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Forum iOS Discussions Excessive Cellular Data usage (iOS5)

Excessive Cellular Data usage (iOS5)
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UserPost

8:01 am
06/10/11


Ivan

Christchurch

Developer
Developer

posts 24
 
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0

The good news is that Telecom have bumped up my $12/month data plan from 120MB to 150MB.

The bad news is that iOS5 (GM Seed) appears to have used it all already!

 

My normal (low) usage is around 70MB per month so I got suspicious last night when Telecom sent me the 80% warning. I dialled *333 and it said I have 30MB remaining. Lucky they'd bumped my plan up.

This morning I dialled *333 again and I now only have 20MB remaining. So in the space of last night when all I had received was 4 email headers and that's 10MB gone. I normally turn my WIFI off overnight but at this rate I am going to have to leave it on just so that I am almost never on cellular.

My settings are that everything iClould is turned off except for Find My Phone. Email is on Fetch and there is only one email account. 

Given Telecom charge 50c per MB for over-usage I suspect next month people will start to freak out with massive cellular data bills.

Any ideas how to use less cellular data and are other people noticing this too?

Ivan

I've rebooted my phone this morning just in case and also removed all apps from the multitasking bar (clutching at straws here I think).

http://www.ivanmackintosh.com for iPhone dev blog, tutorials and games.

1:53 pm
06/10/11


AndrewNZ

Dunedin

Moderator Trusted
Moderator Trusted

posts 93
 
2
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"I normally turn my WIFI off overnight but at this rate I am going to have to leave it on just so that I am almost never on cellular."

 

I'm afraid you'll likely find this won't help the issue. Unless thing have changed recently, when the iPhone is snoozing it uses cellular data regardless.

It seems that wifi uses too much battery to justify keeping it active when the phone is asleep.

5:47 pm
06/10/11


Ivan

Christchurch

Developer
Developer

posts 24
 
3
0

I've been doing some experiments today and have found the culprit!

To test I went into Settings->General->Usage->Cellular Usage and clicked Reset Statistics.

TEST1

I checked back after 1hr and it had consumed 300K! So multiplying this up would give 7MB per day or 220MB per month which would cost 50c per MB over my 150MB limit ($35 per month in excess usage charges!!!)  Surprised 

Remember this is with the phone doing absolutely nothing (I think I received but didn't read 3 emails during this period)

TEST2

I changed my email from being Push to Fetch every 30 minutes, reset the statistics and waited another hour.

Another 300K used so no change there (and probably about another 3 emails arrived).

TEST3

Well not a test really. Scratched head and turned off cellular data for the rest of the afternoon

TEST4

I had a brainwave when I returned home and I kept flipping in and out of the Cellular Usage page and noticed it was going up at about 2KB data in and 2KB date out every time I went in and out of the page. So about 4KB every 2 or 3 seconds.

So next I decided to start deleting stuff (accounts/services) until this 4KB every few seconds stopped.

I deleted my iCloud account and can report that it has now only used 8KB in the last 15 minutes!

 

With iClould my settings where that everything was turned off and the phone only had the iCloud account activated such that I could use Find my Phone.

 

Later I may re-add the account and see if the problem starts again. I'll keep you posted.

http://www.ivanmackintosh.com for iPhone dev blog, tutorials and games.

9:14 pm
06/10/11


Chris

Christchurch, New Zealand

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posts 112
 
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Not much of a surprise. These phones are being designed for modern smartphone plans. NZ is considerably behind the world in this area
Homebuilt High Performance Desktop – Windows 7 Professional (x64) & (Backup) Ubuntu 11.04 (x64)
HTC Trophy 7: WP7 – 2°
iPad2: iOS 5.0B – 2°

12:52 pm
06/12/11


Heidi

Auckland, New Zealand

Restricted
Restricted

posts 1
 
5
0

I'm having the same problem. I upgraded to a 1gb plan when I got the iPhone 4s, on my previous smart phone, my monthly usage rarely went over 400mb, so I thought 1gb would be fine.

 

Was a bit shocked to get the 80%, then 100% usage messages with still half a month to go before my plan rolls over. Telecom checked and 600mb was used in two days. I checked email and messages, no big files sent or received on those days. At home and friends houses I use Wifi. Telecom checked and my phone is using 3G data throughout the night, even though I am home with the wifi on, and phone connected to the wall charger.

 

I have turned off Location Services, most of my apps, iCloud, deleted my email account, and a few other things as recommended by Telecom. I have purchased an app to monitor the data. I have used 4mb this morning alone, sending/receiving only a few iMessages, quickly checking facebook for a workmate, and I had also turned cell data off for a bit. I tried to send a regular text to another iPhone, and with cell data turned off it delays sending, then Telecom lists my usage (and charges me for) as sending an MMS.

 

With the phone is standby mode, with all these features diabled, it is still using silly amounts of data. I have several friends who got the 4s at the same time, and they all report using around 155mb for the whole month. I'm using that much data in the space of two days or less. I have tried a system restore, and have taken the phone to Telecom to check out. Not much point owning a smartphone, if I have to turn off all the features!

 

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!

10:41 am
07/12/11


dbplumb

Wellington New Zealand

Junior Member
Junior Member

posts 10
 
6
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@Andrew

If what you say about using cellular data, regardless of it being turned off, is true, then how do you explain my usage ?

Last cellular reset was on 24/11

Since then I have kept my usage to 184KB sent and 271KB received, as of today (07/12). Not enough to even register on *333

And, if wi fi is off when the phone is snoozing, then how does my iCloud backup (1.3Gb at the mo) happen every night without affecting my cellular usage? (simple really, leave it plugged into the wall and locked as per instructions so it is not relying on the battery)

I seem to manage my cellular usage very well comparing it to some on here

For anyone who wants to limit their cellular usage (and battery usage), this is what I do

Wi Fi is always on

I only turn on cellular data when wi fi is not available and I want to use it

I have all iCloud features enabled and in use

Diagnostics & Usage set to Don't Send. This is possibly the "hidden" user that people don't turn off

Use Cellular Data in Settings, Store, turned off. Another possible "hidden" user

Ping is off. Big user

Push is set to on with Fetch set to manual on 4 mail accounts and Fetch auto on my main business account. This allows me to control when read my mail,(when wi fi is available), rather than being distracted by spam randomly all day

Location services are all on for the apps I use (location-Based iAdds off, Diagnostics and Usage off, Traffic off)

I use Siri occasionally

I dont use Twitter

I use iMessage, HeyTell, and Viber as much as possible (wi fi)

I use a landline whenever one is available (they are everywhere) to call landlines and free cell minutes to call cell phones without wi fi

My plan, (Telecom), gives me 60mins of phone calls and 300 txts per month, with which I am able to run my small plumbing company ending the month with some txts left over but marginal minutes

Both my employees have iPhone 4 (My wife has a Samsung Galaxie thing that eats data, battery and my patience.This will change soon)

 Turning off Ping really helped stop excess usage for me

Am considering lowering my data plan allocation as it is difficult for me to use it all (50mb). The most I have ever used is when I deliberately turned on Cellular Data for a couple of weeks and got up to 27Mb used

This (iPhone 4s) is the cheapest phone to run, that I have ever had, starting with my Motorolla Brick in 1989!

If any of you remember, the cost of calls back then meant one had to be very vigilant to avoid HUGE bills

1:09 pm
07/12/11


AndrewNZ

Dunedin

Moderator Trusted
Moderator Trusted

posts 93
 
7
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@dbplumb, I explain it like this.

First off. The statement was made long ago, and prior to the public release of iOS 5, since then things clearly have changed.

 

Although your backup is 1.3GB your phone does not transfer that amount of data every night, to the best of my knowledge, only changes are pushed to the cloud.

For a service like cloud backup, it makes perfect sense for the phone to use wifi. For the backup to happen your phone must be plugged in, therefore power consumption isn't an issue

There is a good chance that Apple has seen the light and keeps wifi alive when the phone is plugged in.

 

Finally, and this one is the important one. You have stated that you turn off cellular data unless you want to use it out and about. Your phone will not use cellular data when cellular data is turned off, therefore your usage is very low. Surprised

 

All that aside, it is great that you've found a system for limiting your data needs and managed to keep your usage so low. It proves that anyone can curb their usage if they put their mind to it.

Unfortunately many people, myself included, like the convenience of things like push notifications and push email. I have a 500MB data plan and it's plenty. I use it very liberally, including sharing the connection with my laptop occasionally, and seldom use it all.

3:07 pm
07/12/11


dbplumb

Wellington New Zealand

Junior Member
Junior Member

posts 10
 
8
0

Thanks for that Andrew

Didnt even look at your posting date

From what Heidi says Telecom dont know what to turn off (or dont want to tell Wink) cos their recomendations didnt work
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