# Internet Usage



## Michael M (Sep 15, 2008)

Hi All
Well I've searched everywhere without getting a useful answer.
I am about to Connect to Wireless at home......I've never had the Net before 'cause I have it at work.

What I'm trying to find out is what sort of download usage some of you have.
My provider tells me I need a 5Gb plan, my friends tell me 2Gb.

Please give me some clues as to what I might be up for !!
The Criteria per month:
1. No Movies or Books
2. A couple of CD's 
3. About twice a day to Mr Excel
4. about 2 hrs a day surfing and looking at holiday sites, car sites, etc.
5. Check E-Mail about twice a day and reply.

Geez, now I've made a list, maybe I don't need the Net.

I'd appreciate any input !!

Regards
Michael M


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## cornflakegirl (Sep 15, 2008)

We do that kind of stuff on 2GB - and previously on 1GB, which didn't feel any slower.


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## Richard Schollar (Sep 15, 2008)

Yeah but a couple of CDs a month could break 1.5Gb which doesn't allow much room for manoever above that...


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## cornflakegirl (Sep 15, 2008)

Ah sorry - I was thinking speed rather than usage cap - question makes more sense now - I'll go back to pretending to do some work


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## Stormseed (Sep 15, 2008)

cornflakegirl said:


> Ah sorry - I was thinking speed rather than usage cap


 
Good Lord !! You measured the connectivity speed in GB   ? Was it something like 2 GB per second ?  

If you use a Broadband connection then use the following websites for checking the speed of your connection:

www.broadbandspeedchecker.co.uk
www.speedtest.net

Michael, according to me, it would depend upon the ISP - for how much are they charging you for the bundled package (1GB or 2 GB and so on..) According to your internet surfing habitat, which you mentioned above, speed should not be a major factor of concern. If the ISP at your location is providing you a connection for unlimited downloads at almost the same rates (nominal difference) as the bundled usage cutting down on speed factor then I (assuming I were in your place) would rather go for the unlimited downloads package. It would be very much useful incase you download games, movies, music, etc.

I use Broadband at home. I download around 8-9 GB of softwares (everything what you can think of..!) per week. The details of my connection and & my ISP are as under:

ISP: Reliance Communications (Reliance Broadnet)
Download Limit: Unlimited
Speed: 300 KBPS 
Technology: Broadband Wimax Technology
Cost of Plan: Rs.1100.00 Per Month ($24 US Dollars per month).
Experience: Amazing, I love it !!!!


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## cornflakegirl (Sep 15, 2008)

Stormseed said:


> Good Lord !! You measured the connectivity speed in GB



Gig, meg, they're all the same between friends, right?


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## Stormseed (Sep 15, 2008)

Ofcourse Ofcourse ! 

I mean, I think that you are an above average user in Excel and hence it is obvious that you are aware of these techincal jargons when we speak about connectivity ! 

I was a bit shocked that you said that ! Just could not believe it that you referred to that connectivity part like some kind of a virtual nerd 

Edit: I never understood that "Gig" "Meg" part


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## RoryA (Sep 15, 2008)

Gig = horse-drawn carriage
Meg = girl sitting in gig.


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## Stormseed (Sep 15, 2008)

rorya said:


> Gig = horse-drawn carriage
> Meg = girl sitting in gig.


 
Hi Rory 

haha !! that was a little funny !

so what did she mean to say in regards to what I said in my post ? I am still in a fuss


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## RoryA (Sep 15, 2008)

Gig = Gigabyte
Meg = Megabyte.


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## Stormseed (Sep 15, 2008)

whoa ! 

so it means that GBs and MBs are the same between friends ?  

Rory, how about exchanging one of your IPODS with around more than 10 GB with mine (512 MB) ?


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## RoryA (Sep 15, 2008)

No can do - I don't have any iPods with more than *4*GB.


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## Stormseed (Sep 15, 2008)

Thats ok, I can exchange for 4 GB too


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## RoryA (Sep 15, 2008)

I don't think my wife would appreciate that as it's hers!


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## Stormseed (Sep 15, 2008)

Where there is a WILL, there are MANY WAYS


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## RoryA (Sep 15, 2008)

If I gave away her iPod, there would be a Will all right - my last Will and Testament!


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## riaz (Sep 15, 2008)

Then it could be a case of "Where there is a will, there are relatives".


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## Stormseed (Sep 15, 2008)

riaz said:


> Then it could be a case of "Where there is a will, there are relatives"



*ROFL*


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## cornflakegirl (Sep 15, 2008)

rorya said:


> I don't think my wife would appreciate that as it's hers!



Your wife has the biggest iPod? I'm sure that's not how it's supposed to work!


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## riaz (Sep 15, 2008)

Now, now, Emma, size is not important.


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## RoryA (Sep 15, 2008)

I'm not counting my phone. My other iPod is an old Shuffle so it's only 1GB. Enough for the gym at any rate.


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## arkusM (Sep 15, 2008)

Michael M said:


> Hi All
> Well I've searched everywhere without getting a useful answer.
> I am about to Connect to Wireless at home......I've never had the Net before 'cause I have it at work.
> 
> ...


 
Downloading a CD? as in a compact disc? They are abour 750 Megabyte each... But that is if you download them in an uncompress format... Which would be odd to find online...

1. No Movies or Books *0MB*
2. A couple of CD's *Variable but average 2MB per song (Compressed), 12 per "CD" 2 CDs 25 Songs = 50-100MB to be generous*
3. About twice a day to Mr Excel *Mr.Excel looks lean to me, if you burn 5MB/day I would be surprised (but hard to really comment as I don't track this stuff)*
4. about 2 hrs a day surfing and looking at holiday sites, car sites, etc.
*Highly variable but still...*
5. Check E-Mail about twice a day and reply. *Average email, with no picture attachments, <30 kilobytes so after 100 you get 3MB, you will be emailing alot to burn through 2GB.*

So very roughly if you downlaod 25 songs a month, send 3000 emails a month surf Mr.Excel and other sites you might be around 400 MB a month if I am even close in estimations... so that will leave you 1.6 GB of head room... you get the picture.



IMHO 2GB is plenty for the above mentioned list. To my thinking the provider is trying to sell you the 5GB, so go with the lower plan cause they are MOST likely upselling you. Try the 2GB and if it aint enough Upgrade!

Cheers.
M


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## Michael M (Sep 15, 2008)

Thanks M
Yeah, I get the idea.
I actually meant downloading a CD's worth of tracks, so 10-20 mp3's, but you have put on track.

Rorya, you get the gong for hijacking the thread !!
I knew the minute I posted somebody would.

Regards and thanks to all
Michael M


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## kgkev (Sep 16, 2008)

You need to look at the penalties for going over your limit as well.

If the 5GB package is £5 more a month but the penalty for downloading is £100 per GB then it might be worth just going for the bigger package.

I say this because in the UK 3 Mobile broadband has a package that is £10 with a 1GB limit per month.  If you go over this limit the charge is 10p for each MB over.  thats £102 per GB.

For just £15 you can get the 3GB limit.

Worth checking


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## RoryA (Sep 16, 2008)

Michael M said:


> Rorya, you get the gong for hijacking the thread !!
> I knew the minute I posted somebody would.


 
Thanks - I learned from some of the best in the business...


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## arkusM (Sep 16, 2008)

kgkev said:


> You need to look at the penalties for going over your limit as well.
> 
> If the 5GB package is £5 more a month but the penalty for downloading is £100 per GB then it might be worth just going for the bigger package.
> 
> ...


 
Wow. What a rip. 
(not to hijack again) but, I find the whole internet/cell phone plan thing, at least here in Canada, to be be such a rip off. As if going over your plan minuts or bandwidth is really worth such a harsh penalty.
I want to charge them back for each freaking minute I have to spend on the phone listening to their bogus phone menu sytems then waiting on hold for.................................ever. Grrr. Scams all of it scams.

Good luck Michael!!

Cheers.
M


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