How to check your Maxis iPhone monthly data usage?
A heavy internet user on iPhone may at some point receive a surprise bill from Maxis totaling to RM350 (i.e RM100 monthly commitment + RM250 max capped for additional data usage). It happened to me too during Hari Raya holiday last year, where I use iPhone as tethered modem to get online on my laptop.
Maxis iPhone 4 most basic iValue 1 plan has free data usage of 1GB (used to be 500MB for iPhone 3GS and iPhone 3G), where the additional data usage is charged at 5 sen/10KB.
Just to illustrate how expensive that is, let say you download a 5MB MP3 after you have reached your monthly quota.
MP3 downloaded = 5MB
MP3 downloaded = 5 x 1024kb
MP3 downloaded = 5120kb
MP3 downloaded = 5120kb x RM0.05 / 10kb
MP3 downloaded = RM25.60
RM25.60 for a single MP3 downloaded? Go figure! You will reach the max RM250 capped price in no time.
But how to check how much bandwidth that you have already used for that particular month so that you will never be in this situation? If you are a Maxis Broadband user, there is an SMS reminder sent when you are reaching your monthly quota, and you can also easily check the current data usages mylaunchpad portal.
But unfortunately, these are not available for iPhone user. No SMS whatsoever when you are reaching the allowed monthly free data. And again, But how to check how much bandwidth that you have already used for that particular month?
The trick here is to look at Usage screen (Home Screen->Settings->General->Usage). Towards the bottom of the screen, there a section of the amount of Cellular Data Network that you have sent and received. Below is what recorded on my iPhone from the last round of billing.
And below is the data usage that I found on my last round of the billing. It’s not the same number as what shown on our phone, but at least, you get the idea of how much data that you have been using for that particular cycle.
But you have to remember tough, the count shown on the iPhone is accumulative. So, at the beginning of the new billing period, you have to reset that count on your iPhone.
In my case, my billing period is from 14th of the month until the 13th of the next month.
So just before the midnight of the 14th of the next month, I reset the counter back to zero.
But this means that I have to do this every month? What if I forgot to reset the counter? Well, there’s this very useful calendar app in your iPhone. What you can do is to set up a reminder for you to reset the usage counter before the start of the new billing day.
It’s just a simple reminder, where in my case, I set it up at 11:50pm on 13th day of every month. Then I repeat this reminder every month.
And even I fall asleep already at 11:50pm on the 13th day, I should be able to look at the reminder the next day when I woke up.
bro iphone 4 not have to be 1gb data usage?my usage now is 822MB but maxis already charges me due the over monthly quota,…. my bill now is 456 damn sad!
are you upgrading to iPhone 4 from 3G or 3GS? if you upgrade, maybe Maxis pro rate your bill. i think you need to visit maxis center and ask for the clarification
u think urs one is high ? mine is 630.11 i don't know what they charged me ! i didn't exceeded the quota as well is just 970 in my phone.
Thank you for your great effort. Now I would be easy to check monthly usage.
use data monitor or data quota…;)
thanks dreamer. so there's an app for this too 😀
I look at the received data or sent data? Cause my received data is only 60mb but my sent is 560mb. Or I shall add them together? Very confusing. I appreciate it if you can help me with this. Thanks a lot.
Hi Blueblury. Yes. You need to add both. But it's quite strange that you have more sent than received.
Ya. I want to know why also. In stead, I am using wifi most of the time. No idea why is my usage so high. Now I have to off my 3G all the time unless necessary. I only use this phone for less than 2 weeks. And pretty sure I didn’t use so much data. Sigh. Anyway , thanks a lot for that. Good day.
glad that this help
Just wnna know,what is your average usage of data monthly??900mb?or maybe less? if less did u just leave the 3G on all the time or off it most of the time?
my usage is usually around 500MB. yeap. i leave my 3G on all the time. but i'm connected to Wifi at office and home. that's why i don't use much bandwidth from the data plan
let say if we open the 3G n then connected to the WIfi,does the data charge will accumulate or it will use the wifi??