Anyone who uses a smartphone and subscribes to a limited wireless data plan fears exceeding their monthly allocation, especially if the person is sharing data with a family or group of friends. This makes it important to monitor the use of data. Fortunately, the Samsung Galaxy Note 3 and some apps in the Google Play Store will help users keep track of their data and stay under their limit so they don’t run into a surprisingly high cell phone bill.
Checking Data Usage in Settings on Samsung Galaxy Note 3
Let’s start by checking data usage in Settings on Note 3. Open Settings by tapping in the upper right corner. It looks like a round gear. On the tab in Settings, tap about two-thirds of the way down the screen.
When this appears there is a box at the top of the screen that toggles Mobile data on and off. There is an item that says underneath. To make sure you never exceed a certain data limit, tap that item to turn it on. A screen like the following pops up to warn the user:
Your mobile data connection will be turned off when the specified limit is reached.
Data usage is measured by your phone and your service provider may account for usage differently, so consider using a prudent limit.
This alert informs users that phone companies may not be able to measure data usage the same way the phone does. This limit does not accurately reflect actual data usage.
The warning means that the user’s phone company cannot measure the data as the phone does. If a person subscribes to a 10GB limit, they should set the limit in this setting lower than this total. Also note that a shared data plan means that a user does not receive 10GB but shares that amount with others. For example, my family has five phones that share 15GB, so I set my phone to 5GB, which is the total data cap I use, while other phones are set to 2GB. The Mobile data setting on this screen will turn off when the phone reaches this limit.
Find the date your phone subscription was reset and enter it here.
Now we need to change the Data usage cycle in the Data usage settings screen. Tap the button and tap the drop-down box next to it to clear the previous alert. Change the date to the date your billing cycle reset. Check with your wireless carrier to find the date. It will appear on your invoice, in the carrier’s account app, on the website, or you can call and ask customer service. Mine resets on the 2nd of every month so I set it to 2. It resets automatically that day.
To change the limit and alert threshold, hold the lever at the right end of the line on the chart and swipe up or down (by tapping and holding and then swiping up/down). It’s a good idea to set the alert well below the limit so you’re not surprised when it turns off. Downloading a video or a bunch of pictures can quickly consume data.
On the same screen, scroll down to see how much data each app is using. Mine used Chrome and Tethering the most in my current billing cycle. This helps the user understand what is eating the data in case it suddenly passes.
Install Data Usage Apps to Track
Install the AT&T All Access widget on the home screen to see how much data you and your family use in a month.
AT&T customers can track data usage from the phone’s home screen using the free app. AT&T All Access Vehicle. It loads on the home screen and quickly shows you how much data the phone is using during the current billing cycle. It also shows how much the family is used across all devices.
If AT&T didn’t already install it, install the app using the link above. Press and hold a dot on the home screen. The home screen customization menu opens. Tap on it and select the top tap. Find one of the two widgets by swiping sideways. One takes up one line on the screen, the other two lines. I prefer the smaller widget that only uses one line.
Tap and hold the widget and the app drawer will disappear. Keep your finger on the screen and when the widget sits on the spot you want to place on the screen, release it and it will load itself on the screen.
The app may need to activate itself, so disconnect from Wi-Fi to connect directly to AT&T. The app will soon show the amount of data used since the last billing cycle of the phone and the entire account if the user subscribes to the shared data. It will also show you how many days are left in the billing cycle, how much data the account subscription includes, and the total data used by all devices on the shared plan.
There is a similar tool called Verizon Usage Widget this also allows Verizon customers to quickly see on the home screen how much data they are using. It’s not an official Verizon app, but works similarly with separate widgets for data, phone minutes, and text messages used.
