Desktop browsers which use less data?

[DealorNoDeal]

Crazy idea - why not increase your allowance, if you’re using more than it or constantly trying to reduce usage?

We only use the internet for browsing. For years, we've used less than 10Gb/month.

The only thing that's changed is me swapping from an old Win7 laptop to Win11.

I think I've finally got the thing under control by setting the connection to metered and disabling a load of stuff.

[eek]

I think you just need to increase your allowance or switch network.

three’s long term model is to use mobile data as a provider for home broadband so look and se if they cover you or plan to.

heck even if they don’t offer it in your postcode, you could use a different postcode to purchase the device.

[WTFH]

Crazy idea - why not increase your allowance, if you’re using more than it or constantly trying to reduce usage?

Either that, or put the TV into SD mode when watching streaming services, and run fewer devices.
Then the next thing is to look at the websites you visit, e.g. facebook. Change the settings on the website so that it doesn’t auto play every video that you scroll past, and put it into Data Saver mode too (go to Settings>> Preferences>> Media)
Then look at who all is connecting and what they are using it for.

Also, if you’re doing a lot of video calls, you’ll be sucking data.

A while back our beach house had low speed internet, so I upped my mobile phone to 30GB (cost about £20 a month). That was enough for work and a bit of photography, but not daily TV streaming.

Switching web browser will not drastically reduce usage, unless you go text only.

[DealorNoDeal]

Are you using mobile data as your sole internet provider?

I can consume 20gb in just under 3 minutes.

Yep. We used to have landline broadband but it was forever going down, and getting OpenReach to fix it was an absolute PITA. We live out in the sticks and it's all overhead telephone lines. It's a very windy place, which causes a lot of faults. We also get farmers occasionally taking out the lines with machinery, not to mention careless folk with shotguns shooting the wires!

[ladymuck]

Oh internet. I didn't realise capped access was still a thing unless, as eek says, you're using mobile data.

[eek]

Are you using mobile data as your sole internet provider?

I can consume 20gb in just under 3 minutes.

[DealorNoDeal]

I'm sensing a theme - first Win11 data and now browser data.

Did you skimp on hard drive size when buying a new PC and now can't run anything?

No, it's the broadband data it's been eating up.

We have a 20Gb/month allowance, and previously we rarely went above 10Gb. This new Win11 laptop has been chewing through it.

[ladymuck]

I'm sensing a theme - first Win11 data and now browser data.

Did you skimp on hard drive size when buying a new PC and now can't run anything?

[darmstadt]

Lynx and Charlotte, both text only... :-)

[DealorNoDeal]

What do you mean less data? Because a web page is going to be xMb in size regardless of the browser you use.

Opera mini only uses a lot less because it adds a third party in the middle to modify things

Yes, you're probably right.

Having a decent ad blocker probably makes the biggest difference. Apparently, some browsers like Brave block other stuff too (tracking?). Opera used to have a turbo feature which compressed the data, which I guess is what's in Mini.

But any differences are probably just on the margins.

[eek]

What do you mean less data? Because a web page is going to be xMb in size regardless of the browser you use.

Opera mini only uses a lot less because it adds a third party in the middle to modify things

[DealorNoDeal]

I've searched the web but didn't find anything conclusive.

There are smartphone browsers like Opera Mini, that supposedly uses quite a lot less, which can be used on a PC using an android emulator but I don't know what the browsing experience would be like.

Anyone looked into this at all?