When we talk about mobile data we mean the amount of information we receive and send each time we connect to the internet from a mobile device. Telephone companies offer packages in which we can acquire a certain amount of this data, which will allow us to surf the web from our Smartphone without the need for a Wi-Fi connection .
With the evolution of communication and information technologies, applications and websites demand faster internet connections, which implies a higher consumption of mobile data . Therefore, it is not surprising that many of the data packages we pay in our telephone plans are not enough for us, so it is normal to use a Wi-Fi connection or buy more data to arrive at the end of the month with internet connection on our mobile.
Here we show you how to activate and deactivate the mobile data of your Smartphone step by step on Android and iOS , as well as to identify when you are using them even if you are connected to a Wi-Fi network and even use both connections simultaneously .
Index:
Steps to activate or deactivate mobile data (internet connection)
Enabling your internet connection is extremely easy on both Android and iOS as well as restricting the connection at any time. A fairly intuitive process that will not take you more than a couple of minutes:
On Android
- The first thing you should do is go to the settings or configuration of the mobile or cell phone, usually has this wheel icon with gears .
- Once in settings, you should look for the “ network connections ” section and enter the “ mobile data ” section or « data usage «, it will depend on the version of your OS that you have installed on your tablet or smartphone.
- If you have an updated version of your Android software you can activate or deactivate this mobile data simply by “touching” on this function ; if they are active they will be deactivated and vice versa, while in older versions you will have to manually select some of the two options.
- Even there is an option where to limit mobile data , to that you can have total control over the amount of MB you want to use, once you reach that established limit your mobile will not consume data.
- To verify that the data is active you can access a website or an application that requires them without having enabled the connection via Wi-Fi. Next to or above the bars of your telephone signal should be a 3G, 4G or LTE symbol. This way the process will be finished.
On iOS
- Go to your iPhone or iPad settings.
- Search for “ mobile data ” and tap on it.
- Check if The data is active by entering a website or application that requires them. A symbol of 3G, 4G or LTE should also appear next to or on the bars of your telephone signal.
From the quick settings
Both Android and iOS have a quick settings section from which you can customize various aspects of the mobile with just two actions. To enter it only you must place your finger on the status bar at the top of the screen (where the battery status and signal quality is shown) and sliding down.
By tapping on the mobile data icon (arrow pointing down and another pointing up) you can activate and deactivate them at ease quickly and easily without entering any previous section.
Active data offline? Causes and solutions
This problem usually occurs when the data is active but you still cannot connect to the internet . Possible causes and solutions to this problem are usually:
Active airplane mode
“ Airplane Mode ” will deactivate all mobile connections, so while it is active, mobile data will be completely sterile. To solve this problem you can access the quick settings section mentioned above and look for the airplane icon or by holding down the shutdown button so that a small window appears where you can see the same symbol.
You consumed your data plan
When your mobile data package and your positive balance are over, you will no longer be able to access the internet through this route. To solve this problem you must recharge balance, deactivate the data and then activate it so that the connection is restored again.
APN change
The Access Point Name or APN is the point to which your device connects when it has a signal. If for some reason this point changes, you will not be able to connect to the internet, so you will have to contact your provider to obtain the correct configuration.
How to know and check if I am using my mobile or WiFi connection data ?
Since Android version 5.0 (Lollipop) it is possible to use WiFi and mobile data simultaneously , which was also subsequently implemented by Apple on its iOS. This is very useful and was done with the intention that you can maintain a stable connection when the wireless network runs out of internet.
So not always when you are connected to such a network you are stopping using your data packet. Fortunately, your mobile will notify you when the WiFi network you are connected to runs out of internet , you just have to be aware of the icons in your status bar.
When you are connected to a wireless network with internet, the classic WiFi symbol will appear in the status bar instead of 3G or 4G of your data. If on the contrary the network does not have internet, an exclamation mark will appear next to the WiFi icon, so if your mobile data is active, you may be consuming these so that you do not run out of internet connection.
To save you this problem, it is best to deactivate mobile data when you connect to a wireless network and check if it has internet or not. In the second case, you turn off the WiFi connection and turn on the data.
Is it possible to use Wi-Fi and data phones simultaneously?
The answer is a resounding yes . In case you want a much faster internet, you can combine both connections to take advantage of the best of each. Samsung was the first to think about it, so since the launch of its Galaxy S5 and S5 mini, its devices come with the Touchwiz application factory installed. In other brands terminals it is not available, but there are other applications such as Super Download Lite or Speedify that do the same job.
So far Google has not invested in this technology because it is unlikely that you need it with the super connections that currently exist, but it is never enough to know new things. It should be noted that this function can only be used for downloads and not for browsing the internet .