Mobile data is becoming expensive day by day irrespective of 2G or 3G. The only way to save cost is to reduce data usage. We analyse different strategies you could adopt to save mobile data.
Data hungry apps
As soon as you turn on your mobile data, your installed apps start using your internet to Sync for new update. Ensure you enable restrict background data for apps that you don't want connecting to internet each time. You always get updates when you open up these Apps.
If you are using Facebook App ensure you disable "Video Auto-play" option under settings.
Auto-update apps
This is a must setting you must make sure not enabled for mobile data. Else you could lose anywhere between 5-25MB of data on a single App update. You can change this settings in Google Play Store under Menu > Settings > Auto-update apps. You can either go with "Auto-update apps over Wi-Fi only" or "Do not auto-update apps".
Data saving Browsers
Google last year announced Google Chrome data compression feature for Android and iOS. By turning on this option you could save up to 30-50% data depending on your browsing pattern. This option not only save data but also increase speed. To turn on this option, go to Chrome Settings -> Bandwidth management -> Reduce data usage.
Opera browsers have data saving feature integrated for many years. It also lets you configure image quality settings in Opera data saving options and compress images up to 80%. Now most of the browser for Android like UCBrowser comes with similar data saving option.
Set data alerts and limit
Android OS provides option to set a limit on your data usage under settings ->wireless & networks -> data usage -> Set mobile data limit. You can set warning limit and a hard limit to control data usage. So that you don't have to worry about overrunning your subscribed data.
WiFi offloading
This is one of the best method to save mobile data. Most of us have WiFi broadband at home and office. When ever you are close to your home/Office WiFi, connect to it instead of turning on expensive mobile data. It also provide better speed and battery saving.
Monitor Data usage
Get to know which Apps are eating up your data. You can use Android OS build Data Usage tool located under settings. It will show a graphical representation of data used by each App.
Do let us know by comment if you have any tips on saving data on mobile.
