Is AT&T running some sort of data scam?

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@RaeGall614 wrote:
I know what your talking about. My husband, myself, and I have a shared 10GB data plan ATT had an extra 5 gigs for the same price as 10 until 8/21 you could have switched in June at not extra cost.  for the last 3 years and have never come close to the 75% usage line. Well come June 2016 my husband phone and mine were paid off (ATT next plan) and my sons will be done this November and lo and behold our data is constant at risk of being over limit. Which phones?  Your sons?   Nothing changed with how we use our phones nor have we been using them for anything different when it comes to streaming.  And none of the phones did any updates?  No apps updated, no carrier or system updates?   Rhetorical question, of course they did.  So here's what we found after keeping watch on data alerts and usage since July bill: July- 1/2 a week before end of billing cycle alert states 80% data used. Aug - 1 week 2 days before cycle ended states 89% data used Sept. - 1 & 1/2 weeks before billing cycle ends alerted that 95% data used.You should be watching your data use in settings, under data/cellular usage.  It would tell you which apps used how much data each month.   Of course now we have no choice but to get charged $15 per extra 1Gb used until end of billing. So in 4 days prior to end we were charged 3Gb at $15 a Gb. Wrong.  You do have a choice, increase to the next tier up.  You can change your data plan, backdate it and cover the entire month. Had you done this in June, you would have 15 gigs for the same price as 10.  Our bill is amazingly now the SAME AMOUNT as it was when we still paid on our phones. Come October - 2 weeks before billing end just got a text stating 75 % data used. ATT is SCAMMING US AND TRYING TO FORCE US INTO A PLAN WITH A MONTHLY BILL EQUAL TO WHAT WE PAID WHEN WE OWED ON OUR PHONES.

You might want to look at the new data plans NOW.  16 gigs is $90.  However you will pay $20 per line, making your bill $5 more than it is now.   The new plan includes rollover, and zero overage charges.  

@RaeGall614  go back and read what I wrote in bold.  

Your phones software is not the same as it was last month, or the month before, etc.  updates to app software occur regularly and can effect data.  Just because you don't use the phone differently means nothing if the phone is not running exactly the same software.

The 10 gig plan is $100, plus 3 lines at $15, plus tax.  Your bill would be about $160

In the new plan 16 gig is $90, lines are $20, plus tax.   Your bill would be about $ $165

It makes no sense to spend $45 each month in data overage when $5 not only adds more data, but puts you on a plan with ZERO overage charges 

You are not required to buy a new phone.  Where did that come from?  ATT has always allowed customers on new plans with their existing phones.  

That's a Verizon trick.

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@Tominkc wrote:
I just signed up with Att. Ive had it now for a month and a half. The first month i had no problems with my data use. Now this month only 4 days into the month i got a text that said i used up over 5 GBs in my plan. My plan is 6GBs a month. I had about 3/3s of a gb left so i wanted to see how long it lasted. I went 6 days before i used it up. And i used it like i always did. So.... Something is wrong here, but dont know what. I had the same plan with T Mobil and never had a problem of running out.

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Check your phone settings, most smartphones will show you exactly which apps are using the data.

I reset my counters monthly and my numbers always always match AT&Ts (if anything a few percent lower than their numbers generally).

When I see apps use too much data, I turn them off for cellular use and the problem goes away.

Do you tether / hotspot a laptop or tablet?

Your phone is an independent meter of your data use.  If it says you used the data, then you did.  ATT has no control over your phone.  Look in settings, data usage and scroll down to see what apps used your data.  

T-mobile zero rates streaming apps on plans 6gigs and higher.  ATT does not.  

If the meter on your phone doesn't agree with ATT then you have a concern.   

@itscollmc ATT has nothing to do with that. You are right in that some phones and apps will use cellular data even when connected to wifi but not because of ATT or any carrier. ATT does not and could not if it wanted to tell a phone when to use cellular data.