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Data Usage Error- iPhone reports using 4GB sent & 4.1GB received??

My iphone 4 reports having Sent 4GB and received 4.1GB of data. There's no possible way I could've used that much data, especially sending that much. I hardly use 3G and I remain on WiFi where it's available. I also reset my usage statistics at the start of billing cycle so it's not accumulated. I contacted AT&T knowing that that amount of data would cost a fortune seeing that I'm only on the 200 mb plan. I figured it had to be an error of some sort because I never received an alert for reaching the half or full data limit. AT&T replied that I have only used 75 mb. What a relief! I remained on the phone for another 40 minutes trying to find out why I got an error. However, they weren't able to help me.

To avoid being stuck on the phone for another 40 minutes, I went to the Genius Bar. The "Genius" there had no idea why the phone reported that amount. He claimed that the amount was accumulated, I replied that there's no way I could've used that amount of data since July and I have reset the counter on 10/4/10. My send data is always 1/10th of what I receive. He claimed that the data counter includes Wifi usage. I stressed that the counter says that it is "Cellular Network Data" again and again seeing if he might correct himself. His final solution was to just restore the phone.

I went home, reset the usage counter, connected to wifi, downloaded and an app, and voila! the data usage says 0 bytes received proving that my wifi has not been running up the counter. Apparently Apple needs restaff that store.

I've discovered a few ways to accurately check my data through AT&T:

1) Get AT&T's myWireless app (which I am unable to access because I am not the AT&T account holder.)

2)*3282# receives an alert on data usage.

3) simply call AT&T

Here's my question: How could the counter come up with that outrageous of a number? I wouldn't want it to someday send that data amount to AT&T and bill me for it.

iPhone 4, iOS 4

Posted on Oct 20, 2010 4:06 PM

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70 replies

Apr 3, 2011 11:15 AM in response to Detortugo

I had a similar scare. The iPhone counter said I sent 8.0 GB and received 8.1 GB of data!! I almost had a heart attack (I only have 500 MB).

I started thinking logically about how often I am in wifi zones and have never gone anywhere near that limit in the past.

My last bill was ~$188 (Normal) and it is 2 weeks into my new billing period when I discovered this error.

I called my carrier and they said I have only used 4.2 MB!! what a relief!!

Apr 28, 2011 3:36 PM in response to Detortugo

Well, this is a relief. I recently upgraded to enable the personal hotspot feature, so I've been watching my data usage very carefully. This includes resetting my usage statistics every month. I was getting ready to download a somewhat large file so I wanted to make sure it wouldn't screw me over if I wanted to use more data later.


Sent and received were listed as 8.1 gb and 8.5 gb respectively, far above the 100 mb and 400 mb they were at when I checked them two nights ago.


I freak out, check AT&T's website, and they show my usage as about 700 mb for the month. Of course, in the disclaimer it says their information may be a day or two behind what has actually been used.


So I do the math. Based on my 3G upload speed, it would take 2.5 days of straight uploading to get to 8 gb. Add in the fact I'm not even covered by 3G half of the time, it would be impossible for me to have send that much data in such a short amount of time.


Definitely a bug, and it should be fixed. I like to have something I can instantly keep track of my usage with, something I can't do through my carrier. Plus it freaked me out.

Jun 18, 2011 5:47 PM in response to Detortugo

THIS ARTICLE HELPED ME SO MUCH!!!! I had turned off my 3G because I had gone over a little on data. I turned on 3G(still on wifi) to recive a Multimedia Message. I then picked my iphone up (after about 45 minutes of not touching it). I saw that it had said I had sent 8GB and Recived 8.1 GB.Thinking it was because I left my 3G on, I started to panic knowing I would probably be KILLED if my parents saw this. While I doubt I could use that much usage after letting the phone sleep(go back to 3G) for 45 minutes I couldn't have used that much data. I'm stil wating for my verizon to show my data usage to confirm. If it helps, I had FML,Messages, Phone, and Droppie AD open. Push Notifications are on for Facebook and Words with Friends. Email is set for manual fetch as I only need to check it maybe once or twice a week.

Jun 27, 2011 6:52 AM in response to Detortugo

God!!! i had the same problem here in Greece,yesterday night i checked my data and i saw sent :4gb received :4gb! I only have 100mb of free internet!I was sure that i had never activated my cellurar data in the previous days! I could sleep all night trying to see what was wrong!!But thanks God i saw this conversation!!!


Apple should be more careful please!i got totally scared!

Jun 30, 2011 8:06 PM in response to Detortugo

I also saw this post and it put me at ease!!! Trust me I was ready to call my mobile company and demand they explain how in the world I used 4GB of data in ONE DAY! I had just cleared the statistics this morning and by the evening I was apparently 8x over my monthly limit. Just made no sense... I'll be sure to still check my unbilled usage summary on my mobile account, but I trust I'm just experiencing the same bug as everyone here.


PHEW! Thank you for this post 🙂

Aug 3, 2011 9:21 AM in response to Detortugo

Hi - just to add my detail to this very helpful thread.


ipad 1st gen

OS 4.3.5

Network Vodafone UK


Sudden appearance in 1 day in the General-Usage of both Sent and Received usage of 4GB (total 8GB)


also have had issues since this update such as device showing No Service and requiring a restart to get network connection and also showing No Service when Cellular Data set to off! - something which had never happened in the previous 12 months!


As i work as a tech consultant for a national service provider explaining 8GB in one day would have been embarrassing to say the least ( I would likely have said I was demonstrating user excesses!!).


I can confirm my data records for the day concerned (I reset Usage each day) via the sim use do not reflect this and show a true figure of 14 mb which is about my daily average.


Always speak to your carrier to confirm use - this applies also to apps which give an indication of 3G use but I have found some apps very far of the true figures - the one active during this day showed use of only 8 Mb total.

Oct 3, 2011 2:11 AM in response to Detortugo

This has just happened to me. Checked my data usage and almost had a heart attack. 4.1Gb sent and 4.6gb received - both about 4gb more than I had expected. I'm on Vodafone in UK and this amount of extra data would cost me £5,040 ($8,000)!


God I hope this is a bug, Vodafone can't confirm that I haven't used this data until tomorrow.


If this is a bug, it needs URGENTLY fixing before someone actually does have a heart attack!


My OS version is 4.3.5 (8L1).

Data Usage Error- iPhone reports using 4GB sent & 4.1GB received??

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