Boingo Wireless is the Wi-Fi industry’s leading provider of software and services worldwide and has a virtual Wi-Fi network of over 500,000 hotspots. The iOS app, Boingo Wi-Finder, has now added a data usage feature that lets you track and monitor your cellular data usage to avoid paying extra charges when you go over your limit.
This new feature is easy to use. Just enter the amount of mobile broadband data that your smartphone plan allows and your costs on a per Gigabyte basis. Also add what day of the month your data plan billing cycle starts and the app will track both Wi-Fi and cellular usage, giving you information on how much money you’ll be saving by connecting to Wi-Fi hotspots.
The tracking information comes in the form of a graph with a constantly updated pie chart that shows the percentage of time your iPhone or iPad uses Wi-Fi and cellular data. Boingo Wi-Finder also makes three predictions for each month based on your usage history: total data usage, cellular usage, and Wi-Fi usage.
The updates to the Boingo Wi-Finder app still has the same original features from when it first launched, so users can still find Wi-Fi hotspots nearby.
There’s nothing worse than getting that phone bill and seeing a higher number than you expected. With a combined Wi-Fi finder and data usage tracker, you can avoid overage charges and access all those hidden Wi-Fi hotspots you may not have known about.
The app is free on the iTunes App Store but Boingo’s network services often have a cost associated. There are, however, some free Wi-Fi options like its recent collaboration with Google Offers. Over the summer the two companies have offered free Wi-Fi to more than 200 locations in New York City. There’s still a few weeks left for New Yorkers and NYC visitors to take advantage of this promotion before it ends on September 7, 2012.