iPhone 5 using LTE data while on WIFI!

AppleCare

I talked to AppleCare and they told me the iPhone 5 is designed for LTE it will always pick the LTE over wifi, the only solution is to turn off cellular data in settings.... I call bs

nickmccally said:

I didn't purchase this device to play with the settings every time I want to browse the Internet. I guess I must have a hardware issue this seems pretty extreme to count wifi data as data over the network.

Click to expand...

Ok then, did you consider you have a defective unit and the WIFI/LTE defect is also causing your battery drain.

I know you came here for advice but you already had your answer. Go back to Apple and get a new unit.

6 thread pages about a defective phone?

----------

Jnava420 said:

I talked to AppleCare and they told me the iPhone 5 is designed for LTE it will always pick the LTE over wifi, the only solution is to turn off cellular data in settings.... I call bs

Click to expand...

The iphone will always choose WIFI over LTE. Thats how all the phones have worked. If you are in range of a WIFI it knows, it will select it.

I would be shocked if that has changed. A more likely answer....your applecare person was wrong.

dcorban said:

As someone who has worked in tech support, I have to say that there is almost nothing a user could say to me that would convince me their phone is using LTE when connected to wifi. It would get filed under "user error".

Click to expand...

Then there are a lot of stupid users. Used 2gb in 3 days. Except for downloading from cloud on wifi no real activity. AT&T says it is open Apps. Not possible. There is an issue. My LTE is now turned off, data usage has stopped.. But now the question "why did I replaced 4s?"

dcorban said:

As someone who has worked in tech support, I have to say that there is almost nothing a user could say to me that would convince me their phone is using LTE when connected to wifi. It would get filed under "user error".

Click to expand...

rcpiercy said:

As someone who works in tech support, I'm right there with you. This problem is inexplicable and immensely frustrating.

Click to expand...

One of you was fired already and the other should follow. I work in IT. In any country where customer service trumps personal pride, the SUPPORT (<-emphasis) person should not forget his/her role.

Strange things happen. Here are two examples
Scenario 1: Hardware/Software is malfunctioning and causing WiFi to disconnect intermittently or forcing an LTE connection.
Scenario 2: User is a complete imbecile and is in fact NOT connected to WiFi while thinking he is.

Fortunately, no Apple employee would EVER classify this as "user error."

This morning around 3am or so I had over 512 MB used on cellular when I had wifi turned on.

Not sure what that could have been, but that is huge! Why isn't WIFI getting priority over LTE/3G, etc...? That is a phone/software issue it seems. That is eating into my allotment pretty quickly if it continues.

Kline said:

I have the same problem! I used to be on an unlimited plan, now I'm on a 2gig data plan. Granted I only used on average .50 gigs of data per month. I figured 2 gigs a month would be plenty. Last night I received multiple texts form Verizon claiming I exceeded my data by 8 gigs!!! Not possible. I am always on wifi at home and work. I called Verizon and explained everything to them. They said they were gonna look into it. For the time being they put me on the 20 gig plan so I won't exceed anymore. I figured this must be a fault on Apple's side. Glad to hear I'm not the only one with this problem.

Click to expand...

So you are willing to pay more until they figure this out?

mtneer said:

So you are willing to pay more until they figure this out?

Click to expand...

No I'm not paying more at all. They are giving me a credit until they figure it out. Sounds like this is an IOS 6 problem. It might be my phone picking lte over my wifi. Even with the wifi status still on. If that's the case apple needs to fix this to let people know they are on lte and not wifi anymore. I think it's pointless to have to manually toggle lte on and off every time I'm on wifi. Being unsure if I'm actually using wifi. Doesn't make sense to me.

Kline said:

No I'm not paying more at all. They are giving me a credit until they figure it out. Sounds like this is an IOS 6 problem. It might be my phone picking lte over my wifi. Even with the wifi status still on. If that's the case apple needs to fix this to let people know they are on lte and not wifi anymore. I think it's pointless to have to manually toggle lte on and off every time I'm on wifi. Being unsure if I'm actually using wifi. Doesn't make sense to me.

Click to expand...

It is without a doubt a ios 6 issues. Any time I go from dark to home button, the LTE signal is present. Once I swipe to the home screen, wifi comes back on.

That is a serious issue because of these stupid data plans these days.

ViperDesign said:

It is without a doubt a ios 6 issues. Any time I go from dark to home button, the LTE signal is present. Once I swipe to the home screen, wifi comes back on.

That is a serious issue because of these stupid data plans these days.

Click to expand...

Yea I have noticed how the wifi signal will disappear then come back. However, that doesn't happen while I'm using wifi. Status shows that it is on and working, but I'm getting these ridiculous data charges. I hope this gets figured out soon.

Kline said:

Yea I have noticed how the wifi signal will disappear then come back. However, that doesn't happen while I'm using wifi. Status shows that it is on and working, but I'm getting these ridiculous data charges. I hope this gets figured out soon.

Click to expand...

Yeah but during backups and whatever else goes when it is in sleep mode it seems to be using LTE/3G and not WIFI, which shouldn't happen.

nfl46 said:

Perhaps, you should turn off LTE and cellular data while on Wifi and you won't have to worry about it connecting to 4G or LTE. If you don't want to, then deal with the overages. All it takes is a flip of the button.

Click to expand...

One shouldn't have to remember to turn it off and turn it back on. It should just WORK.

----------

ViperDesign said:

It is without a doubt a ios 6 issues. Any time I go from dark to home button, the LTE signal is present. Once I swipe to the home screen, wifi comes back on.

That is a serious issue because of these stupid data plans these days.

Click to expand...

You mean while sleeping? My iphone has ALWAYS done that (since the 3).

----------

paulie6978 said:

my wifi icon has always stayed at the top of the screeen ( ios5+, ios 6 on my 4s) until now with the iphone 5

Click to expand...

I've been an iphone user for YEARS. My iphone has always displayed 3G until I woke it up.

LapsangSouchong said:

One shouldn't have to remember to turn it off and turn it back on. It should just WORK.

----------



You mean while sleeping? My iphone has ALWAYS done that (since the 3).

----------



I've been an iphone user for YEARS. My iphone has always displayed 3G until I woke it up.

Click to expand...

If the results are different--huge data increases--but the behavior is the same, I think that the iOS, the network or the phone is the culprit. This is all over the net and a really serious problem in the age of data caps.

Kline said:

No I'm not paying more at all. They are giving me a credit until they figure it out. Sounds like this is an IOS 6 problem. It might be my phone picking lte over my wifi. Even with the wifi status still on. If that's the case apple needs to fix this to let people know they are on lte and not wifi anymore. I think it's pointless to have to manually toggle lte on and off every time I'm on wifi. Being unsure if I'm actually using wifi. Doesn't make sense to me.

Click to expand...

That's good to hear they are willing to work with you until they figure it out. I hope others in your situation can also request this measure until things get sorted out. Thanks for posting..

This same issue happened to both myself on my 4S and to my husband of his 4. Both under home WiFi and received notices from ATT that we were going over our data plan allotment. This happened several times to both of us on separate occasions. I had to resort to turning off the 3G radio while at home on Wifi and constantly trying to remember to turn it back on and off when leaving and coming back home. I now have the iPhone 5 and so far it hasn't happend but still. I called ATT the first time it happened and I told the CS guy to look at my data consumption history to see that I never hardly use any data and why this time it was so unreal. His attitude was like "TOUGH" it shows you used that data so you have to pay for it. It used like 2GB in ONE DAY! I'm only on the 200MB plan because I am always on Wifi!

There is some sort of problem that this happens to ppl and there is no explanation. Sorry to say but it's kind of a hassle to be turning off your 3G and now LTE off and on but if you are on a limited data plan I would recommend it.

I have poor reception in my apartment. The coverage outside the building is 4 bars on both LTE and 4G (on average). Inside the apartment, there is no LTE and about 1-2 bars for 4G.

Poor reception means radio is working extra hard to seek and/or maintain connection. I tunred off "cellular data," kept WiFi on. I was still able to make/receive phone calls, regular text messages, and iMessages (through WiFi).
***don't forget that my regular 4G still struggled at 1-2 bars, but I still need it to function as a phone ***

On my first trial I got 9 hours of usage and 21 hours of standby (I'm pretty sure that "standby" is always elapsing even when the phone is used, so it is not 30 hours). The usage part was all-encompassing: games, video, phone, texting, browsing, downloading, music streaming, music playback, and anything else i'm forgetting.

Other important info:
Brightness is set bellow the letters T&N (looks like about 40-45%) and on 'auto'.
I do not use nor have any desire to use: iCloud, Bluetooth, Siri, Miscelleneous location services (other than "cell tower search"), Automatic Time Zone setting.
I have 4 email clients--2 of them push emails, 2 fetch only when I open the mail client.
I did NOT go "terminator" on Push notifications--refuse to give up functionality--BUT I do pick wisely which apps TRULY NEED to be pushed to notify me.

At the end of this test, I let the phone die (as per Apple Website). It took 1hr 55min to fully charge (from the wall)--this is very welcome news!

It is POINTLESS for me to keep "cellular data" on at home since my phone doesn't even load google.com without wifi--THANKS AT&T!!! But I do wonder how long it will last outside.

Please share your experiences. It will be really helpful!

Peterocherry said:

Then there are a lot of stupid users. Used 2gb in 3 days. Except for downloading from cloud on wifi no real activity. AT&T says it is open Apps. Not possible. There is an issue. My LTE is now turned off, data usage has stopped.. But now the question "why did I replaced 4s?"

Click to expand...

Bet you restored from a 4s backup. Others I know who did are having issues. I never restore on a major os upgrade.

As someone who will need a 3G Microcell if I were switching to AT&T (which I'm considering for other reasons), I'm curious about what you would get charged for in the situation where you're using an iPhone 5 > Microcell > Your own internet.

Common sense dictates that AT&T wouldn't be charging for the data consumed while on the 3G Microcell, but common sense already appears to not apply even without the 3G Microcell in use (based on what I am reading in this and other threads).

wenglish said:

As someone who will need a 3G Microcell if I were switching to AT&T (which I'm considering for other reasons), I'm curious about what you would get charged for in the situation where you're using an iPhone 5 > Microcell > Your own internet.

Common sense dictates that AT&T wouldn't be charging for the data consumed while on the 3G Microcell, but common sense already appears to not apply even without the 3G Microcell in use (based on what I am reading in this and other threads).

Click to expand...

I have a MCell. If my phone says m-cell, I am using it. Its considered WIFI but data use still dings your plan.

If your phone is unable to stay locked on your WIFI and your previous iphone worked fine, I believe you have a defective iphone 5.

This happens often but Apple blames you, or your router.

wenglish said:

As someone who will need a 3G Microcell if I were switching to AT&T (which I'm considering for other reasons), I'm curious about what you would get charged for in the situation where you're using an iPhone 5 > Microcell > Your own internet.

Common sense dictates that AT&T wouldn't be charging for the data consumed while on the 3G Microcell, but common sense already appears to not apply even without the 3G Microcell in use (based on what I am reading in this and other threads).

Click to expand...

I have an AT&T Microcell and ATT does not charge me anything for the data used by the Microcell because the Microcell is connected to my router. Not a cell tower.

----------

ZipZap said:

Bet you restored from a 4s backup. Others I know who did are having issues. I never restore on a major os upgrade.

Click to expand...

This is soooo true!
Always restore to new. It sucks losing some data but if you want a good functioning phone, that's the way to go!

Kline said:

Yea I have noticed how the wifi signal will disappear then come back. However, that doesn't happen while I'm using wifi. Status shows that it is on and working, but I'm getting these ridiculous data charges. I hope this gets figured out soon.

Click to expand...

This has been the case ever since the previous iPhones too.

When in sleep mode, the WIFI gets disconnected. However, should there be a need for a data connection (PUSH EMAIL, WHATSAPP or anything else), the phone will periodically connect back to the WIFI, while asleep, and push it via WIFI (not cellular).

It takes a split second for the phone to connect to WIFI when being woken up. Not iOS 6 fault. Has always been this case.

I admittedly did not read the entire thread - but here's a possibility.

When I wake my phone back up, it's showing LTE and then quickly changes over to wifi.

Maybe the wifi shuts off when the phone is put to sleep?

it's threads like this that push the importance of jailbreak + SBSettings to easily toggle LTE/3G/data/wifi with a single swipe and press.

DotCom2 said:

This is soooo true!
Always restore to new. It sucks losing some data but if you want a good functioning phone, that's the way to go!

Click to expand...

Can you explain? I havent received my 5 yet but are you saying I should select new and not from back-up? What are the benefits of this and will I lose my contacts?

Just wanted to chime in that my iPad 3 LTE on 5.1.1 has done this. I just make sure the cell radio is off now when downloading large files.

doasis23 said:

Can you explain? I havent received my 5 yet but are you saying I should select new and not from back-up? What are the benefits of this and will I lose my contacts?

Click to expand...

Do you have your contacts on iCloud? If so, then no, you won't lose your contacts or anything else you have on iCloud.
It is best to restore to new because if you restore from a backup then you are just loading the same possible corrupted data right back on your phone. A fresh install is just that. A brand new install that gets everything right back where is should be. you will however, have to install all your apps again but that's a good thing really. Even some developers recommend deleteing and re-installing their app if you are having trouble with it. What you will lose is any saved games data and texts and voicemails. Stuff like that.