Re: Phantom Data Usage? Riddle me this, AT&T....

sandblaster · ‎08-15-2006

johninsj wrote:

Tartuffe wrote:
This happens while I am asleep, but my phone isn't. I keep it connected to WiFi. I keep it unlocked and plugged in while I sleep, specifically to make sure WiFi stays connected. I have cellular data off. I have disabled diagnostics. I have turned off all running apps before going to sleep. It is still sending data.

If you have it on wifi and it's plugged in, than this is delayed data reporting, and nothing more. You're using the data - at some point in the past couple days, it's just AT&T's confusing accounting/reporting methodolgy.

Considering the sizes reported, that looks very much like email or web access/web services (stocks/weather/news headlines/twitter/IM/facebook notifications, etc). Even the most basic mobile web page with a handful of graphics is going to come in at 8-10KB, while a non-mobil-optimised page can be far more - 1.4MB just for opening either www.cnn.com (full site) vs m.cnn.com.

Look again at the mywireless page where you're seeing this data. Read the disclaimer at the bottom. "Important Information: There are delays in reporting and processing data records....."

They should put that on the TOP of the page, where people will see it, and not the bottom, where they don't.

One app that uses cellular data whether you are on wifi or not is visual voicemail and it periodically checks to see if there are voicemail messages and each check uses a few KB. Based on the small amounts, I'm betting those are a compilation of those last few visual voicemail checks done prior to shutting off cellular data.

I am an AT&T employee and the postings on this site are my own and don’t necessarily represent AT&T’s positions, strategies or opinions.

Tartuffe · ‎02-07-2011

dwill05 wrote:

Tartuffe wrote:
I am having the same issue. It's not a lot of data, but it is still data that I am not personally using.

Here are some of them:
02/16    04:56 AM    phone    Internet/MEdia Net    Sent    258KB
02/15    03:17 AM    phone    Internet/MEdia Net    Sent    53KB
02/14    02:24 AM    phone    Internet/MEdia Net    Sent    30KB
02/12    02:46 AM    phone    Internet/MEdia Net    Sent    55KB

This happens while I am asleep, but my phone isn't. I keep it connected to WiFi. I keep it unlocked and plugged in while I sleep, specifically to make sure WiFi stays connected. I have cellular data off. I have disabled diagnostics. I have turned off all running apps before going to sleep. It is still sending data.
As has been posted many times here, data listings reported by AT&T in the middle of the night are usually a round up total of the day's usage. The phone is not using that much data at that exact time, it used that much during the day and they just report the daily total at the time shown.

There shouldn't be any day's usage, as I keep it plugged in and on WiFi. The 14th-16th, I never unplugged it. I used no data throughout the day beyond what I used on WiFi. Cellular data was turned off. The days before that, it was kept plugged into my computer and on WiFi.

I haven't even had the chance to drive around with the phone yet, so it's never been off of WiFi except for the few minutes after activating it when I added it to my network.

johninsj · ‎07-07-2010

sandblaster wrote:

One app that uses cellular data whether you are on wifi or not is visual voicemail and it periodically checks to see if there are voicemail messages and each check uses a few KB. Based on the small amounts, I'm betting those are a compilation of those last few visual voicemail checks done prior to shutting off cellular data.

I'm nearly 100% sure that VVmail switch to using the notification framework (NOT polled) when it became available around iOS 3.0

It won't use any data at all waiting for a notification.

dwill05 · ‎04-06-2005

If you are always on WiFi 100% of the time, then simply turn the cellular data off in the phone setting menu. Then you shouldn't have any data usage problems.

sandblaster · ‎08-15-2006

Tartuffe wrote:

There shouldn't be any day's usage, as I keep it plugged in and on WiFi.

Plugged in or not, if the phone goes into sleep mode, the wifi radio is turned off and the phone reverts back to cellular data.

I am an AT&T employee and the postings on this site are my own and don’t necessarily represent AT&T’s positions, strategies or opinions.

Tartuffe · ‎02-07-2011

sandblaster wrote:

Tartuffe wrote:

There shouldn't be any day's usage, as I keep it plugged in and on WiFi.

Plugged in or not, if the phone goes into sleep mode, the wifi radio is turned off and the phone reverts back to cellular data.

I am running 4.2.1, the phone stays connected to WiFi when plugged in to a power source. Plus cellular data is turned off.

dwill05 wrote:
If you are always on WiFi 100% of the time, then simply turn the cellular data off in the phone setting menu. Then you shouldn't have any data usage problems.

That's what I put in my post. I have cellular data turned off and have for about a week now.

johninsj · ‎07-07-2010

sandblaster wrote:

Tartuffe wrote:

There shouldn't be any day's usage, as I keep it plugged in and on WiFi.

Plugged in or not, if the phone goes into sleep mode, the wifi radio is turned off and the phone reverts back to cellular data.

That is incorrect. If you are NOT plugged in, it will turn off wifi after about 15 minutes to conserve power. If you are plugged in, there is no need to conserve power and it remains connected when sleeping.

sandblaster · ‎08-15-2006

johninsj wrote:

sandblaster wrote:

Tartuffe wrote:

There shouldn't be any day's usage, as I keep it plugged in and on WiFi.

Plugged in or not, if the phone goes into sleep mode, the wifi radio is turned off and the phone reverts back to cellular data.

That is incorrect. If you are NOT plugged in, it will turn off wifi after about 15 minutes to conserve power. If you are plugged in, there is no need to conserve power and it remains connected when sleeping.

My bad, I leanred something new. I thought for sure I've seen the wifi "wake up" even when connected to power but apparently not.

I am an AT&T employee and the postings on this site are my own and don’t necessarily represent AT&T’s positions, strategies or opinions.

johninsj · ‎07-07-2010

sandblaster wrote:

My bad, I leanred something new. I thought for sure I've seen the wifi "wake up" even when connected to power but apparently not.

Well, as always, every definitive statement having to do with computers should have little * after it - there are always possibilities that something beyond the control of the phone might cause it to drop wifi... like getting dropped/disconnected by the access point, having the access point go down, having the network on the other side of the access point go down, sun spots, martians, etc.

The Expected Behavior you should see 99 44/100% of the time is, if it's on AC, no wifi drop. If not, 15 minutes after standby it should power off wifi to save battery. Mostly. If everything is working

JFizDaWiz · ‎10-27-2010

Tartuffe wrote:

I am running 4.2.1, the phone stays connected to WiFi when plugged in to a power source. Plus cellular data is turned off.

when I talked to Apple they informed me this is not true so I don't even know what to believe anymore.

“I am an AT&T employee and the postings on this site are my own and don’t necessarily represent AT&T’s positions, strategies or opinions.”

johninsj · ‎07-07-2010

JFizDaWiz wrote:

Tartuffe wrote:

I am running 4.2.1, the phone stays connected to WiFi when plugged in to a power source. Plus cellular data is turned off.
when I talked to Apple they informed me this is not true so I don't even know what to believe anymore.

You can easily veryify it yourself, if you have a wifi router with a web interface it will show the iphone remaining connected hours on end even when on standby, if its plugged in.

You can believe your own test, I hope.

JFizDaWiz · ‎10-27-2010

i don't have the means to test this but I'll take your word. But still you're not always connected to wifi AND charging your phone so celluar data will get through if it's enabled on the device

“I am an AT&T employee and the postings on this site are my own and don’t necessarily represent AT&T’s positions, strategies or opinions.”

johninsj · ‎07-07-2010

JFizDaWiz wrote:
i don't have the means to test this but I'll take your word. But still you're not always connected to wifi AND charging your phone so celluar data will get through if it's enabled on the device

Of course! The only thing plugging it in at night does is prevent it from dropping wifi overnight.

I'm in a nearly perfect wifi cloud most work days. My monthy data use on my iP4 with wifi on all the time averages less than 50MB. That represents true mobile use (as in, not at home or work) and whatever happens to happen when the device goes off wifi due to standby (mostly at work, where it's not plugged in)

So that's a hair less than 2MB/day. Sounds about right for one IMAP and one Exchange email address push, and the odd web/news browse/facebook read/post over cellular.

JFizDaWiz · ‎10-27-2010

don't forget VVM as it uses celluar data and not wifi

“I am an AT&T employee and the postings on this site are my own and don’t necessarily represent AT&T’s positions, strategies or opinions.”

johninsj · ‎07-07-2010

JFizDaWiz wrote:
don't forget VVM as it uses celluar data and not wifi

Why does it do that, anyway? (off topic, but I was wondering why!)

satchev · ‎07-31-2007

johninsj wrote:

JFizDaWiz wrote:
don't forget VVM as it uses celluar data and not wifi
Why does it do that, anyway? (off topic, but I was wondering why!)

Because it is downloading the audio file for the voicemail to yoru device directly from the providers servers. It only works over cellular data. I'm sure it could be configured (with some work from Apple and cellular providers) to work over Wi-Fi, but that's unlikely to happen.

gghs1226 · ‎02-19-2011

My experience: I was getting unusual data spikes like everyone else one day over 90 Meg. And another one was 71 Meg one at 45 Meg and so on until I was up to 345 Meg. Needless to say I was getting very concerned Finally after repeated discussions with numerous ATT customer service agents to no avail I went to an ATT store and low and behold first thing he did was look at what was running in the background and there was a lot. Page after page. Some of them had been running for several months. I told him that I had no idea that was going on. It would have been much simpler if one of my earlier contacts had explained what was going on. At five days into my current billing cycle I'm at 2.89 Meg. The way to check what is running in the background is to double click (fast) the main button at the bottom (the one that you normally exist out of all programs with). I have a friend that has a 3G phone (not the 3GS like mine). His does not have that capability. When he exits out of a program he is truly out. Interesting that the later model has a feature like that. One that encourages more data usage especially after they changed their data plans. Think may be it was intentional?

DimentoGraven · ‎03-25-2008

I think you may have been snookered, I double-clicked really fast to see what result I got, and it listed every app I ever clicked, and I know that I'd recently rebooted my phone to troubleshoot some data rate issues, so darn near 90% of the listed icons were icons I KNOW I'd not clicked since my last iPhone reboot.

In fact, as I typed this, I rebooted my phone again,then did the quick double-click, and again EVERY app installed is listed.

So, unless you're missing a step in your description, what you saw was not a "list" of all the running apps, just installed apps.

satchev · ‎07-31-2007

gghs1226 wrote:
low and behold first thing he did was look at what was running in the background and there was a lot. Page after page. Some of them had been running for several months. I told him that I had no idea that was going on.

The way to check what is running in the background is to double click (fast) the main button at the bottom (the one that you normally exist out of all programs with).

Sorry, but you really do not understand how multi-tasking was implemented in iOS4.

Just because an app is listed in the quick launch bar does NOT mean it is running in the background. Only apps that utilize specific API's can truly run in the background, the reset are simply suspended.

Unless the app streams audio, utilizes GPS/mapping (like google maps) or other specific API's, it is NOT running in the the background.

Most likely in your case, you had an email hung up in one of your outboxes and by restarting the device it cleared this up.

youngjm · ‎05-02-2003

satchev wrote:

gghs1226 wrote:
low and behold first thing he did was look at what was running in the background and there was a lot. Page after page. Some of them had been running for several months. I told him that I had no idea that was going on.

The way to check what is running in the background is to double click (fast) the main button at the bottom (the one that you normally exist out of all programs with).

Sorry, but you really do not understand how multi-tasking was implemented in iOS4.
Just because an app is listed in the quick launch bar does NOT mean it is running in the background. Only apps that utilize specific API's can truly run in the background, the reset are simply suspended.

Unless the app streams audio, utilizes GPS/mapping (like google maps) or other specific API's, it is NOT running in the the background.

Most likely in your case, you had an email hung up in one of your outboxes and by restarting the device it cleared this up.

+1

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youngjm · ‎05-02-2003

gghs1226 wrote:
Think may be it was intentional?

You are using a phone that uses Data! The broader community of iPhone users wanted mutli-tasking and this is how Apple implements it. Fast app switching saves a lot of time vs having to sit through every splash screen. It would be something similar on Android and Windows phones. If you do not like the idea of background data, then a smart phone may not be a good choice.

As said before, not every app can run in the background. Navigation programs will use the GPS, some programs take advantage of the ability to finish a task in the background, and music apps can stream music in the background.

_____________________

For service or support questions including existing order status, call:
Customer Support: 1-800-331-0500

Information on iPhone unlocking can be found here by copying this link into your browser:
http://forums.wireless.att.com/t5/Apple-Community-Discussion/iPhone-Unlock-Information/m-p/3260825#U3260825

pk2011 · ‎02-23-2011

Wait until you get your bill before you split hairs. You are not charged for the Pings anyway. Even with your calls that you are not charged for, you will find that it is all listed in the details. They can't fix an issue anyway unless you have been charged for it on your bill.

I am an AT&T employee and the postings on this site are my own and don’t necessarily represent AT&T’s positions, strategies or opinions.

gogameroom · ‎08-05-2011

I always assumed that when you went back to the home screen it closed the application I was running. This is not the case, they stay running in the background.

Check to see what applications you have running in the background. Tap the home button twice and you will see Icons for all the applications running. To close the applications hold one Icon until a minus sign appears on top of the Icons then tap minus sign on the Icons to close the applications. This will elimate the possibility that an open application is causing the night time data useage.

Flg8or · ‎03-31-2012

First let me say that I am in the computer business and I understand the difference between KB, MB and GB and how long it takes to transfer large files. I have had a cellphone since Prime Co, which was before Verizon. I switched to ATT a little over a year ago and have averaged 300MB of data usage a month. Suddenly this month, my phone has used 2GB in a WEEK!!! This is so extememe and completely impossible. I went to an ATT store to explain this to them, but they just looked at me like I was dumb. The store manager said "Well, do you check email on your phone and send text messages?". I wanted to laugh in his face, he actually wanted me to believe that plain text emails through the Gmail App, suddenly became 6x larger in one week than they have been in a total month. Nobody had any knowledge or common sense so they put me on the phone with ATT customer service where the operator treated me like I was a 10 year old kid who was watching Netflix on my phone and lying about it. I told him that I didn't have any streaming music or video applications on my phone at all, and that I haven't added anything new to my phone this month from all the past months. He really didn't believe me or even care for that matter. He tried to sell me a bigger plan so that I could go over 2GB in the future????? I said I don't need a new plan because I only use 300MB a month and there was a real problem here. Again, he didn't believe me or care. His solution was to turn off my data network so that I could only use Wifi, and that would solve my problem. So, that is ATT's solution. Turn off your paid services if you don't want your data usage stolen. Never should have left Verizon.

JFizDaWiz · ‎10-27-2010

Yup turn data off when not being used or the phone will use it.

“I am an AT&T employee and the postings on this site are my own and don’t necessarily represent AT&T’s positions, strategies or opinions.”

johninsj · ‎07-07-2010

Flg8or wrote:

First let me say that I am in the computer business

...

So, that is ATT's solution. Turn off your paid services if you don't want your data usage stolen. Never should have left Verizon.

Verizon would tell you the same thing - you control your data use, the carrier doesn't - if you don't know what app you are using or what you are doing to use the data, your only solution is to turn off data when you don't want to use it.

This is an issue with you, and iOS - something changed this month in what you are doing with your iPhone - AT&T (or Verizon) are happy to charge you for as much data as you use. Perhaps you should have gone to sprint, they sorta have unlimited data kinda still this week.

TerraPhantm · ‎09-24-2006

Fwiw, AT&T does some funky stuff with the data counter. My billing cycle resets on the 9th of each month. Last month I went on vacation and since I was near the end of my billing cycle, I decided to watch a ton of Netflix on March 8th. My data count didn't move a single MB according to OLAM. Then all of a sudden on March 9th, my data usage for the new cycle was a bit above 3GB, even though I had gone to sleep well before midnight.

brainwaver · ‎04-10-2009

It is clearly stated on line in your OLAM that the posting of data usage can be delayed! So what you use today may not post for a few days, even while you are asleep!

Important: There are delays in reporting and processing call or data records. It may take up to two to five days for usage on the AT&T wireless network to show up in any Voice & Data Usage category. Additional delays may occur due to technical difficulties. Further delays may apply to roaming usage, which is based on call records received from other carriers. A delay of a minimum of two to ten days for roaming usage is usual and up to 60 days or longer is possible. During the time your invoice is being processed, you may not be able to view your usage or you may experience additional delays in reporting of usage. Minutes used in excess of those available will either be deducted from available Rollover or from another category of usage for which that call is eligible. Minutes "Used" may reflect airtime for unanswered voice mails, administrative calls, and other calls for which you are not billed. Data usage information (including text messages, picture messages & Internet usage) may also be delayed based on the same reasons mentioned above. This usage information is only an estimate and, regardless of what is shown, your next invoice will be determined by the information contained in our billing system, not this usage information. Hawaii Text/Data Users: The time stamp for your unbilled data usage may be off by up to 4 hours. Internet and download usage is measured in megabytes (MB). 1 MB = 1024 kilobytes (KB); 1 Gigabyte (GB) = 1024 megabytes (MB).

TerraPhantm wrote:
Fwiw, AT&T does some funky stuff with the data counter. My billing cycle resets on the 9th of each month. Last month I went on vacation and since I was near the end of my billing cycle, I decided to watch a ton of Netflix on March 8th. My data count didn't move a single MB according to OLAM. Then all of a sudden on March 9th, my data usage for the new cycle was a bit above 3GB, even though I had gone to sleep well before midnight.

TerraPhantm · ‎09-24-2006

It's one thing for OLAM to be updated late, it's another to count my usage towards a different billing cycle. If I use data on 3/8, it should deduct from my 2/9-3/9 cycle, regardless of how long it takes to tabulate the data usage. All that message says is that it mate take a few days to figure out how much I used. It does not say that data I use today could count as data used tomorrow.

whitneylb87 · ‎08-07-2012

AT&T does do phantom charges. I had the iphone 4s I did the 300mb data plan because I am almost always around wifi and don't have a use for it outside of my home other than texting and calling. In a 2 day period, I used my data a couple times, nothing big enough to go over. All the other times, I was connected to wifi. On the 2nd day, I got a text from AT&T saying I had gone over my limit and was being charged an extra $20. I called tech support and they said there was a massive data download during a time I didn't even use my phone. I immediatly went to a store and demanded they take off the charges. The sales reps basically said I was lying and refused to do anything, said I was stupid, and finally a lady took over, took off all the charges and apologized. But none of them knew of any phantom charges. So either they were all lying or AT&T lies to their employees. I don't recomend any data plan unless you have at least 3gb.