Apple Attempts to Ease Concerns Over Wi-Fi Assist Data Usage

[Qbnkelt]

That works for those that know about it - understand it. But people don't know what they don't know.

True. But the first I do when I get a new device, any device, is spend time exploring the settings options. In my opinion, the onus is on the customer to set up the device as needed. There is support available from Apple. There are online forums. For folks who are not tech savvy, just about everyone knows someone with an iPhone.

 

[Gav2k]

And what about those iPhone 6 users, and all iPhone prior than iPhone 6s users? Where would their user manual contain such feature when it just doesn't exist? Plus, how many people would download iOS manual even if is provided for free? You say this is a user issue?

As I said before its in the release notes for the update

 

[Shirasaki]

As I said before its in the release notes for the update

Ok. You win.

 

[C DM]

But it was on by default, eating up possibly over 800MB of my data.

So there's something specifically linking it to that data usage?

 

[Shirasaki]

So there's something specifically linking it to that data usage?

But it gives me "general". I can only guess this is related to wifi assist.
Bill tells me before updating to one of these recent beta, no such nonsense crazy data use. And I almost turn any possible data hunger apps off for mobile data use, except safari, and some games.

 

[C DM]

But it gives me "general". I can only guess this is related to wifi assist.
Bill tells me before updating to one of these recent beta, no such nonsense crazy data use. And I almost turn any possible data hunger apps off for mobile data use, except safari, and some games.

Do you see your device switching to cellular data when you expect it to be on WiFi? Basically something actually linking WiFi assist to it vs it just happening after updating which can have various other things behind it (just like some people seeing higher data usage after previous iOS updates as well when WiFi assist didn't even exist).

 

[Shirasaki]

Do you see your device switching to cellular data when you expect it to be on WiFi? Basically something actually linking WiFi assist to it vs it just happening after updating which can have various other things behind it (just like some people seeing higher data usage after previous iOS updates as well when WiFi assist didn't even exist).

I didn't. I didn't notice any indicator telling me I am using wifi assist. And suddenly, data allowance has been eaten rapidly.
Just like that.
I need this month to know how much it would go on. I have turned off iTunes Store and App Store mobile data use. I wish I can turn off music app data use as well but music app will pop up to tell me to turn it back on. Annoying.

 

[DoctorKrabs]

In all likelihood your excessive usage is being caused by the fact that you got a new phone and all of your apps and data are being synced in the background. This happens to me every time I get a new phone or I have to restore from a backup. Even on my home 50MB connection, most of those services take a few days or more to fully sync. If I'm concerned about data usage, I just turn off cellular data for the most part during that time and only turn it on when I need it.

Read carefully. The usage spike happened in the 4 days before getting the new phone.

 

[familytruckster]

I turned on WIFI calling while WIFI assist was on and immediately burned 7 GB of data in 3 days.......I was at my house using my phone for conference calls with work while wifi through Comcast 250 MB service is in the next room. I have been a steady 4 GB user for 3 years and no habits really changed. I IM'd with ATT and they echo'd they are getting tons of calls about the data usage. MY guess is that wifi assist has logic built in (packet loss, latency) that are so extreme that it will kick to Cellular MOST of the time. Secondly, I suspect there is a bug that once you start a CALL ON WIFI and then an event occurs on the network that causes the call to switch to CELLULAR DATA instead of CELLULAR voice. All this hand off stuff is not between voice and IP protocols, it's between which network source to use. Since WIFI calling is new, the compression and settings in the network. I turned all this crap off to try to stop it.

Thoughts?

 

[CPx]

My general reaction to this is I find it hard to believe that anyone can burn through tons of data without noticing the LTE letters at the top of the screen. Especially if you don't have unlimited data and need to pay attention to these things.

 

[I7guy]

My general reaction to this is I find it hard to believe that anyone can burn through tons of data without noticing the LTE letters at the top of the screen. Especially if you don't have unlimited data and need to pay attention to these things.

I turn off cellular data when I don't want to use data. It's no different than turning off the lights in your house.

 

[jermy4]

I feel like this is actually a pretty good feature but I question why it's on by default without people understanding what it is/does. They should have either left it disabled by default or asked to turn it on during setup/activation and explained what it does and let people decide if they want that feature or not. Some folks with very limited data plans probably don't want this functionality.

 

[Qbnkelt]

My general reaction to this is I find it hard to believe that anyone can burn through tons of data without noticing the LTE letters at the top of the screen. Especially if you don't have unlimited data and need to pay attention to these things.

It can happen, you can miss them, especially with a light coloured wallpaper. Or if you've got the phone in another room and are using a headset, which is something I do often.

 

[C DM]

It can happen, you can miss them, especially with a light coloured wallpaper. Or if you've got the phone in another room and are using a headset, which is something I do often.

That can happen. But it can happen like that even before WiFi assist where the connection could stall or get dropped for various reasons.

 

[Qbnkelt]

That's true. It just means an awareness level on what your phone is doing.

 

[KazuSnow]

Check out My Data Manager. Does exactly what you want. I use this when I'm overseas and using a local SIM for data. That doesn't happen often since I have T-Mobile and simply use their free international data, but the app is pretty nice.

I have 15GB, and can use that anywhere so no need to worry about over usage, but good for others to know!

 

[KazuSnow]

There are a few apps that do exactly that. My Data Manager is one; you can enter your data cap, bill start date, and custom alarms for when you get close to it. It also has a Today widget that keeps you updated with cellular and wi-fi usage.

External app's are one thing, but as others have also stated, making it an apple native and having and your mobile provider talk about your data plans to provide you with feed back, like the battery warning, would be best

 

[afawcett]

I sell people's complaint, but I've been waiting for this feature since it was leaked in one of the previous iOS releases. Sure I might use more data, but the whole point of using my phone is because there is something I want to see, and if the WiFi network isn't responding I can't do that.

 

[jnpy!$4g3cwk]

I sell people's complaint, but I've been waiting for this feature since it was leaked in one of the previous iOS releases. Sure I might use more data, but the whole point of using my phone is because there is something I want to see, and if the WiFi network isn't responding I can't do that.

I don't object to the existence of the feature, but, I'm glad that I noticed this thread and turned it off. Because, as it turns out, it did cause a huge jump in my data usage.

 

[I7guy]

I feel like this is actually a pretty good feature but I question why it's on by default without people understanding what it is/does. They should have either left it disabled by default or asked to turn it on during setup/activation and explained what it does and let people decide if they want that feature or not. Some folks with very limited data plans probably don't want this functionality.

Seems like the only difference this option provides over not having the option is the threshold. If cellular data is enabled and the wifi connection goes away you're on cellular data. This option adjusts the threshold at which cellular data kicks in. If you are the type who turns cellular data off then the option is irrelevant.

 

[Lexdexia]

I've had the feature on and haven't seen any increased data usage. Maybe because I don't have terrible Wi-Fi connection speeds. But as always - your mileage may vary.