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Difference in data displayed(data in usage vs mywireless)?

T

thejrif

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Oct 31, 2010
10
0
Background: Have owned an iphone 4 for a little over a month. Purchased it September 24, and my billing cycle begins on the 14th of every month.

I'm having trouble figuring out wtf is going on. Mywireless app and the AT&T website are showing that I've used 1.465gb of the 2gb of data so far. Cellular data in usage(settings) shows that I've used roughly 350mb.....I resetted it on October 15 just to make sure I wasn't leeching from last month.

Which one is accurate?


I am pretty darn sure I have not used 1.465gb of data. Most of the data I use comes from surfing the web while on break or waiting for someone . That's 25-30 minutes of safari use about 4-5 days a week. I streamed Pandora for 20 minutes twice this month, downloaded 4-5 small apps(under 3mb), and streamed Netflix for 20 minutes. All other usage had been under wifi. I never had Push on as well.

Any ideas as to what the heck is happening? I'm gonna give AT&T a call tomorrow(considering today is Sunday, not sure if they are 24/7, 7 days a week).
 
Called them and they were of no help at all.


I then looked at my usage and recent activity, and some days at certain times it said I was using 200mb of data or other large amounts of data.. Many of the times were in the early morning...times when I was asleep..wtf.

Once again, I do not have push on. Could it be something else? (I usually don't have Wifi on unless I need to use it at that certain moment).
 
thejrif said:
Called them and they were of no help at all.


I then looked at my usage and recent activity, and some days at certain times it said I was using 200mb of data or other large amounts of data.. Many of the times were in the early morning...times when I was asleep..wtf.

Once again, I do not have push on. Could it be something else? (I usually don't have Wifi on unless I need to use it at that certain moment).
Click to expand...

There are lots of threads on the ATT forums about "phantom" data usage. Some folks have said that if you turn off the option (in itunes) to send diagnostic information to Apple, your phantom usage will decrease. It's worth a try.
 
the gryphon said:
There are lots of threads on the ATT forums about "phantom" data usage. Some folks have said that if you turn off the option (in itunes) to send diagnostic information to Apple, your phantom usage will decrease. It's worth a try.
Click to expand...

Will do. Thank you for the info. I guess I'll keep wifi on from now on as well.


If I go over this 2gb this month, hell will be raised upon AT&T.


So is the cellular data information displayed under Usage not accurate?

I was told by a representative at the store that it was more accurate through that than in the mywireless app......I guess not.
 
thejrif said:
Will do. Thank you for the info. I guess I'll keep wifi on from now on as well.


If I go over this 2gb this month, hell will be raised upon AT&T.


So is the cellular data information displayed under Usage not accurate?

I was told by a representative at the store that it was more accurate through that than in the mywireless app......I guess not.
Click to expand...

Seems open to debate at this point.
http://forums.att.com/t5/Apple/Phantom-Data-Usage-Riddle-me-this-AT-amp-T/td-p/1961618

I average about 300MB a month. I'm on wifi a lot. fwiw.
 
Here is some of the data usage.

10/29 05:28 PM phone Internet/MEdia Net Sent 9KB
10/28 11:33 PM phone Internet/MEdia Net Sent 67054KB
10/28 07:46 PM phone Internet/MEdia Net Sent 203402KB
10/28 07:34 PM phone Internet/MEdia Net Sent 16803KB
10/28 04:33 PM phone Internet/MEdia Net Sent 8173KB
10/28 02:22 AM phone Internet/MEdia Net Sent 1534KB
10/28 01:40 AM phone Internet/MEdia Net Sent 9KB
10/28 01:40 AM phone Internet/MEdia Net Sent 8KB
10/28 12:26 AM phone Internet/MEdia Net Sent 2KB
10/27 10:48 PM phone Internet/MEdia Net Sent 15712KB
10/27 08:25 PM phone Internet/MEdia Net Sent 30264KB
10/27 03:55 PM wap.cingular Internet/MEdia Net Sent 1KB
10/27 02:31 PM phone Internet/MEdia Net Sent 39902KB
10/27 11:45 AM phone Internet/MEdia Net Sent 4443KB
10/27 11:06 AM phone Internet/MEdia Net Sent 1KB
10/27 09:01 AM phone Internet/MEdia Net Sent 166KB
10/27 08:31 AM phone Internet/MEdia Net Sent 8KB
10/26 11:05 PM phone Internet/MEdia Net Sent 138261KB
10/26 09:31 PM phone Internet/MEdia Net Sent 20088KB
10/26 09:10 PM phone Internet/MEdia Net Sent 3387KB
10/26 08:49 PM phone Internet/MEdia Net Sent 16280KB
10/26 08:10 PM phone Internet/MEdia Net Sent 24KB
10/26 08:03 PM phone Internet/MEdia Net Sent 39KB
10/26 12:15 AM phone Internet/MEdia Net Sent 1629KB
10/25 11:58 PM phone Internet/MEdia Net Sent 2KB
10/25 06:02 PM phone Internet/MEdia Net Sent 6130KB
10/25 02:09 PM phone Internet/MEdia Net Sent 9311KB
10/25 01:43 PM phone Internet/MEdia Net Sent 311KB
10/25 12:04 PM phone Internet/MEdia Net Sent 4465KB
10/25 12:27 AM phone Internet/MEdia Net Sent 17894KB
10/24 06:58 PM phone Internet/MEdia Net Sent 273KB
10/24 06:45 PM phone Internet/MEdia Net Sent 2KB
10/24 01:41 PM phone Internet/MEdia Net Sent 18110KB
10/24 01:05 PM phone Internet/MEdia Net Sent 4799KB
10/24 12:20 AM phone Internet/MEdia Net Sent 17930KB
10/23 01:52 PM phone Internet/MEdia Net Sent 872KB
10/22 11:38 PM phone Internet/MEdia Net Sent 11314KB
10/22 09:58 PM phone Internet/MEdia Net Sent 20KB
10/22 08:54 PM phone Internet/MEdia Net Sent 98KB
10/22 06:37 PM phone Internet/MEdia Net Sent 2KB
10/22 04:18 PM phone Internet/MEdia Net Sent 1986KB
10/21 01:38 PM phone Internet/MEdia Net Sent 75KB
10/21 12:55 PM phone Internet/MEdia Net Sent 602KB
10/21 12:51 PM phone Internet/MEdia Net Sent 636KB
10/21 12:51 AM phone Internet/MEdia Net Sent 566KB
10/21 12:06 AM phone Internet/MEdia Net Sent 101KB
10/20 09:06 PM phone Internet/MEdia Net Sent 65640KB
10/20 06:31 PM phone Internet/MEdia Net Sent 1KB
10/20 05:31 PM phone Internet/MEdia Net Sent 1KB
10/20 04:31 PM phone Internet/MEdia Net Sent 8KB
 
I've noticed that iDataUsage doesn't accurately track your data if its not actually running in the background. I tested this by running Netflix for about 10 minutes. First time with iData open and the second without. With it open, it showed I used about 50MB of data. With it closed, less than 10MB.

Of course, you could just use this easy method to get on an unlimited plan. It worked for me. I got my iPhone 4 in September, new AT&T customer. Made the call on 10/19/2010, received the text on 10/24/2010 and I'm not on unlimited 3G using Netflix and Pandora to my heart's content.
 
Orlandu said:
I've noticed that iDataUsage doesn't accurately track your data if its not actually running in the background. I tested this by running Netflix for about 10 minutes. First time with iData open and the second without. With it open, it showed I used about 50MB of data. With it closed, less than 10MB.

Of course, you could just use this easy method to get on an unlimited plan. It worked for me. I got my iPhone 4 in September, new AT&T customer. Made the call on 10/19/2010, received the text on 10/24/2010 and I'm not on unlimited 3G using Netflix and Pandora to my heart's content.
Click to expand...

What is iDataUsage? Have never used it, nor heard of it.

I called AT&T today, once again(with wifi on since my call yesterday, data jumped from 1465mb to 1554, and then this morning to 1669.....).

Yes, I understand that it takes awhile for the data to update, but it should have stopped at 1554 because I used it for one whole period, not two, so it shouldn't have jumped to 1669.

They told me they will review my account 5 days after my next billing cycle, almost a whole month away. I'm not going to pay this damn $10 for an extra gb or more if it should happen.

AT&T members have been giving me conflicting answers as well.

Some told me that cellular data under Settings is the most accurate measurement of data usage, while other told me use the mywirelessapp, the AT&T website, or *data#.
 
iDataUsage is an app and I misunderstood what you were originally referring to. I thought that app is what you were talking about and not the usage under settings.

Since there is no easy solution to this, here is my suggestion:

Download the referenced iDataUsage app. Its only $0.99 if I recall correctly. At the start of your billing cycle, reset your usage under settings, reset iDataUsage and log in to mywireless to verify its 0 or close to it. Each day or every few days, check all 3 consecutively and take screenshots of each of them (hold down the top button and press the home button once). Remember to leave iDataUsage running in the background. After a few weeks or however long it takes to show a large discrepancy, take your photos in to AT&T and try to get a manager to help you. Maybe you need a new phone, maybe something needs to be fixed on your account.

What iOS version are you running?
 
thejrif said:
Background: Have owned an iphone 4 for a little over a month. Purchased it September 24, and my billing cycle begins on the 14th of every month.

I'm having trouble figuring out wtf is going on. Mywireless app and the AT&T website are showing that I've used 1.465gb of the 2gb of data so far. Cellular data in usage(settings) shows that I've used roughly 350mb.....I resetted it on October 15 just to make sure I wasn't leeching from last month.

Which one is accurate?


I am pretty darn sure I have not used 1.465gb of data. Most of the data I use comes from surfing the web while on break or waiting for someone . That's 25-30 minutes of safari use about 4-5 days a week. I streamed Pandora for 20 minutes twice this month, downloaded 4-5 small apps(under 3mb), and streamed Netflix for 20 minutes. All other usage had been under wifi. I never had Push on as well.

Any ideas as to what the heck is happening? I'm gonna give AT&T a call tomorrow(considering today is Sunday, not sure if they are 24/7, 7 days a week).
Click to expand...

Im in the same boat as you. Reset statistics on 26th October when O2s new limited data plan came into effect. iPhone reports 164mb of data received, O2 claim I have only 6mb of my 500mb allowance since that date.

Cannot believe I have used nearly half a GB of data in one week, frankly ridiculous.
 
Orlandu said:
iDataUsage is an app and I misunderstood what you were originally referring to. I thought that app is what you were talking about and not the usage under settings.

Since there is no easy solution to this, here is my suggestion:

Download the referenced iDataUsage app. Its only $0.99 if I recall correctly. At the start of your billing cycle, reset your usage under settings, reset iDataUsage and log in to mywireless to verify its 0 or close to it. Each day or every few days, check all 3 consecutively and take screenshots of each of them (hold down the top button and press the home button once). Remember to leave iDataUsage running in the background. After a few weeks or however long it takes to show a large discrepancy, take your photos in to AT&T and try to get a manager to help you. Maybe you need a new phone, maybe something needs to be fixed on your account.

What iOS version are you running?
Click to expand...

running ios 4.1

I checked the appstore and can't even locate an idata or idatausage app.
 
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