Even with modern plans full of data traffic (now all offer more than 30 GB) it can happen to spend more money than expected by our subscription plan. In these cases we find that additional costs are charged in the bill or in the rechargeable card because the thresholds have been exceeded or because you have connected to the Internet in conditions not provided for in the subscription plan.
In this guide we show you all the methods to avoid spending more than you should on smartphone internet traffic, whatever the subscription plan or offer signed. In this way we will be informed if we exceed the threshold provided by our subscription or offer and we will avoid generating too much traffic, so as to always fall within the limits set.
READ ALSO: Consume less internet data on 3G traffic (iPhone and Android)
How to avoid extra Internet connection charges
Let's see together the best methods to avoid all kinds of extra charges for data connections; none of the tricks that we will see can be considered 100% foolproof, so it is always better to periodically check that everything is configured in a dot, so as to avoid paying extra money.Check the credit with the service provider
All the telephony providers offer their application to keep the credits and residual thresholds under control. Below we have collected all the apps that we can use with the main Italian operators:- MyTIM (Android and iPhone)
- My Vodafone Italia (Android and iPhone)
- MyWind (Android and iPhone)
- My3 (Android and iPhone)
- MyFastweb (Android and iPhone)
- PosteMobile (Android and iPhone)
If we have other virtual operators, simply open the App Store on your phone and search for the corresponding app.
Set a data limit on the smartphone
On all modern smartphones we can set a limit to data traffic, using the settings already present within the mobile operating system.On Android smartphones, we can set a limit to data traffic by going to the Settings app -> SIM card or Mobile networks -> Set data plan .
From this screen (which may change according to the system in use and the manufacturer of the smartphone), we tap on Data plan and insert the GB value of our offer or subscription; among the offered settings we will also have to configure the day on which the data offer is renewed, so that we can automatically reset the counter every month.
Once the data plan has been set, we will have to configure the smartphone to act upon reaching a safety threshold (we recommend 90% of the data) and upon reaching the maximum threshold envisaged: for the first, a notification on the screen is sufficient, while for the achievement of the maximum threshold we advise you to set the item Turn off data connection and warn (or similar item), so as to be sure to avoid extra expenses.
On the iPhone we can set a limit to the data plan by opening the Settings app and going to the Mobile or Phone menu; from here it is sufficient to configure the Use item to be able to benefit from the block if the threshold is exceeded.
Note : on some older iPhones this item does not appear, so we will have to use one of the third-party apps recommended in the following chapter.
App to set data limit
If we want to use a complete data management tool, we can install external apps. The best app in the category is definitely the My Data Manager app, available for free for Android devices and for iPhone.
Once installed in the system, it places itself in auto-start and monitors data traffic in real time, taking into account the consumption of the various apps started. Of course, it also allows you to set a data traffic threshold, so that you can warn and intervene (blocking data traffic) when we reach the maximum usage threshold.
It is particularly useful on all Android phones and iPhones that do not have an included data traffic control system, so that we can effectively control the consumption of data traffic and block when we have reached a certain threshold.
If we are looking for other apps similar to My Data Manager, we invite you to read our guide on Checking the internet traffic thresholds on Android and the residual credit, where we can find the apps to see the amount of data that is being used for each of the applications. .
Use Wi-Fi often, even outside the home
To ensure that you spend as little as possible on data traffic, it is worth taking advantage of the wireless or Wi-Fi connection whenever possible. If you have an Internet connection at home, all you need is a Wi-Fi router or modem to have the wireless Internet signal to connect to with your smartphone. When we are away from home, simply use the apps to find free Wifi and free wireless networks on the map, so you can always benefit from a limitless connection, drastically reducing the consumption of data traffic included in our offer.
In another article on how to stay connected to the internet wherever you go we have shown you some good ways to get around the Internet even abroad, where the data connection costs much more and where the subscriptions usually do not include data to surf ( or are valid only under certain conditions).
Beware of roaming charges
To avoid surprises, you need to avoid connecting to the internet when traveling abroad, as connection costs can be very high.Fortunately, in the countries of the European Union we can benefit from roaming is free of charge for phone calls, internet and SMS, but if we have to reach a non-European country, we will have to activate a dedicated data offer for foreign countries, such as those visible in our guide to Foreign rates from Wind, TIM, Tre, Vodafone .
Also for travelers, we recommend you read our guide on How to surf the Internet abroad for free (or almost), in which we will show you all the tricks and methods to be able to surf the Internet practically for free wherever we go in the globe.
Conclusions
By following all the information we have provided in this guide to the letter, we will be able to drastically reduce the extra costs for the data connection, which can be verified in particular when we travel abroad (in Italy it is very difficult to "finish" the current 30 GB data plans and beyond!).If the extra expense on our top-up or on the subscription concerns paid SMS services or subscriptions to unnecessary and very expensive services, we invite you to read our guide on how to deactivate paid SMS subscriptions and services on your mobile phone .
