How much data is too much?

[Kiwi-family]

On our next camino I am going to take an I-phone with the Wise Pilgrim app. How much data would I chew through if I kept it running (including the map bit)?
In the past I have used either no phone at all or phone just for taking photos, uploading blog posts and running Strava to log each day's walk. Would do the latter again this time (and contact family left at home every so often too - using Viber)
I know there is often wifi available, but I'm just wondering how much data will be enough to not have to rely solely on wifi but not worry about running out at the same time.

 

[evanlow]

2 gb. What Orange in Spain offers on their SIM card for 25 euros. Enough for me to lasť a whole month with 10% of the quota left.

Over half of my blogging with photos without Wi-Fi. MAPS.ME app with offline map of Spain to reduce the bandwidth requirement. Whatsapp app for texting and voice over internet.

If you need more you can always top up at a big enough town with an Orange shop.

 

[dougfitz]

This is an impossible question to answer with any precision. You might ask the developers if they have done any modelling of 'typical' ranges of data usage, and other users of the app might have some experience with their own data usage. But how closely that will mirror your usage will necessarily be quite uncertain. You could do some experimentation before you leave, and set up a couple of scenarios to see how much data the app uses, eg while connected to wifi, rather than through a data sim.

An alternative would be set a budget for data and track your usage regularly while you are away. My current provider provides a range of management tools to do that online. I expect other data providers will have similar tools, although I have no idea how easy they will be to access.

 

[evanlow]

It seems that only the maps in the Wise Pilgrim app requires data. I suppose activating the maps on average twice a day shouldn't take too much data. MAPS.ME with offline maps also have a feature that allows one to load the trail kml file for navigation (useful for less trodden Camino like the Levante). Not a guide but at least it is a good back up if you have the storage space on the phone.

 

[anna pugh]

Good grief I didn't realise how much I didn't know.. I hardly knew any of those things.. will now hunt out apps and stuff. ..

 

[evanlow]

You could get all the camino path (kml file) to use with MAPS.ME or any other maps app that accept tracking here.

http://pilgrim.peterrobins.co.uk/routes/mapping.html

No way to get lost with offline map, the camino path kml overlay and the gps/cell location telling you where you are on the map... (unless your phone runs out of battery).

Used it a lot on the Camino del Norte to discover many potential private beaches from the map personally for me to meditate and back to the camino track later further up with fear of losing my way. In a way is not just technology for the sake.

For the historical, I guess one still need a guide (hardcopy or app). With the internet just wiki the location is enough.

 

[Kanga]

I used maps.me with the camino path overlay on the Norte too.

 

[Bernice M]

I used WisePilgrim for the Aragones, but only when I needed it. Plenty of 1Gb data left at end of month. However, WisePilgrim for the Frances crashed every time I tried to open a map on my Samsung Galaxy S3. On the app website that is what all the complaints are about. Pity, because when it works, it's very good.

 

[Kitsambler]

Just to be clear. The big data hogs are live visuals and audio. So your Skype (et al) video phonecalls should be done only with WiFi. Large static graphics are also a data hog: so download your maps with overlays in advance, and do your blog photo uploads only with wifi. You can turn off the Location Services on all apps that don't absolutely need it. Also turn off automatic fetch/refresh (mail, Facebook, news apps - the NYTimes app is a notorious hog because it refreshes the entire paper every time) so that you will only pull these big data pieces when you have a wifi connection. Depending on the mapping app you use (I've only used a few), your position will show based on cell/gps rather than on data feed. But you don't want to leave it running all the time, as the screen illumination will drain your battery before the day is over. So turn your phone off in between "which fork in the road?" checks.

It takes some attention - involving rationing and self-discipline -- but I was able to use only 0.8 Gig over the course of three weeks in Switzerland this fall.

 

[Annette london]

Good grief I didn't realise how much I didn't know.. I hardly knew any of those things.. will now hunt out apps and stuff. ..

Goodness gracious! I don't even understand what everyone's talking about here! Like a foreign language to me so to speak! I have a tiny basic phone for calls and texts and a small iPad does all the rest-- emails,Skype and photos.never used maps on any Camino--- just followed the yellow brick road--- sorry -- arrows!! Annette

 

[Robo]

All depends on your usage........... I was using 2 GB per day uploading photos and video..... (it was HD video though)

 

[annakappa]

Good grief I didn't realise how much I didn't know.. I hardly knew any of those things.. will now hunt out apps and stuff. ..

Goodness gracious! I don't even understand what everyone's talking about here! Like a foreign language to me so to speak! I have a tiny basic phone for calls and texts and a small iPad does all the rest-- emails,Skype and photos.never used maps on any Camino--- just followed the yellow brick road--- sorry -- arrows!! Annette

Ummmm, yes! Have to admit that I'm not sure what you are all talking about!
On the other hand, Rachael has 8 savvy kids, ranging from about 8 to 20 to sort out her technical knowledge ( plus the fact that you all seem to be of a different generation to me)!

 

[Sheffield James]

Wouldn't it be great if one of the tech-savvy forum members (with time on their hands) could put together a basic 'how-to' covering the use of technology for map-reading, route-finding, etc. What a Christmas present that would be!

 

[fraluchi]

Annakappa didn't tell that she bought an Orange SIM card with internet connection at Madrid airport for 25 Euros last May. We travelled to Italy, back to Spain, and struggled the Portugues from Porto to Santiago. Always good Internet connection, calls over Skype, local 'phone calls for info or accommodation reservations. Wherever possible she used WiFi instead of the 'phone number.
At the end she found out that she had 45 Euros credited and therefor did not consume what she had paid for originally. Avoid roaming !

 

[obinjatoo]

This is me holding my hand over my mouth, "MMMMHMMMMHHHHHMMPHPHHGGFFMMMM!!!!!!!!!"

 

[Bajaracer]

On our next camino I am going to take an I-phone with the Wise Pilgrim app. How much data would I chew through if I kept it running (including the map bit)?
In the past I have used either no phone at all or phone just for taking photos, uploading blog posts and running Strava to log each day's walk. Would do the latter again this time (and contact family left at home every so often too - using Viber)
I know there is often wifi available, but I'm just wondering how much data will be enough to not have to rely solely on wifi but not worry about running out at the same time.

Lycamobile has the best rate for data with their "plan ahorro" for €23 you can buy 5gb of data to meet your needs and can buy more as needed.
http://prepaid-data-sim-card.wikia.com/wiki/Spain