What is mobile data?
Mobile data allows you to access the internet on your smartphone when there is no Wi-Fi connection available.
It’s mostly used when people are out and about, like shopping or commuting, but some users may prefer mobile data at home if their Wi-Fi is poor or they have an unlimited data SIM.
With 3G shutdown already underway, 4G (i.e., “4th generation” technology) has become the current default mobile data speed. However, 5G looks set to overtake this in the near future.
Why should you check and monitor your mobile data usage?
Many of us have mobile plans or bundles with tariffs that have limited data allowances. Depending on your deal, you may be capped at a certain amount of data each month, whether it’s 1GB or 50GB.
Whatever your data allowance, staying on top of your monthly usage can benefit you in many ways, such as:
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Providing a better understanding of how much data you really use
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Letting you know if you need to upgrade or downgrade your current plan
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Avoiding additional charges for going over your monthly allowance
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Saving money so you only pay for what you need
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Helping you get the best possible deal
What uses up mobile data?
Not being able to connect to Wi-Fi can drain your data allowance to the point where you run out before your monthly refresh.
If you’re not connected to Wi-Fi, many activities will use your mobile data to function, for instance:
Social media
Various social media platforms including Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, WhatsApp, Tumblr and Twitter all use mobile data to post, refresh and share, send videos and pictures, and more.
Streaming music
Music streaming apps like Spotify use data when downloading or listening to songs.
Streaming videos
YouTube and Netflix, for example, use up a lot of data - especially if you’re watching in high definition. Remember, the higher the video quality, the more mobile data you will use.
Internet browsing
Even though web browsing is the least data-intensive activity, it’s still possible to use up a lot of data if you’re continuously checking emails, reading online, or switching between multiple tabs.
How to reduce your mobile data usage
There are several ways you can reduce your mobile data usage to stay within your allowance, including:
Connect to Wi-Fi whenever possible
Perhaps the most obvious solution: connect to Wi-Fi whenever possible.
You will probably have Wi-Fi at home, but what about if you’re out and about? Some buses and trains offer free Wi-Fi access while commuting, and many cafes also allow customers to connect their devices.
However, you should be aware of the risks of connecting to open Wi-Fi routers in public, and know how to keep your smartphone safe online.
Only download and update on Wi-Fi
Similarly, if any of your applications need updating, wait to do this until you’re connected to Wi-Fi. Installing apps and updating them can drain significant quantities of mobile data.
Additionally, only download things on Wi-Fi, and make sure you have your downloads ready ahead of trips. So if you’re going on a long journey, download your Netflix episodes or films beforehand, so you can watch them offline without using up any data. Do the same thing with songs, audiobooks, or podcasts - download them on Spotify or whatever platform you use beforehand, and enjoy without the fear or wasting data.
Stop apps from using data
In Settings under Mobile Data, you can actually choose which applications are allowed to use mobile data and which are barred from it. This will stop applications from using mobile data up in the background.
Set a data limit
You can set a data limit on your Android to restrict your phone so it doesn’t use up any more mobile data than you allow.
- Go to Settings
- Go to Data Usage
- Go to Billing Cycle
- Go to Data limit and billing cycle
- From here, you can set a maximum amount of data to use each month. Align this with your plan to ensure you never exceed what you’re paying for
- You can also ask your Android to disconnect from mobile data once the limit has been reached
Unfortunately, this feature isn’t available on iOS at the moment.
Use GPS for navigation
If you’re using your smartphone to navigate, you could risk draining all of your mobile data in a single trip!
Turn on Location services in Privacy under Settings so that Google Maps (or a similar navigation app) can find your location, then enter your desired destination.
Once the route has been confirmed, press Start and then turn your mobile data off. Most navigation apps will continue giving out driving instructions as long as the route was confirmed before you switched off your data. Just keep in mind that if you happen to go the wrong way, your app won’t be able to recalculate your route.
Turn off autoplay
If you’re watching YouTube on your phone, disable autoplay so that it doesn’t continue on to the next video, thus using up a lot of your mobile data (particularly if your phone is in your pocket and unknowingly doing this).
On YouTube, find the Settings icon (a grey cog) and slide the Autoplay next video switch to off.
Install an ad blocker
Here’s a neat little trick - install an ad blocker to save you data. They will stop image and video ads from loading when you’re browsing the internet, meaning there’s no risk of an auto-playing video destroying your allowance.
Data monitoring apps
Download and install a data monitoring app on your smartphone to better understand your usage. These types of apps will often send you alerts so you stay on top of how much data you’re using on various activities. Here’s a couple you could try out:
For iPhones - Data Usage
- Monitor data usage in real time
- Predictive forecast shows you when you might go over your limit
- Set usage alerts to get you off in time
- Colours used to reflect your usage status
- Export history of data usage
- Use the Today Widget to show cellular data as a notification on your home screen
For Android - My Data Manager
- Monitor data on mobile, Wi-Fi, and roaming
- Set custom usage alarms
- Track mobile usage on certain applications
- Export history
- Track background refreshes that can use up data unknowingly
- See how many times a day an app is being used
How to monitor your mobile data usage
Most smartphones have an option in Settings to show you how much data you’re using, and which apps and actions are responsible for draining it the most.
To find data usage on an iPhone
- Go to Settings
- Go to Mobile Data
- Scroll down to see how much data each application is using in MB or GB
To find data usage on Android
- Go to Settings
- Go to Network & Internet
- Go to Data usage
- Under Mobile, you’ll see how much mobile data you’re using up in total
- Go to Mobile data usage to see how much data each application on your Android is using
Alternatively, swipe down to show your Quick Settings. If enabled, you'll see your daily and monthly data usage here.
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If you’re an Asda mobile customer, you can find out how much data you’ve used from your bundle by logging into your online account.
You can also monitor your mobile data usage with the Asda mobile app, which gives you full access to your account information in just a few quick taps.
Unlimited Data with Asda mobile
We now offer three bundles of Unlimited Data to suit your needs:
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Unlimited Value is just £20 per month (2Mbps speed cap) and is ideal for listening to music, using social media, and casually browsing the internet while on the go
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Unlimited Speedy was £25 monthly but can now be bought for just £22 per month (10Mbps speed cap), so you save £3 every month doing everything you love, from streaming HD videos and listening to music, podcasts and radio, to downloading and updating your favourite media content
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Unlimited Superfast is our best value bundle, offering £6 savings (was £30 per month, now £24 per month) and a whopping 150Mbps speed cap! For this, you can expect 4K streaming, live HD videos, seamless online gaming, and near-instant downloads
All our Unlimited Data bundles come with 5G at no extra charge, so make sure you find a compatible handset in our mobile shop.
