I'm confused, just got a new phone (my first smartphone) an Android,

[utepoot]

I've called my provider to get the internet set up on it, which is 50p a day for 25MB a month, then if I go over that it's £1.99 a day,only for the days I use the net, but all I did today was play around with my phone, learning how to use it, looked at Google, downloaded AVG antivirus, and two other apps, Shazam and Soundhound. While I was on the phone with the chap from my provider I topped up my balance (PAYG) by £15 to total £18. I used the music apps to see just how good they were at recognising the music (astounded at how good they are) maybe did six or seven songs? I've had my phone on Wifi, but when I checked my balance, it was down to £6!? I looked online (from home pc) at my account, and my provider did only charge me 50p, so where have these charges come from? Are the Android apps "free" to download, but then they charge per use??

[Buenchico]

You've told us everything except what we really need to know, which is the name of your service provider (preferably with the name of the PAYG plan you're signed up to).

My guess is that you get charged some of the fees in advance, which is why your account has suddenly dropped so low, but without further information that's impossible to verify.

[utepoot]

Hi Buenchico, I'm with Virgin, I'm not sure what plan is called, but there was no mention of an up front fee. It isn't a bundle plan. I checked my balance twice and it went down twice, that's what makes me think using the apps is charging me somehow. There was nothing showing on my online Virgin account except the 50p charge they said there would be. It clearly shows when I was online, times etc, but it say £0.00 for each time. So something other than Virgin must be charging me, although I can't see how.

[Buenchico]

Hmmm

Now I'm wondering whether you've managed to go over 25Mb

AVG is a 2.1Mb download. Shazam and Soundhound are both shown as 'varies with device' on the Apps Store but a bit of googling found references to Soundhound at around 7 or 8 Mb..

[utepoot]

It is just the standard pay as you go tariff

[utepoot]

I can't possibly have gone over the limit in the twelve hours I've had the phone..could I?? I didn't do anything, really.

[Hammer]

25mb per month is really not very much at all. I don’t consider myself a particularly heavy user but I use on average 200 – 400mb per month easily. If you want to use the phone to its fullest you really should look at getting a deal with at least 250mb per month, preferably 500mb or even unlimited.

To answer your specific question, apps don’t cost per use. If you have to pay for the app itself, this is very clear in the market before you download it. Each time you use it, you may well use up some of your data allowance, but there’s no way Virgin can charge you for anything other than the data you are sending & receiving.

[utepoot]

Hi all, thanks for your advice...
I found out what the problem was, I thought I had turned on the Wifi, but I didn't. So each connection to the net cost me 48p, that's where all my money went! The charges didn't show up on my online account right away, that's why I was baffled at the time. Oh well, it's been a real learning experience, anyway! I think I pretty much know how to use everything on the phone now, and I love it, won't go back to a regular mobile again. And I signed up for more MB too.