In today’s digital world, we rely heavily on our phones and internet data plans to stay connected. Making phone calls is one of the most common ways we communicate. But have you ever wondered just how much data you’re actually using when chatting away on a call for an hour? The amount of data used can vary quite a bit based on factors like network technology, audio quality, and compression algorithms. Keep reading to get a clear breakdown of how much data an hour long phone call consumes.
The Basics of Phone Call Data Usage
When you make a phone call, your voice is picked up by your phone’s microphone and converted into digital audio data. This data is then compressed and transmitted over the mobile network to the person you are calling. The audio data is decompressed on their end so they can hear your voice.
The amount of data used for a call depends on a few key factors:
- Cellular network – Newer networks like 4G LTE are more efficient than older networks like 3G.
- Audio codec – This is the algorithm that encodes/compresses the audio. More efficient codecs use less data.
- Call quality – Lower quality audio takes less data to transmit.
Data Usage on 3G Networks
Let’s start by looking at data usage on 3G, an older network technology still used in some areas. On 3G networks, phone calls are transmitted using a technology called Adaptive Multi-Rate (AMR) audio encoding. Here are some estimates for 1 hour calls on 3G:
- AMR 12.2 kbps (lowest quality) – Approximately 5 MB per hour
- AMR 7.95 kbps – Approximately 3.5 MB per hour
- AMR 7.40 kbps – Approximately 3 MB per hour
- AMR 6.70 kbps – Approximately 2.5 MB per hour
- AMR 5.90 kbps – Approximately 2 MB per hour
- AMR 4.75 kbps – Approximately 1.5 MB per hour
- AMR 3.85 kbps – Approximately 1 MB per hour
As you can see, on a 3G network, an hour long call can use anywhere from 1-5 MB of data depending on the audio quality. Higher quality calls use more data.
3G Data Usage Table
| Audio Codec | Data Used Per Hour |
|---|---|
| AMR 12.2 kbps | 5 MB |
| AMR 7.95 kbps | 3.5 MB |
| AMR 7.40 kbps | 3 MB |
| AMR 6.70 kbps | 2.5 MB |
| AMR 5.90 kbps | 2 MB |
| AMR 4.75 kbps | 1.5 MB |
| AMR 3.85 kbps | 1 MB |
Data Usage on 4G LTE Networks
4G LTE is the most widely used cellular network technology today. It uses newer audio codecs that provide better call quality while using less data than 3G. Here are the estimates for 1 hour calls on 4G LTE:
- Enhanced Variable Rate Codec (EVRC) – Approximately 1.7 MB per hour
- Adaptive Multi-Rate Wideband (AMR-WB) – Approximately 1 MB per hour
- Opus at 32 kbps – Approximately 900 KB per hour
- Opus at 24 kbps – Approximately 650 KB per hour
- Opus at 16 kbps – Approximately 450 KB per hour
The Opus codec is the most modern and efficiently compresses audio while maintaining call clarity. At its lowest settings, it can use as little as 450 KB per hour.
4G LTE Data Usage Table
| Audio Codec | Data Used Per Hour |
|---|---|
| EVRC | 1.7 MB |
| AMR-WB | 1 MB |
| Opus 32 kbps | 900 KB |
| Opus 24 kbps | 650 KB |
| Opus 16 kbps | 450 KB |
Data Usage on 5G Networks
5G is the newest cellular network technology. It can utilize all the same audio codecs as 4G LTE. In addition, 5G’s ultra fast speeds and low latency allow it to support high-definition audio calls.
Here are the data usage estimates for high-quality calls on 5G networks:
- HD Voice+ (24 kHz audio) – Approximately 3 MB per hour
- Ultra HD Voice (48 kHz audio) – Approximately 5.5 MB per hour
However, using HD or Ultra HD audio for calls is not very common yet. For regular calls, the data usage on 5G will be similar to 4G LTE.
5G Data Usage Table
| Audio Quality | Data Used Per Hour |
|---|---|
| HD Voice+ | 3 MB |
| Ultra HD Voice | 5.5 MB |
Factors That Increase Call Data Usage
In addition to the core factors discussed above, there are some additional variables that can increase the amount of data used on calls:
- Video calling – If using video chat instead of a regular call, data usage is much higher. Video calls use about 2-4x more data.
- Poor network signal – When signal is weak, your phone may resend data packets, increasing usage.
- Extra features – Features like call recording, real-time language translation, and live transcriptions will add data usage.
Estimating Your Exact Usage
It’s difficult to calculate your exact data usage on calls without advanced network monitoring tools. The estimates in this article give a general range to expect. Your actual usage may be on the higher or lower end depending on specific conditions.
Here are some tips to estimate your personal usage more precisely:
- Check your phone settings to see what audio codec it is using for calls. Newer phones will use more efficient codecs.
- Your cellular carrier may provide tools and account stats to view data consumed by calls each billing cycle.
- Use a bandwidth monitor app on your phone to measure data sent/received during test calls.
Reducing Data Usage on Calls
If you have a limited data plan and want to minimize usage on calls, here are some helpful tips:
- Use WiFi calling whenever available – Calls over WiFi don’t count towards your data.
- Switch your phone to use a more efficient audio codec like Opus.
- Avoid video calls and unnecessary extra call features.
- Consider using a calling app that optimizes and compresses audio.
- Contact your carrier about adding a voice & text-only plan if you don’t need data.
Conclusion
The amount of data consumed by an hour long phone call can range from as little as 450 KB to 5 MB or more, depending on the network technology and call quality. Newer network standards and audio codecs are optimized to provide high call quality using the least amount of data possible.
To minimize usage, opt for WiFi calling when available, use an efficient codec, disable unnecessary features, and consider a voice & text plan. With some adjustments, you can keep your talking time data usage to a reasonable level.