Kent students struggle with their data usage every month

Alex Soehnlen - Consumer/University Technology Reporter email at [email protected]

Students are finding themselves on the hunt for Wi-Fi to avoid the dreaded monthly phone call from parents about their expensive data overage costs.

Psychology junior Ian Race goes out of his way to always be connected to wifi, yet still finds himself in a monthly struggle with his data usage.

“I am the worst when it comes to going over my data. I usually try to go out of my dorm to use Wi-Fi and find places that have Wi-Fi, but it’s not always as easy as you would think,” Race said. “My biggest problem is when the Wi-Fi goes out in the dorms, or isn’t as good as it should be, causing me to have to switch to using my data.”

The increase in the use of smartphones is having a big effect on how much data students are using on a daily basis. Nursing student Alexandra Fergason attributes her data overages to her everyday use of her apps.

“I spend a lot of time on Instagram everyday, so if I am not connected to Wi-Fi, I am using a lot of data,” Fergason said. “My biggest problem for going over my data is when I do not go to enough places with Wi-Fi. Although, I share my data with my family, so we all take fault when there are data overages.”

Some students, like freshman Vanessa Gresley, do not have to control their data usage but are still familiar with the other students’ struggles with data overages.

“I don’t go over on my data because my family is on my dad’s business plan,” Gresley said. “I know most of my friends go over their data, and I definitely would too if it weren’t for the business plan.”

In some extreme cases, students’ parents have to take extra precautions. Junior applied communications major Ashley Perry has been in an ongoing battle with her parents over her data usage.

“I used to go over on my data every month. My parents kept getting upset with me because they were paying for my excessive data use,” Perry said. “Eventually, my parents set up their Verizon account to shut off my data whenever I reach my limit each month. This service still costs them but it’s much, much cheaper than paying for going over on my data.”

Students actively searching for ways to cut back on their data usage, including going to places with public Wi-Fi and even turning their data off to avoid using it unnecessarily. How are you battling your data usage?