November, 2014
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Dear Android user, did your airtime really disappear?
It is no doubt that Android has gained ground in the mobile industry. If you are planning on getting yourself a new smartphone today, there are good chances it will be an Android device. However, many seem to be complaining about airtime and data needed to enjoy using these Android devices daily. I have heard a number of people say their airtime disappears within few minutes after recharging. It has probably happened to you. And yes it happened to me too. When I got my first Android device I recharged with R60 airtime, bought 20MB of data and in just 15 minutes my balance was 0MB and R0.00. All I did after recharging was download Instagram, Facebook, Twitter and of course WhatsApp.
Does it mean those Apps coasted me R60 to download? NO! Now what happened to my airtime and data? There are a few possible answers to this question and you will notice that they all revolve around Apps. This is because one of the reasons people choose Android is the availability of numerous free Apps on Play Store. Most of these Apps require data to fully function.
Now here goes the list of the possible causes of data "disappearance":
Apps updates
If you have used Android for a while you may have noticed that almost every day there are new updates for your Apps. You require data to perform these updates on daily basis and if your device settings are on auto update these updates will take place automatically without asking for your permissions which results in what seems like your airtime just disappeared.
Apps account auto-sync
Account Auto Sync allows your App accounts to be in sync. So you don't need to open your App to view notifications but it will be running on the background keeping your App in sync.
Apps auto-refresh
Auto refresh applies mostly on social network Apps like Facebook and Twitter. This means that these Apps will refresh and stream new feeds every time.
Now to add on this here are some tips to manage your data to ensure your airtime does not "disappear":
Take advantage of WiFiHot-spots
If you happen to be working in a company that gives WiFi access to employees then take advantage of this. Ensure you have your device connected to the WiFi the minute you step into the building...that way all of the activities mentioned earlier will take place without you having to worry about your airtime and data balance. This applies to Varsity Campuses. Do the same with restaurants that offer free Wi-Fi. If the restaurant you normally go to does not offer free Wi-Fi then start thinking about changing restaurants.
Switch off Auto-Sync
Ensure your App Accounts are not on Auto Sync mode. Sync manually when you need to.
Switch off Auto-Updates
There's an option to switch off auto updates. Your device will prompt you of an update and will wait for your permission to start the update. So you can keep updates on waiting list until you have enough data or you have Wi-Fi access. I have my updates settings on ‘Update with Wi-Fi only’. You can do the same it will help a lot.
Switch off Data Usage
This option is for people who can't afford to miss any social networks, instant messages or email notifications. It allows you to set a limit for your data usage, meaning you can be connected all the time as long as you don't go beyond a certain limit that you set yourself. This can also be useful if you buy large chunks of data, and remember the aim here is to prevent your phone from using your airtime. So for example if you buy 500MB you can limit it to 500MB, so you prevent your phone from using your airtime once the data is finished.
If you are like me, this will be much easier for you. I attend social networks in the evening, and mornings. During the day I focus on work. So I always switch off my data usage and switch it on when I need to attend social networks or surf the internet.
All of these options can be accessed from settings on the menu in your Android device.
It is important to manage your data effectively. Failure to do so can lead you to being broke due to buying huge amount of data all the time or if you are on contract it can lead to financial crisis due to exceeding your contract allowance every month.
Thank you for reading!
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