Motorola About Data Saver

[smasheroO16]

Hello, experts. I don't think it matters that the smartphone I use is a Motorola — my question is a general one. I use my phone as a router when I am on the computer (it's "tethered" to my phone). I found, recently, that though I did do some downloading recently, the amount of data used for this, and shown on my phone, was far in excess of what I would have thought. After all, when I used "proper" Internet Service providers, there was one provider that allowed only 5GB of downloading before extra charges were incurred and, in the two or three years that I was with them, it was only very occasionally (about twice, in total) when I had to pay for an extra allowance, so normally, my demand was about five GB. In those days, I did much more downloading than I need to do now.

So, to discover that (supposedly), I had used over five GB in ten days, using my phone as a router, came as a shock (also, I was quite sceptical).

It was then that I began to think about turning Data Saver on, on my phone, when I was not using the computer. This was yesterday.

So, my question is: does Data Saver save a great deal of data being used needlessly? I mean, if it is only background traffic that it prevents, that cannot be much, can it? If the answer to that is "No, it can't", I shall have aa need to constantly watch how much data has been used, at the end of every day. When I took out this contract (with 3UK), I thought that my allowance of 30 GB would be far, far in excess of my needs. It would seem that it is not, even though I can't understand why.

With thanks in hopes of a helpful reply (or two, or three).
S.

 

[ocnbrze]

that will depend on the kind of apps you have and how many. most apps running in the background is minimal. i do not use data saver so i can't say how much data is saved by doing this.

also keep in mind that data is not just from downloading. it is every time you go online. i found this cool calculator for data useage:Data Usage Calculator

 

[smasheroO16]

that will depend on the kind of apps you have and how many. most apps running in the background is minimal. i do not use data saver so i can't say how much data is saved by doing this.

also keep in mind that data is not just from downloading. it is every time you go online. i found this cool calculator for data useage:Data Usage Calculator

Thanks for your comments, ocnbrze. Also the link.
S.

 

[svim]

Using your phone's tethering is going to use up a lot of your cellular connectivity, that's a given and won't be squelched by something like the Data Saver utility. Data Saver does things like use lower resolution for graphics when mobile data is enabled. With Tethering/Hotspotting however, you're using your phone as a router. You always keep in mind that with a regular discrete router, it's source for online access is the connection to your ISP's broadband network. With tethering/hotspoting your phone is the quasi-router and its source is the connection to your carrier's cellular network.
It's not surprising to see your cellular usage stats shoot up using tehtering, I can easily use up 20 GB and more on my desktop each day when I check my broadband usage stats.

 

[smasheroO16]

Using your phone's tethering is going to use up a lot of your cellular connectivity, that's a given and won't be squelched by something like the Data Saver utility. Data Saver does things like use lower resolution for graphics when mobile data is enabled. With Tethering/Hotspotting however, you're using your phone as a router. You always keep in mind that with a regular discrete router, it's source for online access is the connection to your ISP's broadband network. With tethering/hotspoting your phone is the quasi-router and its source is the connection to your carrier's cellular network.
It's not surprising to see your cellular usage stats shoot up using tehtering, I can easily use up 20 GB and more on my desktop each day when I check my broadband usage stats.

Thanks for all that, svim. I understand, of course, that when my computer is tethered to my phone, the phone is acting as a router. What I can't understand is why the data usage is more, through using the Internet, than it would be if the computer was connected to a "proper" Internet Service Provider, rather than a cellular network. I mean, a one-gigabyte download is a one gigabyte download, whatever the connection. Isn't it?

However, from what you tell me, whatever the technical reasons for the above may be, it seems that it is to be expected. And that eases my mind, because I feared that phone service providers might inflate the usage deliberately, to get phone-users to incur extra charges. As long as I take care not to over-run my allowance, it will be OK, I suppose (sigh).. As it is, whereas I used to pay thirty-five pounds a month for broadband (much faster, of course), I now am paying about eleven pounds a month for unlimited texts, calls (!), and what limited Internet use I need.
Regards,
S.

 

[svim]

Thanks for all that, svim. I understand, of course, that when my computer is tethered to my phone, the phone is acting as a router. What I can't understand is why the data usage is more, through using the Internet, than it would be if the computer was connected to a "proper" Internet Service Provider, rather than a cellular network. I mean, a one-gigabyte download is a one gigabyte download, whatever the connection. Isn't it?
......

Take into account the chain of connectivity between your computer to the Internet. Since you're using your phone's connectivity as the source, it's the account with your cellular carrier that's the source of that online access.
Your phone has two ways of getting online access -- WiFi and cellular. The two are very different from each other and are not interchangeable with each other. One relies on a relatively low-powered wireless signal, typically supplied by a router which is itself directly connected to a modem that's connected to an ISP's broadband network. The other relies on a more powerful cellular signal supplied by cellular towers and cellular access points (often located miles/kilometers away), Those cellular signals are supplied by each carrier's cellular network. A WiFi signal and a cellular signal are also themselves different frequencies, so it's always one or other in usage.
Your Android phone's Tethering/Hotspot feature is a workaround solution so you can use your phone as a limited-feature quasi router,but you're expecting your phone to magically allow your computer online access for free. When you don't have WiFi connectivity available, that leaves with the option rely upon mobile data/cellular access.

 

[smasheroO16]

Take into account the chain of connectivity between your computer to the Internet. Since you're using your phone's connectivity as the source, it's the account with your cellular carrier that's the source of that online access.
Your phone has two ways of getting online access -- WiFi and cellular. The two are very different from each other and are not interchangeable with each other. One relies on a relatively low-powered wireless signal, typically supplied by a router which is itself directly connected to a modem that's connected to an ISP's broadband network. The other relies on a more powerful cellular signal supplied by cellular towers and cellular access points (often located miles/kilometers away), Those cellular signals are supplied by each carrier's cellular network. A WiFi signal and a cellular signal are also themselves different frequencies, so it's always one or other in usage.
Your Android phone's Tethering/Hotspot feature is a workaround solution so you can use your phone as a limited-feature quasi router,but you're expecting your phone to magically allow your computer online access for free. When you don't have WiFi connectivity available, that leaves with the option rely upon mobile data/cellular access.

Thanks for the trouble you went to, to explain all that, svim. I have a general understanding of the situation, now. For me, the bottom line is that, for my limited Internet needs, I am not paying thirty-odd pounds a month to an ISP, but more like eleven pounds. As long as I keep a careful eye on the data usage, all will be well. Thanks again!