iPad Data Usage On ATT.

[mirage699]

I have an ATT ipad2 and almost hit the 2g limit on day 28 of my billing cycle. I was very careful with usage.

I also have a iPhone with the unlimited data plan and I use that for everything and barely went over 1 g.

My wife has an ipad2 as well and has kept her at home during her first month of usage. Her ipad2 has incur 3g data usage and it climbs everyday, like a small water leak. Funny thing is her ipad2 is hooked into the home wifi network all this time.

Here are my issues:

1. Does the ipad2 apps use more data than iphone apps? Based on the ATT app my ipad2 data usage is almost doubled my iPhone data usage.

2. How can the ipad2 incur 3g data usage when it's on the home wifi network?

So, can you guys check your usage and see if you are experiencing the same thing.

Thanks

 

[kamuix]

I downloaded an app to check data usage, and so far it's only been about 10% of the 2 gig data plan I got. You think it's possible you could have an app that's constantly fetching data to update itself? That could be the culprit that causes the high data usage. At home, I set up the wifi to shoot throughout the whole house and the ipad instantly knows when wifi is available and switches. I've surfed the net, loaded a lot of youtube videos and the data usage never goes up. When I go out and am on 3g, my data does go up.

Not sure if the ipad uses more data, I think most of the apps are the same as the iphone's apps. They're just bigger and more prettier on the larger screen. I compared the weather apps, and they are the same. One just looks a bit better on the larger screen. Other than that, I believe usage is the same.

 

[OverSpun]

I'm kind interested about that issue you had since I just started using my 3G a couple weeks back. What is the best data checking app you guys use?

 

[DmbShn41]

If you're incurring data when there is no 'use' going on, then you may have apps running in the background. Use Multitasking to kill the apps when you're finished with them, especially if you're on 3G. Pandora is great for consuming data in the background. Even if you pause the music, the ads are still streamed to the app, which uses data.

 

[iCrizzo]

I always turn my 3G off when I am at home using WiFi.. better to be safe than sorry. I see a lot of people complaining on the Apple forums about the iPad switching between wifi and 3G when it should only be on WiFi.

 

[anjinha]

When the iPad goes to sleep it disconnects from WiFi so if you get push notifications during that time it will use 3G. That should be very minimal usage though.

 

[mirage699]

I did have skype running in the background. I turned it off on both of our ipads. Will wait a day or two and see if that is the problem.

I was not aware that push notifications are running on 3g when the ipad is in sleep mode, which disconnects from the wifi.

 

[OverSpun]

I've been my iPad connected on 3G even having beejive and my email downloading and I've only used ~350mb during 2 weeks so it's not bad at all since I had been using the iPad around 5hrs/day since I've been stuck in bed. I suppose a good data chart app, but I haven't seen a review on MR people really love it until then.

 

[J&JPolangin]

Does data usage count for down and up loads?

I've hit 10.6 Mb sent and 55.0 Mb received according to my iPad on the prepaid 3G sim I've installed 4 days ago - its unlimited but the speed seems pretty slow.

The international AT&T plan is much faster "roaming" on NTT's network but 20 Mb for the month is pitiful...

I may have to go with a pocket wifi device from AU or other company.