blast54
Enthusiast - Level 1

Hello, for the past two months I have used all my data. I have changed nothing that I haven't done in the past five years with my phones.  I look at the data usage info and it appears as if I am using an average of 10-30mb/day and then BANG....500 mb on one day!  This happens a couple times per month and I have two phones sharing 2mb which has ALWAYS been plenty with data left over except for the past two months....... This happens usually when I am home and near my phone is connected to my home network. I shouldn't have to purchace more data if I have always averaged 1 mb per month for the past five years and nothing has changed........what makes this happen?

 

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Re: Data
rcschnoor
Legend

Keep in mind, while you may have not changed anything apps on your phone(s) may have changed something.

 

Do you have the same operating system on your device you had 5 yrs ago? Do you have the same version of app(s) on your phones you had 5 yrs ago? When the OS or apps on your devices are updated(with or without your doing anything) some of the settings on your device CAN be changed with the update.

 

Whether you have an iPhone or an android device, there have been MANY updates to the OS on those platforms in the past 5 years. Additionally, most apps on your device will have a couple of updates every year. These updates can result in increased data usage.

 

Simply because you don't knowingly change anything doesn't mean that "nothing has changed".

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Re: Data
blast54
Enthusiast - Level 1

Nothing has changed as to the last two months. The phone is an iPhone 7 plus that is running the latest OS 12.2 and I only run a few apps that are using data. Mail and FB and those are usually only checked when running on wifi.  Why would it be only  a couple days per month? Also to go from 10mb to over 500mb just for that one period? My wife's phone, same story. Looked at usage and there are a couple days where there is 300 plus mb used in one evening. She only uses her phone when connected at work or the home network!

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Re: Data
vzw_customer_support
Customer Service Rep

Being able to stay within your data allowance is a must, Blast54. I would be concerned as well if I noticed a significant uptick in data usage and am here to help. I am concerned that there is usage showing when you are under the impression the device is connected to your home network or work network. One thing we will want to check on each device, is that Wi-Fi Assist is turned off on both devices. Here is a link with instructions: http://spr.ly/6602Ed47k Please keep me posted.

 ChrisM_VZW

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Re: Data
LORBRO69
Newbie

I've recently had the same thing happen with one of the phones on our plan - Samsung Galaxy S10+ - barely 6 months old.  The data usage on the website says that he's used .6 gig every morning for the past week at a time of day when he is on our home wifi.  We went over our data allowance this past billing cycle by 3 gig because everytime we got a bonus gig, it happened again which ate that single gig up really fast.  In chat this morning, it was suggested to turn his mobile data off when he's on Wifi.  Wow, I thought that happened automatically, but they say it doesn't.  I've set up an automated change on my phone, and will do the same on his, but it's very strange that this would be happening all of a sudden.  The past two months, we were able to stay within our allowance.  It almost seems like we're being forced to switch to one of the unlimited plans, but they are so much more expensive than what we're paying now!  Help!

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Re: Data
vzw_customer_support
Customer Service Rep

LORBRO69, understanding your data usage, and how it is calculated is essential to your wireless experience. I can understand how it can be upsetting to see you're going over your usage during a time a line should is connected to Wi-Fi. I want to ensure you have the information you need. Data usage online is not real-time. The time you see online is when the system gathers all the data usage and submits it to My Verizon. You mentioned you recently purchased the Samsung Galaxy S10+. Before a phone is a phone, it is a PC. Your phone has applications that run consistently in the background. To prevent this from happening, you can ensure mobile data is turned off, and ensure your apps are not running at all times. I've provided a link here: http://spr.ly/66021DNcm to help with managing your application data usage. You also want to ensure the Smart network switch is off by using the steps here: http://spr.ly/66041DNco to ensure the device is not connecting to your VZW data, when your Wi-Fi connection is poor. Does this information help?

ChakiaH_VZW

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Re: Data
mama23dogs
Legend

@LORBRO69 wrote:

I've recently had the same thing happen with one of the phones on our plan - Samsung Galaxy S10+ - barely 6 months old.  The data usage on the website says that he's used .6 gig every morning for the past week at a time of day when he is on our home wifi.  We went over our data allowance this past billing cycle by 3 gig because everytime we got a bonus gig, it happened again which ate that single gig up really fast.  In chat this morning, it was suggested to turn his mobile data off when he's on Wifi.  Wow, I thought that happened automatically, but they say it doesn't.  I've set up an automated change on my phone, and will do the same on his, but it's very strange that this would be happening all of a sudden.  The past two months, we were able to stay within our allowance.  It almost seems like we're being forced to switch to one of the unlimited plans, but they are so much more expensive than what we're paying now!  Help!


You have a high powered phone, designed to function with data.  You can’t expect a race car to get 40 MPG.  And expecting multiple phones to share 3 gigs without really curbing use isn’t going to work.  Even in 3g days the average expected use by a smartphone was 2 gigs each.  

     That was back when the screens were smaller, the ram was a lot less, and the darn things hardly ran video without buffering.    It takes a lot more data to populate the large screens than it did the 3 inch screens. 

     Your phones tell you exactly how much data was used and for what. That information is in settings under cellular data. Because you have an iPhone you have to reset the data statistics each month in order to have an accurate picture of how much you used. 

 I recommend that you turn Wi-Fi assist to the off position on your iPhones. And do some trouble shooting on your home Wi-Fi. 

      If the totals on your devices add up to the same amount that Verizon has posted for usage then your phone did use the data. 

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Re: Data
wyldmee
Enthusiast - Level 1

We have a phone doing the same thing!   It shows him using data 4 times a day same time every day...and he is on our home internet...took to Verizon store and they changed it to shut off apps running and  it is still doing it and eating up data like no other!  He does't even use data and has used 90% of our data for the month...it came out of nowhere and I am getting very frustrated...Hubby said we are finding a new carrier...any help would be appreciated!

Re: Data
mama23dogs
Legend

@wyldmee wrote:

We have a phone doing the same thing!   It shows him using data 4 times a day same time every day...and he is on our home internet...took to Verizon store and they changed it to shut off apps running and  it is still doing it and eating up data like no other!  He does't even use data and has used 90% of our data for the month...it came out of nowhere and I am getting very frustrated...Hubby said we are finding a new carrier...any help would be appreciated!


99.999% of the time the problem is the phone.  No carrier controls data use, it's between the phone and user.   Since you say it came out of nowhere, it sure sounds like a faulty phone.  
Test the phone by pulling the SIM card and try to access internet service.  If it buffers or can't connect, it's a faulty Wifi antenna.  I stopped using iPhones because this happened with more than one.  

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Re: Data
vzw_customer_support
Customer Service Rep

wyldmee, we definitely want to help make sure the data usage is accurate. Can you please provide the device make/model to go over some troubleshooting steps? Have you looked at the data usage online to see what is using the data? DoloresK_VZW

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