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AT&T ripping me off on DATA?
- Thread starter DotCom2
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From the official iOS4 change log, as one of the new features:
As has been tested and well documented, there is always a persistent WiFi connection even if the connection is not in use (applies to iOS4+ and iPhone 3GS+. The only way to stop this is to turn WiFi off or go to an area that does not have WiFi. If it did as you said then push notifications would have to be done through 3G, which is not the case. Perhaps your great WiFi zone isn't as great as you think or the network randomly disconnects?
Every time I unlock my phone, the 3G (or Edge) icon is present for a few seconds until the device connects to WiFi. Makes sense. Why waste battery life on a WiFi connection if there's going to be a 3G connection anyway?
It does make sense on devices without a data connection (or with the data connection turned off), in order to receive push notifications.
Huh? Push notifications work just fine over 3G. I think you need to settle down.
A 3G connection takes up more battery life than a WiFi connection does. When you turn your WiFi connection on, it turns off 3G, and hence you get more battery life out of your device. The only time this would be detrimental is when you have a WiFi connection on but are out of range of your network or when your network disconnects you.
I think you lack an understanding of how iOS 4 works. When you turn WiFi on, it is persistent and thus push notifications are done exclusively through WiFi. When it is turned off or when you are out of WiFi range it is done through 3G.
As I said I would, yesterday morning I turned off Cellular Data to see what would happen in the next 24 hours. This morning I had not used any more data since the previous day. (1.31 MB since Friday) So obviously, turning off cell data will stop the unknown usage. This is important for people who have lowered their data plans now that AT&T is offering tiered data plans. What a hassle though to have to turn off and on cell data in order not to rack up usage! I have turned cell data back on today and I will see how much it uses up again in the next 24 hours, (not leaving my home Wi-Fi connection again today). That way, I will have a good running total of several days where I can then just multiply it times 30 (assuming 30 days in a month) to find out how much data is actually being consumed by the system and not me and going against my 200MB monthly limit. This can become an issue for those on limited data plans and as a consumer, I should be notified as to which Apps/processes are consuming the data I am paying for. 
I will post back my findings tomorrow.
I will post back my findings tomorrow.
In the last three days you have not received voice mail, texts, or gone away from your home?
I would say that the problem is with your social life nag not your data.
persistant WIFI is on the iPod Touch or if you have airplane mode enabled or something...if there is 3G/Edge data wifi will go to sleep shortly after the phone does...thats my understanding and observations on my old 3GS and new iPhone 4
Again, as per the Official Apple iOS 4 release logs, it applies to the iPhone 3GS, iPhone 4, and iPod touch 3rd generation running iOS 4.
I think it is the latter, because I am a mere few feet away from the router at any place at my work.
Please show us a link to those logs.
PER Apple's own web page, the persistent wifi only applies to the iPod touch.
http://www.apple.com/ipodtouch/ios4-software-update.html
"Wi-Fi
iPod touch can stay connected to Wi-Fi when asleep so you can receive incoming VoIP calls and notifications from compatible third-party apps."
In fact, I'm SURE the iPhone 4 does NOT have persistent wifi. I just tested it with my router. Turned wifi on, and my iPhone 4 shows up in the DHCP list. About 10 seconds after putting my iPhone 4 to sleep, the phone disappears from my network.
The iOS 4.0 Software Update logs were cleared on the release of 4.02, but you can see a cache here: http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:http://support.apple.com/kb/DL1058&btnG
If you still have a copy of iOS 4.0 those logs are available in there too.
And it very clearly states that it applies to
I have zero interest in logs that aren't active. Let's not forget when companies make a mistake they pull the offending web pages.
iPhone 3GS and iPhone 4 do NOT have persistent wifi. I have no idea why this is even a discussion. I've tested both phones myself, and anyone else is free to test. And hey, there's nothing out there currently aside from the iPod touch iOS 4 features page that states this.
That's great, but I think you're missing the point.
It's not even listed as a feature on the iPhone 4 page, whereas it IS on the current iPod touch page.
And again... for the love of cheese, test it yourself. It's quite obvious, you'll see, that there's no wifi when the iPhone 4 is asleep.
That's great, but I think you're missing the point.
It's not even listed as a feature on the iPhone 4 page, whereas it IS on the current iPod touch page.
And again... for the love of cheese, test it yourself. It's quite obvious, you'll see, that there's no wifi when the iPhone 4 is asleep.
I have, in a high-power wifi area and it most definitely is persistent.
Well maybe you have some special iPhone.
I've tested on my home network, and it definitely isn't persistent. I can even see the 3G symbol when I bring my phone out of sleep, and then it switches to wifi after a second or two.
Well maybe you have some special iPhone.
Do you have an ADC account? If yes, download the documentation there and you can see that the information is as I stated.
Even the Business Deployment section of the website has something on it
http://www.apple.com/iphone/business/docs/iPhone_Business.pdf, but that has more to do with applications having the power to use persistent wifi to deliver push notifications.
It has always been persistent for me. I can test it again later with all the applications closed though to see if the results are the same.
Update:
In the last 24 hours it used .45MB of data. The total now for three days is up to 1.63MB for unknown usage. That is an average of .54 MB a day. Multiply that times 30 days in a month and that would be apprx 16MB per month of unknown usage! 16MB in one month is a heck of a lot of usage for just checking email, push notif. or whatever its doing. This is concerning me. I do have a Dr.s appointment today and I will try to leave cell data turned off but I might have to turn it on for a bit if Im held up to long at the Dr.s. So last night may have been the last day I could get an accurate reading of just how much cell data it consumes while only being connected to wifi. (BTW, you still can receive texts while cell data is off as long as you are still connected to Wi-Fi.)
To recap, my billing cycle began on the 13th. I have been home ill since then and have been connected ONLY to my home wifi the entire time yet my iPhone has been racking up cell data to the tune of 1.63MB in three days going against my 200MB limit data plan. I have not received any voicemails or MM texts. On one of the nights I turned off Cellular Data in Settings and there was no data usage for the day. DUH
THIS IS NOT GOOD PEOPLE! WE ARE GETTING RIPPED OFF!
In the last 24 hours it used .45MB of data. The total now for three days is up to 1.63MB for unknown usage. That is an average of .54 MB a day. Multiply that times 30 days in a month and that would be apprx 16MB per month of unknown usage! 16MB in one month is a heck of a lot of usage for just checking email, push notif. or whatever its doing. This is concerning me. I do have a Dr.s appointment today and I will try to leave cell data turned off but I might have to turn it on for a bit if Im held up to long at the Dr.s. So last night may have been the last day I could get an accurate reading of just how much cell data it consumes while only being connected to wifi. (BTW, you still can receive texts while cell data is off as long as you are still connected to Wi-Fi.)
To recap, my billing cycle began on the 13th. I have been home ill since then and have been connected ONLY to my home wifi the entire time yet my iPhone has been racking up cell data to the tune of 1.63MB in three days going against my 200MB limit data plan. I have not received any voicemails or MM texts. On one of the nights I turned off Cellular Data in Settings and there was no data usage for the day. DUH
THIS IS NOT GOOD PEOPLE! WE ARE GETTING RIPPED OFF!
Even with all the applications turned off, when waking from sleep it still turns on directly in WiFi mode for me. I tested this in both a span of 5 minutes and ~2.5 hours of it being asleep.