AT&T new overage charges for email checking

Question

Level 1

9 points

AT&T new overage charges for email checking

I just looked at my bill. I have 4 email accounts setup on my phone. They are set to check for email every 15 minutes. Each email request uses approx 800kb of data.

Let's do the math. 15 minute intervals = 96 requests a day or 2880 requests a month. 2880 requsts a month x 800kb each = 2.3GB month.

Somebody majorly screwed up their thinking with this new 2gb max plan.

Posted on Jun 3, 2010 5:04 AM

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Answer 1

Jun 3, 2010 5:26 AM in response to Zamees

You are kidding, right?

3/4 of a meg just to check an email?

Something is seriously wrong there.

Message was edited by: stevessvt

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Answer 2

Tamara

Level 6

13,738 points

Jun 3, 2010 5:31 AM in response to Zamees

What kind of email are you receiving that uses that much data at a time?

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Answer 3

CTJon

Level 1

105 points

Jun 3, 2010 7:14 AM in response to Zamees

have you looked at a prior bill or online and seen what your data usage has actually been? For 800KB of new email on each of 4 accounts each 15 minutes you are doing very heavy emails.
From what I read existing users get to keep the unlimited if they want. It will be the next device that you will be in trouble with or have to pay for the excess

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Answer 4

Tamara

Level 6

13,738 points

Jun 3, 2010 7:23 AM in response to CTJon

CTJon wrote:
From what I read existing users get to keep the unlimited if they want. It will be the next device that you will be in trouble with or have to pay for the excess

You can keep your current data plan even if you buy a new phone. ATT is not forcing you to give up your plan.

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Answer 5

Zamees Author

Level 1

9 points

Jun 3, 2010 9:02 AM in response to Tamara

I have no idea why it's downloading so much data. Its not downloading any emails. This just seems standard.

Heres a sample from the wee hours when i doubt any emails were coming in, nor was I using the phone at all.

This is when i had my phone setup to check on 30 min intervals. At 4 am, when I was not using my phone, and probably barely any new emails were coming in.

812 THU 05/06/2010 4:24AM Data Transfer Data 1,081 KB CMB1 AT GPRR Out 0.00
813 THU 05/06/2010 4:55AM Data Transfer Data 852 KB CMB1 AT GPRR Out 0.00
814 THU 05/06/2010 5:25AM Data Transfer Data 852 KB CMB1 AT GPRR Out 0.00
815 THU 05/06/2010 5:56AM Data Transfer Data 1,088 KB CMB1 AT GPRR Out 0.00
816 THU 05/06/2010 6:18AM Data Transfer Data 852 KB CMB1 AT GPRR Out 0.00

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Answer 6

Randy Fast

Level 4

1,426 points

Jun 3, 2010 9:41 AM in response to Zamees

So don't cancel your unlimited plan. Problem solved.

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Answer 7

Tamara

Level 6

13,738 points

Jun 3, 2010 10:05 AM in response to Zamees

Are you using Exchange Server?

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Answer 8

caryrae

Level 2

159 points

Jun 3, 2010 10:49 AM in response to Zamees

Were do you get that each e-mail uses approx 800kb of data? The AT&T website shows this: http://www.att.com/standalone/data-calculator/index.html

1 email (text only)
20 KB

1 email with photo attachment
350 KB

1 email with Word, Excel or
Powerpoint attachment
300 KB

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Answer 9

Zamees Author

Level 1

9 points

Jun 3, 2010 11:56 AM in response to Tamara

No, I am not using exchange server. What else could cause my phone to download a ton of data but not download any emails? What sort of settings with my mail provider, or my iphone could I change to fix this?

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Answer 10

Tamara

Level 6

13,738 points

Jun 3, 2010 12:24 PM in response to Zamees

I would start by switching mail to manual updating and see if the data continues to run high. If it stays high like that I would turn push off in case an app is causing the data usage.

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Answer 11

Jeffy O

Level 1

10 points

Jun 3, 2010 2:54 PM in response to Zamees

I have 2 set up on mine, same 15 minute push.... Just checked cause like all of us we don't wanna get too screwed here, and I had max of 1.2G one month and an average of about .4G. Something can't be right. Even though it is checking for data does it really use it unless there is something to transfer???

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