How much data we’re using, by network, operator and service plan, Q3 2018

How much data customers are using, and how customers are paying for that data, are perennial questions in the wireless industry.

Thanks to a partnership between FierceWireless and Strategy Analytics, we hope to shed some light on the situation. The data below, from Strategy Analytics’ AppOptix service, shows how often Android wireless users stray from cellular networks and onto Wi-Fi networks—and how that differs among customers of Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile and Sprint.

But perhaps more interestingly, Strategy Analytics’ data also offers a breakdown of customers’ service plans, showing the amount of cellular and Wi-Fi data consumed by unlimited data customers and how that compares to customers with monthly data allowances and pay-as-you-go plans.

Read on to find charts detailing the information and the actual numbers used. Below that is a detailed explanation of how Strategy Analytics obtained its data. Click here to learn more about Strategy Analytics’ AppOptix service.

This is a recurring monthly feature from FierceWireless; see our numbers from the second quarter here. But please note: These numbers can fluctuate due to a variety of factors including holidays, movie and TV releases, weather and other issues. For example, cellular usage is down across the board for all carriers in January when compared with December—a drop that also happened last year.

The information below is from the third quarter of 2018. We hope you enjoy it!

Strategy Analytics’ AppOptix data comes from a panel of 4,000 Android phone users annually who agreed to let the firm monitor their data usage and who also provided their demographics and network plan information. Panelists update their profiles—including information on their data plan and device purchases—on a regular basis.