"Other devices" is chewing through personal hotspot data

[mackieap]

Has anyone experienced this?

I tethered my MBP to my iPhone yesterday for the first time in a while (certainly the first time since upgrading to iOS 17), used it for about an hour, then got on an aeroplane.

As I'm travelling a lot this month and roaming away from my home network I need to keep to a 50GB limit, so checked this morning that I'd reset my data usage stats. I was pretty surprised to see that my consumption since I reset two days ago was nearly 30GB and 16GB was consumed whilst roaming in the space of about 16 hours. When I checked the personal hotspot usage, it said my Mac had consumed 750mb (sounds about right) and "Other devices" had consumed 28GB.

Does anyone know what this is!? I haven't had any other devices connected. I reset everything, turned the hotspot off, and checked a couple of hours later and it had consumed *another* 740Mb.

However, when I check my phone account, none of this data is showing up on my consumption (I still have 244GB remaining of my monthly 250GB plan).

 

[velocityg4]

Disable all cloud services. Try an app like Tripmode on your Mac. To automatically block anything trying to access the network and only allow specific apps. Also disable any automatic updates in your browsers.

 

[GTIJeff]

I have this exact problem! Last week, my hotspot usage was at 46GB, and this is with my hotspot turned OFF. I freaked out, changed the password, kept it off. Today, it's back up to 13GB by noon, and 22GB by 4pm. All with hotspot turned off. Same as you, when I go to Verizon to check my data usage, it's 2.88GB. Makes no sense. I'm calling Verizon, Apple had no idea what I was talking about. I'm hoping this is a bug in iOS 17.

 

[77appleTJM]

Has anyone experienced this?

I tethered my MBP to my iPhone yesterday for the first time in a while (certainly the first time since upgrading to iOS 17), used it for about an hour, then got on an aeroplane.

As I'm travelling a lot this month and roaming away from my home network I need to keep to a 50GB limit, so checked this morning that I'd reset my data usage stats. I was pretty surprised to see that my consumption since I reset two days ago was nearly 30GB and 16GB was consumed whilst roaming in the space of about 16 hours. When I checked the personal hotspot usage, it said my Mac had consumed 750mb (sounds about right) and "Other devices" had consumed 28GB.

Does anyone know what this is!? I haven't had any other devices connected. I reset everything, turned the hotspot off, and checked a couple of hours later and it had consumed *another* 740Mb.

However, when I check my phone account, none of this data is showing up on my consumption (I still have 244GB remaining of my monthly 250GB plan).

I have been having very similar problems with my hotspot on my Verizon iPhone 14+ with iOS 17.1.1 being used by “other devices” that I just got in late September. I only use my hotspot at home for my iMac and my iPad via WiFi or Bluetooth.
My hotspot has been using upwards of 7gb a day and it has been counted against my data plan.
I have deleted all unnecessary apps, limited mic, camera and locations. Phone is in low data mode. Rarely use my hotspot now and when I do I reset stats to see what happens next. Only use iCloud on WiFi.
It really makes me mad that when I called Verizon on Saturday they had no explanation all they wanted to do was upgrade my plan so I didn’t have to worry about my data. Well I’m still worried because these “other devices” are draining my data regardless of my plan!
This never happened with my iPhone SE 2020, iPhone 8, iPhone 6, iPhone 4s
I’ve used my hotspot on those phones.

Serious bug or a way for phone companies to siphon our data to keep our bill high!

 

[ManuCH]

Usually "other devices" shown in the personal hotspot cellular usage statistics represents USB-connected personal hotspot devices.

Meaning: if you connect your iPhone to your Mac via USB, and have the personal hotspot on, the Mac will surf via the iPhone personal hotspot, depending on how you prioritized your interfaces in the network settings.

 

[AlekssMacuks]

Hi All. This appears to be a bug in iOS. As of today still not fixed. I am using 17.2.1 on iPhone 14 Pro. After googling I can understand that the bug affects only data consumption statistics. I can reproduce the issue. I have just compared with my airtime provider app, and there was a correct amount of data shown. There is no leakage in fact. Please be sure it is not a billing issue, only a statistical one. I agree this can be very annoying. I hope this clarifies.

 

[P_Watt]

I have this exact problem! Last week, my hotspot usage was at 46GB, and this is with my hotspot turned OFF. I freaked out, changed the password, kept it off. Today, it's back up to 13GB by noon, and 22GB by 4pm. All with hotspot turned off. Same as you, when I go to Verizon to check my data usage, it's 2.88GB. Makes no sense. I'm calling Verizon, Apple had no idea what I was talking about. I'm hoping this is a bug in iOS 17.

All your devices under your Apple ID can use Hotspot without password even with it turned off. It turns it back on. Apple’s little joke.

 

[laundromatt]

Agree with Alekss!
My phone says I’ve used 4.5GB with at least 2.3GB used by “other devices” on my hotspot.
But Verizon says I’ve only used 2GB total this month.
Seems like an issue with iOS’s usage tracker rather than nefarious “other devices” actually using data.

 

[jasonsmith_88]

Still happening on 17.3.1. 120MB on a known device, 4.26GB on Other devices and increasing while hotspot is turned off. Carrier does not see the 4.26GB. It almost seems as if my Mac reports WiFi data usage to my phone after the hotspot is disconnected.

 

[sparksd]

Seeing the same. My 14PM says 50.4GB on Other Devices, with hotspot having not been used for ages.

 

[lusciousdrunk]

Came here (2/14/24) because I bought a sim in foreign country (Dominican Republic) and overnight “personal devices” ate through the entire plan. I know people are reporting that is only a glitch and carrier doesn’t reflect - that wasn’t my experience, sim stopped working. Bought another one and literally turned off all cellular connections, family plan, everything that I know of and it’s chewed through half of it. No answer here would suggest it will continue to chew through it, bummer!

 

[carltabet]

Hi All. This appears to be a bug in iOS. As of today still not fixed. I am using 17.2.1 on iPhone 14 Pro. After googling I can understand that the bug affects only data consumption statistics. I can reproduce the issue. I have just compared with my airtime provider app, and there was a correct amount of data shown. There is no leakage in fact. Please be sure it is not a billing issue, only a statistical one. I agree this can be very annoying. I hope this clarifies.

I agree this seems to be a bug in iOS because my cellular data plan is not affected.
In my case, I am using an eSIM plan in a foreign country.

 

[jasonsmith_88]

Still not fixed in 17.4.1. Such a shame iOS is such a buggy mess these days. It needs a Snow Leopard release, not another unnecessary redesign.

 

[Moncler]

Similar problem: After updating my iphone 15 Pro to 17.1 my ‘other devices’’s personal hotspot has started using up data, even when the hotspot is switched off. Apple ID Services taking up too much data. Bluetooth switched off, wi-fi switched off on both iPhone and MacBook, password changed, Turned off mobile data usage for applications (background), Turned on Low Data Mode

 

[Biospargel]

Same problem here, may 10. It’s obviously a bug. I don’t know why apple didn’t fix it until now.