What is 'Media Services' and why is it draining all my data?

The connection is, in my view, between enabling the "icloud Music Library" and Media Services. While Apple does not really provide the specifics behind Media Services, the general consensus is that it represents streaming usage (icloud drive, photos, music). You really can't utilize most of the Apple Music features without enabling the iCloud Music library. So both your icloud drive and icloud music library appear to be represented by the Media Services usage. The mystery is: Why is Media Services pushing/pulling so much data after the 9.2 update? I don't have more than 15 songs on my phone and don't use photos etc via icloud. Yet, Media Services used 8+ GB in two days via cellular network even though phone was on wifi networks.

The only temporary fix I can see is turning off cellular data -- at least for Music. I ended up connecting to Mac, backing up to Itunes and restoring phone. So far (24 hours later) issues seem to be gone.

I have over 20gb of music downloaded for offline on my apple music app on my iphone, downloaded ios 9.2 this past friday, sometime after dinner when i was already in bed my phone started to overheat and to draint he battery, so i plugged it to the charger (wish I never did) next thing i know is when i woke up my network had disconnected my data for safety reasons and blamed I owe them 500euros due to having used 17GB of data (there is spotty wifi in my bedroom which a lot of times disappears and my phone relies on data only, WIFI assist is turned OFF on my phone since ios 9 came out). Reading this post has given me some light into what issue caused my phone to use such a huge amount of data, but now I dont know how to let my network provider understand it wasnt me using all that amount of 17gb of data almost overnight.
Any help?

It will be difficult to explain that to your provider and mine has reclined until Apple confirmes an issue - which they won't.

Although we all agree that this is an Apple iOS 9.2 issue, you and I had indeed activated cellular data for Apple Music (as we thought for streaming only). Why iOS 9.2 decided to load all that songs, who knows...

I have no idea what the problem is, but am experiencing the same issue after updating to 9.2. Got a Verizon text for 75% data usage, and twenty minutes later got a 90% usage notification. About ten minutes later was notified my data had reached a cap. I wasn't actually using anything, and only knew to check my phone because of how hot it was in my pocket! Battery drained to nothing, and spent over an hour at the Verizon store while they were 'certain that I was using more than my allotted data' and would not discuss a statement credit. (Outstanding job of toeing the company line, but completely unhelpful in troubleshooting the anomolous behavior of my phone since updating to 9.2.)

Pushed back a bit, and they reset my usage metrics. We watched the cellular data (system services) wrack up a half a gig in the time I was sitting there with no apps open, resetting phone, etc. Eventually contacted tech support, but really got no information. They will be giving me a call tomorrow to discuss. I can't find much information online, so perhaps it's limited in affected users? Still frustrating, and was advised to do a factory reset. I'll keep an eye on the thread for any potential solutions, or update after I hear back.

I would like to chime in and say that I experienced this problem as well. I had already upgraded to iOS 9.2 shortly after its release. Yesterday my phone started getting hot and the battery drained very quickly. I should mention that the App Store could not download any updates, so I blamed this on a process gone haywire. I chose to restore the phone at this point. I didn't take particular note of my cellular data usage while this happened, but it was at 1-2% of my 5GB plan.

After I restored my phone, I looked at my Roger's account usage. In the span of recently switching carriers (~2.5 days), I used up 1.2GB of data! Totally not normal, considering 95% of time I have been connected to either my WiFi at home or at work.

I have a feeling that the data usage which is now reported under "Media Services" occurred as a result of (re)installing iOS 9.2 and restoring from a backup. Not sure why it switched to cellular data because my Airport Extreme network is rock solid.

I don't use Apple Music much, so I have a feeling that Media Services downloaded the 1.2GB from my iCloud photo stream.

I did do reset via connecting to iTunes on a Mac and it corrected the problem (fine a week later). I'm still aggravated that I have to go through all of that for an update, but lesson learned. Next I wait -- read these boards and know to skip the poorly built updates.

After a reformat and restore, the issue seems to be resolved now. To follow up from my tech support call, the Verizon rep was able to tell me that this was a known issue, (providing a link to this forum post for further information). Offered only partial credit for the data overage experienced, which was disappointing (And was only offered this after over an hour in store dealing with their customer rep, and an additional hour on the phone).

Another victim here... I had almost the same experience as RPing, but I went to Apple instead of Verizon. I received a brand new replacement phone (5c) due to a defective battery this past Sunday evening, and once I got it home and on my WiFi, I restored it from my backup earlier that day (20 December). My phone was on WiFi over night and downloaded all my music, apps, and info without any problems. I went to work the next day (Monday), used the phone off and on all day just fine without any crazy data usage, but then at 5:00 Monday evening, WHAM!! My data usage spiked and chewed through 6 GB in about two hours. I spent an hour on the phone with Verizon tech support, and the best they could tell me was to take it into the apple store. I went to the apple store the next day (Teusday, just yesterday), they couldn't figure out why it happened...so...they gave me another new phone (new phone on Sunday, data spike on Monday, new phone on Tuesday). Once again, I did a restore from icloud and my backup with the new new phone connected to WiFi all night (at least 10 hours), before I went to bed last night, I touched every single app, opened and played music, signed in and browsed all my social media and checked all apps, all settings, all while connected to WiFi (because I wanted to make sure everything was synced up), and I double checked and reset the cellular data usage stats just to be sure. As soon as I left my house this morning...you guessed it... "Media Services" used 800Mb of data in about 15 minutes.

WHAT THE HECK?!?!?????

Did anyone figure out what is causing this? And even more importantly...how to resolve it?

I unknowingly watched my phone drain about 8 GB of data in 2.5 hours today assuming it was somebody else (shared data with 2 others and wouldn't find out it was me until the call with AT&T said it was coming from my number. After finding this thread I turned off all the new culprits I didn't know about but I am definitely in the same boat... recently updated to 9.2, started using Apple music and making music available offline. My media services shows as 23.7GB with the total of all apps being under 12 gb since the end of October. Guess that also explains my crappy battery life today. If anybody knows a successful way to have AT&T reset or return some of the usage that won't require hours and hours of explanation and watching as proof I'd be thrilled.

Unfortunately, it took me about two hours on the phone with verizon for them to understand the problem. They did give me a credit for my overage, so that worked out...but it took two more trips to the Apple Store to resolve the issue and still no one could really say 'why' or what happened. The folks at the Apple Store figure there was something corrupt in my backup. The only way I was able to resolve the problem and get my phone to stop using massive amounts of data under 'Media services' was to reset and reload the phone as a new phone. Totally wiped it and started fresh. It's been a pain...but it worked, and it's given me a chance to get rid of old apps and rebuild my music library.

Hope this helps.

I have an iPhone 6 and had the same problem reported here. Basically in the middle of the day, I get a message that says I have consumed 75% of my data. I have 15G and I was 3 days into my usage period. I usually use less than 10G in a month. I made my way to the AT&T store and they were stumped about what the problem was. In 1 day, Media Services had used 13G. They could not identify what was causing the problem and said that the Apple Store would be able to run a diagnostic. I then rushed over to the Apple Store and they were able to run a quick diagnostics which revealed a glitch in the software. I obtained a written report which I have been told (by AT&T) I can use to get my data allowance renewed. I now have to restore my phone which should take care of this problem. I will update if I learn anything else.

My settings were just as you described, 1, 2, 3 & 4...

I Recently downloaded the new 9.2 software, while I was connected to a wifi network, I decided to make a playlist from Apple Music available offline. I didn't realise that there was a problem downloading two songs, for some reason there was a hiccup with these 2 songs, & hours later they kept trying to download, then I left the wifi network! In the next 5 hours media services trying to complete the download for these two songs chewed thru 21GB of data!! Apple need to recognise that there is a problem and fix it!!!

your post helped me work out what the problem was & how to stop the data drain, once I deleted the two songs, and turned off wifi assist and stopped apple music from having access to cellular data, my data usage returned to normal. Now trying to negotiate with my carrier over 21GB data usage, which is 3 times my limit.

Your wifi assist may be turned on. switch it off.