Extreme extra data usage on 3GS with iOS5 :(

I had the same problem with my 3GS and a recent IOS5 upgrade.

I logged over 500MB in data usage (received not uploaded) in less than 36hrs of standby time. (Had to recharge my phone 4 times cause my battery life only lasted about 3+ hours in standby mode) Not using apps, downloading music or using the phone.

I discovered yesterday that when I deleted my MobileMe account (I have a me.com email address, use it for calendar, contacts and find my iPhone) that the excess usage stopped. Need to figure out what's wrong with MobileMe but it feels like a bug with the new OS.

Going to play around with it more today but so far the battery usage seems to have returned to normal.

Brian

I also have a 3GS and in the 3 days since I installed iOS5, I've used 50 - 75 MB of cellular data a day!

As a caviat, not all of that data was from whatever the bug is. I did use my phone on 3G some of the time, but nothing near 50 - 75MB. I got a warning yesterday that I was at 60% of my data usage, and today that I'm at 95%. I've never gone over before.

I deleted my iCloud account from my phone, and I'll see if I can save myself from overage, but I am pretty certain that I have already gone over since the warning messages from AT&T lag about a day behind actual usuage.

I did not have a MobileMe account; I signed up for iCloud with my AppleID.

I have the same problem 800MB in the few days since upgrading my iphone 4 to iOS 5.

Even though I am only out of wifi range for less than an hour each day i.e. driving to/from work.

I've monitored the useage and it's using 3g even when wifi is available and connected, and it is using it very excessively.

Apple need to fix this immediately because it renders the iphone useless/dangerously expensive.

I downloaded ios 5 for my iPhone 4 (not 4s) Sunday nite –last day in billing cycle for phone was Tuesday and I received the txt that Ihad used 65% of my 200mb plan…That Has NEVER Happened!

Between Wednesday and Tuesday evening I had used 5mb noteven using the data plan. I’ve been searching forums and this is a huge problem especially for people who do not check their data and then they find out they’ve gone over! I did not find anything that would fix so I started messing with the phone. I turned off ALL notifications – removed icloud (or deleted the account) but the data kept racking up! What I ultimately ended up doing (and it Seems to be a temp fix) I turn on my wifi even if there isn’t one to connect to– leave the cellular data ON…this Stopped the data from increasing!! One twis tis – if you do get to a hot spot with wifi available (such as home) TURN OFF THE CELLULAR DATA! When I arrived home yesterd ayafter discovering the fix I checked my

Data and it was going up again…so I turned OFF the cellular data and once again it stopped! I tested this with a friends iphone and he did not have to turn off the cell data when in a hot spot so I’m not sure if that varies with different models – I have the 4 and he has the 3…So give it a shot!! I hope this at least helps some people because this can be a COSTLY Problem!!

I am experiencing the exact same thing. I turned off Celluar Data and deleted my iCloud account from my phone. This stinks, now I can only get on the Internet when zi have wifi. Does anyone know if Apple is aware of this proble? It was my understanding that iCloud was only supposed to sync/work when it is using a wifi signal, not Celluar data. This is so frustrating.

I just posted this exact problem before seeing this thread. It is extremely frustrating because I am going out of town this weekend and needed to have access to the internet. It was my understanding that iCloud is ONLY supposed to sync when connected to a power source such as your computer or wall outlet. NOT from wi-fi. I had everything turned off except "documents and data", which updates your apps I figured out. It is a very costly problem so beware everyone!! Turn off cellular data, turn off EVERYTHING iCloud. I think you need to have your phone connect to wireless networks, otherwise it will connect to ATT 3G, even if you are at home with a wireless network.

Upon further investigation, you should check your location services. There are a LOAD of new system services that are on by default. Compass calibration, diagnostics and usage, location-based iAds, cell network search...it's ridiculous! I don't know if any of them are necessary, like the cell network search? But you can be sure they are sending data back and forth to your phone whether you want it, need it or not.

So irritating!!!!!!!!!!!!

How do you turn off 3G?

elko wrote:

How do you turn off 3G?

The ability to select/disable 3G has gone form the iOS sinc ios5.

Great. Thanks for the info.

I just wanted to update and say that I was able to completely stop my excessive cell data usage by removing iCloud from my phone. I ended up at 197/200 for the month. I've continued to use 3G for normal stuff when I'm on the road (email, Google Maps, etc) without any unusual data spikes.

I've been watching this and other threads about this problem. The problem seems to affect both 3GS and 4 phones. I've seen various solutions proposed, so it's not clear if it's just one issue for everyone, or if there are different causes (and thus different solutions.)

I'll add my expereinces as well. 3GS here with iOS5. I too, flew through my 200mb data plan in a week. Noticed I'm burning about 25mb a day. I have iCloud with everything turned on. I am on a wifi network only at home (~12 hours a day). I did notice that I seem to have MOST of my data usage when I'm at home on my wifi network.

For example, I reset my data usage counter last night then docked my phone and went to bed. This morning woke up with 12mb sent and 13 mb received.

Concur, that no data is used if cellular data is turned off. But that is stupid that I have to remember to turn it off when I get home (where i have wifi).

Apple needs to pay us all for our data overages this month. And fix this problem pronto.

DELETE / SIGN OFF from iCLOUD on your iPhones. Seems there is a bug in the iCloud which keeps sending and receiving data on the 3G cellular connection.

AGAIN! DELETE / SIGN OFF from iCLOUD on your iPhones and save on your 3G data and battery drain.

Unfortunately, that won't help. I need my calendars and contacts synced between my phone/computer.

I know, it's either iCloud, or turn of cellular data.

Either way something isn't on. And thus, the phone isn't working as it's supposed to.

I'm going to restore from scratch in a few days and see if that fixes it.