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cnpeyton Author

Level 1

2 points

Unknown data usage early morning

With the changes to the data plans, i decided to look at my wifes data usage on her iphone. What i have found is odd and a bit concerning. Overall her data usage is pretty much nothing, except for something that occurs every morning around 1 or 2 am. I have included data usage on the AT&T account below. As you can see, something happens around 1 or 2 am every morning, i just dont know what it is. The amount of data being transferred is REALLY high if you ask me, as high as 75336KB back on the 17th. I called AT&T support and they said it was the phone updating or mail being downloaded, basically they have no idea. I have the mail set to fetch manually already. Anyway to determine what is going on???

06/04 01:22 AM phone Internet/MEdia Net Sent 3368KB
06/03 01:45 AM phone Internet/MEdia Net Sent 18906KB
06/02 01:45 AM phone Internet/MEdia Net Sent 6878KB
06/01 01:45 AM phone Internet/MEdia Net Sent 9460KB
05/31 07:45 PM phone Internet/MEdia Net Sent 1918KB
05/31 01:27 AM phone Internet/MEdia Net Sent 7551KB
05/30 02:27 PM phone Internet/MEdia Net Sent 1224KB
05/30 01:17 AM phone Internet/MEdia Net Sent 2685KB
05/29 01:39 AM phone Internet/MEdia Net Sent 8120KB
05/28 01:39 PM phone Internet/MEdia Net Sent 5410KB
05/28 01:07 AM phone Internet/MEdia Net Sent 5068KB
05/27 10:42 AM phone Internet/MEdia Net Sent 21778KB
05/27 01:06 AM phone Internet/MEdia Net Sent 10419KB
05/26 09:26 AM phone Internet/MEdia Net Sent 20657KB
05/26 01:50 AM phone Internet/MEdia Net Sent 8467KB
05/25 02:21 PM phone Internet/MEdia Net Sent 18086KB
05/25 01:25 AM phone Internet/MEdia Net Sent 5249KB
05/24 01:25 AM phone Internet/MEdia Net Sent 1012KB
05/23 01:25 AM phone Internet/MEdia Net Sent 12978KB
05/22 01:25 AM phone Internet/MEdia Net Sent 9749KB
05/21 01:41 AM phone Internet/MEdia Net Sent 19166KB
05/20 01:17 AM phone Internet/MEdia Net Sent 23860KB
05/18 11:56 PM phone Internet/MEdia Net Sent 15440KB
05/18 01:06 AM phone Internet/MEdia Net Sent 29900KB
05/17 01:12 AM phone Internet/MEdia Net Sent 75336KB

Posted on Jun 5, 2010 4:56 AM

Top-ranking reply

choroid

Level 1

4 points

Posted on Sep 5, 2011 4:43 AM

this is from data manager application between 7am and 8am, I was at bath had breakfast and drive. look at the data downloads both from 3g and wifi. It can be some application but after 8 am ıt just stops without any intervention. Any ideas ? (iphone 4)

View in context

2,094 replies

Aug 4, 2010 9:54 AM in response to snolan

I'm still not convinced that the iPhone is switching to 3g when the screen is locked. My testing isn't showing it happens. I know people have said that it does. I know the Apple store rep told me it does. I know some folks (and I've seen it too - but only rarely) say that when you first wake the iPhone, the 3g symbol shows at the top before switching to wifi symbol.

Several days ago, I set the iPhone to download mail every hour and went to bed. Wifi was on - the phone was put to sleep. Overnight, there was only one 20k download reported on the ATT site.

I'm still confused as to when ATT assesses me for downloads.

Their site seemed to correctly charge me for about 3+MB usage yesterday when I was out of the house for about 2 hours and read email and surfed a few webpages.

None of this still answers why my usage last month was 194mb when I was sitting near wifi for 90+% of the time and in the first 11 days of my current cycle, I'm at 50mb - (and most of the 50 MB was expected - while I was away from wifi for 5 days).

ATT should show us which apps are sending/receiving this data so we can isolate what the heck is going on. I've turned off ALL notifications (which seems to be helping) and I reboot my phone most nights so no background apps might possibly be getting data.

rpg51

Level 1

0 points

Aug 4, 2010 11:09 AM in response to Paul Conigliaro

Not sure but I think GPS apps do use cell data when in background -- right?

But beyond that - I am going to do a similar experiment, turn off 3G and all cell data, turn off location services totally, turn off push and automatic fetch of e mail, and run like that for a few days and see what data usage is charged. I just spoke with an ATT rep who told me there should be NO data use if I am set up like this.

Aug 4, 2010 11:13 AM in response to rpg51

I believe she's right

but what you won't get with that setup is visual voicemail - you'll have to call to hear your messages and you won't get notified of new voice messages.

Turn off cellular data and you lose visual voicemail 😟

adala

Level 1

0 points

Aug 4, 2010 11:18 AM in response to snolan

Please, please, you sound like AT&T helpdesk.....

Can we get this clear? its NOT iphone 3G, 3GS, nor 4 or even OS 3.x or 4.x

I have two phones, iphone 3G, one with iOS4 and other with 3.2 and they all do the same thing. so drop the multitask, maps, or background tasks as a possible cause for this problem (re: Unknown data usage early morning)

They might be the cause for other LARGE transfers anytime but please keep in mind the topic of this thread.... unknown data usage EARLY morning.....

It is as confusing as it can be already, don't add to it.

Message was edited by: adala

rpg51

Level 1

0 points

Aug 4, 2010 11:38 AM in response to adala

Good point - I agree. I'll just lurk. It does seem to me though that if you are getting late night charges even if your phone is set up for no data use of any kind it might serve as one little piece of information that might help solve the puzzle.

Message was edited by: rpg51

adala

Level 1

0 points

Aug 4, 2010 11:59 AM in response to rpg51

I didn't direct the post at you, rpg51, it was someone earlier: snolan.

and yes, if you turn off celluar data, location and 3G, you DO NOT get the unknown data usage but you also don't get voicemail, mails, or any regular function. You might as well put your phone to airplane mode before you sleep. But this is an unacceptable solution!!!

I've wiped a phone clean, no thrid-party apps, and it still does it!

Message was edited by: adala

rpg51

Level 1

0 points

Aug 4, 2010 12:11 PM in response to adala

Well, has this issue been raised in this thread and might it explain the data transfers: (link to full article - http://www.tuaw.com/category/apple)

"-Apple details location information sharing

by Mike Schramm (RSS feed) on Jul 20th, 2010
Apple had to do some explaining recently -- after a House of Representatives probe into the company's privacy policy came up, the company sent a twelve-page letter to the members of Congress, going into detail on what all of the legalese in the company's privacy policy actually means. The biggest takeaway is that Apple does collect location data from your iPhone -- every 24 hours, an encrypted batch of locations for cell towers, Wi-Fi access points, and GPS coordinates are hooked up to a zip code and sent back to Apple. This is all true -- we've heard from customers who've noticed the daily batch of information sent out over their iPhone's data plan."

Message was edited by: rpg51

frechley

Level 1

0 points

Aug 4, 2010 6:44 PM in response to cnpeyton

hi everyone,

i am actually not having the same issue as everyone, but my wife is. i did click the button to agree to send apple data when i activated it. i can't get the dialog box (for data reporting) to pop back up, no matter what i try. i have gotten it to pop up for my phone, but not hers. here is what i have tried (no particular order):

1. right clicking the phone and selecting 'reset warnings,' then resync or un-plug/plug-in
2. preferences > advanced > reset all warnings
3. restore
4. resetting all settings and data from phone
5. soft reset
6. deleting all backups in itunes
7. calling apple care, only to be told by a senior tech, to try step 8
8. uninstalling and reinstalling itunes

Now to my question. Can anyone help me figure out how to reset the dialog box so i can select disagree?

i am well aware this might not solve the problem, but figure it is worth a shot. the apple tech told me that his best understanding of the issue is that att is collecting data every night, but i didn't feel confident he knew what he was saying. nor does that explain the discrepancy between the usage reported on the phone and by att.

anyhow, thanks for any help you guys can provide.

steve

Aug 5, 2010 4:55 AM in response to rpg51

Hello all.

Data continues to exit my iPhone 4 in the wee hours of the AM. No new updates from ATT or Apple which I consider open issues.

My latest experiment was to: Opt Out at Apple, Factory Restore of the iPhone via iTunes, and choose not to send diagnostic data to Apple.

A 24 hour test using factory-only Apps with my MobileMe e-mail configured still shows the 2AM data leaving my iPhone, DOUGH!!!

I did appreciate the post that identified the Apple location data. I may try disabling that in a future experiment if someone does not already have the answer.

My next step is the following.

In one of my earlier post I noted that I have an ATT Microcell at home. This is connected to my Apple Airport Extreme router and then via Comcast to the web. I'll be I can log into my router and find out where the 3G data at 2AM is headed. If anyone has a tip about how to trace the activity it would be much appreciated.

Dan in VT

smacryan

Level 1

0 points

Aug 5, 2010 5:19 AM in response to cnpeyton

Here is another interesting piece of data, I have three iphones in my family. The phones of my wife and me are experiencing this mysterious 2am transfer problem. My son's iphone is not. He is 11, and he is registered with that age at AT&T, so AT&T is not allowed to collect information on him for advertising or other reasons.

When I registered his phone with Apple, I also told them his age. His iphone, though, uses my Apple ID. I have no idea which age record takes precedent - iphone registration or Apple ID, so it's possible that Apple considers his iphone off-limits too.

Net: His iphone has no mysterious 2am uploads and the only difference in his config over mine or my wife's is his age.

Message was edited by: smacryan

rpg51

Level 1

0 points

Aug 5, 2010 9:04 AM in response to smacryan

My mind keeps wandering to the question of whether ATT might be digging a very big hole for itself here if it turns out that it is charging people for data usage that it initiates without their consent.

Aug 6, 2010 12:26 AM in response to rpg51

You know, I think the plain and simple fact that both AT&T and Apple have neglected to comment on or even acknowledge the existence of this issue is enough to imply that they know something they don't want us to know. If they're using the data that customers pay for for their own benefit, and without our permission, that's solid grounds for a law suit. Would not be surprised if we saw one pop up rather quickly.

Aug 6, 2010 4:51 AM in response to Stephend7

Boy, lesson learned... navigation is a killer on 3g

yesterday, I had to go pick up a daughter from a location I'm not that familiar with and got stuck by a passing train. Used the default maps app to find my way around the train to get to my daughter still a few minutes late.

here's the hit:

DATE TIME TO/FROM TYPE DIRECTION MSG/KB/MIN
08/05 02:09 PM phone Internet/MEdia Net Sent 12357KB

12.35 MB of data in about 10 minutes of travel! Yikes

I'm not using any other features while away from my wifi - nothing, no email (unless I have a while to sit) etc.

I really didn't think I'd have to manage my phone so carefully when switching to the 200mb plan. Almost makes me wish I'd never cancelled the unlimited.

knania

Level 1

0 points

Aug 6, 2010 5:37 AM in response to rpg51

So I've had the same issues discussed in this thread: mysterious huge overnight transfers, huge data usage during the day even when in wifi, general data usage off the charts. I am very upset that I switched to att because it feels like bait and switch - they said this plan would be right for me and it's completely wrong. Well, I got rid of my phone and switched to blackberry since I was still within the 30 days. The results?

In the first 15 days, my data was outrageous even though I barely used the phone and had no push/apps: 191 MB.
The next 7 days with blackberry? .63MB !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I have used the phone consistently over the 22 days, so:

It may be the case that certain phones (iphone, pixi, other models stated previously) use a huge amount of data. For many, this will be worth it. But to say that most users find that 200MB of data is sufficient - well that's the bait and switch. If I was told up front that my phone was a data suck, I would have made my decision accordingly.

Another note: I still have late night data transfers. But now? 4-12kb. I'm fine with that! It's not suspicious, and some of the previous suggestions for what it could be now make sense.

Thoughts?

rpg51

Level 1

0 points

Aug 6, 2010 7:28 AM in response to knania

This might be a bit off topic - but in response - I use an iPhone 3gs. I use it a fair amount. I pull down my e mail perhaps 5 times a day. I get and send maybe 2-3 texts a day. I occasionally use maps or a gps program. Maybe 2-3 times a week. I check accounts and pay bills - maybe twice a week. I use it as a phone and part of the time I use a SIP application to make calls - but mostly only when on wifi. I have wifi at home and the office. I basically pay little attention to my personal habits as far as data use. I just use the phone whenever I feel the need which is a fair amount. I use less than 100mb a month typically. Never come close to 200mb - at least since I learned to turn off gps apps and maps when I am done.

It is hard for me to relate to the kind of data use some report. Perhaps if I did not have wifi at home and work it would be different??? Or maybe something odd is going on with some folks and they are being charge for an inordinate amount of data use. But the bottom line really is not how much data you use - its how much does it cost. For me the $15 data plan is way more than I need. How much does your data plan cost?

Unknown data usage early morning