Data usage racking up without using the phone

T.Time · Aug 2, 2010

I received 5 text messages today from at&t saying that i have gone over my data usage. one at 4 am saying I'm at 65%, one at 7am saying I'm at 100%, and then one at 8 saying i was over. then i received two more in the afternoon saying that i am WAY over. This is impossible because when i use the phone i am on WiFi and i haven't used the 3g all day.
anyone have an clue why it is racking up. I've looked through the post on this site and turned my WiFi sleep policy to never and disabled background data. So I'm hoping that does the trick. if there's anything else i can do please let me know before my bill gets out of control!

BLJones · Aug 2, 2010

Same problem here.

Sharkonwheels · Aug 2, 2010

Is there an app that can detail WHAT proc/service is using how much data?
That might come in handy for those that don't have unlimited.

If not, that's something that's needed.

I use 3GWatchdog just to keep tabs, but it just sums up total xfer/rcv.

T

Terry S · Aug 2, 2010

Turning your wifi sleep mode to never and turning off background data should help tremendously. My daughters first night with her phone she used 94 meg at 3:00 AM while she was sleeping. After doing what you did above she has only used 2 meg in the last week. I also have installed advanced task killer and have it set to kill most tasks when the screen goes to sleep.

Sharkonwheels · Aug 2, 2010

But seriously, WTF is using 94MB @ 3:00am to BEGIN with?
Has AT&T put in some DataSuck Triggers or something?

I can't even BEGIN to imagine what uses 94MB @ 3:00am. That's a crapload of email/fb updates!!!

T

Terry S · Aug 2, 2010

Sharkonwheels said:
But seriously, WTF is using 94MB @ 3:00am to BEGIN with?
Has AT&T put in some DataSuck Triggers or something?

I can't even BEGIN to imagine what uses 94MB @ 3:00am. That's a crapload of email/fb updates!!!

T

I agree and I called AT&T to ask them if they could shed some light and the person I spoke with had no clue and could not find anyone to help me and told me someone would call me back within 24 hours. That was 2 weeks ago.

She had not even set up her e-mail or downloaded the facebook app at that time... It was the first night she had gotten her phone and she hadn't downloaded many apps at all.

Sharkonwheels · Aug 2, 2010

That's just BS...

I used Pandora last night for like an hour, and it was only about 40-50MB! Can't imagine 94MB! Especially @ 3AM, when phone owner is asleep.

That looks REALLY fishy...

T

norsairius · Aug 2, 2010

I have no idea how this is happening to you. I haven't noticed any such random data usage. Maybe it's the applications you've installed?

T.Time · Aug 2, 2010

I have a Facebook app., yahoo mail app, and thats about it. i'm pretty sure the facebook app was updating constantly but hopefully i took care of that. i called at&t the first time and they said that they'll remove the $15 overage charge but i just got to hope they take off the other charges. As of now im at 889/200mb. i've only had the phone since the 22nd! i love the phone. Its amazing but its not worth that much to me a month. my billing cycle ended yesterday so I'll see what happens tomorrow.

T.Time · Aug 2, 2010

Oh yeah and the one other thing.... 550mb was used today alone from 10am-5pm while the phone was in my pocket and i wasn't using any apps or the browser.

CrimsonPride · Aug 2, 2010

i have the 200mb plan also, had the phone since the 18th and i havent even used 50 mb. mine is always connected to wifi for the most part, i have a few widgets that auto update. you may want to try 3g watchdog as it tells you how much data youve used, not 100% accurate but you get an idea. also you can try juice defender, its supposed to save you battery but it shuts down the 3g while the phone is asleep if you have it set to do so, i believe you can even turn the data all the way off but not to sure on that one

rlb4 · Aug 2, 2010

There has to be something wrong with your phone. Some people couldn't use that much data if they tried to. There has to be a way to find out what is using all that data.

pinbak · Aug 2, 2010

Yea dude something is wrong with that. That's a crapload of data in just one day unless it's streaming video or music or freaking moving the international space station into posistion...I've had my phone since the day it's come out and used approx. 500mb and I'm never on wifi even though I could be.

ranjo · Aug 2, 2010

In the last 5 days I've used 154mb, and I'm on Twitter and Facebook A LOT, all over 3g. I can't imagine what could possibly be using up all of yours while you're sleeping, but it can't be good. Hope you get it figured out.

Sharkonwheels · Aug 3, 2010

T.Time said:
Oh yeah and the one other thing.... 550mb was used today alone from 10am-5pm while the phone was in my pocket and i wasn't using any apps or the browser.

Yeah - what THEY said...

That's like 80MB/hour average!

You could run Pandora for like 10 hours and not suck that much down.

DEFINITELY call into AT&T and see wtf is going on - that ain't right, and you're going to get stiffed with a nasty bill.

T

emuneee · Aug 3, 2010

Terry S said:
Turning your wifi sleep mode to never and turning off background data should help tremendously. My daughters first night with her phone she used 94 meg at 3:00 AM while she was sleeping. After doing what you did above she has only used 2 meg in the last week. I also have installed advanced task killer and have it set to kill most tasks when the screen goes to sleep.

I'm pretty sure thats when at&t bills you for the previous days data usage.

acheslow · Aug 3, 2010

I'm having this same problem too. Lots of unexplained data usage when the phone was almost certainly on Wi-Fi. When I called AT&T they said I must not have "logged off the Internet properly".

Coincidentally we just moved from an Unlimited data plan to the 200 MB/month plan. Since moving off of the iPhone Unlimited data plan, AT&T is measuring about 5x the average bandwidth used over the previous 6 months.

jmreed97 · Aug 3, 2010

Terry S said:
Turning your wifi sleep mode to never and turning off background data should help tremendously. My daughters first night with her phone she used 94 meg at 3:00 AM while she was sleeping. After doing what you did above she has only used 2 meg in the last week. I also have installed advanced task killer and have it set to kill most tasks when the screen goes to sleep.

How do you turn off background data? I can't find that in the settings.

Deleted User · Aug 3, 2010

Wow, sounds pretty scary. But I won't lie, I'm worried too. My Captivate pretty much sucks my data like crazy. Thank God I was grandfathered into the unlimited iPhone data plan. But I have a gigabyte already racked up!

captivated · Aug 3, 2010

Maybe the data usage is something like this? Those Nighttime iPhone Downloads Are Actually Not Downloads

Galroc · Aug 3, 2010

This happened to me as well. My phone used 1.6GB within 5 hours while I was sleeping on the first night I had it! I had AT&T business on the phone the next business day but they couldn't explain it. They bumped me up to the 2gb plan and will reimburse me for the cost.

I have been using 3g watchdog since and it hasn't happened again.

T.Time · Aug 3, 2010

ok so i just got off the phone with at&t again. to prevent the hassle of fighting overage charges i went with the 2gb data plan. i also downloaded apndroid which lets me turn off the 3g. im hoping that this should completely cut out my unwanted usages. does anyone know how to turn the 3g back on when your no longer on wifi. it seems like i have to be on wifi to connect on and off of 3g.

highspeed11 · Aug 3, 2010

jmreed97 said:
How do you turn off background data? I can't find that in the settings.

Settings - Accounts and Snyc - Uncheck Background Data

sinjin · Aug 3, 2010

question from a newb, how can you tell how much data is moving and when? on the phone or an app?

Sharkonwheels · Aug 3, 2010

sinjin said:
question from a newb, how can you tell how much data is moving and when? on the phone or an app?

Use a widget like 3G Watchdog from the market.
Once installed, go to the dialer, dial *DATA# and press <send> and it'll send you a text with data used so far.

Install the widget (long-press on the desktop, select widget, select 3G watchdog)

Go into the 3G Watchdog setting, set the date to the date your month starts, go to quota and set it to the data amount you got in the text from AT&T, and then save the settings. You can change the update interval, as well, and the widget on the desktop will show cumulative usage.

T

Data usage racking up without using the phone

Newbie

Newbie

Android Enthusiast

Member

Android Enthusiast

Member

Android Enthusiast

Newbie

Newbie

Newbie

Android Expert

Android Enthusiast

Well-Known Member

Newbie

Android Enthusiast

Android Enthusiast

Lurker

Well-Known Member

Deleted User

Guest

Newbie

Newbie

Newbie

Newbie

Newbie

Android Enthusiast

BEST TECH IN 2023

Smartphones

Best Android Phones

Upcoming

Best iPhones

Upcoming

Tablets

Best Tablets

Upcoming

Laptops

Best Laptops

Upcoming

Televisions

Best TVs

Upcoming

Game Consoles

Best Game Consoles

Upcoming

Wearables

Best Wearables

Upcoming

Smart Home

Smart Home Tech

Upcoming

Similar threads