even the 2G is better than o2.

3 I can't find as much info on, as its all about "Add Ons" but it used to be (as little as 2 months ago). That TopUp online (or over the phone) with 3 by £10 and you got

600 Texts, 150MB Data, Free 3-3, Free Windows Live & Skype that lasted for 90 Days. Then you could use £5 to add 500MB of Data and keep the other £5 for calls.

Or swap the £10 for their £10 addon. http://www.three.co.uk/Pay_As_You_Go/Voice_Add_ons

You get 100 minutes, 3000 Texts, 500MB data.

So all in all for £10 top up you get,

100 minutes

3600 texts

650MB data

[Guest Raspa]

Plenty of point for a 12 Year Old!

Kids do NOT need data connection when out and about.

You obviously know different children to the average, techno-literate 12year old that lives in contemporary Britain. I can't imagine any of the ones I know putting up with a crippled phone. The ones who own a smartphone want to use the smart features of it.