The Digital Penalty Box

It is a place that I am sure we have all been in . . . that place you put yourself in when you get near (or over) the Data Cap of your mobile internet plan.

For most people this is an inconvenience but not that big of a deal, as they still have their home internet package. 

For me, this is a larger deal, as my mobile internet is my home internet. I have a plan which shares a pool of data between my: phone, iPad, and laptop. 

For the most part (as in all the time) I keep the mobile data on my phone turned off. This is because I only expect it to answer phone calls as well as send and receive text . . . and tell me the time.

The mobile modem for my laptop I only plug in once in a while and only for specific tasks. Otherwise I steal Wi-Fi (only from safe networks or ones I trust).

My iPad is the device that I use most of my data on. I check the news, surf the web and chat with friends over messaging apps, watch a few videos. You know, the usual.

Well, this month I have gone a bit overboard and have now just about reached the cap of my total mobile data plan. (Thank you, cell provider for texting me the head’s up.) 

This means I now face a choice . . . what to do until my plan cycle starts anew (on June 6th). 

I could respond to their offer to “top up” my data plan with one of their three options. That, of course, would mean an additional, unplanned, and unnecessary expense (and we all know how I feel about those).

I could (unwisely) just carry on and get dinged with those overage charges (higher than the “top up” offers). This is a bad idea on so many levels.

What I will do is the unthinkable for most people . . . turn off my mobile data on all three of my devices and wait it out. 

I will just steal Wi-Fi or use it when I am at work (where Wi-Fi abounds). I will be okay as I am not a Borg Drone with a constant need to be connected to the hive mind.

I will live, I will grumble, but I will live . . . and on next Tuesday morning I will giggle like a school girl, as I will once again be able to use mobile data.

As always: Keep your head up, your attitude positive, and keep moving forward!