An observation on mobile data usage

Technology
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On our previous 2 week visit in 2022 I ran out of mobile data thanks to a computer update in the background. It was expensive. :rage:

This year Giffgaff have included an EU data left indicator on their mobile user page and, not surprisingly, Iā€™ve been monitoring usage. Yesterday we burned through almost a gigabyte instead of the usual 300ish meg for surfing, Duolingo as normal. Itā€™s not the computers - updates paused for 2 weeks thanks to W11 controls - but was in fact a result of searching for recipes. Presumably when my wife was looking she had several sites open, all downloading and auto-playing video content in the background.

So a heads up - itā€™s not just pron sites that provide dodgy videos you didnā€™t ask for, but the malign force that pays for the internet - advertising - does it too.

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I have had Smarty recommended by my daughter - from Ā£6 per month with 5gb included and many other options (up to Ā£20 per month for unlimited) but importantly it includes roaming in EU.

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Thanks. I have 5GB included in my giffgaff account, although Iā€™m probably going to switch provider at some stage soon because only EE works in my current place of work and giffgaff use O2. Thinking for the future, Iā€™m probably going to need 20GB per month if we stay here for longer periods, as we hope.

Current faves are Lebara and Lyca, though I could just get a French SIM when weā€™re here.

This was areally intended as a warning if anyone is ā€˜just visitingā€™ so they arenā€™t caught unawares.

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Yes Google used to allow us to block AutoPlay. Then they stopped.

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On iPhones, go into Settings > General > Background App Refresh and select either ā€œWi-Fiā€ or ā€œOffā€.

If you have ā€œWi-Fi & Mobile Dataā€ selected AND the Apps listed below are enabled AND are allowed to use Mobile Data, you can burn though your data allowance pretty quick.

Auto play / auto download should be set to Off or WiFi Only for every App on your devices.

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Would that help if using the phone as a WiFi hotspot?

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Useful warning: thanks.

I got a Lebara card on a MSE deal a while ago. I think it was .99/m for 6m and then 6.90 ongoing. It was worth switching from Giffgaff.

The main advantage is that all the data you get (12Gb in my case) can be used for roaming.

However Iā€™ve yet to work out how to use the mobile hotspot feature on an iPhone.

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I think that would only work for apps running on the phone providing the hotspot. Connected devices would also probably have to be restricted in the same or a similar manner. Iā€™m by no means an expert on iThings though.

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I recently took contract out for another Bouygues Telecom sim, first one is in a 4G router the second one is for a mobile to get a +33 number.
Does anyone know off the top of their heads if I take the phone to UK will I be hit with daily roaming charges, the reverse of what some UK service providers (Vodafone) now do in mainland Europe.
I havenā€™t checked the contractual small print since itā€™s unlikely Iā€™d bring this phone to UK anyway, not for the foreseeable at least.

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It works well if you can connect to it but most of the time you cannot see it is a WiFi hotspot from your other device.

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I havenā€™t even got that far! But Iā€™m on to Lebara help as we speak!!

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Just go into Settings, then Personal Hotspot tick allow others to join, give it a password.

From the other device look for a WiFi hotspot that has the name of your iPhone.

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It was a bit fiddlier than that - he sent me an APN code - but it seems okay now.

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usually the European operators Iā€™ve looked at still include the UK on their list for ā€œEuropeā€ ie same roaming terms.

You absolutely have to look at your own small print though as they can change the offering of even later sales of the same deal.

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It should do as the phone wonā€™t be using its mobile data connection to update App data.

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Correct.

Youā€™d want background App refresh disabled completely on the devices using the hotspot.

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My wife burned through her roaming data allowance in just 7 days when we were in Ireland i August, watching DIY videos on YouTube.

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Read and digest - this is good advice from @NotALot

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I have a Three HomeFi router, with unlimited data, of which I can use 12GB per month abroad.

I can just put it in my suitcase, and take it with me, although I mostly used the free WiFi in the hotel.