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signem's profile

Teacher

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23 Messages

Monday, June 28th, 2010 1:01 PM

iphone 2am unauthorized data usage

Beginning on June 16, my original iphone began transmitting 2+MB of data "internet/MEdia Net" at 2 am every morning. Prior to this, my records show a daily data transmission at that time in the range of 8-50KB.

 

I changed to the 200MB plan when I upgraded to iphone 4 on June 24 and have begun monitoring data - that is how i discovered this escalation in data use. Both existing and new iphones are always on wi-fi at 2am. On 6/25, this 2am data usage jumped to 5MB, so I have switched off cell data altogether.

 

What is going on? At this rate, my iphone will use all 200MB of data in a month with these 2 am data uploads. I saw complaints about this on the Apple forum with no solution provided by ATT.

 

For 2 1/2 years, with my original iphone, I used an average of 30-50MB of data per month, so I was quite comfortable signing up for the 200MB plan. 

 

Is ATT going to fix this problem? 

 

Signe

ACE - Expert

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64.7K Messages

14 years ago


@signem wrote:

i reviewed the entire discussion at the Apple message board and there are still no official answers.

 

Concensus seems to be that the nighly transmissions are some type of aggregation of data usage during the day. The question for me remains whether I will be charged for that data. And one nagging question is what is actually being transmitted? And, how do we ensure that there is no privacy violation?

 

Not being able to get a straight answer makes me quite uncomfortable. I hope that ATT or Apple will eventually disclose that information since there is obviously a great deal of interest, particularly on the Apple message board.

 

Thanks for all your comments.


You understand what "aggregation of data usage during the day" means, right? For example, say you download something at 10pm, something else at 11pm and something else at midnight but your bill only shows one item at 2am, not the individual downloads at 10, 11, 12. That is the aggregation people talk about and of course you would be charged for those downloads. Bottom line is your bill shows everything that was uploaded/downloaded over the cell network and of course everything listed is being "charged". The bill does not show any data uploaded/downloaded over wifi.

Scholar

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117 Messages

14 years ago

I haven't had this occur for about 2 weeks.

Contributor

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2 Messages

14 years ago

Ok so this "batching" must be something new then? It has never occurred before June, and if data is batching, why is it 6 times as much data that I used to use  (with no change in my habits) since I have changed to the tier plan?

Professor

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3.1K Messages

14 years ago

because you have a new toy, or you enabled "send diagnostic data to apple"?

Voyager

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2 Messages

14 years ago

I have the same issue, but with a palm pixi.


 

After having the pixi for six days, I got a text from AT&T saying that I had already used 65% of my plan. I went back and looked at all of my history and records, and my entire internet history was about 90 page views. The day after I got the phone, I had added gmail and gchat, but I found it annoying so I removed it from the phone after the third day. I sent/received 30 emails during that time. I have wifi at home and at work. I have not downloaded anything - no apps, no ringtones, nothing. According to AT&T's data calculator, (http://www.att.com/standalone/data-calculator/), you should be able to access about 1000 web pages and send/receive 1000 emails a month and still be under the 200mb data plan. What is going on here?

 

After calling AT&T, same as above, they suggested that someone else was using my phone at night, that I was inadvertently doing it, or that I was downloading a lot of stuff - none of which are the case. They thought that the data charges were a cumulative charge for the day, but I have multiple data charges per day, all at different times, some as small as 8kb and the largest being 53227kb. If it was a cumulative charge, it would be at about the same time every day and there should be only one. After all of this, they decided that it was updates. Really? Every day, that size? The rep got Palm on the phone and they confirmed that the phone would get occasional updates, but not daily, and even then the updates should be about 40kb. To resolve the issue, the rep suggested that I stop using data for a few days. At first I wasn't into this solution - I mean, I'm paying for a data plan so that I can use it, right? But after some thought I did not use data Saturday, Sunday, and Monday. None so far today. So here's what I've been billed for during that time that I DID NOT USE DATA:

07/2605:37 PMwap.cingularInternet/MEdia NetSent2859KB
07/2606:58 AMwap.cingularInternet/MEdia NetSent3307KB
07/2510:01 PMwap.cingularInternet/MEdia NetSent13KB
07/2502:13 AMwap.cingularInternet/MEdia NetSent2683KB
07/2403:42 PMwap.cingularInternet/MEdia NetSent1339KB
07/2409:38 AMwap.cingularInternet/MEdia NetSent2622KB

 

In comparison, we also got a blackberry at the same time for my husband, and he uses the internet way more that I do. He's barely used any of the data plan at all. Also, on his bill, you can see each time he checks his email - there is 2-4kb of data usage each time, and about 2000kb when he streams music - so the aggregated data charge is NOT an AT&T method of charging data.

 

I've done some research and AT&T users with other phones have the same issues and AT&T has said to everyone that they have no idea or that it's the user's fault. Ridiculous. In the end, I'm glad I've addressed this quickly, since I'm going to return the pixi for something different. AT&T offered no help whatsoever in figuring out this issue.

 

Voyager

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2 Messages

14 years ago

"1) the user agreeing to send diagnostics to apple, which generates data use (so, don't do that)"

 

And this is the default setting?  How convenient not that there is only limited data plans available.  If you don't think there is a problem with all the people hollering about it online, then you must have some interest in denying it imo.  Fortunately it is not a problem for me because I don't plan on renewing until it is fixed.  Prolly switch before that happens tho.

Contributor

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3 Messages

14 years ago

Hi Signem,

 

I have exactly the same problem with the new iphone 4.  My case is even worse... I have seen data transfer of 15 mb to 20 mb (can you believe it?? !!!!!) around 2 am every  few days... In my case I don't think it's aggregated billing...since I have intentionally avoided using intenet through iphone last few days, yet, last night 2am I still saw a 20mb sent....It may be some sort of updating from Apple?

 

I am calling ATT tonight and find out...what they say about it...

Contributor

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3 Messages

14 years ago

7/29/2010

2:15 AMphoneInternet/MEdia NetSent21748KB
7/28/20101:41 AMphoneInternet/MEdia NetSent1596KB
7/27/20102:14 AMphoneInternet/MEdia NetSent2254KB
7/26/201011:10 AMphoneInternet/MEdia NetSent15447KB
7/26/20102:38 AMphoneInternet/MEdia NetSent2535KB
7/25/20102:35 AMphoneInternet/MEdia NetSent228KB
7/24/20102:20 AMphoneInternet/MEdia NetSent6781KB
7/23/20102:20 AMphoneInternet/MEdia NetSent617KB
7/22/201012:13 PMphoneInternet/MEdia NetSent1862KB
7/22/20102:17 AMphoneInternet/MEdia NetSent20120KB
7/21/20101:13 AMphoneInternet/MEdia NetSent1294KB
7/20/20102:20 AMphoneInternet/MEdia NetSent4983KB

 

My usage from ATT website....

ACE - Expert

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64.7K Messages

14 years ago

 


@stonyeric wrote:

Hi Signem,

 

I have exactly the same problem with the new iphone 4.  My case is even worse... I have seen data transfer of 15 mb to 20 mb (can you believe it?? !!!!!) around 2 am every  few days... In my case I don't think it's aggregated billing...since I have intentionally avoided using intenet through iphone last few days, yet, last night 2am I still saw a 20mb sent....It may be some sort of updating from Apple?

 

I am calling ATT tonight and find out...what they say about it...


In my opinion, calling ATT is a waste of time since they have to control over what data your phone sends or receives. Unless you have an issue where your phone's reported data usage does not match what ATT says, no point in calling them.

 

Teacher

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23 Messages

14 years ago

I actually took my iphone back after 4 days because of this issue and no obvious resolution. I went back to my original 2g iphone and they gave me back my unlimited data plan.

 

In just under one month, they have calculated 81MB of data. Most of those days I was on wi-fi. And, because those overnight calculations are mostly sent data, rather than received, they are clearly incorrect to say the least.

 

The highest month I ever had before this was 50MB during a Florida vacation. Other than that month, my usage is in the 20-30 MB range.

 

I have not changed my habits using the iphone. As a matter of fact, I think I am receiving less mail now.

 

Since much of this data transfer was on days that I was never off wi-fi, I think that ATt is including wi-fi in the data charges which is clearly against to their stated policy.

 

ATT and Apple seem to be in total denial over all of this, but someone needs to step up soon before someone figures it out and initiates a class-action lawsuit.

 

BTW, since I reverted to my original iphone, I am definitely not participating in any program to provide Apple with feedback of any kind.

 

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