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

2,094 replies

Apr 9, 2011 4:52 AM in response to michaelc

michaelc wrote:
- Reeder app is still on in the multitask/fast app switching task bar when the phone goes to sleep
- Reeder continues to cache or caches again later -- but this time via 3g. I'm guessing that the app isn't smart enough to say "I was on wifi before, but now I'm on 3g, and I should stop"

Great analysis! However, one minor point. The app does not decide whether to use 3G or WiFi. The app just tells the OS to "open a connection". The OS decides whether to use 3G or WiFi. If the phone is actively being used and WiFi is available the OS will use it for the connection. However, when the phone or iPad goes to sleep WiFi is turned off to conserve battery WiFi uses less power than 3G while actively exchanging data, but much more when it is idle as it must continuously maintain a connection to the router. 3G listens when the phone is on standby, and only every few minutes sends a brief message to the network saying "this is where I am".

You can force WiFi to stay on by turning Cellular Data off and leaving the device plugged in.

chcn

Level 1

81 points

Apr 9, 2011 8:56 AM in response to ed2020

ed2020 wrote:

iinami wrote:
"Eight days after doing this, there are no more large mystery data chunks. Sure, there are still a few 50- 500kb sessions, but no big ones."

that is okay with you? 500kb? i think that was what many people were complaining about to begin with.

People complaining about 500KB transfers they don't understand need to get a life. It's a tiny quantity of data.

I basically agree, though perhaps not with the exact size limits of what's reasonable; 500KB in one shot seems a bit big for the background noise that's normal (unless you receive push email, in which case it would be normal), but if that's actually a consolidated figure over a few hours, then perhaps not unreasonable. If I'm looking at the detailed (10-minute resolution) report in Dataman for an overnight period, for example, I generally see small transfers between 1KB and 15KB here and there (usually closer to 1KB). Over the course of a night they might add up to 100KB-200KB or so. (But each person's experience will vary according to their configuration and how many notifications they receive, etc.)

But generally, yes, small transfers throughout the day and night are to be expected. They are a result of things like push notifications, push email (including the Mobile Me Find my iPhone feature), and several other such things. The only way to get a smartphone to stop talking to the world entirely would be to turn off its network access completely (cellular data off or airplane mode). These little transfers just don't add up to much even for someone on a small plan.

The problem is unexplained transfers in the MBs, not a few KB here and there.

chcn

Level 1

81 points

Apr 9, 2011 9:10 AM in response to Lawrence Finch

Lawrence Finch wrote:
Great analysis! However, one minor point. The app does not decide whether to use 3G or WiFi.

No, but I've used some apps that decide whether to download data based on whether your current connection is 3G or Wi-Fi. In these apps you specify whether to download information when on a 3G connection. Those apps query what kind of connection is present and don't download if the answer is 3G. There are a few such examples on my phone, but one I can point to quickly is the Economist iPhone app (the iPad version is different), which has among its settings "3G auto-download (On/Off)" and "Wi-Fi auto-download (On/Off)". I leave them both On, because it is well-behaved enough not to do anything unless it is the active app.

So, it's possible, as michaelc posited, that such apps don't always detect a change in connection type.

I'll add that I did more testing with the CNN iPad app and I've concluded that if it's just in the background (down on the taskbar but not the foreground process) it behaves itself. It's just if you leave that app on the screen and put the iPad to sleep that it keeps updating itself, and over 3G at that. Odd little design choice (mistake?), but the fix is easy enough for that one. Press home before going to sleep. I've always been in the habit of doing that anyway, now I know there is method to my OCD madness. (All the same, I think I will also report a problem to CNN on this in case this behaviour was not their intention.)

Apr 9, 2011 9:16 AM in response to None2011

My partner has had his iPhone 4 for 6 months and had no problem until his last bill. This billing cycle is only 8 days old and he's already over his limit.
This can't just be an AT&T issue - we're in Australia, and the phone is with Telstra.

Apr 12, 2011 9:53 AM in response to chcn

I am on 200mb per month, last night I got a text from ATT that I went over my limits and they add 15$ for an additional 200mb.
I checked my recent activity online and it shows

04/10 09:30 PM phone Internet/MEdia Net Sent 210622KB

I talked to one of the REp this morning, I told her I had my phone since last June and I never reach 100mb.
She told that if I let my phone under 50% battery life it switches to 3G . I was like WFT lady you know what you talking about.
I had to switch to 2Gig plan for now. I love apply products but ATT really *****

Apr 13, 2011 12:32 PM in response to cnpeyton

Somehow, my phone used 915 MB for one item at around midnight when the phone was off. AT&T says it's all my fault, though I changed nothing in how I shut down the phone. Unless I turn off the cellular data button every time the phone is not in use, I'll never know if this would happen again. Kind of puts a crimp in the convenience factor. I'm really upset with the phone and with AT&T.

Apr 13, 2011 1:15 PM in response to RM Gitzlaff

It did not download 915 MB at midnight. If you read this thread (which is a ridiculous thing to waste time doing) what you will learn is that your phone exchanged 913 MB of data in the previous day (or more) which was reported on your bill at the time it was summarized and posted. Unless it didn't and AT&T's billing system messed up. The way to tell is by tracking the usage recorded by your phone (settings/general/usage). If the reported usage is substantially different from what was billed you can discuss it with AT&T, and if you don't get satisfaction file a complaint with the FCC on their web site (fcc.gov).

However, if the two agree you have an app that is using a LOT of data, and you'd better find out which one it is. Turning off cellular data at night is not a solution if you are truly using that amount of data, because you will simply use it whenever you turn data back on.

Apr 21, 2011 6:39 PM in response to cnpeyton

I can't help but wonder if this data may be downloaded without users knowledge, and if so if it has anything to do with the concerns in this thread.

"Privacy fears raised as researchers reveal file on iPhone that stores location coordinates and timestamps of owner's movements"

http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2011/apr/20/iphone-tracking-prompts-privacy -fears

http://petewarden.github.com/iPhoneTracker/

deddinty

Level 1

21 points

Apr 25, 2011 7:43 PM in response to cnpeyton

I've heard about people having this problem in passing, but I've just encountered it for the first time. My Dad's iPhone 4 apparently sent 199813KB last Saturday just after midnight. This is absolutely impossible. He averages about 20MB in a month.

I don't even know how someone who doesn't watch any videos, download music, has maybe 20 apps total can use 200MB of data in one day. I cannot even fathom what could have been sent. He called ATT and they agreed to drop the overage charge this month, but then treated him to a lecture about using his phone to do all the things I mentioned above, and how that will make him go over his usage.

They've dropped the charge, but this is somehow wrong. Whether it's a phone problem, an ATT problem, I don't know, but there's something really weird going on here.

jeffwaa

Level 1

0 points

Apr 26, 2011 1:59 PM in response to cnpeyton

My wife's iphone has the same problem. Note that all of those charges are for data sent to a server, not downloaded from a server. That means that all discussions of downloading movies etc. are irrelevant. I asked AT&T tech support if they knew of any applications that upload data without the user knowing it and they had no answer - hard to believe considering how many contributors there are to this post. They tried to pass it off as location information but GPS data is less than 1k.

I would expect any application that automatically sends data to send it at regular intervals and roughly the same amount of data, so it is a mystery as to why the timing and quantity of data are so irregular. I'll call the billing department rather than customer service next time.

Apr 28, 2011 8:06 AM in response to jdbartram

I realy do hope that this update solves the late night data issues that some have reported.

However I think that this has been narrowed down to carrier accumulation of data usage between restarts,although I havent seen any definitive proof.

It may in fact be both.

If you are jailbroke,there is already 3rd party apps to disable it..or you can ssh into your phone to delete the daemon,

I dont know which one but I'm sure the answer is available with a search.

I for one could realy care less if apple wants my location..as long as I.m not paying for it through data charges.

For instance,right now I'm in my bedroom at the home of my ip address..the whole web knows this (if they want).

Also your carrier always has this information.

The internet in general tracks everyone for the purpose of gathering info to send you ads that pertain to you.

If everyone fights this or opts out..suddenly all the sites your used to visiting for free will become pay sites.

Maybe that would be better..giving your credit card info to every web site you visit.

If we DO have to pay data charges for transfering this info then I'm against it.

Otherwise (for me) it holds about as much interest as what Donald Trump has to say about anything.

Just my opinion

jlabonte

Level 1

0 points

Apr 28, 2011 7:22 PM in response to cnpeyton

Hi I am new here and not even an Apple user, but my wife is. I, too jus noticed these odd data transfers at odd hours. The largest was 49MB at 2:30am. She has a 2GB AT&T plan, and I was plkanning to bump her down to 200MB, and was astonished when I saw the graph showing her data jumping from 92mb to 380mb from Dec to Feb. She got her Iphone in October 2010, and this data jump did not happen until this Feb.

I looked at my own account, and I use a Blackberry 9300. I have the same odd data transfers being sent to blackberry.net in the middle of the night, though nowhere near as much data as my wife's IPhone. I also have individual browing sessions logged throughout the day, so it does not appear to be a consolidation of data....

I found this at 10:03pm tonight, and of course ATT closes its call centers at 10pm. This whole thing seems off.

May 5, 2011 5:30 AM in response to ed2020

IF YOU LIVE THE APP RUNNING THEY ARE SUCKING DATA TO CLOSED COMPLETED DOUBLE KICK THE BOTTOM BUTTON SHOWING THE APPS THEY ARE OPEN TO CLOSE THEM COMPLETED PERESSONE UNTIL THE DELETE SIGN APPEREAS THE TAP ON THE SIGN YOU WON'T HAVE ANY MORE DATA DOWNLOADED FROM THIS APPS OR GO TO SETTING -NETWORK TURN THE DATA OFF.

michaelc

Level 2

169 points

May 14, 2011 5:23 AM in response to cnpeyton

I believe I have settled on the workaround that eliminates the mystery data transfers on my wife's 3GS. As the all-caps, spelling-challenged reply above states, turn off all apps from the multi-task drawer before going to sleep. I still suspect the culprit is Reeder, but it could be something else.

My wife did well for awhile, turning off some/most apps. Then she decided she didn't want to turn everything off and decided to turn the phone off before bed. All this did was change the data transfers time from 11pm to 6am when she would wake up and turn on her phone, check email, and then set it back down to get 30 min more sleep.

After getting another data warning and reviewing the logs, I asked my wife to turn off ALL apps and leaving her phone on. Voila! All is back to normal. This is consistent with my original posting in this thread. I'm satisfied. Good luck to everyone. Turn off your apps!

Sk8Dreams

Level 3

916 points

May 18, 2011 10:02 PM in response to tony from woodbridge

I also do no streaming. I only check email, facebook, weather, and occasionally google maps. I have never used over 130MB of my 200/mo allotment until this month. Looking at my detailed data usage online, I also have huge, unexplained sends and absolutely no receives. Mine occur at all times of day and night. ATT agreed not to charge me the extra this month, but warned me not to use more data. I'm on wifi 99% of the time. I installed DataMan free last night, and discovered that any time my phone sleeps, it begins sending data. I understand that when it sleeps, it shuts off wifi (unless charging,) but there is still no explanation of why this problem only started happening this month. Even when camping last summer, with no wifi for 17 days, and frequent internet browsing, I didn't go beyond 130 MB. The only new thing I've done is to install MyATT (like a fool, I fell for their come-on in an email,) which I have since learned always uses cellular, even when you're on wifi. I deleted that, and still have small outbound data whenever I'm "not looking." For example, I turned off cellular service, but to test, turned it on while typing this response. Phone slept, woke it and took a look: cellular data jumped up from .3 KB to 6.3 KB. Have now turned cellular off again. ATT tech is to call me back on Friday to go over results. I actually wonder if ATT is doing this deliberately. The two lines on my plan that have no data plan would always get a $2 charge for 1KB of data, and I fought it and won every month. Maybe they think this is easier.

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Unknown data usage early morning