Re: Data Usage accruing while on WiFi?
vzw_customer_support
Customer Service Rep

Thanks for helping to clarify data and messages, Elector. While picture and video messages do need cellular/mobile data to be turned on in order to successfully send or receive, that data does not apply to the mobile data allowance while you're in the United States if you are using the pre-installed messaging application. As mentioned at http://vz.to/KlYEfB, "Sending and receiving picture and video messages will not be billed transport unless you are roaming. When roaming internationally, different charges may apply and Messaging Bundle allowances may not apply."

If you downoad a messaging application, such as Verizon Messages or other 3rd party apps available through many popular application cataloges, data charges will apply for the use of that application With iMessaging, messages sent or received do go over the data network active on your phone (WiFi or cellular) since they are processed through Apple's server. So iMessages sent and received with WiFi turned off will apply to your data allowance.

Thank you
JenniferH_VZW

Please follow us on Twitter @vzwsupport

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Re: Data Usage accruing while on WiFi?
JHA123
Enthusiast - Level 3

Jennifer - I am using the standard message app (assumed to be Verizon) that came installed on my iPhone (not iMessage - I know what that is). Whenever I send or receive MMS, I can see on my Verizon data usage stats that it was subtracted from my data allowance.

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Re: Data Usage accruing while on WiFi?
rcschnoor
Legend

iMessage IS the standard messaging app which came installed on your iPhone. No other messaging apps came installed on your iPhone!

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Re: Data Usage accruing while on WiFi?
katedutch
Enthusiast - Level 2

Unfortunately, reporting to the BBB doesn't always help to resolve these issues. I think a change.org petition is in order LOL

It really is very frustrating that our phones are using cellular data, even when connected to wi-fi. I have to manually turn my data off/on constantly, or else I'll definitely go over. If I go one night without remembering to do so, I'm SOL!

I'm not at the point yet where I'm blaming Verizon or Apple, thankfully I haven't gone over my data JUST YET(therefore, I have yet to lose my cool!) but it's frustrating when you pay an arm and a leg for a phone and contract, only to find out you might accrue more charges for an issue that didn't previously exist. As much as the battery on my old phone sucked, sometimes I'm not sure if switching was worth the aggravation!

It would be a completely different issue altogether if we mindlessly used up our data (never using wi-fi, yet constantly using data-consuming apps, streaming videos, and spending a great deal of time on Safari). The fact, however, is that most of us are probably using our phones JUST as we always did. Even when I had unlimited, I never went even CLOSE to going over 2 gigs - a Verizon employee told me this fact when I feared switching from Unlimited. I was told by a couple employees that most users don't go over 2 gigs, which is why 2 gigs is feasible - yet, here we all are, trying to figure out how to crunch our KBs to avoid surcharges on our next bill.

I'm not placing blame, but I'm most certainly not going to blame myself, either. My 5S is not my first 2 GB device, I previously owned a Droid RAZR with 2 GB & never experienced this issue. For now, the only option is to pay more for extra gigs or to crunch numbers like an overworked accountant during tax season. I've been following through with the latter, but for how long must that go on?

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Re: Data Usage accruing while on WiFi?
JHA123
Enthusiast - Level 3

I have iMessage disabled - just no use for it.  I have a green icon that came with my phone that seems to handle all my messages. I assume it's "Verizon" but I don't know.  I received a call from Verizon today in response to my BBB submission. They apologized for the last rep I spoke with not correctly informing me that even though my MMS messaging appears to be using "Data", it won't come billing time. I explain that from a user experience -this is very poor. I am trying to micro-manage my data usage and when I look, it gives the impression that MMS are indeed using data allowance.   I explained all the frustration shared by this entire thread with them, and they "appreciated my constructive feedback".

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Re: Data Usage accruing while on WiFi?
rcschnoor
Legend
There are no Verizon apps which come pre-installed on the iPhone. That green icon with the white text bubble inside it is Apple's messaging app which includes has the iMessage service incorporated in it. As long as you have disabled iMessage disabled in the settings, as it appears you have done, there should be no problem.
Re: Data Usage accruing while on WiFi?
katedutch
Enthusiast - Level 2

So standard MMS is using up data? I wonder if that is the case for many of us that are currently concerned about data usage. Were you receiving alerts about nearly going over or had you just happened to notice the data consumption yourself? That would make sense to me, as my boyfriend's iPhone has a glitched which caused iMessage not to work, so our convos are through MMS now - but, if that were the case and it was a system glitch, I wonder if I would actually receive the notifications warning me about my usage.

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Re: Data Usage accruing while on WiFi?
Tidbits
Legend

MMS doesn't count towards your cap... Been explained multiple times.

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Re: Data Usage accruing while on WiFi?
rcschnoor
Legend

I don't think they are asking if it is counting against your cap.

I think they are asking if since MMS uses cellular data, does it initially get counted by Verizon as data usage(subsequently removed as usage due to it being an MMS either sent/received and billed differently). As a result of it getting "initially" counted towards data usage could you then possibly get a premature warning message if that initial usage, which would be removed for billing purposes, took you over a threshold where you had a warning automatically sent to you.

My take on this is that UNLESS you send several MMS messages, even if it is counted towards your warning thresholds at least temporarily, this usage will not have a huge impact on when you receive those warnings. If you receive a warning for temporary data usage due to MMS data usage, you were close to the point when you would have received the warning in the first place and should possibly be taking the same precautions regardless if you were at say 49% data usage instead of 50% of data usage.

After all, that 1% usage of a 2 GB plan is 20 MB. For larger plans, it is an even larger number. MMS messages are nowhere near 20 MB in size as my phone, at least, says I must resize a photo before I can send it as an MMS. That MMS is then sent as a message which is less than 1 MB in size!

Re: Data Usage accruing while on WiFi?
Not applicable

Then again not as good as the AT&T plan.

http://www.att.com/shop/wireless/data-plans.html#fbid=yYGWIejTiyu

Good Luck

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