Mobile data use on a laptop

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Technofreak

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#91106 6-Oct-2011 20:36

I’m trying to get a handle on how much data (MB or GB) a laptop using solely mobile data would use each month in order to sort out a data plan.

The laptop will use mobile data for everything including anti virus updates and most likely Windows updates as it will rarely be used via an Ethernet or WiFi connection.

The laptop will be used everyday by salespeople. The main uses are for website access – mainly to demo a particular website, accessing cloud based customer management software, emails – some with document attachments, perhaps some accessing of cloud based documents and the use of either Windows Live or Google apps for calendar synchronisation etc.

There will be the some accessing of YouTube but it’s not anticipated that there will be much need for this. Any video clips will be kept on the laptop where possible.

Can anyone give me any idea how much data we could expect to use.

Thanks

[Mod Edit :BH: Moved to a more generic forum for your question. As per the FUG, please do not cross post]

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#530356 6-Oct-2011 20:43

Hmmm, these things are tough to call. If it is rarely going to be connected via ethernet or wifi, I would say minimum 3GB to be on the safe side.

Your worst "data enemies" will be YouTube.

joff_nz

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#530358 6-Oct-2011 20:43

Lots, at a guess I would be encouraging around 10gb a month, main killer being windows and other software updates.

10gb might be a bit out but it's hard/impossible to say, depends on how much youtube, cloud stuff, updating etc.

heavenlywild

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#530360 6-Oct-2011 20:49

And also you need to consider where your sales people will be based - in Auckland? Or all over the country? This determines whether you go with 2Degrees/Vodafone or Telecom XT for coverage.

oxnsox

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#530361 6-Oct-2011 20:52

Depends entirely on how it's used but you should be able to do it on under 3GB. I have 2-3 people using a 3G connection daily for all their internet access, including it being the wifi access for handsets. But none do much media. Monthly is 4-6 depending on updates and visitors.

Technofreak

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#530363 6-Oct-2011 20:54

heavenlywild: And also you need to consider where your sales people will be based - in Auckland? Or all over the country? This determines whether you go with 2Degrees/Vodafone or Telecom XT for coverage.

They will be based New Zealand wide, even more to the point they will be using on customers premises or out in the field New Zealand wide. Is there that big a difference between the different Telcos regarding 3G coverage?

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heavenlywild

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#530364 6-Oct-2011 20:57

Technofreak:
heavenlywild: And also you need to consider where your sales people will be based - in Auckland? Or all over the country? This determines whether you go with 2Degrees/Vodafone or Telecom XT for coverage.

They will be based New Zealand wide, even more to the point they will be using on customers premises or out in the field New Zealand wide. Is there that big a difference between the different Telcos regarding 3G coverage?

If that is the case, you can't go wrong with Telecom XT for 3G coverage and speed. Vodafone is your other option but you need to definitely check their coverage for out of town / rural areas.

Technofreak

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#530366 6-Oct-2011 20:59

joff_nz: Lots, at a guess I would be encouraging around 10gb a month, main killer being windows and other software updates.

10gb might be a bit out but it's hard/impossible to say, depends on how much youtube, cloud stuff, updating etc.

I'm thinking that the Windows update could be done once or twice a month when ever there is ethernet or Wifi access. You Tube access would be kept down to a minimum.

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Technofreak

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#530368 6-Oct-2011 21:03

oxnsox: Depends entirely on how it's used but you should be able to do it on under 3GB. I have 2-3 people using a 3G connection daily for all their internet access, including it being the wifi access for handsets. But none do much media. Monthly is 4-6 depending on updates and visitors.

When you say under 3GB, I presume you mean more than 2 GB but less than 3 GB?

The monthly figure you quote is that the total between the 2 - 3 people, so the average is about 2 GB per person?

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heavenlywild

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#530371 6-Oct-2011 21:17

It is really hard to estimate really. It's like the more money you earn, the more you spend. Same logic with data. The more you have, the more you tend to end up using:)

joff_nz

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#530373 6-Oct-2011 21:20

Especially if your sales people aren't tech smart our don't understand gigabytes and such

Technofreak

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#530838 8-Oct-2011 11:42

Thanks for all the info. It tended to support my thoughts. Since this is new territory for us the crystal ball was pretty hazy. The laptops will be tethered from a mobile phone so the call and text plans also complicate the issue. Trying to compare the the various options isn't easy with the varying minutes, text and data plans from the different providers. Excel came in very handy allowing me to try several variations and to assess the relative benefits of each option.

In the end is was the data plans and to a lesser extent coverage that drove the decision on which provider to choose. One providers call plans were very attractive but a relatively small breach of the data limit and the costs really started to climb significantly. Now to sort out which phone and that is complicated by the choices of phones the provider offers, which are mostly Android and I'm not sure I want to go the Android route. Symbian followed by WP7 are my preferences.

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ajw

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#530855 8-Oct-2011 12:29

If you decide to go with the XT network slingshot/callplus have signed a wholesale deal with Telecom and within a month will be retailing voice and data plans.

Slingshot

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Slingshot

#532009 11-Oct-2011 16:49

I would err on the side of caution with those above, as I can attest to how often data can disappear to un-suspected sources. 3-5GB is a good starting point.

To give you an idea on the most common consumer, youtube, 10 minutes of 360p video consumes roughly 100-150mb.
So if you are sparing and do an average of 10mins or so a day of this thats 3000-4500mb per month on that alone.

Extra data per month usually costs more than a base plan with most providers so i'd recommend a higher base plan for the first month (assuming you can change plans later) then scale down based on actual habit, rather than facing extra data charges unexpectedly.

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ajw

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#532437 12-Oct-2011 17:25

Slingshot: I would err on the side of caution with those above, as I can attest to how often data can disappear to un-suspected sources. 3-5GB is a good starting point.

To give you an idea on the most common consumer, youtube, 10 minutes of 360p video consumes roughly 100-150mb.
So if you are sparing and do an average of 10mins or so a day of this thats 3000-4500mb per month on that alone.

Extra data per month usually costs more than a base plan with most providers so i'd recommend a higher base plan for the first month (assuming you can change plans later) then scale down based on actual habit, rather than facing extra data charges unexpectedly.

Any definite date yet when you will be launching voice and data plans on the XT network.

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#532444 12-Oct-2011 17:44

Microsoft schedule is clear: Windows Update is issued on the second Tuesday of the month, every month (Wednesday morning in New Zealand). Unless you are talking Service Pack, it would be something between 10 MB and 200 MB, depending on what's installed. On a laptop with Internet Explorer, Office I would expect something like 100MB average.

Antivirus updates might use around 1 - 2 MB a day depending on the software.

No, Windows Update is not the biggest use of data on a single device, mobile or fixed.

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