Re: Verizon is billing me for data I simply DID NOT USE - huge unexplainable usage every 6 hours - and no one can explain it
plbeck68
Enthusiast - Level 1

I am having the same issue with my daughter's line.  These cyclical charges are showing up every 6 hours even when she is sleeping and the phone is on wifi.  Her phones were not iPhones... she had two different phones because one broke in the middle of trying to figure out these data usages with Verizon.  After she got a new phone the usages started back up again and she hadn't installed any new apps yet.  The only thing she had used was Verizon's backup service.  I can't get the rep I was working with to respond so I'll have to call them yet again.  This is so frustrating... you would think with this many people having issues they would figure something out.  Of course they are making money off of my overage charges....

Re: Verizon is billing me for data I simply DID NOT USE - huge unexplainable usage every 6 hours - and no one can explain it
SWNative
Enthusiast - Level 2

I tried to wade through all the comments and didn't see anything about iCloud or Verizon Cloud backups.  My very basic understanding -- I'm trying to learn these things myself -- is that backups are done on both on a specific cycle.  Could this be part of the problem or worth looking into?  Verizon Retail Rep set up iCloud for me and I did not want it set up; he just kept pressing buttons on MY NEW PHONE during the activation, so now I have iCloud AND Verizon Cloud.  I'm hot on this bunny trail to try and figure out which I want to use and how to get rid of at least one; both definitely aren't necessary!!!  And, the backups transfer data, so...

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Re: Verizon is billing me for data I simply DID NOT USE - huge unexplainable usage every 6 hours - and no one can explain it
Not applicable

Keep the iCloud since it is a proven winner over the junk cloud verizon offers.

http://www.icloud.com

You select the music and photos and files and contacts and notes you want.

Be aware iCloud for Apple devices is a no brainer. Why would you use anything else?

Good Luck

Re: Verizon is billing me for data I simply DID NOT USE - huge unexplainable usage every 6 hours - and no one can explain it
tpfro
Enthusiast - Level 2

My daughter just switched phones and she's seeing this too.  Typically 200MB+ every day, pretty much like clockwork every six hours.

Have any of you looked under Settings -> Data Usage to see whether there's a particular application or group of apps that are the culprit.  VZW customer service gave me an extra 2 GB this month so we have some time to troubleshoot.

The hypothesis right now is that it's either Facebook or something to do with the browser - in her case Chrome.  Both of those apps show up in the list, so maybe this will reveal something.

The 2nd tier tech rep said VZW has a "page timeout" of 6 hours, so if pages (not sure if this is specific to browser or something else though) reload automagically maybe this is an explanation although I don't know if that really helps to pinpoint anything.

After a little troubleshooting the potential culprit in my daughter's case is Tumblr.  She's uninstalled it so we'll see if the every 6 hour cadence goes away or not.

Another thing to try for piggy apps is to restrict their background data usage.  To do that, go to Settings -> Data Usage -> Scroll down and pick the suspect app (e.g. Tumblr, Facebook), then touch the 3 dots near the upper left.  A checkbox with "restrict background data" will pop up.

See if that helps fix the every 6 hour thing.  Tumblr does look like a hog, but I haven't tried it myself and don't know if it can do something in the background to eat lots of data.

Let me know!

Thanks!

Re: Verizon is billing me for data I simply DID NOT USE - huge unexplainable usage every 6 hours - and no one can explain it
tpfro
Enthusiast - Level 2

So after deleting the Tumblr app from her phone, looks like the massive data use every 6 hours is gone.  I don't know if this is related to an update in the app or something else.  Where she goes to school WiFi coverage is not so good, so she does use more data than the rest of us, but we've never gone over our 6GB limit before.

If I find out more I'll post again.

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Re: Verizon is billing me for data I simply DID NOT USE - huge unexplainable usage every 6 hours - and no one can explain it
QuestionAllDogma
Enthusiast - Level 1

I have seen exactly the same 6-hour problem on my daughter's iPhone 5:

-  Data from 1mb to 150mb is billed at 6-hour intervals, exactly to the minute, averaging about 30mb at a time

-  The interval suddenly changes every several days, but once the timestamp changes, the data charges continue at precisely 6-hour intervals

-  We have tried everything imaginable to turn it off, and the only thing that works is turning off cell data altogether

-  I have instructed my 20-year old daughter to keep cell data turned off at all times, unless she uses it for something specific. She tries her best, but sometimes she forgets to turn it back off when she's done using cell data - I don't blame her for forgetting.

-  I am sick and tired of babysitting our Verizon account

-  The first two tech levels at Verizon Tech Support claim they have never heard of this problem, despite all the postings here and elsewhere across the Internet.

-  I am currently waiting on hold for the next level of support.  I refuse to speak to anyone at Verizon who doesn't specifically know about this problem and how to fix it.

Re: Verizon is billing me for data I simply DID NOT USE - huge unexplainable usage every 6 hours - and no one can explain it
bizarmag
Enthusiast - Level 2

I am also having the problem with unexplainable, huge data usage every 6 hours - to the minute!

  • It happened on my daughter's iPhone 5 back in December - Verizon was useless in explaining this - it was obvious  that the people I spoke to did not know what they were talking about and they made up unrealistic reasons why it was happening, all of which, of course, pointed to my daughter over-using her phone at all hours of the day and night   The very same thing is happening again right now - through my entire current billing cycle.
  • I got a text alert from Verizon on 7/4/14 at 12:19 p.m. that I was at 75% of my 6 GB data plan.   A second alert came in the very next day, on 7/5/14 at 12:38 p.m., saying I was at 90% of my 6 GB.  When I checked my data usage a few minutes ago, it said I am at risk of overage - in a red outlined box!!
  • When this happened in December, we turned off all kinds of data usage, I got no realistic or helpful answers, and out of fear I added another 2 GB to my plan (I was at 4 GB before this happened the 1st time).  Now, I don't know what to do.
  • It did not happen at all between December and June. 
  • There has got to be a glitch in either the i-Phone, with Apple, or with Verizon's system. I have an i-Phone 4 and this has never happened on my phone.
  • Half the time these data usages appear when my daughter is asleep!
  • I too am certain that this is happening automatically somewhere out of our control, and I'm sick of it.
  • I don't want to be held hostage to a problem created by some entity that doesn't need my extra $10 a month for 2 more GB's of data usage. 
  • My monthly bill is already $197.87 a month for 2 cell phones and one home phone connected through Verizon's Home Connect.
  • I just can't afford to keep increasing my phone bill.
  • HAS ANYONE OUT THERE GOTTEN A REAL SOLUTION FROM VERIZON or Apple ON THIS PROBLEM?  I'd sure love to hear it. 
  • Thanks.
Re: Verizon is billing me for data I simply DID NOT USE - huge unexplainable usage every 6 hours - and no one can explain it
QuestionAllDogma
Enthusiast - Level 1

Everyone I talk to at Apple and Verizon claim they have never heard of this problem, which is absurd. I even sent a package of PDFed web pages throughout the Internet to an Apple support person, and she promised to figure out the problem.  I suggest that everyone who reads this post contact the same Apple support person until she realizes that I'm not alone and actually does something about it.  I'm also sick of babysitting my Verizon data daily, and I'm tired of reminding my 20-year old daughter to turn off her Cell Data when she's not using it (the only thing that seems to prevent these mystery downloads at 6-hour intervals), and I'm sick of increasing my monthly data plan. I feel like a Verizon-Apple hostage that's powerless.

<< Contact info and personal information removed to comply with Verizon Wireless Terms of Service >>

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Re: Verizon is billing me for data I simply DID NOT USE - huge unexplainable usage every 6 hours - and no one can explain it
bizarmag
Enthusiast - Level 2

It's been 2 weeks since my last post on this subject.  Huge amounts of unexplained data charged every 6 hours to the minute, virtually every day during my last billing period.  Checked my current usage a few minutes ago, since my new billing period began on 7/19/14, and IT'S STILL HAPPENING!!!  But, only on my daughter's i-Phone 5. 


Haven't ever seen it on my i-Phone 4, but what I AM seeing there is a bunch of "DATA PROMO" usage (on both cell phones).  What the hell is that about?  I did a search on the term on Verizon's web site, and it came up with a page of promotional messages advertising a variety of things.  So now, they're using up my data plan for this mysterious every 6 hour thing AND for some promotional thing that I'm not even aware of.  This is driving me crazy. 


I have been waiting to hear back from Verizon.  I called tech support and the guy said he'd never heard of the problem, but he was opening up a file on it and somebody would get back to me when they found out what was causing this.  That was 2 weeks ago, no word yet.  I'm going to write a letter and enclose the pages that show these charges, from last December and June and July.  Calling doesn't seem to get me anywhere.  One person I spoke to gave me 12 months of 1 extra GB of data for reporting the problem.  That was nice - it helped keep me from going over my usage last month.  The rest of you affected by this should call and ask for this too.  WE NEED TO ALL WRITE LETTERS AND ENCLOSE ALL PAGES OF THIS CRAZY DATA USAGE.  I don't get paper bills anymore, but I'm sure I'll be able to find an address to write regarding billing disputes.  Good luck to all of you.  If I ever get an answer, I'll post it.

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Re: Verizon is billing me for data I simply DID NOT USE - huge unexplainable usage every 6 hours - and no one can explain it
Chelley_s
Enthusiast - Level 2

I told this exact thing to a Verizon representative and she said "I am sorry I am not seeing where it is happening every six hours" even though you could clearly see "10:18 pm 4:18 am 10:18 am 4:18 pm" over and over for days and then it would switch to a slightly different every six hours, "9:26 pm 3:26 am 9:26 am 3:26 pm" she couldn't see it.

They DON'T CARE!!

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