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WhatsApp is a Voice over Internet Protocol (VOIP) service and there are no additional charges over any payments required to access the internet. This might be through a data service you pay for, or through a WiFi connection somewhere like your accommodation, a bar or cafe, etc. Some may have restrictions on streaming videos, or capacity limitations where if you do that, you will be no-one's friend because you are consuming what might be limited bandwidth, degrading everyone else's access. They will blame the establishment for this, because it won't be obvious that someone posting large videos is the cause of the poor service quality!
Correct
Not completely correct. If he were to use his phone's cellular data plan there could be a charge. There is no charge if using a free WiFi service.
Thank you all. As for what type of plan I currently have regarding free data roaming while traveling, I’ll need to check with my provider.
). Recently I did the CP and was charged $10 per day by Verizon. That charge was activated once I actually used the cellular data. So for the days I didn’t use cellular data I made sure to turn cellular off on my phone so there would be no mistakes. When I needed to use cellular I just turned it back on and then off when I was done. However you can easily get by with just using Wi-Fi data the whole time and never turning on your cellular.
It is true that you are using data. I can tell you that here in Mexico everyone basically only uses whatsapp (I am sure you know this). I have spoken to people that go to the store to recharge and pay 40 or 50 pesos and they tell me it lasts for a couple of weeks. My cell phone plane does not deduct whatsapp usage, facebook or I think Instagram. But I never use the latter two.
That doesn't really make sense. The sim card provides cellular data, not wifi. You could avoid that issue by turning wifi off so that your phone is forced to use your data plan.
Bob, thanks for the information. I have AT&T and just signed up for the same international calling plan.
I am so glad I came across this thread...I am a widow undertaking her first camino next month I am walk for 3 local local charities (at home) and promised the people underwriting my walk that I would upload where I was every day...perhaps a 15 second short. Am I going to make a lot of enemies? Not my intention at all!
Two things would need to happen. First, a short download won't have the same network load as someone streaming YouTube, Netflix, whatever Twitter is this week, etc. But if other pilgrims complain, you will know that someone, not necessarily you, is chewing up the available bandwidth. Second, if they do that, and you say something like 'I might have caused that. I was downloading a couple of updates on WhatsApp for my friends.' night after night, those that remember might get a bit peevish. But in the main, this is hidden behaviour, and not even you might know whether you are using a lot or just a little of the available bandwidth.
Not true - I had 5G and 4G everywhere.
You can find network coverage maps on the web. Data is very often crowdsourced, but they will give you some idea where there is no coverage. There are always going to be areas without any coverage, but they are less common these days. Getting 4G or 5G is still not going to be ubiquitous.
www.gsma.com
www.nperf.com
I should have said almost everywhere.
Really great informacion, printed and savedYou can find network coverage maps on the web. Data is very often crowdsourced, but they will give you some idea where there is no coverage. There are always going to be areas without any coverage, but they are less common these days. Getting 4G or 5G is still not going to be ubiquitous.
Here are two network mapping sites:
GSMA – Mobile Network Coverage Maps
GSMA Members continuously update their network coverage for GSM, 3G and LTE, and submit their latest coverage data to the GSMA which can be seen here3G / 4G / 5G coverage in Spain - nPerf.com
Compare the network coverage of mobile operators and check their performance at home !
Unless someone is using their mobile absolutely every step of the way, its possible that it will appear that they are getting 4G or even 5G most or all of the time. The other thing to note about the two network mapping sites I provided is that they both rely on crowdsourced reception data. Even in towns, there will be a bias towards the points where this data is collected being on roads, which shows up pretty clearly on the maps. Given that we, as pilgrims, are walking on less well travelled roads compared to motorists, it will look like some parts of the pilgrimage routes are less well covered. It might be the situation, but it might just be that there aren't a lot of people reporting network coverage from these places.
