You will mostly see internet service providers around you that impose a certain monthly data cap on the home users, usually for the sake of stacking some extra overage money whenever the customer exceeds the monthly data usage. In today’s streaming era, with countless streaming platforms to explore never-ending content, the entertainment is unlimited but unfortunately, your internet data might not. Knowing that streaming, playing games, or downloading files consumes more data, might end in paying an overage fee. So as much as speed matters a lot when choosing the right internet service provider and plan for your household connectivity needs, does the monthly data limit.
It is always highly recommended to opt for ISPs that have a no-data cap policy so you never have to worry about exceeding the data cap and paying any extra money. Otherwise, opt for providers with huge data limits to suffice your connectivity needs and enjoying the peace of mind of not running out of data possibly.
Subscribing to a top-notch provider like Time Warner internet is the perfect solution to any overage fee worries since high speed and unlimited internet is a guarantee. Yet, if you happen to have an internet connection with a certain imposed data cap, there are certain ways to avoid exceeding it.
Here we have gathered some quick tips to handle them and we have it all covered for you in this post. So without any further ado, let’s get started on how you can prevent exceeding your monthly-fixed data limit:
Keep a track of Data Usage
No doubt, with multiple users in the house downloading videos, playing games online, and binge-watching their favorite shows, crossing the data limit, even if it looks massive, might not be surprising considering how our internet consumption has expanded these days. We literally depend on the internet for almost every personal or professional task and the demand keeps growing. So firstly you must check with your ISP to find out about your data cap and keep a close watch on your internet consumption.
Reduce your resolution for Streaming Videos
If you love to Netflix and chill, then that can be your biggest data-consuming activity and a primary reason for exceeding your data cap. But do not worry. By reducing your resolution, lowering the video quality, and limiting your bandwidth usage, you can manage to enjoy streaming fearlessly even with a data cap. Say goodbye to 4K streaming, and drop to 1080p or you are even better off switching to 720p. It can be a hard pill to swallow but worth it. You can continue streaming your favorite shows without paying any extra overage fee.
Plan your Game Days
Apart from streaming online, playing video games is another online activity that eats up your data a lot. If you or anyone in the household is a hard-core gamer, then you must be well aware of how enticing it is, to download new games that often require several gigabytes of data, even just for the updates at times. With a connection that comes with a certain limited data policy per month, it can be dangerous. Therefore, you must plan your gaming routines and keep a track of the game downloads.
Turn off Background Apps and Switch of Tabs When Done
You must turn off the router when not in use. Also, make sure you switch off any apps running in the background. They not only consume data but also drain the battery of your device. Exit any web pages after you are finished. If thee web pages are left running, including social media accounts, with autoplay videos or GIFs that will continue playing, you will be consuming your data without realizing it. It is best to disable auto-play modes for videos where you can, avoid any unnecessary bandwidth usage.
Secure your Wi-Fi Network
If your Wi-Fi network is not protected properly with a strong password and other essential security protocols, then be prepared to be invaded anytime by hackers or intruders piggy bagging on your internet, stealing not only your bandwidth but also your personal information. Hence, it is important to have tough passwords not easy to crack, and proper encryption to preserve your data.
Go for Unlimited Data Plans
In case you do not have access to unlimited data plans around you, then you are bound to opt for the most suitable internet package with the most promising data limit. But here is what you can do. Look for any alternate option like mobile internet plans with an unlimited data feature. This means you will have a backup internet option and shift certain online activities over the phone to save data on your primary internet plan with a data cap.
Wrapping Up,
Data caps can prove to be blatant money traps if not paid attention to. Following the aforementioned simple yet effective tips can prevent you from paying any overage fee every other month and save your hard-earned money from being wasted.