How much 1 GB of data is, how long it lasts, and whether 1 GB of data is enough for you? Most of these questions come to our mind whenever we plan to buy a plan from our favorite network provider.
When going for a new mobile contract or a SIM-only plan, the most significant part – people are quite careful of these days – is the mobile data quantity. Mobile data ranges from as low as 250MBs on the basic or cheapest plans to unlimited usage/downloading on the most premium packages/deals.
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Most Sim-Only plans in the UK offer 1 GB of data per month – this can vary based on the package price and service provider. People are often confused about how long 1GB of data lasts and whether it will suffice their needs.
Before we move on to the details and tell you everything in detail, let’s tell you what a GB is.
Table of Contents
What is a GB?
GB is the short form of gigabyte, and it is a unit to measure the data or internet bundles you can use on your electronic devices like smartphones, tablets, laptops, and PCs. 1 GB of data is equal to 1000 MB or megabytes, approx.
Most people quite often confuse gigabytes and megabytes with gigabits and megabits. The latter two are used to measure download speeds, i.e., 976Mbps, where Mbps stands for megabits per second.
The number of GBs or quantity of internet you get on your SIM plan indicates how much data is available to you every month.
How much is 1GB of data?
According to a 2021 report by Ofcom, average smartphone users buy 4.5GB of internet data for a month. Compared to the average user, 1GB of data is pretty low. Back in the day, people considered 1GB to be enough for a few days.
However, due to a massive shift in user behavior and everything available to us on the internet – we use much more these days – 1GB isn’t enough for most of us.
Is 1 GB of data enough for our use? Let’s dive in!
How long does 1GB of data last?
The answer to this question is that while performing different tasks on your phone, a varying amount of mobile data is consumed. For instance, if you play online games, it is pretty certain that you will consume 1GB within an hour. While downloading an HD quality or 4K movie, 1GB may not be enough.
On the other hand, if you are browsing social media like Facebook, LinkedIn, or Twitter (without watching videos), you will consume 100-200 MBs per hour.
To determine whether 1GB of data is enough, we’ve listed the approximate usage of data each smart activity consumes hourly.
| Activity | Data consumption |
| Browsing the internet | 60MB per hour |
| Listening to music | Spotify
10.8MB per hour (24kbps) 43.2MB per hour (96kbps) 72MB per hour (160kbps) 144MB per hour (320kbps) |
| Watching Netflix | 1GB per hour (standard definition)
3GB per hour (HD) |
| Watching YouTube videos | 1.56GB per hour (1080p)
2.7GB per hour (4K) |
| Browsing social media | 90MB per hour (scrolling)
156MB per hour (interacting) |
| Using Skype / FaceTime | Skype
270MB per hour
FaceTime 180MB per hour |
Data-insensitive Apps increase your Data Usage
Simply put, your data consumption will be faster if you perform data-intensive activities. For instance, streaming high-resolution videos eats up data quickly because the video files are large. Conversely, if you are just accessing a web page or reading a newspaper, you’ll end up spending only a few MBs.
Also, the consumption will be much less if you listen to audio like music, audiobooks, podcasts, or radio. These are not as intense data activities as video streaming where mobile data must play video and audio as well.
While watching a video or playing audio content, you can lower data usage by reducing the definition of the content. Take the example of YouTube; playing videos in 360p or 480p will affect your data package much less than playing 1080p or 4K videos.
How many hours will 1GB of data last?
By going through the detailed information on how long does 1GB of data lasts during different smartphone activities, we can now calculate how long 1GB of data lasts before draining out.
| Activity | Time duration with 1GB
(Based on consumption of 1GB in the comparison above) |
| Browsing the internet | 16.6 hours |
| Listening to music | Spotify
92.5 hours (24kbps) 23 hours (96kbps) 13 hours (160kbps) 6.9 hours (320kbps) |
| Watching Netflix | 1 hour (standard definition)
0.3 hours (HD) / 18 minutes |
| Watching YouTube videos | 0.6 hours (1080p) / 36 minutes
0.37 hours (4K) / 22 minutes |
| Browsing social media | 11 hours (scrolling)
6.4 hours (interacting) |
| Using Skype / FaceTime | Skype
3.7 hours
FaceTime 5.5 hours |
This table shows that 1GB of data isn’t enough for an average internet user. It is a small amount and doesn’t let you perform all tasks during the entire month.
To simplify things, there are 720 or 744 hours in a month, barring February. If you watch a one-hour movie or your favourite show on Netflix in standard resolution, your data will run out. Similarly, with 1GB of internet, you cannot stream a YouTube video for over half an hour.
Having 1GB of data is not for you if you like to watch videos on your smartphone. What you can do in this allotted quota of data is scroll the social media for a couple of hours. You can browse the internet every other day for an hour. You can stream audio content for a long time and that too by lowering the quality.
Is 1GB of data enough for me?
Well, if you are tech-savvy and like to spend a few hours on your phone daily, 1GB is not enough. It won’t let you stream or listen to audio content for long. Sames goes for gaming and downloading.
However, if you are an older adult who doesn’t like to spend much time on the phone, don’t have the training to operate a smartphone, a busy person, or use mostly a landline connection, 1GB can suffice for a few days.
Is 1Gb of data a lot
Apparently, it isn’t. This bundle size is enough for those:
- Who primarily use mobile data for browsing the net
- Who use their mobile for video calling their loved ones twice or thrice a month only
- Who streams audio content sometimes, or if regular, in low quality
Lastly, let us make it evident that 1GB of data is not enough for most of your needs and you may run out of your data when you need it the most. You may request your friends and family for a hotspot which may not be possible every time.
Want to stay connected with your loved ones?
Want to have enough data for all your needs for a month? Keep on reading. Talk Home Mobile has a range of data plans tailored to your needs. The best part is that most of these plans come with unlimited texts and minutes, giving you complete freedom to stay connected.
Get 1GB of Data with Talk Home Mobile
Do you want more data, flexible plans, and a lower phone bill? You are in for a roller coaster ride. Talk Home SIM-only plans, and monthly deals offer you affordable bundles to enjoy uninterrupted, unlimited, and blazing internet wherever you are.
With Talk Home’s Starter Plus Plan, you can buy 4GB of data and unlimited mins/SMS for just £0.99. The best part is that there are no contracts involved. You get what you pay for. Moreover, you can enjoy free roaming in selected EU countries.
Conclusion
It is an understood fact that in today’s time, 1GB of data doesn’t fulfill all the requirements of a modern smartphone user. So, to cater to the needs of the masses, Talk Home offers a wide range of PAYG and monthly data plans at the most affordable rates.
All these plans come with no commitments and credit checks. Moreover, you enjoy truly unlimited; lightning-fast 4G data with country-wide coverage, the best rates, and caring customer support.
Which plan are you buying this winter season? Do let us know!
