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Unknown data transfers on bill

K

kerbero9

macrumors member
Original poster
Aug 7, 2008
95
49
I just happened to look at my data usage details and noticed that I have been having an almost daily night time data transfer between 2:30am and 3am since I got my phone on 7/21. I definitely know that I am sleeping at this time. Data transferred ranges from a few k to a whopping 106MB!

I have a 4 other friends with iPhone 3G's who do not show this usage on their statements. The only thing that seperates me from them is that I use MobileMe and they do not.

I'm a little concerned about exactly what my phone is doing. That is a lot of data to be moving back and forth when the phone is clearly not being used.
I am not a heavy email user, my contact list small and relativlely stagnant -so if a synch or backup is taking place I'm not sure exactly what is going on.

Anyone else with MobileMe see any strange data transfers on their iPhone statements? Here is a little snippet of my first bill's data transfer summary. I should note that I picked up the phone during my lunch break on Monday 7/21 and setup MobileMe, my phone started doing this early morning on 7/22.

35 MON 07/21/2008 12:48PM Data Transfer Data 22 KB CMB1 AT GPRR Out 0.00
36 MON 07/21/2008 12:52PM Data Transfer Data 8,998 KB CMB1 AT GPRR Out 0.00
37 MON 07/21/2008 1:37PM Data Transfer Data 13,684 KB CMB1 AT GPRR Out 0.00
38 MON 07/21/2008 2:07PM Data Transfer Data 12 KB CMB1 AT GPRR Out 0.00
39 MON 07/21/2008 3:35PM Data Transfer Data 603 KB CMB1 AT GPRR Out 0.00
40 MON 07/21/2008 4:47PM Data Transfer Data 286 KB CMB1 AT GPRR Out 0.00
41 MON 07/21/2008 4:58PM Data Transfer Data 14 KB CMB1 AT GPRR Out 0.00
42 MON 07/21/2008 5:00PM Data Transfer Data 11 KB CMB1 AT GPRR Out 0.00
43 MON 07/21/2008 5:03PM Data Transfer Data 169 KB CMB1 AT GPRR Out 0.00
44 MON 07/21/2008 5:15PM Data Transfer Data 393 KB CMB1 AT GPRR Out 0.00
45 MON 07/21/2008 7:01PM Data Transfer Data 194 KB CMB1 AT GPRR Out 0.00
46 MON 07/21/2008 9:52PM Data Transfer Data 5,530 KB CMB1 AT GPRR Out 0.00
47 TUE 07/22/2008 2:52AM Data Transfer Data 76,814 KB CMB1 AT GPRR Out 0.00
48 TUE 07/22/2008 1:21PM Data Transfer Data 35,512 KB CMB1 AT GPRR Out 0.00
49 TUE 07/22/2008 8:01PM Data Transfer Data 2,451 KB CMB1 AT GPRR Out 0.00
50 WED 07/23/2008 2:32AM Data Transfer Data 3,641 KB CMB1 AT GPRR Out 0.00
51 THU 07/24/2008 3:18AM Data Transfer Data 286 KB CMB1 AT GPRR Out 0.00
52 THU 07/24/2008 8:26AM Data Transfer Data 9,859 KB CMB1 AT GPRR Out 0.00
53 THU 07/24/2008 11:47AM Data Transfer Data 3,836 KB CMB1 AT GPRR Out 0.00
54 THU 07/24/2008 6:54PM Data Transfer Data 10,798 KB CMB1 AT GPRR Out 0.00
55 FRI 07/25/2008 12:23AM Data Transfer Data 217 KB CMB1 AT GPRR Out 0.00
56 FRI 07/25/2008 2:53AM Data Transfer Data 92,605 KB CMB1 AT GPRR Out 0.00
57 FRI 07/25/2008 7:57PM Data Transfer Data 543 KB CMB1 AT GPRR Out 0.00
58 SAT 07/26/2008 2:57AM Data Transfer Data 13,096 KB CMB1 AT GPRR Out 0.00
59 SAT 07/26/2008 1:29PM Data Transfer Data 871 KB CMB1 AT GPRR Out 0.00
60 SAT 07/26/2008 1:34PM Data Transfer Data 837 KB CMB1 AT GPRR Out 0.00
61 SAT 07/26/2008 4:36PM Data Transfer Data 31 KB CMB1 AT GPRR Out 0.00
62 SAT 07/26/2008 5:27PM Data Transfer Data 12 KB CMB1 AT GPRR Out 0.00
63 SAT 07/26/2008 5:40PM Data Transfer Data 54 KB CMB1 AT GPRR Out 0.00
64 SAT 07/26/2008 5:49PM Data Transfer Data 2,367 KB CMB1 AT GPRR Out 0.00
65 SUN 07/27/2008 2:51AM Data Transfer Data 18,762 KB CMB1 AT GPRR Out 0.00
66 SUN 07/27/2008 3:56PM Data Transfer Data 86 KB CMB1 AT GPRR Out 0.00
67 SUN 07/27/2008 5:50PM Data Transfer Data 530 KB CMB1 AT GPRR Out 0.00
68 SUN 07/27/2008 7:58PM Data Transfer Data 1,349 KB CMB1 AT GPRR Out 0.00
69 SUN 07/27/2008 11:53PM Data Transfer Data 1,515 KB CMB1 AT GPRR Out 0.00
70 MON 07/28/2008 2:53AM Data Transfer Data 85,020 KB CMB1 AT GPRR Out 0.00

you get the idea ... I should also note I'm still running 2.0.2. Not sure if that matters.
 
GPRR Billing Abuse

You need to review your phone bills. ATT is ripping people off. If you have purchased a phone like a black jack, blackberry, any type of PDA that has internet access, it will charge you a ridiculous amount of money, even when you don't use the internet. The phone supposedly goes onto the internet by itself to find new updates and it charges for data transfer. Also, multi media messaging is considered data transfer therefore it uses the internet, so it as well charges, even though multi media messaging is covered under your plan. I'm considering a class sue against AT&T. If this has happened to you please join this discussion.
 
omarl1961 said:
You need to review your phone bills. ATT is ripping people off.
Click to expand...

How is AT&T ripping him off? Data plan is unlimited. You could consume 1GB of data for a month and your data plan saves you from overage charges

If you have purchased a phone like a black jack, blackberry, any type of PDA that has internet access, it will charge you a ridiculous amount of money, even when you don't use the internet. The phone supposedly goes onto the internet by itself to find new updates and it charges for data transfer.
Click to expand...

AT&T doesn't support tethering with the iPhone 3G currently, so there is no limit.

Also, multi media messaging is considered data transfer therefore it uses the internet, so it as well charges, even though multi media messaging is covered under your plan. I'm considering a class sue against AT&T. If this has happened to you please join this discussion.
Click to expand...

Text and MMS usage have their own type of usage gauge. They do not appear mixed in data. Go ahead with your lawsuit, I doubt you'll get anywhere near a judge with this accusations....

As for the OP -

kerbero9 said:
... consumption of data snip ...
Click to expand...


Normal. My iPhone also has these data transfers. It syncs with MobileMe even at night. Remember, MobileMe is actively syncing. Also, worry not about the data transfers AT&T records. Those are safe.

Everything is normal as long as you don't get over charged for it.
 
My biggest question is how can & why is someone just dig up an 8 month-old thread like this? What are these types of people doing? I'm usually too lazy to go to page 2....
 
AT&T Abuse Data Transfers Charges

The simplest way to resolve the problem would be to put a WIX block on their accounts — that is unless you need them to have data access for something. But they do not tell you this. I belive that this is intentional.

The following message is just an example from AT&T Forum: "I have recently talked with no less than 6 AT&T support staff, and none of them could explain why my child's cell phone is incurring $70-$150 a month in internet usage that he isn't using. He has unlimited text, picture, & multimedia messaging. I was told that picture & multimedia messaging uses the internet, but that I wasn't being charged for this internet usage since we have the unlimited messaging package. I asked if there was any way to "turn off" the internet feature so it couldn't be accessed, and was told no. I asked if I could cancel the picture & multimedia messaging and keep the text messaging only (since it doesn't access the internet), and I was told no. All I get is a big, "Hmm...I'm sorry, can't help you." So what happens next month when we find an extra $300 on our bill for internet usage we're not using? No one mentioned that a WIX block was available; what is a WIX block? So I decided to take matters into my own hands; I went into the connectivity settings on my sons phone, and disabled the internet capabilities by messing up the settings. We tested it afterwards, and he was able to text message fine, but couldn't picture & multimedia message, and he definately couldn't access the internet. This is exactly what I wanted!! It appears that I solved my own issue; why wouldn't AT&T suggest this, or the WIX block? Instead they let unsuspecting parents rack up hundreds of dollars in fees. Verizon & Sprint offer "text messaging only" plans, which don't require the internet; why in the world wouldn't AT&T?" - You can read more at http://forums.wireless.att.com/cng/board/message?board.id=medianet&thread.id=9704
 
omarl1961 said:
The simplest way to resolve the problem would be to put a WIX block on their accounts — that is unless you need them to have data access for something. But they do not tell you this. I belive that this is intentional.
Click to expand...
It probably is. Corporations are out to make as much money as possible for their shareholders. If they have to do it at your expense, they don't care.
Hence, the reason corporations have to be tightly controlled like toddlers--lest they get into trouble.
 
Still did not answer the OP

The OP asked what those data transfers were that are occurring in the middle of the night. My phone does it too and I do not use MobileMe, so its not some kind of MobileMe sync that's taking place.

Doesnt anyone know what these are?
 
I also have these data charges. I would like to know what they are as well but more importantly, why aren't they going over wifi? Is the phone not on wifi when it is sleeping?
 
bstpierre said:
I also have these data charges. I would like to know what they are as well but more importantly, why aren't they going over wifi? Is the phone not on wifi when it is sleeping?
Click to expand...

Another good point, while these transfers are occurring I'm most definitely at home and the phone should be on my wifi network, not using cellular data.

I'm dying to know what these transfers are, and if there is a way to stop them. I dont like Apple and/or AT&T extracting data from my phone without my consent.
 
There's an App that's doing that?

I agree: the issue is what data is being taken from our phones and who it's going to.

My wife and I both have iPhone 3GS phones. I was checking our data today and noticed her phone does the 2:30am data upload---but mine doesn't.

She has an app addiction--I don't. My guess is that there's some app that's causing it to happen. Can we comapre lists of apps and see if there's one in common? (That might be tricky.)

Also, as some have mentioned email accounts, she has a Gmail account and I do not. I don't trust the "do no evil" people. But the mail app is standard across phones, not sure why it would be uploading on one account and not the other.
 
bstpierre said:
I also have these data charges. I would like to know what they are as well but more importantly, why aren't they going over wifi? Is the phone not on wifi when it is sleeping?
Click to expand...

The iPhone reverts to 3G or edge when it is sleeping. THe iPhone is designed to have access to the internet and this is why a data plan has always been required. THis is why we all have those data "charges" at all times of the day when you are not using WiFi like when the phone is sleeping. MobileMe uses data every few minutes to see if there is new mail even when push is enabled.
 
remcentre said:
I don't trust the "do no evil" people.
Click to expand...

Lol'd hard

And I really hope this issue doesn't occur on the iphone 4g because I'll be screwed, seeing as my dad will not allow me to "trick" at&t into grandfathering me into it.
 
Nrwrit3r said:
Lol'd hard

And I really hope this issue doesn't occur on the iphone 4g because I'll be screwed, seeing as my dad will not allow me to "trick" at&t into grandfathering me into it.
Click to expand...

The only way to stop any iPhone from using data is to put it into airplane mode or jailbreak and use SBSettings to turn data off. The new iPhone will be the same way.
 
Missing the point?

I don't think we care why it's using 3G over WiFi, it's WHY the phone is doing it in the first place? Why does my phone need to send 80MB/night @ 2:30 in the morning and other phones do not?

This is not just a simple MobileMe or Push check (I don't even have MobileMe). What data is being uploaded from my phone? What is causing it? And what is it being used for?

Right now, I'm using about 1GB data per month. 800 of this is the nightly "upload." (I have a solid Wifi connection in my house, too.) If I can get it to stop accessing the 3G at night, I can drop my bill to the new pricing schedule and save some $$$.

Has anyone contacted Apple about this? AT&T?
 
That data is normal people.

To compare... just hook up a desktop thru ethernet to the internet. Do not use it in a day. Come back after a day and see that the packets going out greatly outnumber (very large number) the packets going in... and you wonder, what the hell I didn't even use it. You can even give this a try thru your laptop wirelessly and the same result will ensure.

Don't worry its safe, it's just pings to the ISP servers and the ISP modem. Same deal with wireless devices.
 
To jav6454:

I can go along with your explanation. It makes sense. But, why doesn't this occur with ALL iPhones? If you can solve that one for me (and I can get it to stop happening on my wife's phone), I'll feel relieved enough to stop posting to this thread.

My phone apparently doesn't ping the server. By your theory, does that mean there's something wrong with my device?

Also, I thought a ping was a few bytes. Did pings grow in size over the last 20 years?
 
remcentre said:
To jav6454:

I can go along with your explanation. It makes sense. But, why doesn't this occur with ALL iPhones? If you can solve that one for me (and I can get it to stop happening on my wife's phone), I'll feel relieved enough to stop posting to this thread.

My phone apparently doesn't ping the server. By your theory, does that mean there's something wrong with my device?

Also, I thought a ping was a few bytes. Did pings grow in size over the last 20 years?
Click to expand...

No it has not grown.

Also, think of your device as a computer. Technically it is by 1995-8 (had more RAM than any computer at that time) standards, we just think of it as a phone rather than a portable computer.

So, this computer has a constant connection to the Internet thanks to AT&T and hence it will do what every computer does, ping out every once a while (this may be random how often it pings).

As for why some pings are large, well no telling, but remember, many of us here have the mail application fetching mail or what not. Our iPhone syncs with the mail server as well, so it may well be a email file transfer (even though you looked at it). We also have Safari open (although not open it is there). Our Stocks and Weather apps updating themselves. Any other apps that hook up to the Internet.

A more detailed explanation can be given by a network IT guy than me. (obviously)
 
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