For those of you with unexplained excessive data usage, I've pinpointed the problem to a bug in iCloud. Unfortunately, turning off individual iCloud services will not solve the problem, you'll have to delete the iCloud account from the phone.
Here's a video demonstrating the problem.
I hope this helps. If it solves your data usage problem, be sure to report it to Apple and spread the word.
iPhone 5, iOS 6
My wife's iphone 4 with iOS version 6.1.3 has this same problem. I tried turning off the icloud settings one by one so see if that helped, but it didn't. I ended up deleting the icloud account from the iphone and problem solved. Looks like Apple needs to look at icloud ASAP for a bug fix.
The amount of "fixes" proposed is amazing, but it seems clear to me that as a community we have not bottomed out this issue. I still use 1-3 MG per day doing very little but my monthly contract; abroad recently, just looked at a few emails and that demanded 13 MG! Fortunately O2 has 15 MG for £2.00 per day. I have heard, from O2 call centre staff, that this is not "just me" and some people can go through much more per day without doing much. With 45,000 views on this thread - I hope someone from Apple is working on this.
Stan, indeed, there is, what seems to be, a large number of views on this thread. But, compared to the number of iphones out there, it is a very small number indeed.
Many have asked Apple to respond. None have received a response that is in any way satisfactory.
It is quite frustrating - but it does seem that this issue is being completely ignored.
Too bad. I hope this becomes something they take notice of soon - before I have to depart this platform I have honestly loved for years.
I removed cloud and still having the issue! I cannot turn on my 3g now as it just constantly uses data.
Hs anyone got this resolved in any other way other than removing icloud? I have restored my settings to factory settings, i have removed Icloud and still data is goinf down from my phone
And now, it seems that my iPhone is not downloading data when wifi is turned off - thank goodness, (though I have no idea why), but it IS downloading data when on wifi at the rate of .02MB per second - for NO REASON AT ALL.
Everything is turned off. I have been through all the fixes and all the suggestions on this very long string of messages - but there is definitely something in the iOS that is sucking down data. And that data is going nowhere.
I now must check and recheck again and again to be sure that it is not downloading data when wifi is off - and I must keep wifi off even when home so that my battery doesn't drain.
APPLE! When will you wake up to this serious issue???
Ugh, happened to my wife's iphone 4 a few months back, deleted icloud, fixed. Today it happened to my iphone 4s, deleted icloud, fixed. This is a major issue for me. I'm going to look into Android for my upgrades now unless apple can whip up a fix ASAP on this...
I had the same issue - used over 20 GB per month for over 2 months. The carrier (Rogers) was of no help. Took the phone to the Apple store and they did a factory reset. Problem solved, although I am keeping an eye on the data usage.
http://www.forbes.com/sites/stevenrosenbaum/2013/05/28/att-and-apple-battle-over -data-leakage/
This issue is deplorable. Please take a moment and read the above link. I found this after 3 hours on the phone with AT&T and 3 hours with Apple. Everyone was quite polite and civilized but I know if I can find this in a google search these people can as well. If neither AT&T or Apple will listen or make a change it is time to call for a class action.
I agree with INNRCHLD.
Here's my perspective: This problem has been going on for what seems to be over a year now - It just happened to myself and my mother at the same time and when talked to Rogers and Apple they claimed they had no idea what could possibly be causing our data usage. They had racked up our bill to over $200 in data usage charges in two months and never once even mentioned this aparently common issue. It's looking clear to me that they are taking advantage of this iCloud bug to basicaly steal money. I know at least 5 people who have all had the same issue. I can't imagine how much money they would have taken in off my mother if I hadn't found out what it was and stopped it for her - she's clueless about this stuff.
At the end of my post is another quality link worthy of the time to read it. I also began a new discussion on the subject where I added the link below and a couple of other links from the Huffington Post and CNN Money.
I'm not ready to give up my beloved Apple products but I want them to earn what I've paid for, primarily do the job they promised to do for my hard to come by dollar.
Apple IPhone 5 data spiking / battery drain? after ios6 / bug?
High iOS 6 Data Usage? Turn off iCloud,
