AT&T iPhone on Wifi using cellular data?!

[TechWhore]

This morning I got pinged with the dreaded AT&T "you have exceeded 3GB text." I do have an unlimited plan, which I use mainly for web browsing. So I decided to track my data usage for the rest of the day and got some interesting results.

When I got home I put my phone on Wi-Fi, and reset my cellular statistics. So 5 hours later my phone says it used: Sent = 3.1MB, Received = 11.5MB


How is it using Cellular data when I'm on Wi-Fi?

 

[MarkMS]

Hmm, that's odd. Did you receive any text messages with pictures or videos? I believe Visual Voicemail uses cellular data only too.

 

[TechWhore]

I did some text messaging, but it was all iMessages so that should be over wifi, no picture messages. The only thing I could think of is cellular tower calibration/location stuff. But why would that eat into the plan I pay for?

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The Odd thing is I went from 1.5 GB in December, 1.6 Gb in February, and so far 3.2 GB in March something is odd.

 

[Applejuiced]

This morning I got pinged with the dreaded AT&T "you have exceeded 3GB text." I do have an unlimited plan, which I use mainly for web browsing. So I decided to track my data usage for the rest of the day and got some interesting results.

When I got home I put my phone on Wi-Fi, and reset my cellular statistics. So 5 hours later my phone says it used: Sent = 3.1MB, Received = 11.5MB


How is it using Cellular data when I'm on Wi-Fi?

I wouldnt sweat about 14MB of data. That can easily get used quick.
And when your phone/screen goes to sleep your wifi connection drops so if anything comes in with imessage or anything needing data it will use cellular. Also visual voicemail, texts will also use up carrier data.

 

[Rodimus Prime]

I did some text messaging, but it was all iMessages so that should be over wifi, no picture messages. The only thing I could think of is cellular tower calibration/location stuff. But why would that eat into the plan I pay for?

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The Odd thing is I went from 1.5 GB in December, 1.6 Gb in February, and so far 3.2 GB in March something is odd.

You need to remember there are something that do use carrier data. You might be uploading some log files to AT&T (the log files being relating to the network not your phone) but those log updates your phone will track but they do not count against your data plan. Or AT&T could of shoved out a tower update which is needed for the network. Again does not count against your data plan but your phone logs it. Service books only get shoved out over carrier cell data.
Or you could recieve MMS which your phone logs as data but does not count against you data plan either.
VVM I believe does count against your data plan but required to go over carrier data. You want to kick that over to free you need to use Google voice and that can be done over wifi as it is not housed on AT&T servers.

 

[casebeer]

I checked mine last night. A little different method: I too a screenshot of the AT&T app's data usage report. I used 24.3 mb last night while connected to wifi. Over 30 nights that is 729 mb. That is almost 25% of my base 3gb! One month I had to pay for an extra gig because I went over 200mb so this is not insignificant. I did not receive any texts or anything that would have used 3G data.

 

[kingdLo]

iMessage prefers to send over the network vs wifi regardless of its connected or not. Try it yourself, turn off 3G and watch how slow the messages get sent. Then turn off cell data and see them go through instantly over wifi.

 

[dotme]

AT&T, or Apple, is full of it. Both the wife and I have seen massive spike in data usage this month according to AT&T. Our iPhones disagree.

I have no idea where to start, but the AT&T number is for about 6 days of usage, the iPhone number is for about 6 months of usage. Someone's lying.

 

[Stealthipad]

Others have reported similar things about using cellular while on the network or wireless.

For this reason I keep my cellular turned off, unless I am using it.

 

[dpierre]

I thought it was just me. Last year when I was out of the country I got a international data plan and was charged for overages even though I rarely used my data and was always on wifi. There was no way for me to prove it so I just paid up.

 

[Nrwrit3r]

This happened to me too. I got the warning about going over 3gb this month...I live on a college campus and am on the wifi network almost all the time. I don't get how I could have gone over 3gb...