Ios6 causing excessive data usage?

Same problem...lot's of denial on my part. I eventually isolated this to be a Microsoft Exchange issue -- then I recalled difficulty downloading complete messages and excessive battery use over the past few days. I simply uninstalled and then reinstalled my Exchange account. Problem solved; battery life and data usage back to normal. Now I can only assume AT&T will credit me the over-limit usage charges. They said to call back after the end of the billing cycle and they would...

I don't even know what an exchange account is, so I don't think that's my problem...

My daughters iPhone was chewing through 500MB or more of data every night. I removed all the applications she had installed, and set everything else to Wi-fi use only. After two weeks of tracking use patterns, searching through discussion threads, following all viable suggestions, forcing my daughter to remove all the application, and pulling my hair out, I had her check her email outbox. She found an email with a large audio file attached. Once deleted, the excess data usage stopped. She was using Exchange.

The big question is why the iPhone trys to use a data connection when everything is set to use Wi-fi only. Apple needs to take corrective action. For that matter, Apple need to stop acting as though this issue doea not exist and reach out to those suffering with the problem. The issue is real and it's costing iPhone owners a lot of money. Nothing is more unsettling then helplessly watching your monthly cell bill skyrocket.

My first Apple product was an Apple IIe, and I've been a very loyal customer - an Apple evangelist is more accurate. I've never experienced anything like this with Apple. The cellular company (Verizon) blamed it on daughter, "all those social apps she has loaded", and Apple just stayed mute. What a deal - Verizon sits back and enjoys influx of cash and Apple avoids having to cover the customers finacial loss that's a result of an IOS bug. What a win-win deal. Collusion lurks in the shadows.

The solution came from this thread - thank you.

Hi.

I've been having issues with cellular data usage. I was given an iPhone for Christmas (before hand i had a Blackberry Curve) i sorted out the sim card and got the phone up and running.

The person who pays the bill for me has been getting bills for 50-70 pound each month - even though i'm on about a 12.50 contract. We looked on the Vodafone internet usage and noticed that was the problem, as i was using over the 250MB i pay for. So i turned off the cellular data and restricted myself to wifi usage only! Yet, i still get billed for outrageous amounts of internet usage.

I've decided to use a sim only plan as they are much cheaper for what i'm getting at the moment, but i noticed a section on the Vodafone website that said "WIFI Usage: 750MB". So i was wondering if us iPhone users also get charged for WIFI usage?

I have no solution what-so-ever for my "absurd" internet use, but considering my cellular data is NEVER turned on shouldn't my internet bring a £0.00 bill?

If someone can shed a light on this issue, i'd much appreciate it!

Hi, I live in British Columbia. My kids each have an iphone 5. Since they have recieved these phones the data usage has gone through the roof. Apple won't accept the responsibility for it, neither will Bell. What are we supposed to do as consumers. I have tried turning off the cellular data as well as many other tricks and nothing seems to change. Has anybody done anything "legal" towards Apple or thier carrier for the problem at hand. I have read that it has to do with the update that was put on to the phone's, which was the ios 6. Supposivly there is a glitch. Can anyone help with some more info on this problem?

I found an unsent message in Exchange (tried to send but gave an error), that matches the massive data leak I've been having for the past week (700MB in 4 hours yesterday!)

So, check your exchange outbox for a message that is being sent over and over and over again and delete it (every couple of seconds all day??).

So far this looks like it's working (this morning).

The other culprit could be Apple Maps, but I'm guessing it's push email with Exchange and a stuck email.

Turning push off is a workaround, but really 150MB a MONTH (with push mail) changing to 700MB in HOURS?! I was only running Apple Maps (With all other apps - including Mail, off (yeah, turned off by tapping the red circle off, not even backgrounded - of course, Mail and a few other apps were still pushing data)

Push working properly, wasn't a problem for months, but when something goes wrong, push allowed things to go wrong quickly - like when exchange starts running continuously.

http://www.forbes.com/sites/stevenrosenbaum/2013/05/28/att-and-apple-battle-over -data-leakage/

Well written Steve. When I went into the store and complained aboot my data leakage, like a well-trained, braninwashed minion, the 'genius' told me that, and I quote, "...if there was an issue, Apple would step up and address it."

I was in to replace my phone as the lock button stopped functionning. I had a 5 running 6.1.2. They gave me a 5 running 6.1.0 as a replacement. I went home and restored from back-up, so, therotically bringing any software issues with me. To date, I have not updated beyond iOS 6.1.0, and I have no data leakage issues. I noticed them when I started using 6.1.1 (and still with 6.1.2).

The issue isn't on every phone, as my dad also has a 5, running 6.1.3, and also on Rogers Wireless, but hey, any leak substantiated by the crowd of many is a significant issue to me...

While I applaud your efforts to shed light on this issue, that Forbes post is painful to read.

Clearly an Apple issue. I use my iPhone 5 in Hong Kong with PCCW and in the US with AT&T. The phone starts sending massive chunks of data on it's own with both networks. I usually know by seeing the battery start dropping or you feel the phone heat up as the battery begins the rapid discharge. I've watched it send up to 565mb with absolutely nothing running. I've turned off basically everything except data and it will still start sending data without touching it. It doesn't receive, only sends. if it were the network, receiving would be an issue as well. I took screen shots of the cellular usage screen today every minute for 5 minutes. It sent 3mb per minute with nothing running. I chatted with Apple support immediately following this episode and the guy told me "this is easy fix, just turn the phone to airplane mode or turn data off and it will stop". Quite ridiculous I must say. To think Apple sells you a phone and answers an issue by basically saying "just don't use it". Frustrating to say the least. I talked to PCCW and they all knew it is an issue with iPhone 5's and explained it isn't the network. After being in the US all week on AT&T I must say they are right. It does it here as well. Time to step up Apple.

I have the solution to everyone's data usage dilemnas. I tried to post this, to start a thread. Apple's mods removed my post and emailed me saying that my statement were in violation of TOS.

I am going to try one more time, and if they remove it, I'll post it to YouTube. I have figured out what is using all of the data. There are setting in the phone, that can stop this issue.

Step 1: Go to Settings>General>About. Scroll to the bottom of the about tabs to "Diagnostics and Usage". When you tap it, you will notice that you have the option to "Don't Send". Make sure you check the "Don't Send" option. Otherwise, every error you incur is sent, to Apple, regardless of the app or program that encountered the error.

Step 2: Go to Settings>iCloud. If you can afford to remove the device from iCloud, do so. If not, go to "Documents and Data". You will then see the settings, that allow iCloud to use cellular data for documents and email. Turn everything cellular data related "Off".

Step 3: Go to your iTunes and App Store. Disable iTunes match and use of cellular data for iTunes.

Step 4: Disable background tasks, regularly, by double-tapping your "Home" button, to bring up the task manager. Press and hold an icon, in the box, and use the red minus symbol to close the progams and apps.

Step 5: As a safeguard, disable cellular data, when connected to your home Wi-Fi, or any Wi-Fi, where you may have the phone in "Sleep" mode.

After doing all this, if you are still showing usages of huge spikes in data, perform a factory reset/restore from iTunes.

As far as all you iOS maintenance needs go, use iTunes whenever possible.

These tips should help anyone that is experiencing data usage issues.

Since this will likely be removed from this page, for not being a "Technical" issue, very soon. Hopefully some of you can read it.

Allow me to explain how your data works, from your carrier. They turn it on, or off, and monitor usage, when it is active.

I have done all that what you have suggested and still it is charging data. Apple has absolutley been NO help, their "engineering" department provided no resolution. I have a 4s that i received in late December and only recently has it started this when I upgraded to IOS6. Apple wants to give me a "replacement" (which is a refurbished phone) and I feel that is stealing from the customer. The phone was only 4 mos old when this started, I should not get someone else's kluncker. Any suggestions....?

Well, the next step is to backup the phone, and restore it as new. Once the new software is installed, download ONAVO. It will show you exactly which apps are using data, and has controls to be set for resets on your bill cycle date. The issue is the software. Scroll back a few posts and read the Forbes link. The iOS is where the issue lies. Apple has fixed it, on one carrier's network. Google search it. They are not recognizing it, with other carriers, and the Forbes articles have mentioned, that the FCC is investigating this issue. Don't replace the device, as it is not hardware related, at all.

Just to add more grist to the mill, we bought two new iPhones (4S) at the ATT store this weekend, and one of them had registered 150M of cellular data upload within the first few hours, doing essentially nothing.

Apple, you need to fix this fast, or you will lose a multi-decade customer, along with thousands of others.

Apple knows this is a software issue and refuses to fix it with At&t; they fixed the issue with Verizon. Apple was of no help to me, tried to tell me it is a hardware issue, WRONG! Take the phones back where you purchased them, you only have 14 days to exchange the phone for another new one, otherwise they will give you a refurbished phone, which they call a "replacement" phone. Good luck!!