This short guide will explain how to figure out where your iPhone data usage is at to make sure you don’t exceed any monthly limitations your mobile provider has.
Though some mobile providers allow unlimited data, if you live in Canada you know full well that many do not. Canadians have to be very careful how much data they use on their iPhones to avoid huge overage fees. Here’s how you can determine and monitor your iPhone data usage:
- Start by selecting the Settings button on your iPhone home screen.
- Now select Cellular on the Settings screen.
- In the Cellular section scroll down to CELLULAR DATA USAGE and locate the Current Period line. The number here is the amount of data that your iPhone has used while not using WiFi – ie. the data that your mobile provider is counting.
- Your cellular data usage does not reset automatically every month or at the start of your billing cycle. That means you have to manually reset the ‘counter’ yourself. To do so, tap the Reset Statistics link located at the very bottom of the Cellular settings page. It’s a good idea to set a reminder or calendar event to remind you to reset the counter at the start of your billing cycle, which you can usually find on the bill you get every month from your mobile provider.
- Another option is to use an app like Traffic Monitor with Widget, which is a well-reviewed and free app that monitors data usage. Depending on who your provider is, they may even have their own app that will detail your usage and some even have automatic warnings for when you get close to your monthly data allowance. Some of the providers that offer an app include Verizon, T-Mobile, AT&T, Bell, Fido and Sprint. Just search the App Store for the name of your mobile provider and take a look at the search results to see if yours has an app that lets you monitor your data usage.
