Anyone seeing high data usage?

[Dan_Vega]

My wife who used to have a feature phone would normally use ~15MB a month checking facebook, email, texting pictures, etc. She's doing the same thing with her new Lumia 900 and yet 5 days into our billing cycle her usage is at 55MB of 300. She always exits apps to the start screen and oddly enough most of the high usage stats are at times when we are asleep.

We were with Verizon so this is our first month with AT&T.

For what it's worth I have the same Lumia, but I have more apps and connect to more services and use Exchange on my phone yet my usage isn't any higher than hers.

[EJ86]

I used up 1,108MB in my 1st bill and I purchased the 3GB pro data plan. My advice is always search for free wifi. AT&T needs an unlimited 4G data plan. Most of us are still on 3G so it's gonna take a while.

[Dan_Vega]

That doesn't help. During the day she's at work and rarely uses her phone for anything and they don't have WiFi at her job. At home where she uses her phone the most, it's always connected to WiFi.

It doesn't make sense that I connect to more services (Twitter, FB, LinkedIn, Exchange, Hotmail), use News aggregate apps, WeatherMaster, Ask Ziggy, Flixster, GasBuddy, PageOnce, Radio Controlled, SkyDrive, and many more. Yet I've only consumed 2MB more than her over these last five days.

[sparkedfire]

With a smartphone you can expect to use data, especially with new devices regardless of what operating system.  Email here and there, push notifications, it all adds up.  Just spend the extra $10 and don't worry about it.

[sparkedfire]

With that said, see what times she is using data at night.  I do believe phones like the iphone would randomly pull data at night for no reason.  Was a network issue.

[Dan_Vega]

The highest data usage is occuring after she's gone to bed and the phone is just charging. I know it's using WiFi during that time because it'll connect to the Zune software wirelessly during the night. Obviously it can't talk to the desktop over LTE. An answer of just spend more money and don't question it, does not answer what's going on. All that does it put more money in AT&T's pocket. We didn't have this issue with Verizon, using the same OS and same apps.

For instance data usage shows 22MB sent on 5/6 at 4:22PM but we were driving to the movie theater at that time and I know she wasn't using her phone. It also seems to send 500KB-1MB of data around 11:30PM each day, at which time she's asleep, which I know because I'm still awake.

[sparkedfire]

Do a search for "phantom data".

phantom data

[foxbat121 ACE - Wizard]

It is not possible to see which period of time you use amount of data. The data usage showed up in your account is aggregated over an unknown period of time. That's how AT&T's metering system works.

For WP7 phones, you have to keep in mind that even if you are at home, doesn't mean you use wi-fi all the time. WP7 turns off wi-fi when your phone goes into sleep (screen off). When wake the phone up, it takes a few second to re-establish the connection to wi-fi. You should swipe down from the top screen to monitor the wifi icon. Until you see that icon stablized, you will be using cell data. One way to avoid such issue is to plug the phone in to the charger. Once plugged in, WP7 won't turn off wi-fi.

Also, for WP7, Facebook and twitter are integrated into the people hub and sync automatically in the background. If you have a lot of activities on those accounts, you may get a lot of data usages. Again, plug the phone in at home will help reduce cell data usage.

Normally, 200MB/300MB data plans are only good for checking emails and occasional web browseing. Using facebook will result in a lot more data usage.

[Kredrian]

I am sure you probably checked, but have you looked at the background tasks to be sure it does not have something running to pull data when you don't want it to?

[gcoliver3]

When I first got my Focus S last November I also noticed a huge jump in my data usage over my old iphone 3gs. I went through the whole search for things to turn off and never discovered what was pulling all the data. Many times it would be large amounts in the middle of the night.

What I finally did was get a free program called connectivity shortcuts and put a cellular setting shortcut as a tile that is near the top and I can get to it easily. Now I just keep my data turned off until I need it. I know it is not a perfect solution but the best I could do.

[Infamousdaveman]

You must have it syncing too often, Check out your accounts and how often then sync, like email, facebook, twitter, etc. Also, check background tasks and turn EVERYTHING off, as they will pull data to bring you news or new stories to your live tiles. Also, when your screen is off, normally, it will turn OFF your wifi so you will be sucking data from att! (As i read about how you sync with zune in the middle of the night) Im sure one of those is causing your issue. Let us know what you found out.

[mskyblue]

maybe she should turn her data connection off when not using it.

[shines34]

If she takes pictures, you want to verify that auto-uploading to skydrive is turned off. I believe it is on by default, with that, the phone will automatically upload any video and pix taken and instantly upload them to your skydrive. Auto-upload is on or off, I wish there was a on only when wifi but that is a winphone issue. Hope this helps. Aside from that hwo do you folsk like the Lumia? My wife and I are considering getting them to replace our first gen wp7 phones.

[tbudx3]

I am having the same problem with my iphone 4s

[lylone]

I see the phantom data usage also on my Lumia 920.  It is connected to wifi at my house all evening and night and I have the wifi stay on when the device goes into sleep mode.  From the time I am home until the time I leave the next morning, I get emails and updates like normal.  But on my bill I see where my phone used ATT data at 12:24a to download about 10 megs.  i have stayed up that late and have been using the computer on the same network and the cable connection isn't going down at that time.

If I turn the phone off at night, then the next morning it will use the cell signal first to get all the emails and such before connecting to the wifi.  I never saw this issue with my 900 or my BB9860.

I have considered contacting ATT about it, but I am sure they can't do/say anything since they will want their money anyway i am sure.

[drjekel_mrhyde]

Turn off all uneeded background tasks under settings. The phone WiFi turns off sometimes and pull live tile data and email data from ATT towers

[lylone]

I called ATT about this issue and they only option I was given was to turn off the data connection if I don't want it to be used.  Couldn't tell me why the device was connecting every night to data at 12:22a when wifi is available.....but gave me that option instead.

it's rediculous that I have to do that everynight in my opinion.

[drjekel_mrhyde]

Check to see what your settings under email and accounts and set each one  to download manually and like I said before make sure you turn off background tasks under applications

[johninsj ACE - Wizard]

---

lylone wrote:

I called ATT about this issue and they only option I was given was to turn off the data connection if I don't want it to be used.  Couldn't tell me why the device was connecting every night to data at 12:22a when wifi is available.....but gave me that option instead.

it's rediculous that I have to do that everynight in my opinion.

---

There is a setting in WP8 to keep wifi on during sleep, even on battery. If you don't turn this on, then like most every other smartphone, a Windows Phone will turn off wifi after just a few minutes, when going into standby on battery.

If you want to be sure it's staying on wifi, turn on that setting (which will reduce your battery life) *OR* plug in your phone over night - on AC power Windows Phone (and most other smart phones) do not drop wifi when going into standby.

Or, turn off cellular data. I just recharge mine every night.

[lylone]

Yes, I have it set not to turn off wifi when it goes to sleep.  In my opinion it is NUTS to make me turn off cellular data every night and day while I am at home so it doesn't acceidentally use cell data instead of the wifi.  If it is connected to wifi that it is what it should use.  I wished they had something that would automatically turn off services at specific times, but yet the OS doesn't have that option either.

The device IS on the charging plate at night, so the wifi shouldn't turn off anyway.

It still doesn't explain what my phone is downloading from cell data every night at 12:24a.  I am not getting buttload of emails or using my phone then.

[johninsj ACE - Wizard]

---

lylone wrote:

It still doesn't explain what my phone is downloading from cell data every night at 12:24a.  I am not getting buttload of emails or using my phone then.

---

Probably nothing - the way the data is reported data can be delayed up to 72 hours, and what I recall from my iPhone days, the AT&T accounting system tends to batch up reporting of the day's smaller transactions and post the record after midnight. So you may not be seeing anything other than accounting quirks vs real time usage.

[lylone]

Probably Nothing you say..... Just that I am seeing it on past bills that are more than 72 hours old?   and everynight except the nights where the phone is off I see data usage at 12:24a. 

And I could turn the phone off everynight, but then I get a big old download of data when I turn it on since it uses cell first before connecting to the wifi.

From ATT's own report generater of past usage I have gone from 78MB in December (before I got the phone) to 609MB this past month.  

Yeah, that is a BIG difference.

[johninsj ACE - Wizard]

---

lylone wrote:

Probably Nothing you say..... Just that I am seeing it on past bills that are more than 72 hours old?   and everynight except the nights where the phone is off I see data usage at 12:24a. 

And I could turn the phone off everynight, but then I get a big old download of data when I turn it on since it uses cell first before connecting to the wifi.

From ATT's own report generater of past usage I have gone from 78MB in December (before I got the phone) to 609MB this past month.  

Yeah, that is a BIG difference.

---

I mean, you are probably not seeing actual data usage at 12:24am - rather you are seeing the accounting record hit the system at 12:24am for a batch of data that has been used prior to that point in time.

You now have an always connected internet enabled phone. Its going to use data. 609MB isn't insane data use. It's 200 3MB photos uploaded (to facebook, or skydrive) - in my case it's three largish attachments in email downloaded to phone.

I have no idea what app(s) are using data on your phone, I am just not at all suprised you'd see an increase in data use on a Windows phone device. Believe me, everyone who moves from a feature phone to an iPhone, an Android phone, or a Windows phone has this experience. I suggest anyone making that move get the 2/3GB plan for a few months until they find out what their average usage is, because the 300MB plans really aren't going to cover most people even doing light email/surfing/apps.

Edit: about the only thing I would verify is that you have disabled every option to "improve the experience" or "report problems" to Microsoft or Nokia.

[lylone]

My phone before that was a L900 and never showed any data used during the times when I am home at night which is at least an 10 hour span.

Before that was a BB9860 and before that was an Atrix.

None...ever showed any data usage while I was home and night and the device was connected to Wifi.

Now, with L920, I am seeing a huge amount of more data usage and no one can seem to tell me why.

[johninsj ACE - Wizard]

---

lylone wrote:

My phone before that was a L900 and never showed any data used during the times when I am home at night which is at least an 10 hour span.

Before that was a BB9860 and before that was an Atrix.

None...ever showed any data usage while I was home and night and the device was connected to Wifi.

Now, with L920, I am seeing a huge amount of more data usage and no one can seem to tell me why.

---

I did tell you why. It's an artifact of the data reporting (lots of small data chunks used daily, reported at 12:21) , and/or error reporting.

What apps do you have installed? Are any running in the background? Any getting push notifications?

What services are you connected to?

Do you have any error/experience reporting for Microsoft or Nokia enabled?

To change the settings for Windows Phone Feedback

• On Start, flick left to the App list, and then tap Settings > Feedback.

To change the settings for keyboard touch information

1. On Start, flick left to the App list, and then tap Settings > Keyboard.

2. Tap Typing settings, then select or clear the check box under Typing improvements.

Do you have wifi set to never turn off?

[lylone]

What apps do you have installed? Weatherbug, 2 Email accounts, AP News Are any running in the background? Those would be the only ones.  Any getting push notifications? only on the 2 email accounts

What services are you connected to? none that I know of

Do you have any error/experience reporting for Microsoft or Nokia enabled? No, and No

To change the settings for Windows Phone Feedback

• On Start, flick left to the App list, and then tap Settings > Feedback.

  OFF

To change the settings for keyboard touch information

1. On Start, flick left to the App list, and then tap Settings > Keyboard.

2. Tap Typing settings, then select or clear the check box under Typing improvements.

    OFF

Do you have wifi set to never turn off? no, even when device is locked the wifi stays on. and I can see from log files that the device stays connected to my router on the network during those times.

[johninsj ACE - Wizard]

Weatherbug - pulls weather every X minutes. Uses data. Block it from getting data in the background

AP News - pulls news feeds every X minutes. Uses data. Block it from getting data in the background

Email - checks for email every X minutes. Uses data. You can increase the polling time to reduce data use. What is it set to check right now...

Other services... you didn't enter a Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn account? You have no messaging apps?

I'd look at the two apps first - simple enough to uninstall them and run for a day or two, see if your data use drops. I'm using the Weather Channel app from Nokia, and several news apps that do not pull/notify (only use data when I run them)

[lylone]

But WeatherBug, email and AP should be using the wifi if it is available. All these used it when it was available on the previous phones.

No, I don't run Facebook, Twitter or Linked In from my cell phone.  I did about a year ago but don't care about everytime someone sneezes or etc.

[casy25]

I'm having the exact same problem on my Nokia Lumia 920.  All the other phones I have had over the years have never even come close to using half of my data plan.  Since I started using this phone, every single month I get a notice from AT&T that I'm going over my plan.  All of these big bits of data are showing as happening around 12:30 a.m. while I'm sleeping.  I work from home and the phone is always on wifi while I'm here and I'm hardly away from home more than a total of 2 hours each day (some days not at all).  It's set to not turn off when the phone goes to sleep, but I'm still getting these charges.  Also, the only thing I have checking regularly is email.  I don't use Facebook or Twitter or anything like that.  I have almost nothing installed on it that it didn't come with except for a few games.

[lylone]

Yep, I am not the only one who is seeing this weird data usage at 12:30a at night either.