----------------------------------- This article is for those who have WAP �enabled phones and are Globacom Mobile GPRS subscribers. ----------------------------------- UNDERSTANDING GLOBACOM MOBILE GPRS BILLING ============================================= By Sagai John Adam As you all know, Glo started charging 70 kobo per page for browsing with mobile phones as from November 19th 2004. After enjoying 2 months of the service for free, it was a bittersweet experience to start paying. BILLING Let�s explain this whole billing issue. You are billed for EVERY page you visit. Suppose you want to check your mail at Yahoo! Mail with your WAP phone. When you load the Gloworld WAP page, you have �received� data and so you get billed. You then click the Yahoo link and get billed again. You type in your Yahoo ID and Password the �submit� it. That action is classified as �sending� data and you get billed again. You then click Mail and get billed. Then your click Inbox and get billed. And so on... This billing process continues as you check each mail, reply to the emails and logout. WHAT�S ON A WAP PAGE Now, each page consists of text, and sometimes, graphics. From Computer classes, we learn that data in the world of computers are measured in �bytes�. A byte can store one character like �A�. 1024 bytes is equal to 1 �kilo-byte�. That means 1 kilobyte should store around 1024 letters, numbers or other characters including spaces. All the text you see in a WAP page add up to the total size od the page, measured in bytes or kilobytes. It is that kilobyte, or �kb�, that Glo is charging 70 kobo for. If the page you visit has a size of 2kb, Glo charges you N1.40. That doesn�t look to bad since most of the WAP pages are quite small in size. The only problem is if there are graphics. This can make the size a large. For example, the Glo logo on the Glo WAP page is 2kb in size. That means every time you load the Glo page, you get billed N1.40! And since every Glo GPRS subscriber is sent that page as their homepage, most subscribers will keep on using that page as the take-off point of their browsing. COUNTING THE COSTS Is it possible to keep count of your data usage? Yep, it is called Data Counter. Your phone keeps a record of amount of data sent (when you type something) and received (when you visit a page). You may have to dig deep into your phone�s submenu to the area where your Call Costs are calculated to find it. In my Sony Ericsson T610, it is in Calls -> Time and Cost -> Data Counters -> Last Session (last time I browsed) or Total data (all the time I have browsed on my phone). This should give you�re an idea where to find Data Counter in your phone. With the Data Counter, you can calculate your bill by your self. You can write out the figures, do a little browsing and then check the counter again. By subtracting and multiplying with 70 kobo, you can accurately calculate how much you spent browsing. Next time I will discuss HOW TO REDUCE YOUR GPRS BILL. ===== Sagai John Adam is the creator of Nigeria's FIRST Internet discussion on GSM. You can join him and other GSM Subscribers to talk about GSM tips, tricks, and survival strategies in the "Lets-Talk-GSM" discussion group. To join click the link and enter your email address: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/letstalkgsm Mails: GSM Today, P. O. Box 10342, Garki, Abuja, 900001. Phone: +234-(0)803-311-9120 __________________________________ Do you Yahoo!? Meet the all-new My Yahoo! - Try it today! http://my.yahoo.com ------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Sponsor --------------------~--> Make a clean sweep of pop-up ads. Yahoo! Companion Toolbar. Now with Pop-Up Blocker. Get it for free! http://us.click.yahoo.com/L5YrjA/eSIIAA/yQLSAA/.DlolB/TM --------------------------------------------------------------------~-> >> Let�s TALK GSM (LTG)Discussion Group << ------------------------------------------ The discussion group of Nigerian GSM subscribers. >> Our website: http://www.talkgsm.jump.to >> To join, click the link below and enter your email address: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/letstalkgsm >> Read the group Rules and regulations at: http://geocities.com/letstalkgsm/rules.html >> To leave this group, send an email to: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] ------------------------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/letstalkgsm/ <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
