Unexplained 02 Data Allowance Drain at Midnight

Not as far as I can see. I had a chat with an 02 online adviser this week and he said that the fault was with the iPhone settings. He couldn't actually pinpoint the settings. He was very aware of the problem and could offer no explanation why this problem seems to be reported only by 02 customers.

I'm personally banking on closing down apps everytime I use them, as that's the only reason I can see for the midnight drain. If an app is open in the background it's quite likely to be updating or doing something, but it does not explain why the drain goes from the non wi-fi allowance when the phone is supposed to be happily attached to the wi-fi network.

Oh well, I suppose we can only watch this space to see if somebody somewhere will come up with a proper explanation and solution to this really annoying problem.

I've had no joy, and I think I have pressed O2 as far as I can. They tell me various tales when I contact their support people, all variants on these two quoted paras from their replies:

"The iPhone has the facility to keep updating your received emails and

other data. This also generates data usage and charges. Some data

applications and data functions including email dates will still work in

the background even if the iPhone is switched on but not in direct

physical use by you and this data usage would appear as it is working on

the device without any warning.

The device could be using data that you don't necessarily know is being

used ? for example, embedded ?rich content? in emails can generate

significant volumes of data both ways. The email application is a likely

source of most of that data usage."

According to O2, this is, therefore, the sort of usage that can use up 20% of my 500mb usage between midnight and 3am one morning. Excuse me if I don't find that awfully credible, especially when I asked what remedy there might be and was promptly told "You could always take out a contract for a larger data allowance".

I have asked O2 to tell me where the usage is going, but unsurprisingly, they say they cannot do this.

The facts seem to be that this is a problem that has appeared suddenly, only affects O2 customers in the UK and appears to have identical symptoms each time. My money is firmly on it being a scam by O2 to get cutomers in a certain usage bracket (eg those managing to live within, say 3/4ths of their contracted data amount each month) to upgrade their contract.

I have now resorted to switching off my 3G and mobile data,

when I am at home on WiFi, therefore there cannot be any data usage

at 00:00hrs

This seemed to hv worked.

But I'm still not happy about it and will never pay Bolt on for Data

But as you will see from the quote from O2 I included in my last post, they won't even agree that this will stop data usage. Basically, it seems to be anarchy. They can, in effect, dream up a figure and say you used it. They can't justify it or detail it, and you can't get any information or, even, it seems, switch off your phone and stop it happening.

I will be monitoring this over the next few weeks, when I will be out of the country most of the time, with roaming switched off. I have said to O2 that I will consider a case to OFCOM, and I am serious about that. They cannot be allowed to run a servicve in such an apparently arbitrary and unaccountable way.

I am going to try Watchdog on BBC, I have the evidence in my bills

I hope to find a lot more people that this is affecting and then

take it from there.

Only if my ISP is switching my broadband off at 00:00hrs

considering my ISP is O2

I have had the same problem - have apparently managed to use 250mb in a day... On top of my 500mb. Have only made a couple of calls today, deliberately not downloading anything. Just changed to iPhone 4, for two years have not had a problem with data with my iPhone 3. BUT I am with Vodafone! So not just an O2 problem!

Completely agree - had the exact same problems - O2's customer service is completely crap.

Since last week, every midnight approx 200MB has been disappearing from my allowance. According to O2 I have used nearly 1GB of 3G data.

I do not use 3G at home or work - only wifi - do not watch youtube or anything else like that. I only use my allowance for email and very occasional internet use. After nearly 3 years of being with O2 I never exceeded 200-300Mb per month, but now I am allegedly using a month's worth data every midnight. Phoned O2 six times so far. A couple of people were understanding and kinda helpful, but the rest of them were completely clueless and condescending. One O2 guy suggested I should put a lock on my phone, in case someone was using my phone while I was fast asleep in the dead of night!!!

I hope you are reading this, O2 - I wont pay a penny more on top of my bill for this data disappearing fiasco. I'll change my network as soon as I can !

Well I to have had the same issue, I had an Iphone 3G for 2 years on unlited contract with O2. I was mindfull when I got a 500mb limit on my new Iphone 4 contract in April 2011 so I checked my phone usage stats for the 2 years and divided it by 24 months. This gave me 175mb a month. So 500MG is fine

Wrong

Since Aug 8th I got a message saying 80% data used, I put it doen to a sat nav app I had used the week before as I was only 2 days away from my bill date I ignored it. Then on Monday 5th Sept I got the dreded 80% usage text followed by the you have reached your limit this afternoon only 24hrs later. I have checked a few things and I can say one thing I do occasionally watch You tube vids so I watched one after re-setting the usage on the phone to zero. A 30s vid used 3mb, then a 2 min BBC news App Vid used 3.3mb. Then I tried and embedded You tube video off a website (screen res of video when I watch it on PS3 say 256 in corner on you tube screen)

So this little gem for 2 mins used 50MB How I do not know and I can not see how it can be such as vast difference between a video maybe on being 3mb and another being 10mb but a jump to 50mb is mad.10% of usage gone. If I had watched the full vid I would of used the whole 500mb. I asked an O2 guy about this and said its like boiling a kettle for 1 cup of tea and one day it costing 20P and the next day it may cost £20 how is a user supposed to gauge all this in the real world when using the phone. I am Tech savy so god knows what non tech people would do. As a user I can not see how OFCOM would be happy with this VAST difference and how a customer could gauge and decide how to use their phone.

After reading this I am very worried what it could be. What annoys me the most is I LOVE my iphone and used it for a full 26 months between the two of them and loved them with no data issue now I have a iphone that is all sining all dancing but can not be used due to reaching data limits in a nano second.

Hey maybe we just love our iPhone's that we use them to much! Nearly every app uses your internet connection.

Or it could be Apple sending your data to iCloud at midnight when you least expect it!

I think the 500mb is not enough and should be changed to 1GB, thats the lowest I would get but few networks do it? 3 or talktalk? If people leave there phone on at night you could try turning data off?

Good luck whichever network your on, prob not o2 soon lol :-)

Someone sent me a link to this thread via Twitter.

I too suffered an 80% data usage in less than 24 hours, the majority of it happening when the phone was on my bedside cabinet whilst I slept.

The first Customer Services representitive told me to switch off the Cellular Data and to close all the open apps - something I was unaware of. Did that then as I drove to work on the Sunday, I "used" 120Mb of data.

Spent some time talking to a iPhone support person who said that he couldn't understand why my usage had gone so high, especially when Cellular Data was turned off.

They promised to ring me back when they investigated it. Still waiting two weeks later. I have 79Mb of data to last me 20 days, so celular date and 3G are off unless I need them, then shut down straight after together wth all the apps used.

I will be monitoring my usage next month!

This is the reply I received from O2 in this matter. Its Laughable!

AND the link they have provided DOES NOT WORK! They obviously have no clue.

Thanks for emailing us.

Let me give you some useful information about how data gets used on your

account:

- You might be receiving a URL in the text messages. Please note that if

you click on the URL in the text message that you receive, you'll be

connected to internet.

- Your iPhone has an automatic update option switched ON.

- I'd like to inform you that the iPhone automatically connects to

internet, whenever you open an application that needs access to

internet.

- If you're accessing internet through Wi-Fi and the connection drops,

the iPhone will automatically connect to the next available connectivity

option (GPRS/3G) to offer you seamless coverage.

For your information, I've also listed below the instances that generate

GPRS charges:

- Connecting your phone to a computer or laptop to use the Internet.

- Using O2 Active (usually a Web / Internet / Browser menu option).

- Selecting links in text messages.

- Downloading games / music / videos etc.

- Using Chat.

- Using 'email' through your phone.

- When you're connected to Wi-Fi, you'll see the Wi-Fi symbol on your

phone. When you're connected to the GPRS service, you'll see the G or 3G

sign on your phone.

- You need to switch off the data roaming service on your phone before

going abroad.

This will make sure that you aren't connected to your phone network

(GPRS) and you can continue using Wi-Fi without worrying about the GPRS

charges. In this case, the Internet connection will be cut off when the

Wi-Fi connection drops.

I'd like to tell you that downloading 1MB of data in EU country will

cost £3.07 and Non EU will be charged for £6. In regards to the 'data

roaming charges' incurred although the Data Roaming was switched off,

please note that an iPhone allows applications to use data in the

background even if you've switched off your data.

The email feature of the iPhone can use data even when data is turned

off. You may switch the email retrieval mode to 'Manual' rather than

'Automatic'. There are many other applications that override the Data

Roaming block. The reason these applications manage to do so is because

these Apps are developed by developers and they can programme them to

override the feature for functionality.

You can update your iPhone to the latest firmware to avoid this. You may

do so by clicking on the link below:

http://shop.o2.co.uk/update/index.html

The only way to completely stop roaming charges while abroad is to

delete the Access Point Network (APN). To do that please follow the

steps below:

- from your home screen tap settings

- tap general

- tap network

- tap cellular data network

- tap APN and either delete completely or delete co.uk so that the

settings are incomplete.

Once the settings have been changed your iPhone will no longer be able

to connect to idata.co.uk. When you return to the UK or want to access

internet again, simply repeat the steps above and re-enter the correct

APN, idata.co.uk

Please be assured that our billing system is automated and your usage is

automatically updated on the basis of the data we receive from your SIM

card. Your SIM card is also tamper proof and it records the usage made

only from your SIM card.

I hope you'll find the above information helpful.

Regards

Just to update since my post:

I rang O2 today (8/9/11) armed with my recent usage, and my previous bills. Explained the situation to them and that I had spoke to the iPhone help desk who had left notes on my file.

I had done a restore on my phone and reinstalled a backup and checked that my software was up to date on the iPhone. (which was the first thing I'd done when told.)

The first massive date loss (246Mb) was at 02.30hrs 27/8 - 2.5hrs into my new month, the second loss (153Mb) was at Midnight on 28/8. Since then, I have been switching off apps on my iPhone 4, and turning off both 3G and Cellular Data. I only switch them on when I needed to. Result? I had used only 5Mb in 11 days.

Firstly, the O2 Rep agreed that the data usage on the first day was abnormal, and as I'd done everything they asked of me (reinstall/switchoff apps/data etc) then it must be a fault at their end.

The rep submitted an investigation form then gave me 500Mb credit without charging me any extra as I wasn't receiving their full service, and this was his exact words "because it's our fault."

He also told me that O2 has been "deluged" with similar calls

Perhaps, the work done so far by spudgun055 and contacting BBC Watchdog has forced them into action.

One thing they did tell me was that they update the bill around midnight every day with the total useage for the previous day which is why it looks like you use copious amounts of data in your sleep. The O2 Data Meter on the web site is more accurate as that updates within 30 minutes.

However, now I have achieved some sort of success, I intend to watch my data use like a hawk.

Well yet more developments in the mystery data usage saga on O2 Network (follow on twitter #o2datalimit) I downloaded the app Dataman (Free or £1.50 in APP Store) I woke up on the sofa at 3 am after falling asleep around 10. I thought I would check my usage and at 3am the App said I downloaded 35mb then a few small entries for FB and Twitter then suddenly again a 10.9mb useage (I had watched no videos or recieved any mails) so why the spike why not continued small amounts logged for twitter etc???? Lucky I was on wifi at the time but I can see that if this is going on on 3G how I am using data so fast.

It looks like some sort of software fault but why only O2 why not all the other networks with iphones??? It only seems to be Iphone issue from people I have spoken to and as data is logged by the SIM what is the issue. I know someone who also had the issue on a 3GS.

I watched various you tube vids and they are eating 50-200mb so why O2 in this advert does the guy explain it should use about 3mb http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7M1OzdgCj5c I think you need to look at how your network is seeing you tube data as this does not stack up?? Watching video over a mobile device should be throttled to only stream low quality video grade as there is no need for HD on a hand held device.

I had a call from Director of complaints at O2 Anthony Gibson, due to my complaining and twitter campaign #o2datalimit and he has agreed to swap my phone out to see if this cures my issue. We will see and I will post accordingly in the mean time you may want to give him a call to discuss your issue 0845 3300683

He was acomodating with the phone offer but not willing to try to investigate why in his words my usage had gone up 125% in last 2-3 months??? I am sure if my house phone started running up bills of £500 when I normally spent £250 and I had not called any different numbers or call duration or calls looked like they were being made when the house was empty BT would investigate it. Pull your finger out O2 its not an isolated case loads of us have noticed the same pattern WHY?

I don't think this issue is solely related to O2, as I am on Vodafone UK, and having exactly the same problems. I upgraded a from a 3g to an iphone 4 and my data useage went up from 200mb a month to 100mb a day. Same apps, using remove background in SB settings, plugged into mains at night and not streaming or using youtube at all!

I spoke to Vodafone who just persist in their line that it is an app in the background (I never run background apps). Ironically they agree that my current use of about 100mb a day with nothing running is somewhat worrying....but hey - I could purchase a bolt-on! I have push turned off, notifications off, all background apps killed.....yet if i DARE turn 3g or data on it just starts again......I wanted to love my iphone 4, but divorce is in the air.....

Why oh why?

All, I have experienced similar issues. I am on a 500meg contract, and in both occasions I received a txt saying 80% and then 100% allowance had been used with 30 minutes of each over. That is 100megs! In both cases (Back in May and the 11th Septemeber) O2 have done the right thing and have increase my data allowance free of charge for the rest of the month. (hats off to o2)

In my exeperience, and trawling arouind various forums, I believe the issue is always to do with the iphone legitmatly receiving data, not o2 trying to rip anybody off, but that either there is a software bug or issue with the way that data connections are being dropped.

Here are some facts:

When your iPhone is put into sleep mode it turns off WIFI, but leaves 3g on due to battery constraints. Therefore any data recieved will be 3g even if you are connected to your HOME WIFI! If you leave your phone charging, this does not happen, so charge it overnight!

Update stats on your phone at the o2 site are not instant. Therefore turning off 3g and then checking the stats may see an increase, not because you have used anymore.

Appliation that run in the background can carry on receiving data even when the phone is locked/sleep. Twitter, FaceBook, email etc all use data, but in my case I used 100megs while driving my car into London in 30 minutes with the phone locked, but attached to bluetooth. The phone also became warm to the touch and the battery consumption was excessive.

Stopping applciations running in the background, reseting the phone are all good things to do as they STOP background apps from downloading data, but this is not viable when you use so much data in such a short space of time as you would be resetting the phone every 15 minutes!

Now for my theory....

Typical with networks, once you request data to be streamed to a device, it will carry on streaming until it is told to stop/lost connection. Now, let us say you request some data, say live stream TV, the app gets put into background, but the server is not told to stop streaming the data, then the phone will continue to receive data, using your allowance, but you have no idea it is happening.

So, how do connections get dropped, typically how long a connection is left open is a configuration setting at the server end, i.e. If not heartbeat/phone after x seconds then disconnect (socket timeout) but this is configured at the supplier end, i.e. o2? So if all iPhone have a similar problem, but o2 has configured their servers to keep the network connections open for longer then that may account for why we are seeing the problem predominatly with o2?

o2 may have configured it in this manner to provide a better customer experience with dropped network connections, life is always a compromise!

So what apps can use large volumes of data in such a short space of time? In my case I think it is the Map app that comes with the iphone. Both times this has occured I have been using the map app just before, with use my location turned on. So I think that as I drove into London, with the map app running in the background, it used my location to keep dowloading maps as I moved which are data hungry!

So shutdownt eh map app, turn off location services!

Hope this helps