How to manage your mobile data to save money

Using a smart phone or tablet for the utmost browsing experience requires superfast data connection. However, the experience comes with cost. The more you browse, the more you pay for data connection.

Affordability becomes a begging issue if you want to enjoy high speeds. Ghana has about 15.9million mobile internet data consumers across the various telecom service providers yet the cost of mobile internet data is not very affordable to many consumers.

Since you do not want to compromise your browsing experience, it implies that you will incur the cost of data bundles. Though some consumers attribute the high rate of ‘disappearance’ of their data bundles to ‘tricks and thefts’ by their service providers, it is usually not the case. Most consumers can be blamed for wasting their money because they cannot manage their data consumption, smartly.

10 Smart ways to manage mobile data

There are smart ways to manage data bundles in order to save some money for yourself and your business, such as:

Know your data appetite: It is important to know the size and intensity of your data consumption habit in relation to your level of income. This helps you to make critical decisions to save some money. Based on your lifestyle, profession and how savvy you are, you should have a clear idea of how much data you must consume daily, weekly or monthly, cost effectively. It helps you to know the devices to buy and the data bundle deals to grab.

Choose your devices wisely: Mobile devices and their respective Operating Systems have direct relationship on the amount of data you consume. Bigger screens need faster data connection to download bigger contents. Hence, higher data consumption. Some research have shown that Android devices consume more data than iOS ones because of their screen resolutions and the fact that most of the applications are not optimised to minimise data consumption. To save money means choosing smaller screen resolutions, data-optimised apps and mobile brands.

Select the best data-bundle deal: You need to select the right data bundle deals that perfectly suits your data appetite in a cost-effective way. Do some research to find out which telecom service provider or Internet Service Provider offers the best mobile internet data deals. Avoid Pay-As-You-Go deals. Go for weekly and monthly bundles as well as platform-customised bundles such social bundles for social media platforms. Go for the deals that do not dig deep into your pocket.

Use Data-Controlling browsers: Save some money by installing and consuming data-heavy websites via browsers such as Opera Mini, Onavo Extend and Chrome. These browsers help you to optimise or compress the contents on some sites. You can customise their settings to reduce the amount of data you consume during the browsing time.

Avoid data-hungry applications and platforms: If you want to save money, keep off the turf of data-hungry applications and platforms such as video-streaming, audio-streaming and image-heavy platforms. If you do not have the budget to consume such contents via your mobile device out of necessity, avoid them entirely. Otherwise, use Wi-Fi connection for consuming them.

Control automatic data uploads and updates: Do not automate uploads and updates of contents and applications on your mobile devices. Some applications are designed to notify, update or sync automatically or, by default, upload images and videos from the local library on your mobile device to your online account. Some of them include Dropbox, iCloud, OneDrive and Google Drive. Control them so they do not automatically upload or update.

Customise data usage for apps: Applications such as Facebook and WhatsApp, which are popularly consumed have the data-usage settings so you can stop videos from auto-playing and auto-downloading in your Newsfeed or Chats respectively. Have control over which format of content loads in your applications by customising the data-usage setting. It saves you money.

Use data storage apps for bulk messaging: There is no need to send huge files or documents to many people individually or small groups. Create accounts on data storage platforms such as Dropbox and Google Drive so you can store your contents via Wi-Fi connection or one-off mobile data connection. You only give permission to the recipients by sharing the folder or file with them via email message or the storage platforms. They then can download from the platform.

Set lower resolutions for streaming services: If you are a video or audio addict, you must save money by choosing lower resolution or content quality for the content you consume via mobile. Instead of watching Ultra High Definition or High Definition videos on YouTube or Netflix, you must change to Standard Definition to save you mobile internet data; and money in the long run.

Make use of airplane mode and cellular data switch:  When you are not browsing or using any apps, it is advisable to switch off your Cellular Data or switch to Airplane Mode. The former still allows calls to come through while the latter does not. However, you can connect your mobile device via Wi-Fi to browse, use your apps or make voice-over-data calls thereby saving some mobile internet data. In the long run, you save some money.

The Writer is Digital Marketing Strategist, Advertiser, Technology Preacher and Facilitator. WhatsApp: 0264887887