Why is the iPhone on my plan using SO MUCH data? HELP

ChoppaCabrah · ‎11-20-2012

I have 2 phones on my Family Share Plan. The Samsung Galaxy S3 and an iPhone 4. I use the S3, my gf uses the iPhone4.

I would say I use my data quite frequent while not connected to Wifi. I use pandora at the gym 3-4 times a week, even watched a whole movie last week on netfilx at a restaraunt not using wifi. Currently iv'e only used like 9% of our data 13 days into the billing cycle. I just recieved a data warning text yesterday informing me that we had already used 65% of our 4GB data plan. I checked our usage and her line was at 57%! We've checked and monitered her data usage on the website. It's all coming from internet usage. The only time she really has to browse the internet on her phone is at home. In which the phone is connected to Wifi. Trying to see when and what is using up all this data, we checked the usage this morning. Her's jumped up another 9%! How is this possible?! According to the charts, the timeframe in which the data was sent/recieved was all within the hours she was at home. Unless the time displaying the data usage is innaccurate?

It's not even halfway through the billing cycle and 3/4 of the data plan has already been used. Something just isn't adding up. Another thing to point out that seems incredibly odd is that her usage jumped from a very low percentage to 57% in 3 days time. With how much I use my data, the math just doesn't seem correct. Any ideas? As to why the iPhone is sucking down so much data vs my GalaxyS3?

Thanks for any input or suggestions.

wingrider01 · ‎05-26-2008

ChoppaCabrah wrote:

I have 2 phones on my Family Share Plan. The Samsung Galaxy S3 and an iPhone 4. I use the S3, my gf uses the iPhone4.

I would say I use my data quite frequent while not connected to Wifi. I use pandora at the gym 3-4 times a week, even watched a whole movie last week on netfilx at a restaraunt not using wifi. Currently iv'e only used like 9% of our data 13 days into the billing cycle. I just recieved a data warning text yesterday informing me that we had already used 65% of our 4GB data plan. I checked our usage and her line was at 57%! We've checked and monitered her data usage on the website. It's all coming from internet usage. The only time she really has to browse the internet on her phone is at home. In which the phone is connected to Wifi. Trying to see when and what is using up all this data, we checked the usage this morning. Her's jumped up another 9%! How is this possible?! According to the charts, the timeframe in which the data was sent/recieved was all within the hours she was at home. Unless the time displaying the data usage is innaccurate?

It's not even halfway through the billing cycle and 3/4 of the data plan has already been used. Something just isn't adding up. Another thing to point out that seems incredibly odd is that her usage jumped from a very low percentage to 57% in 3 days time. With how much I use my data, the math just doesn't seem correct. Any ideas? As to why the iPhone is sucking down so much data vs my GalaxyS3?

Thanks for any input or suggestions.

check settings for Icloud - it can be a data hog

ChoppaCabrah · ‎11-20-2012

Ok, thanks. I'll have her check it.

gregzoll_1 · ‎06-23-2010

iCloud does not use that much data. My guess is from delayed billing, due to it can take up to 48 hours for data to be tallied up. If I had to guess, watching the movie on Netflix and streaming Pandora is what put you over.

You should try to use Wifi as much as possible for this stuff, since streaming music & movies are considered data hogs.

________________________________________________________________

"Ren: Now listen, Cadet. I've got a job for you. See this button? Don't touch it! It's the History Eraser button, you fool!

Stimpy: So what'll happen?

Ren: That's just it. We don't know. Maybe something bad, maybe something good. I guess we'll never know, 'cause you're going to guard it. You won't touch it, will you?"
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wingrider01 · ‎05-26-2008

gregzoll_1 wrote:
iCloud does not use that much data. My guess is from delayed billing, due to it can take up to 48 hours for data to be tallied up. If I had to guess, watching the movie on Netflix and streaming Pandora is what put you over.

You should try to use Wifi as much as possible for this stuff, since streaming music & movies are considered data hogs.

have seen it take a lot of data, compnay policy is to turn it off on corporate phones, one was missed and their data usage was higher then the other iphones that had it off. So something in icloud is causing the problem

gregzoll_1 · ‎06-23-2010

If the phone is with Verizon, they need to update to the latest software fix. As for iCloud, Documents, photos would be the only two main things streaming into iCloud all of the time. Siri is another that uses data, along with iMessaging & facetime.

No, it isn't a iCloud thing, because I have it turned on, and do not have high data use

________________________________________________________________

"Ren: Now listen, Cadet. I've got a job for you. See this button? Don't touch it! It's the History Eraser button, you fool!

Stimpy: So what'll happen?

Ren: That's just it. We don't know. Maybe something bad, maybe something good. I guess we'll never know, 'cause you're going to guard it. You won't touch it, will you?"
________________________________________________________________

wingrider01 · ‎05-26-2008

gregzoll_1 wrote:
If the phone is with Verizon, they need to update to the latest software fix. As for iCloud, Documents, photos would be the only two main things streaming into iCloud all of the time. Siri is another that uses data, along with iMessaging & facetime.

No, it isn't a iCloud thing, because I have it turned on, and do not have high data use

ATT for this one, music is another, have seen music get pushed up to icloud also. I suspect that the backup is the issue, it is suppose to only use wireless but when the phone is hiberating and the wifi is turned off it may be pushing the backup data over the cellular modem, I have checked the firewall, router logs and did a debug trace on the mac address of one of the iphones overnight and have not seen any icloud traffic in the logs but updated backups hit the cloud.

gregzoll_1 · ‎06-23-2010

It is a end user issue. You have to set the phone to only use iCloud on wifi, not on cellular. People need to learn how to use th device, not blame the carrrier of the cellular network they are on.

________________________________________________________________

"Ren: Now listen, Cadet. I've got a job for you. See this button? Don't touch it! It's the History Eraser button, you fool!

Stimpy: So what'll happen?

Ren: That's just it. We don't know. Maybe something bad, maybe something good. I guess we'll never know, 'cause you're going to guard it. You won't touch it, will you?"
________________________________________________________________

wingrider01 · ‎05-26-2008

gregzoll_1 wrote:
It is a end user issue. You have to set the phone to only use iCloud on wifi, not on cellular. People need to learn how to use th device, not blame the carrrier of the cellular network they are on.

Personally don;t blame the carrier at all, I blame the device, the designer and creator of the device and the operating system it runs on, and the company that released a untested item, the buck stops there.

Curoius where that setting is, don't see it on a 4, 4s or a 5 that is on IOS6. I see it for Itunes, Facetime, Passbook updates and reading list, but nothing for icloud

gregzoll_1 · ‎06-23-2010

Do not blame the device, designer or creator, it is still a end user problem. Same when it comes to computer operating systems.

As for the setting for iCloud, you have to go to Settings, General, Cellular. Then you can choose to turn on or off Cellular data, iCloud documents. For iCloud, you choose iCloud from Settings, then scroll down to Documents & Data, then turn off "Use Cellular Data".

Again, end user problem, not a carrrier or device issue.

________________________________________________________________

"Ren: Now listen, Cadet. I've got a job for you. See this button? Don't touch it! It's the History Eraser button, you fool!

Stimpy: So what'll happen?

Ren: That's just it. We don't know. Maybe something bad, maybe something good. I guess we'll never know, 'cause you're going to guard it. You won't touch it, will you?"
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GeekBoy · ‎11-06-2008

On your wife's iPhone take a look at the cellular data usage (Settings->General->Usage->Cellular Usage". If the bulk of the usage in the "sent" or "received" bucket? If it is "sent" then check her mail for a hung outbound email that is erroring and trying over and over to send that message out. That happened to me once a few years back (when you could only get unlimited data plans) and I had used quite a bit of data tryign to send that same message over and over again. If there is no hung message, check for syncing apps like iCloud (especially PhotoStream, backups, etc). If the usage is mainly downloads, then look for applications like the new podcasts app which can use cellular data to download large files (unless turned off by the user), iTunes Match could be dowloading songs, or applications which may be refreshing add screens (even when they are not the active apps). There are so many possibiities for potential causes for download usage that it is a nightmare to try to troubleshoot without looking at the phone and installed apps.

The first step is to determine if it is data downloading or data uploading that is the main culprit of the usage, nd work from there.

Mesadabree · ‎11-22-2012

Turn off all games and apps that use location services. They run in the Backround and can suck data while your not playing or using the apps and games. On iPhone4gs you push your circle button on bottom front of your phone twice, scroll thru your apps and when you find one put your finger on to and hold till x appears on icon, hit that x to shut off app. It will not delete app or game but turn it off instead

Mesadabree · ‎11-22-2012

Also sending emails like photos from your unlimited texting helps save on usage, just enter the email instead of cell number.

gregzoll_1 · ‎06-23-2010

Email uses data, not SMS.

________________________________________________________________

"Ren: Now listen, Cadet. I've got a job for you. See this button? Don't touch it! It's the History Eraser button, you fool!

Stimpy: So what'll happen?

Ren: That's just it. We don't know. Maybe something bad, maybe something good. I guess we'll never know, 'cause you're going to guard it. You won't touch it, will you?"
________________________________________________________________

jane697 · ‎09-18-2012

gregzoll_1 wrote:
Do not blame the device, designer or creator, it is still a end user problem. Same when it comes to computer operating systems.

As for the setting for iCloud, you have to go to Settings, General, Cellular. Then you can choose to turn on or off Cellular data, iCloud documents. For iCloud, you choose iCloud from Settings, then scroll down to Documents & Data, then turn off "Use Cellular Data".

Again, end user problem, not a carrrier or device issue.

What iOS version are you running on your phone? I ask because I see nothing labelled "iCloud documents" in Settings -> General -> Cellular when I drill down on my iPhone 5 running iOS 6.0.1; in fact, when I drill down that far I don't see "iCloud" mentioned anywhere in that particular subsetting. I see the options to turn on/off "Cellular Data" and "Use Cellular Data for iTunes, FaceTime, Passbook Updates, and Reading List"...but no mention of "iCloud documents" anywhere in there.

wingrider01 · ‎05-26-2008

jane697 wrote:

gregzoll_1 wrote:
Do not blame the device, designer or creator, it is still a end user problem. Same when it comes to computer operating systems.

As for the setting for iCloud, you have to go to Settings, General, Cellular. Then you can choose to turn on or off Cellular data, iCloud documents. For iCloud, you choose iCloud from Settings, then scroll down to Documents & Data, then turn off "Use Cellular Data".

Again, end user problem, not a carrrier or device issue.

What iOS version are you running on your phone? I ask because I see nothing labelled "iCloud documents" in Settings -> General -> Cellular when I drill down on my iPhone 5 running iOS 6.0.1; in fact, when I drill down that far I don't see "iCloud" mentioned anywhere in that particular subsetting. I see the options to turn on/off "Cellular Data" and "Use Cellular Data for iTunes, FaceTime, Passbook Updates, and Reading List"...but no mention of "iCloud documents" anywhere in there.

Settngs - Icloud

jane697 · ‎09-18-2012

wingrider01 wrote:
jane697 wrote:
gregzoll_1 wrote:
Do not blame the device, designer or creator, it is still a end user problem. Same when it comes to computer operating systems.

As for the setting for iCloud, you have to go to Settings, General, Cellular. Then you can choose to turn on or off Cellular data, iCloud documents. For iCloud, you choose iCloud from Settings, then scroll down to Documents & Data, then turn off "Use Cellular Data".

Again, end user problem, not a carrrier or device issue.
What iOS version are you running on your phone? I ask because I see nothing labelled "iCloud documents" in Settings -> General -> Cellular when I drill down on my iPhone 5 running iOS 6.0.1; in fact, when I drill down that far I don't see "iCloud" mentioned anywhere in that particular subsetting. I see the options to turn on/off "Cellular Data" and "Use Cellular Data for iTunes, FaceTime, Passbook Updates, and Reading List"...but no mention of "iCloud documents" anywhere in there.
Settngs - Icloud

Yes I know that; my comments were directed towards gregzoll saying that the iCloud settings could be accessed via Settings -> General -> Cellular; not quite the same as getting to it via Settings -> iCloud. If he's gonna insinuate that these issues are more an end-user problem rather than a carrier or hardware issue, then the least he can do is make sure the advice he's giving to end users is accurate.

gregzoll_1 · ‎06-23-2010

Jane, again the using of data on the network has nothing to do with if it is a iPhone, Android or Windows. It is due to user habits and always has been.

I rarely use data off of my wifi, and if I do, it is not very high, due to I do not stream through Pandora or Netflix, or watch movies through the Uverse app, even though I have them on my iPhone.

So quit blaming Apple, Windows, Att, whomever, because it can all be solved by users leatning how to use their device, shutting off uneeded services, constant streaming to the cellular network, if hey only took the time to sit down and educate how the device works and the settings and features of it.

________________________________________________________________

"Ren: Now listen, Cadet. I've got a job for you. See this button? Don't touch it! It's the History Eraser button, you fool!

Stimpy: So what'll happen?

Ren: That's just it. We don't know. Maybe something bad, maybe something good. I guess we'll never know, 'cause you're going to guard it. You won't touch it, will you?"
________________________________________________________________

gregzoll_1 · ‎06-23-2010

Excuse the spelling errors, due to fat fingers and the iPhone keyboard.

________________________________________________________________

"Ren: Now listen, Cadet. I've got a job for you. See this button? Don't touch it! It's the History Eraser button, you fool!

Stimpy: So what'll happen?

Ren: That's just it. We don't know. Maybe something bad, maybe something good. I guess we'll never know, 'cause you're going to guard it. You won't touch it, will you?"
________________________________________________________________

jane697 · ‎09-18-2012

gregzoll_1 wrote:
Jane, again the using of data on the network has nothing to do with if it is a iPhone, Android or Windows. It is due to user habits and always has been.

I rarely use data off of my wifi, and if I do, it is not very high, due to I do not stream through Pandora or Netflix, or watch movies through the Uverse app, even though I have them on my iPhone.

So quit blaming Apple, Windows, Att, whomever, because it can all be solved by users leatning how to use their device, shutting off uneeded services, constant streaming to the cellular network, if hey only took the time to sit down and educate how the device works and the settings and features of it.

First of all, where exactly was I blaming Apple/ATT/Windows/etc.? Second of all, nice way to deflect my comment pointing out that you gave out what appeared to be erroneous info about where to find the iCloud setting by falsely stating that I was blaming Apple, et al. Maybe you should have taken some time to sit down and re-educate yourself on the iPhone settings before telling people that the iCloud setting can be accessed via Settings -> General -> Cellular. I agree with you on one thing--users really should sit down and educate themselves on how to use the device, settings, features, etc...because if anything else, odds are the info contained there is probably more accurate than some of the info given out by some folks here.

gregzoll_1 · ‎06-23-2010

I know how to use the iPhone, and understand how the settings work, along with how it uses data, along with what will eat up your data package (ie streMing music, watching a movie or online sports broadcast, uploading photos, siri, imessage, should I keep going on).

I had to be a little sarcastic, due to there are not many ou there that can grasp the subject of educating themselves with their gadgets, in turn blame the provider or manufacturer. Of course do not even get me started with Windows 8.

________________________________________________________________

"Ren: Now listen, Cadet. I've got a job for you. See this button? Don't touch it! It's the History Eraser button, you fool!

Stimpy: So what'll happen?

Ren: That's just it. We don't know. Maybe something bad, maybe something good. I guess we'll never know, 'cause you're going to guard it. You won't touch it, will you?"
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