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User profile for user: AreDeeEss
AreDeeEss Author
User level: Level 1
39 points

Personal hotspot usage stats incorrect (please hear me out)

Hi, after searching for my issue but pretty much only finding folks complaining of getting over-charged for data they SWEAR they didn't use, I figured I'd ask here.


My issue is that in the past 3 days (when I reset my current period) my iphone has steadily increased the overall cellular data usage stat in settings, specifically showing over 14 GB of hotspot usage by "Other Devices." To provide some context, my average monthly data usage is usually around 10-15 GB. Additionally, in these 3 days, I have only knowingly used my hotspot once for about 2 hours while I did some work from the car and then watched prob 30-45 min of YouTube videos on my laptop. I would have guessed I'd used around 1 GB or less during that time.


Here's the fun part. My mobile carrier agrees with me, and their stats show me using a total of 1.45 GB of data in these same 3 days, with a little under 1 GB in hotspot usage. I figure if anyone is going to be sure to tally every last MB I use, it's going to be my carrier. So what gives? Any ideas on what could be causing my iphone itself to think I'm using nearly 14 times my actual data usage just on hotspot?


Thanks!

iPhone 13 Pro

Posted on Nov 14, 2023 3:01 PM

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User profile for user: DJPresentation
DJPresentation
User level: Level 1
18 points

Posted on Dec 2, 2023 6:15 AM

I have the same issue. It’s been driving me insane. I was trying to use the statistics feature to get an idea of how much data I am using. I was blown away by how much hot spot data I was using. I immediately called my carrier and confirmed that I did not use anywhere near the amount the iPhone is reporting. This is a bug. Apple PLEASE FIX IT!!

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User profile for user: DJPresentation
DJPresentation
User level: Level 1
18 points

Dec 2, 2023 6:15 AM in response to hajek.jonas

I have the same issue. It’s been driving me insane. I was trying to use the statistics feature to get an idea of how much data I am using. I was blown away by how much hot spot data I was using. I immediately called my carrier and confirmed that I did not use anywhere near the amount the iPhone is reporting. This is a bug. Apple PLEASE FIX IT!!

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User profile for user: AreDeeEss
AreDeeEss Author
User level: Level 1
39 points

Dec 3, 2023 6:53 PM in response to karmstg

I've done a bit of testing since I first reported this issue as well. Here's the pattern I'm seeing:


  • I do actually tether my iPhone cellular connection to use with my wifi only iPad
  • As soon as I start a hotspot connection for my iPad, the data seems to just start counting up steadily, regarless of how much data my iPad is actually using on hotspot
  • Even after disconnecting my iPad, the data counter on my iPhone just continues to count up fairly steadily, at the rate of around 2GB per hour (despite no cellular data actually being used)
  • This behavior continues even when my iPhone is connected to wifi, or even if it's in airplane mode
  • Restarting my iPhone stops the crazy behavior...that is until I actually use my iPhone hotspot to connect my iPad again, at which point the same behavior starts up again
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User profile for user: karmstg
karmstg
User level: Level 1
11 points

Dec 3, 2023 7:25 AM in response to AreDeeEss

Can confirm this appears to be a bug. I'm at the cottage, where my only internet comes from tethering to my phone, so I monitor my usage via the stats screen. It's currently showing I've used 40+ GB on the personal hotspot when my carrier app shows I've used 5GB total data. So now I need to monitor via the carrier app instead, which is less useful and less convenient. Definitely not an issue with the carrier app's reporting--from experience, I know the 5GB usage is correct for what I've been doing.

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User profile for user: AreDeeEss
AreDeeEss Author
User level: Level 1
39 points

Nov 14, 2023 3:33 PM in response to sberman

Yes, that's the point I was trying to clarify. I'm NOT the usual person complaining about getting over-charged. I'm just curious to know why my device seems to think I've used 14 GB of data in personal hotspot usage, when my actual total data usage is only about 1.5 GB. Am I crazy to hope that my iphone could actually confirm my real data usage?

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User profile for user: sogoethIOS_f
sogoethIOS_f
User level: Level 1
8 points

Jan 29, 2024 3:32 AM in response to AreDeeEss

Definitely an iOS 17 and iPadOS 17 BUG. On tethering, my notebook device name shows correct data usage (about 200MB+ for 20m zoom session) but “Other devices” shows 15GB. Happens every time i do a hotspot with either my iPhone 15 Pro or iPad Mini 6. whatever other solutions suggested here do NOT work. A bug is a bug. Something always seems to break with every .x iOS iteration.

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User profile for user: AreDeeEss
AreDeeEss Author
User level: Level 1
39 points

Nov 14, 2023 6:19 PM in response to AreDeeEss

Ok, this is crazy. Since writing this post all of about 3 hours ago, I've been sitting at home, on wifi, the whole time. When I originally posted, my phone reported a little over 14 GB of hotspot usage. Now, three hours later, it's showing a little over 17 GB of hotspot usage. Again, during this 3 hour window I have been at home, on wifi, with my hotspot turned off.

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Personal hotspot usage stats incorrect (please hear me out)

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