Cheating data

[helennguyen]

My billing cycle just started June 6, 4 days later I received message alert that I used 65% of my data. (My plan 200MB). I checked my data usage and found out every single night at 11:25PM my data was used but I didnot use my phone at that time, my data kept going up every day eventhough I didnot use it. I called ATT many times to complain about this issue, ATT suggested I should upgrade my plan so I can use my phone for the rest of the month. My concern is if the data that I donot use going up every night and I have to pay for it. Yesterday I didnot use my phone any more, this morning I checked my data usage it kept going up. Now I have to turn my phone off completely.

Is there anyone have the same problem like me?

[Fiercekitty]

Your smartphone constantly updates things..email, apps, Facebook, etc. It also links to att billing at different times throughout the day. So its not jus possible or probable..but almost guaranteed that u will see 'billed data usage" at times when u aren't "on your phone" (or even if u hav phone off or in flight mode.) So there is *nothing* unusual there.

As far as the data plan..200mb is an extremely small ammt of data for smartphones.

[spish]

Also the way the billing system works at at&t it basically "adds up your data" during the night that you used that day and that was used to update the phone.  Like was said before....200mb IS an extremely small amount of data.  If you are using an iphone i would suggest that you make sure your apps are actually closen when you're done with them, especially if they are apps that are self-updating (skype, facebook etc)

[coolstorybro]

No such thing as phantom data usage.

[tinaj78]

I am having the same problem. I was told by AT&T to upgrade as well. The thing is for months I've used under 200MB, then 5 days into the plan I'm at 95%? It doesn't make sense if I use my phone the in the same manner as previous months. At the end of the cycle it says I've used 700MB! I'm used it less if anything else. My husband uses his phone more than me and he's under the 200MB. So, there has to be an answer somewhere?

[drumn_bass]

Some app you're using may be running in background. Did you install any new apps recently?

[phibcbee]

I am having the same problem.  For months I've never went over my 200 MB then this month not only did I go over 200 I'm almost over 400 MB.  When I called customer service he said I make 2 big usages of data on 8/22.  The problem is I was using Wi-Fi when I used my phone b/c I have Wi-Fi at home.  Then he asked me if it was ATT Wi-Fi.  Well, ATT is my internet provider and I assume it's "ATT Wi-Fi".  Anyhow, I have never had this problem.  At first I thought it was because I went on vacation for 2 weeks and not always using Wi-Fi when accessing my phone and I was in "E" areas.  But -  like I said on the 22nd I was AT HOME and did not use my phone when I did leave the house.  This is very frustrating for me b/c I don't know what is causing this.

[Cellphones&Heels]

---

phibcbee wrote:

I am having the same problem.  For months I've never went over my 200 MB then this month not only did I go over 200 I'm almost over 400 MB.  When I called customer service he said I make 2 big usages of data on 8/22.  The problem is I was using Wi-Fi when I used my phone b/c I have Wi-Fi at home.  Then he asked me if it was ATT Wi-Fi.  Well, ATT is my internet provider and I assume it's "ATT Wi-Fi".  Anyhow, I have never had this problem.  At first I thought it was because I went on vacation for 2 weeks and not always using Wi-Fi when accessing my phone and I was in "E" areas.  But -  like I said on the 22nd I was AT HOME and did not use my phone when I did leave the house.  This is very frustrating for me b/c I don't know what is causing this.

---

It Could be that if you are doing anything like streaming movies or video and arent using the phone whilie its using data  that the device is going to sleep/locking) it disconnects from wifi

[spish]

Like 80% of the people I hear with problems like this...people who use way more data than they feel like they should be using have one of two issues.....The first one is they have a phone where apps can run in the background (iphone, android etc) and they don't realize that these apps must be closed again after they are minimized to not be using data.  This will also cause the battery to die a lot faster.  I don't work in customer care so I don't see that question all the time or anything but when I do thats almost always the answer.  The other reason I have seen is people tethering.  But yeah just make SURE your apps are all the way closed if you arent using them.  If you aren't sure if they are or not you have access to the internet if you are able to comment on this page so just google your phone and find out that way.  Really thats one of the first things you should find out about your phone because nothing will drain your battery faster....at least that was my personal experience with my ipone 3gs as well as my experience now with my samsung infuse 4g.

[RicoLX]

i agree. apps can continue to run in the background that may eat away at data. Either remove apps that perform this way, keep wifi on so to minimize actual dta usage or just turn the phone off completely when not expecting calls.

[Evandela ACE - Warrior]

In addition tobwhat has been said by my fellow posters, you may also disable the function that allows apps to automatically sync in the back ground.

-Evandela

[RicoLX]

..also, you'll have to bear in mind that some apps or processes may be written to access other processes that kicks of certain apps just to function......

[ilikewireless ACE - Czar]

I've noticed that on updating an app, the automatic update box (Market Updater) is checked by default. You may want to uncheck automatic updates. Do updates manually when you are on wifi.

[RicoLX]

Not sure if it has been stated, but also set wifi to turn off when the screen is black . this way when your phone is on (mine is most of the time) and isnt being used, the wifi connection turns off. Most apps require wifi connection to process.

[TBABINEA]

Like so many others, I too have noticed this data transfer crap and also contacted AT&T, to no avail.  First, let it be said we have unlimited text and data on our plan and while this does not affect our bill, it still really chaps my A**.  Kudos to the lady who, back in July, posted a long narrative with explanations and ideas/solutions for cutting down the amount of data transfered.  Unfortunately, although I followed her advice, as well as others', it really didn't have much of an effect.  In a post I did this morning under billing, I brought up the fact that while my phone shows the usual daily massive transfer, my husband's is showing smaller transfers throughout the day in ADDITION to the daily massive transfer.  I don't understand why this is different for our phones, and received no answer from AT&T either (like I really expected one).  From my many hours of researching, I have found no one who has gotten and explanation from either AT&T or Apple, and you folks who have limited data plans continue to have your data eaten by these transfers...although if you can spend the time on the phone with AT&T it seems you are able to get overage charges refunded.  Quite frankly, even though I do not have this issue, the fact that anyone does is just simply unacceptable.  We pay AT&T for their services, yet exactly what is it we are getting in return?  And what is really scary is that I have been reading that it is not only AT&T that has this massive data transfer scam going...so what options do people have?

[twentw]

One of the problems is that you can't always control what's being used.  My iPhone only uses wifi when it is being actively used.  When it "sleeps" it reverts to 3G and disconnects from wifi.  So all those background apps that run unattended (including periodic checking for email) are going toward your data cap even if you have wifi available.  And as far as I can tell, nothing can be done about it.

[TBABINEA]

That's just the thing though, I don't buy that nothing can be done about it.  Unless I have gone totally mad (which is a definite possibility), these massive transfers weren't on early bills.  Granted, there were some but nothing close to these things.  So why is it AT&T upped the anti?  Well money of course.  It wasn't a big deal before smart phones were the norm rather than the exception, because cell phones were used for calling more than anything else.  Now, well now you can use a smart phone and literally not make a single call, which with the unlimited data and messaging plans used to entice people in the beginning, has AT&T losing money rather than making it.  Oh I'm sure they checked into the legality of everything they have done, but really? How can it be legal to up data transers in the name of what, has anybody actually gotten official word from AT&T on the reason for this?  Not to my knowledge.  So again I say I don't buy that nothing can be done, because without just cause, which they evidently DON'T have else something would have hit the news about it by now, the legality can and SHOULD be questioned.  And especially since they have done away with unlimited plans!  This is pure robbery, theft...we would be up on charges if we did something like this...

[Stephono]

A Smart phone does auto connect to the network to check for updates. thats the reason a data plan is required.

[ilikewireless ACE - Czar]

There are usually ways to do something about it. Either on the network or on the user device. The device profile first then the network if the device cannot give you the setting you need.

Have you combed through the iPhone manual and found that nothing could be done? Aso can you set iPhone WiFi to never sleep? In Android phones, you would have been able to stop cellular data (3G or Edge), and also set WiFi to never sleep when the phone goes to sleep.

[TBABINEA]

It doesn't matter if WiFi is on or off.  Here I must eat crow...it is Murphy's work that after I spent many many MANY hours researching, it isn't until after I post about AT&T not making an official statement regarding this issue that I find one.  This statement was issued to Wired.com during the lawsuit by a man in California suing AT&T for overcharging for data.  Yep, you guessed it, he lost.  But you see, this gentleman had unlimited plan which, quite frankly, makes me wonder what made him think he could win.  However, I say KUDOS!!! for the try...

Accurate billing is clearly important and, unfortunately, there have been some incorrect claims about our data usage billing practices. We properly charge for all data that our customers send and receive, including data activity that runs in the background on smartphones and other powerful data devices. Data usage for emailing, downloading applications, browsing the web, downloading a video or streaming music is all applied to a customers’ data plan. So are real-time updates to applications, such as weather updates, sports scores, or stock tickers. Particularly for smartphones, tablets and other advanced mobile devices, applications are often constantly running in the background and engaged with our network. And, AT&T captures your data activity nightly to create a bill record in our systems. This will appear on your bill to be a late night “charge,” but in fact, the time stamp reflects the time that your device established a connection to the network, not the time that you sent or received data.

It is not only the iPhone that is experiencing this problem, and while again I eat crow (can't find the website that concurs with my statement so I must chew quietly) about other cell phone providers other than AT&T doing the same thing, other providers are getting mass complaints about data charges.  It seems all of these companies are trying to find ways to make some more money off smart phones and data usage seems to be their golden goose.  But the bottom line is, we love our phones and just like we complain about the cost of gasoline but refuse to only use our vehicles for necessities and nothing else, we are not willing to stop using anything other than the call features of our phones.  We will fuss, gripe, carry on, sue (hopefully!), etc. but if the provider we are with doesn't change, truly the worst we will do is change providers...

[Per Guidelines:  Keep it Relevant and Appropriate].

[RicoLX]

Yes, so many facets that need to be considered data munchers. Gotta even consider those bloatware backend apps or processes that run and eat things up.


For unlimited data, that's sad he still got charged. It must have been some outrageous usage going on. Yes, today , we have a variety of smartphone devices that pulls and push data. Wasn't that way when the whole "data war" was waged... Like in 2007 or so when the iphone burned att. No other phone ate the network so quick like that ever before or after. Now with a conglomerant of devices doing so, its another thing.

All in alll just about any smart phone with apps and backend processing may potentially contribute to a lot of data usage, but sadly, our usage is never accurately reported as in up to the minute accurate. Lots of lagging in between reporting and actual use.

[JFizDaWiz]

honestly, just disable data when it's not being used.
i keep mine off all day at work and come home to wifi.
if im driving somewhere, data off
sleeping, data off
unless you need up to the minute email/stocks notifications, no need for keeping data always on

[ilikewireless ACE - Czar]

Ditto on disabling data. It works well for me but then I have an Android phone. It seems to me from their responses as if iPhones were not customizable for disabling data.

[TBABINEA]

All very true statements, without doubt. And for the record, I have been able to lower my data usage a little, but as usual my husband didn't listen to the things I relayed to him about helping with this :-)  But regardless of all we can/can't do to combat this problem, the issue remains those folks on limited data plans that are getting large percentages of their allowed data usage eaten up by these transfers.  Yes, again I realize this does not pertain to me, but why should it have to for it to make me angry?  Here you have a conglomerate that has done away with unlimited plans, knowing full well that any limited data plan is going to have people paying for data they NEVER GET TO USE.  Now here I am this aggitated when it doesn't affect me...I think it is easily imaginable how I would react if it DID.  I honestly never do this, join a forum or whatever and blurt out my thoughts to people I don't know (hard to believe, huh), but this is simply not right.  Entrapment, closest I can come to at the moment as description of what it is they are doing.  Educate the public, yes. 'Nuf said...

[RicoLX]

And thats one of the reasons I dont like the limited situation and still do not acccept atts statement that customers wanted this headache of having to watch their datausage over unlimited.

Especially when all these processes include "att delayed processing of data true-ups" channging your balance , resultintg in some shocking balances after you thought you had a good balance remaining.

[JFizDaWiz]

settings>general>networks>disable cellular data

its a few clicks on iphone, widget on android

[ilikewireless ACE - Czar]

The truth has been revealed.

[ilikewireless ACE - Czar]

Take note all ye who complained about high data use!

[RicoLX]

---

ilikewireless wrote:
Take note all ye who complained about high data use!

---

....or yeeee shall be smite! With a data hold , so strong...
..So LET IT BE WRITTEN.....
.

[ilikewireless ACE - Czar]

---

RicoLX wrote:

---

ilikewireless wrote:
Take note all ye who complained about high data use!

---

....or yeeee shall be smite! With a data hold , so strong...
..So LET IT BE WRITTEN.....
.

---

THAT WHOSOEVER FAILETH TO ......