Data Usage FAQs

Any data that's used while your device is connected to the Verizon networks uses your monthly data allowance.

Check the notification bar on your device to see if you're connected to the Verizon networks. If you see 5G Ultra Wideband, 5G Nationwide, 4G LTE, 3G or 1X, you're connected to our networks.

When you're connected to our networks and access the internet, watch a video, check your email, play games, use apps (e.g., Facebook®, Twitter®, Maps etc.) and more, you use your monthly data allowance. Background tasks, such as syncing or location services, may also use your data.

Data usage is billed based on the amount of data sent and received (megabytes or gigabytes), and it can be charged per-use or as part of a data package.

When you're connected to Wi-Fi you aren't charged for data you use because you aren't using the Verizon networks. Connecting to Wi-Fi networks you know and trust is a great way to manage how much data you use and avoid extra charges.

No, using Bluetooth doesn't count as data usage. However, if you're using an app that accesses data while using Bluetooth, you'll use data through the app. For example, if you're listening to music on the Pandora app with wireless Bluetooth speakers, you'll be using data to access the app.

If you're concerned about data overages, consider choosing an unlimited plan. Learn more about our unlimited options.

Some device activities can consume large amounts of data:

• Streaming audio or video using apps such as Pandora®, Spotify®, Netflix® and YouTube™
• Using social media or websites with lots of pictures/updates such as Facebook®, Twitter®, Instagram® or Pinterest®
• HD video calling
• Downloading music/MP3s
• Backing up content with cloud storage and/or file sharing tools such as Verizon Cloud, Dropbox™, or Google Drive
• Using your device as a Mobile Hotspot and allowing other devices to access the internet from it

Indirect data usage occurs in the background, during tasks performed automatically by your device. Some examples of indirect data usage are:

• Automatic backups of pictures or videos
• Software updates
• App content refreshes
• Syncing and location services
  

Note: You can adjust these functions in your device Settings.

Many things you do on a mobile device require data, like accessing the internet, streaming music and using GPS. While each task can vary in the amount of data it uses (due to file size), here's a general idea of how much data an average person with certain usage habits may use each month:

These numbers are approximate and don't represent your personal data usage. Visit My Usage to see your personal data usage.

If you select a data plan based on this chart, and find you use more or less than expected, you can change your plan any time in My Verizon or the My Verizon app to better fit your usage needs.

If you're concerned about overages, consider an unlimited data plan.

You can get a quick summary of your daily charges on the Bill Overview page in My Verizon. Choose View activity usage.

You'll see the line's data usage details for your most recent bill. You can also view the minute and message usage for the line using the Select an activity dropdown.

Note: If you want to see usage history for a different bill cycle, tap or click on the Date dropdown in the top right corner of the page, and select the bill cycle you want.

You can view data usage, talk minutes or total number of text messages per line for the past 18 billing cycles.

Prepaid accounts – You can see the last 45 days of data usage on the Usage Details page in My Verizon.

The order in which your data is used depends on which plan you have.

• Shared data plan - The different types of data on your account are used in this order:
  
  1. Bonus data – If you qualify for any type of Bonus data, it's used first each month.
  2. Monthly data allowance – The monthly data allowance that's included in your plan is used next.
  3. Carryover data – If you have data carried over from the previous month, it's used after your entire monthly data allowance is gone.
  4. Data Boost – If you purchase a Data Boost, it's used after your Carryover data is gone.
  5. Data Gifts – Any data gifts you redeem during the month are used after all other data types are gone.
• Prepaid plans – With the exception of Data Boosts, all data on your account is combined into a single data pool each month (e.g., your monthly allowance, Carryover data, etc.). Data Boosts that you purchase are kept separate and are only used after all other data is gone.
• All other plans – Different data types on your account are used in this order:
  
  1. Bonus Data – If you qualify for any type of Bonus data, it's used first each month.
  2. Data Gifts – Any data gifts you redeem during the month are used before your monthly data allowance.
  3. Monthly data allowance – The monthly data allowance that’s included in your plan is used last.

Here's how you can keep an eye on your data usage:

• My Verizon
  • Standard accounts – The My Usage page in My Verizon shows data use for all lines on your account. You can also set up data usage alerts on this page.
    
    Note: Usage alerts aren't sent for Unlimited allowances or for internet devices (e.g., mobile hotspot devices).
  • Prepaid accounts – Monitor your data usage in the Data usage section of your home screen.
• The My Verizon Data widget – Monitors how much data you're using in your current bill cycle. View our videos for steps to install the widget for Android™ or iOS devices.
• Call #MIN and #DATA – Call from your Verizon mobile phone to hear your usage details. You can find these in your contact list.
• Verizon Smart Family™ and Verizon Smart Family Premium™ - Monitors the activity of each device on your account, sets usage limits for each device and helps your children understand how to use their devices responsibly and safely.
  
  Learn more about the Just Kids plan, which includes Smart Family.

Yes, you can have alerts sent to your phone or email:

• My Verizon text message alerts don't count against your text message limit, if you have one.
• Account owners automatically receive text and email alerts. If you share an account with others, all account members will receive at least a text alert.

To set an alert, go to Notification settings and choose Manage.

Prepaid accounts – You’ll automatically receive a text before you reach your high-speed data limit.

The alerts about your data allowance might reflect a partial allowance or be prorated based on certain transactions. Some of these transactions include:

• A plan change or a feature change that wasn't backdated or future dated
• Transferring service for another device to your account
  
• Bill cycle date change
• Mobile number change
• Suspending or reactivating a line

You can check your prorated allowance on the My Usage page in My Verizon.

Your allowance will only be prorated in the same bill cycle as the transaction, and you'll have a full data allowance in the next bill cycle.

You can verify your data usage anytime in My Verizon:

• Standard accounts – My Usage page
• Prepaid accounts – Usage details page

Note: When you use your smartphone as a mobile hotspot, that data usage is part of your overall data usage and doesn't show separately on your My Verizon usage page.

To minimize the data usage on internet devices:

• Use Wi-Fi when available.
• When using Wi-Fi, make sure your data is disabled.
• Power down or disconnect internet devices when not in use.
• Make sure smart devices like printers and home security components are disconnected when not in use.
• Prevent unauthorized use with password-protected security.

Go to the Device Support page for your device to find the User Guide for set up instructions.

If you need more data every month, you can change your plan in My Verizon any time.

Or, if you need more data just for the current billing period, you can get a Data Boost, which is an additional amount of high-speed data for a set price. What you can use the extra data for depends on your plan type.

Visit our Data Boost FAQs for more information.

Prepaid accounts – You can change your plan or buy a Data Boost* in My Verizon.

*Data Boosts aren't available on Start Unlimited, Just Kids, Go Unlimited, prepaid unlimited plans and current prepaid data only plans.