what? my LTE usage is crazy-high per minute

[mdelvecchio]

i have a podcast that i subscribe to. in the Apple Podcast app it says for the size of a given episode is 60mb. i assume this to mean if i download the podcast it's 60mb. but -- if i stream the podcast episode over cellular (by just hitting Play, rather than tapping to download it), is the amount of data consumed also 60mb?

i ask because the past few years (while on Unlimited plan on 3G) ive never used more than a couple gigs per month, but today (now on the Mobile Share plan w/ LTE...groan) AT&T has me at 4gb this month -- 1gb of which apparently used in a few hours. it appears to be during the time im streaming my podcast.

per AT&T's own "Data Calculator" tool, streaming audio should use ~500k/min:

http://www.att.com/datacalculator​

...but when i view the detailed "Wireless Usage Details" page theyre reporting me at:

Date Time To/From Type Direction Msg/KB
10/03 04:24 PM phone Internet/MEdia Net Sent 19541 KB
10/03 04:24 PM phone Internet/MEdia Net Sent 19532 KB
10/03 04:23 PM phone Internet/MEdia Net Sent 19553 KB
10/03 04:23 PM phone Internet/MEdia Net Sent 12467 KB
10/03 04:22 PM phone Internet/MEdia Net Sent 19540 KB
10/03 04:21 PM phone Internet/MEdia Net Sent 19552 KB
​

...2-4mb/min. way more than streaming audio should -- no wonder im hitting limits despite ordinary use. AT&T said they dont know why my LTE iphone uses 2-4mb/min. They transferred me to an Apple tech... and he said "Sorry if it's a data issue talk to your carrier."

total run around. nobody can say -- what the heck us using so much LTE data? w/ a 60mb podcast, how much cellular data should it consume a minute? i say, and the AT&T calculator says, 500k. thus:

60,000k / 120 minutes = 500k​

they both keep saying that streaming uses "more data". um, but what data? from where? the podcast file on the podcast server is only 60mb total, how can streaming it create more data? it's a byte array, no?

they also keep saying LTE uses "more data" just by being LTE. as in, downing a webpage will use more than it would under 3G. uhhh, no....it should be consuming the *same* data, just quicker. like driving -- driving faster gets you there quicker, but it doesnt shorten the distance - only the time it takes to get there.

same thing -- right?

 

[jlake02]

I'm no expert but if the podcast file is 60mb it shouldn't matter if you download it or stream it. Shouldn't matter what your connection speed is. You'll use 60mb in bandwidth (if things are calculating properly) regardless.

GL!

 

[billhelm]

I don't know specifically how Apple's podcast app works but it's probably caching the whole thing once you start it, and with LTE, that would happen a lot quicker.

 

[kauffee]

Same thing happened to me. You cannot stream podcasts using the podcast app. I have no idea why, either, but it will cause ridiculous amounts of data use. The caching idea above seems reasonable.

There are a lot of people reporting that after deleting the podcasts app, their data usage returned to normal levels.

 

[mdelvecchio]

Same thing happened to me. You cannot stream podcasts using the podcast app. I have no idea why, either, but it will cause ridiculous amounts of data use. The caching idea above seems reasonable.

There are a lot of people reporting that after deleting the podcasts app, their data usage returned to normal levels.

very interesting. looks like I need to research the app in particular. thanks

 

[mdelvecchio]

this is most likely what caused my insane data consumption when listening to podcasts...

https://www.macrumors.com/2012/11/1...iple-downloads-of-podcasts-is-fixed-in-6-0-1/

The audio streams that are being pulled down by iOS 6 through a variety of apps including Apple’s Podcasts and others are being increased in size by a huge factor. The streams are being downloaded multiple times as connection errors cause them to fire off a new session. And, the entire time that a stream is active, it is being downloaded over and over.

...looks like theyve fixed it now. shame the Apple support 2 guys didnt believe me about how a 60mb podcast should not consume more than...60mb. they kept saying "It's LTE...LTE uses more data! durrr!"