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A recent marketing campaign from a UK mobile network is focussed on what happens to users when they run out of data.  EE is running this marketing campaign reassuring people that – in the event they run out of data – they will remain connected to key services.

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This seemed to be a very obscure benefit to me for two reasons: first data is dirt cheap on all UK networks now and, secondly, I’ve personally never run out of mobile data.

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It’s now possible to get a SIM-only deal with unlimited talk, text and 40GB of data for a measly £8 per month.  I know because it’s the deal I use.  As of today, around halfway through my billing cycle, I’ve used less than 5GB of my monthly allowance. 

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Over the last six months, O2 reckons that I’ve used – on average – 7.5GB of my allowance a month.  Even my son, who is never off his phone – is topping out at less than 10GB per month on average – a quarter of his allowance.  So, who are these people running out of data?

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I recently asked this question on LinkedIn, and the results surprised me.  Around 25 percent of people said they had run out of data themselves.  A further 5 percent were aware of it happening to someone else.

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There’s little doubt we are using more data than ever, but the networks remain incredibly aggressive in keeping prices competitive – something that surely cannot last forever? 

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Research in the US showed that – between 2018 and 2023, the average price for 1GB fell from $4.64 to $2.75: that’s some drop at a time when inflation alone would raise the cost to $5.63.   

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In the UK it’s even cheaper: OFCOM reckons that, on average, a GB of data on a contract between 10GB and 100GB per month is £0.38. So, if running out of data is an issue, can we assume it’s driven by a lack of understanding about the consumption of data rather than the cost?  If so, the networks might be better off trying to explain how much data someone is likely to consume than saving them when they run out.