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We have three phones and one is a ZTE phone through QLink and it was acquired for the sole purpose of text since we were getting so many text "at a cost" from telemarketers, etc. on one of the other phones. There is an application we'd like to download so we are considering a move to another carrier. The plan will have only 250mb of data. Besides phone calls in and out and text in and out, what are all the ways data will be used up?
The current phone comes with 1 gig and like magic when the month is over and all we have done is text and calls we have less than 1 gig so something is using data.
I did call the prospective new carrier and they said if the phone service is coming from wi-fi then no data can be used by anyone. And as you may expect they sell a wi-fi setup as an add-on.
Thanks.
What model is your phone? Is that a smartphone?
Is that the "free" phone from the Federal Lifeline Assistance?
You need to go to settings and check what apps you have on your phone. The usual - browser, social media, email, google store etc. all use data.
Report back.
What model?
General characteristics ZTE Z3001S: Android 7.1
Is that the "free" phone from the Federal Lifeline Assistance? Yes
ZTE is a Chinese phone and ZTE was banned by Trump at one time but that ban ended back around March 2018. We contacted Ibotta and they said we needed Android 5.1 or higher. We had that. But we went ahead and paid for a newer ZTE version and now we have Android 7.1 and still the download of the app says incompatible. So it's either ZTE or QLink. Consumer Cellular has a ZTE phone too and we may pass on that and go with Motorola for calls and text and take the 250mb data. The data that I use will only be to acquire that application and upload receipts. If there are other ways the data can be used without my knowledge then the 250mb won't be enough and I'll have to consider some other plan.
People always getting the cheapest phone they possibly can then wonder why it won't do something.
Spend a few $'s and get the Motorola.
As Boxus said: Calls and txt do not use data.
There are ways to restrict what happens on cellular and you should easily be able to stay under 250mb.
Get a phone that works with the app.
Location: East of Seattle since 1992, 615' Elevation, Zone 8b - originally from SF Bay Area
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This is why we keep a landline, and never give our cell phone numbers to anyone that is not a friend, relative, or medical provider. We still get some robocalls but maybe once or twice a month, and have never gotten a spam text on the cell phones. On the landline we just don't answer if the caller ID is not available or we don't recognize it, and the telemarketers and scammers usually don't leave a voicemail.
On our cell phones we rarely talk, it's mostly text and internet, so we have data plus carryover shared between 3 phones. It's more than enough but the extra allows us to use a phone to create a personal wifi to use an ipad when not near wifi or one of the smart TVs in our travel trailer. when camping in the woods. Right now we have 26 GB left, plus 13GB holdover from last month.
Many apps will use data, or try to, at least. You may be able to go through the apps one by one and either restrict the data (background data too) or disable them entirely if you won't be using them.
This is why we keep a landline, and never give our cell phone numbers to anyone that is not a friend, relative, or medical provider. We still get some robocalls but maybe once or twice a month, and have never gotten a spam text on the cell phones. On the landline we just don't answer if the caller ID is not available or we don't recognize it, and the telemarketers and scammers usually don't leave a voicemail.
On our cell phones we rarely talk, it's mostly text and internet, th.
IMO landlines are a waste of money. We got rid of our landline years ago and no issues. Call quality is excellent and we pay $0 for long distance. My home phone is in my pocket and I rarely miss a call. Some friend calls I don't need to walk to the kitchen to answer. The phone is either in my pocket or next to my bed or chair.
I don't answer mystery calls just like you. A phone is a phone be it cell or landline. What you say makes no sense. The majority of households don't have a landline
Last edited by Mr5150; 09-06-2019 at 06:12 PM..
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is using data. 
