MOBILE DATA PLAN - HOW YOU CAN CONTROL IT

I'm subscribing to Maxis Data Plan of RM58-00 monthly for 500MB. Being overcharged by maxis for surfing the net with my handphone previously had alert me to be more cost wisely from that day.

Being able to check my current 'unbill amount' by dialing *100# feature does help me a little bit on how much I'd used.

However, with the new data plan, I want to know the whole system, how does Maxis charge us. Upon calling their service centre, the guy told me that checking your 'unbill amount' (*100#), its only indicate your outgoing call and sms charges only, NOT your MMS nor your Data Plan.

He added that Maxis unable to provide the data plan charges on the spot by dialing *100# and it has proven to be Maxis major weakness.

Fret not, here is a simple way to monitor your usage, read on :


The Plan : Maxis Plan (or whatever plan)

Handphone : Android  (symbian or iphone)

Purpose :

1) how to control your usage while surfing

2) To prevent your service provider (Maxis, Celcom or Digi) overcharged you

3) To know how much your kilobyte (KB), megabyte (MB), gigabyte (GB)..that you have used

                          

Problems encountered :
1) I can't check how much my data (internet) current usage is (in RM or byte)
2) Maxis only report your usage by the end of your period, by then, its too  late, they might overcharged you
3) I might exceed the 500MB without even knowing it or I might under utilized it
4) How do I know when to stop after reaching certain point of Megabyte to prevent Maxis charge me at their own free will.
5) Is my RM58-00 monthly value for money?

Solution :
I would recommend installing a program to your phone called '3G watchdog' (arrff!).(The program you may download it thru android market for free, yeah..how nice!).

The program which will gauge your 'byte' usage according to your preference or your data plan hoping for a better control of your consumption.

It may not able to tell you how much in RM that you have used, but at least you know on which direction you're heading to.

First, set your byte limit  i.e in my case, its 500mb and the date of your data plan ends each month, as follows:

You can also set your designated warning after reaching certain level, i.e 75%.

At this level, you know when to slow down...

It will indicate how much KB you have used

(Please note : 1,000KB = 1MB)

The icon bar level indicator on your home screen

Case Study:

My platform will be on Facebook as many of us are FB addicted. The mobile network is switch on continuously.

This is the image at 6.30am, pay attention at the MB section :

It started with 5.03MB

After 7 hours, logging on to FB, constantly checking for updates, commenting, messaging, viewing photos, a little chat.....here are the verdict :

I used only 1.7% i.e 8.36MB je...rileks lah...

Usage for today is 3.32MB, its a loooooong way to reach 500MB.

It also indicate that 'if you keep your usage constant, you will have used 3.3% (16.5MB) of your quota by that date'. So, I can crank up my megabyte volume to a maximum level - 'bagi maxis rugi sikit'.

This is what I called, "value for Money".

Mwahaha....!!!!