In the most recent edition of our mobile data series, we examine 6GB of data closely. Discover in this article how much 6GB of data is, how many hours it may last for, and who this kind of limit would be most suited for. See below all you need to know about 6GB of data.
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How much is 6GB of data?
In terms of monthly data allowances, 6GB is more than typical. The typical mobile subscriber in Ofcom’s 2021 study chose 4.5GB of data per month, up from two years ago. Although it provides this and more, a 6GB data plan could still be seen as a meager allowance in comparison to bigger packages like 20GB, 30GB, 50GB, and 100GB.
If you view yourself as an average or below average data consumer, 6GB can be just right. To find out how long 6GB might last, review some of our comparative tables below.
How long does 6GB of data last?
Every activity on your phone consumes varied quantities of mobile data when not connected to Wi-Fi. Each activity uses shown in the table below over one hour.
While some activities might only utilize a specific quantity of MBs per hour, others will consume more than one GB. Recall, roughly 1GB equals 1000MB.
| 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 |
Certain actions, as you can see, are not particularly statistically demanding at all. For example, merely a fraction of a GB over an hour is consumed by internet surfing. Naturally, this relies on the kind of material you are viewing or the quality of the music you are running into.
Conversely, streaming videos uses a lot of data. This is so because, in comparison to a web page, video files are somewhat enormous and when you try to access them over data, lots of downloads result.
Based on their quality, YouTube and Netflix access varying volumes of data. Playing data films at a lower definition instead of the best quality will help you to regulate their consumption. Though you will be able to view materials for longer, what you are seeing could be less sharp.
How many hours will 6GB of data last for?
If you utilize normal mobile data, 6GB will last you a decent length of time. View our table below to find, with 6GB monthly, the duration of these activities.
| Activity | Time duration with 6GB* |
| Browsing the internet | 100 hours |
| Listening to music | Spotify 555 hours (24kbps) 138 hours (96kbps) 83 hours (160kbps) 41 hours (320kbps) |
| Watching Netflix | 6 hours (standard definition) 2 hours (HD) / 39 minutes (HD) |
| Watching YouTube videos | 3.8 hours (1080p) 2 hours (4K) |
| Browsing social media | 66 hours (scrolling) 38 hours (interacting) |
| Using Skype / FaceTime | Skype 22 hours FaceTime 33 hours |
*Based on data consumption statistics in past table – 6000MB or 6GB / XXMB or XXGB 6GB of data lets you search the internet for almost an entire week non-stop! Alternatively, you might FaceTime a friend or loved one once an hour daily.
If only infrequently, you could also view some video material. You would be better off with a larger package if you enjoy watching many videos on mobile data.
Regarding audio content—such as listening to a podcast or playing music—you could do this virtually nonstop on Spotify’s lowest audio quality for almost the whole month. You will most likely not do that, therefore you can spend several days enjoying streaming songs in normal to high quality.
Remember; once your data disappears, it disappears for a month. Usually, you get a refresh just the following month. Therefore, even if you could FaceTime for an hour every day on mobile data, your allotment would not allow you to do anything else.
Is 6GB of data enough for me?
If your data plan calls for 6GB and:
- You don’t rely on mobile data all the time you’re not connected to Wi-Fi
- You only use mobile data sparingly each month
- You don’t tend to use mobile data to watch video content
- You mainly use mobile data for web searches, general browsing, and streaming audio
Those who do not need their mobile data to be on all the time but would want the certainty that they may use it as and when needed would find this bundle most appropriate.
