Cellular usage on iPhone 15 is massively incorrect

Question

Level 2

155 points

Cellular usage on iPhone 15 is massively incorrect

Looking through the settings on my new phone the other day I was shocked to see the cellular data usage values - especially by apps. My new period just started less than a week ago, and for most of the things shown using cellular data I haven't even used those apps on my phone - let alone with cellular. For example, Hulu, Prime Video, and Personal Hotspot haven't even been opened or activated on my phone in the last month or more, yet it shows GBs of data usage on each of them. Also, how can there be 6GB of data used on "uninstalled apps??" I also haven't used any cellular data on the App Store because I RARELY use it, don't update apps unless they require it, and have auto-updating turned off. Anyway, it doesn't really matter to me since I have unlimited data, but I find it somewhat odd and a little concerning that so much data is shown being used on cellular, especially by apps I hardly even even open on my phone, and certainly haven't during the current billing period. And no, no one else has access to my phone.

See the screenshot (only the top portion..not scrolled down) for examples.

Any info about this phenomenon would be appreciated.

thanks

iPhone SE, iOS 13

Posted on Nov 21, 2023 7:28 PM

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Answer 1

Best reply

Staceyskarma

Level 1

33 points

Dec 29, 2023 6:08 PM in response to Dogcow-Moof

I’ve had my iPhone 15 for 10 days and it says I’ve used 31 gigs of data.

last month on my older phone, through the entire month I used 21gigs.

i don’t have unlimited data without slowed service speeds.

i don’t understand this. I completely agree with the comment above. There are apps here I haven’t opened since I got the phone 10 days ago and there is data used. What is this nonsense.

Please help, anyone with advice??

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Answer 2

Dogcow-Moof

Level 8

36,345 points

Nov 21, 2023 8:39 PM in response to ericole

Some cellular carriers do reset the statistics per billing period; others do not and the period is then since you last reset your cellular statistics manually.

If you go to Settings -> Cellular and scroll all the way to the bottom of the page, you will see the option to Reset Statistics and the last time the statistics were, in fact, reset.

On my phone with AT&T they reflect my usage since February 5, 2020.

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Answer 3

ericole Author

Level 2

155 points

Nov 21, 2023 8:22 PM in response to Lyssa

Interesting...then what does "Current Period" at the top of the section refer to then? Actually, I'm not sure I've used Hule or Prime Video at all since I've had the phone since I've had it less than a month and haven't been anywhere away from home/local area. That's the only time I would use those apps.

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Answer 4

Lyssa

Level 8

41,357 points

Nov 21, 2023 8:39 PM in response to ericole

"Current period" references today back to whenever you last reset the statistics. If you scroll to the bottom of that section, you should see when they were last reset. Mine shows "Last reset: Jun 6, 2023"

If you restored this phone from a backup of a previous phone, the statistics carry over.

~Lyssa

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Answer 5

Lyssa

Level 8

41,357 points

Nov 22, 2023 9:08 AM in response to ericole

I had no idea some carriers DO reset those numbers. I've had AT&T and Mint Mobile, and neither of them resets this section. I can check my data in their app/website, and I don't rely on my phone.

Glad you got answers!

~Lyssa

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Answer 6

ChrisJ4203

Level 10

230,455 points

Nov 22, 2023 9:12 AM in response to ericole

That is what it is for, if the user decides they wish to double-check against their carrier. If you wish to do that, reset your settings the day that your billing period closes with the carrier. Most carriers have apps provided as well that will provide you with those statistics from your billing cycle.

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