Q: IOS 8 High Cellular Data Usage

iOS 8.2 did not fix the issue for me.

My workaround has been NOT to use Apple's Mail App (in my case I am using a mail app called CloudMagic) and also switched off iCloud Drive completely.

regards,

AndyG

It seems to be the apple mail app for me too although n ot 100% sure as I use that all the time so expect it to be much greater than any other.

My issue with the Apple mail App was not that it was using excessive data usage but the fact that the high data usage (with Documents & Sync) would only occur AFTER I configured an email account in iOS via Settings > Mail, Contacts, Calendars! For whatever reason the mail app appears to be the trigger for Documents & Sync to go haywire! (And just to be clear the default iCloud email account IS setup its only when using Add Account that the issue occurs).

However for me this was a 2-step process.

1. Whilst not adding an email account to the mail app quietened down the data usage it was not completely eradicated until...

2. I switched off iCloud Drive completely (even though it was setup not to use cell data)!

So both the mail app and iCloud Drive, for me, are the conduits to high cell data use (via Documents & Sync).

We await iOS 8.3 (or perhaps 9) to resolve this issue once and for all.

I am though surprised that this problem has not gathered any media attention never mind the disappointing lack of acknowledgment from Apple to address the issue.

regards

AndyG

Does that mean your Find my iphone is not switched on?

Also can I ask how you found out it was, was it trial and error.

AFTER I configured an email account in iOS via Settings > Mail, Contacts, Calendars! For whatever reason the mail app appears to be the trigger for Documents & Sync to go haywire!

I might switch to gmail as all my e-mail accounts are in there but need to see if there is a 'teak' for this to use as default.

Kind Regards

Al

Find My iPhone is switched ON as is everything else in iCloud settings except for iCloud Drive which is OFF.

Yes it was somewhat trial and error by constantly reseting and setting up the iPhone as New. It was one of these last attempts that I noticed that the problem only manifested itself after setting up an outlook.com email account. I subsequently did another reset/new and this time did not setup outlook.com but another imap account but as soon as this was added to the mail app the high data usage for Documents & Sync immediately started.

Again another reset/new and no email account added and everything was stabilsed as long as I was connected to wifi (whereas previously even with wifi connected mysteriously cell data usage would still grow). However once I left a wifi connection the cell data usage would still grow for Documents & Sync and it was not until I switched off iCloud Drive that everything was completely fixed.

So for me having no email accounts setup in Apple's mail app AND iCloud Drive switched off was the fix to stop high cell data usage in Documents & Sync.

regards

AndyG

hi I had same problem in uk with Vodafone £50 in the red but they told me not to pay until I phone apple so I did at first they said its not a problem so I said I like to talk to some one higher so a lady came on from  the usa  talked to her she sent me a email with a link to my phone I clicked on the link she checked it on her side said problem so stayed on the phone she phoned Vodafone  they need to confem with apple  then she said wait I can not send any  apple data to Vodafone but what I can do is give you a new iphone 4s   the same one I have  so good result for me very helpful the lady in the usa   so good luck to you all  ,,,ps  sorry I will not be answering  any questions  to busy  but good luck

Had the exact same problem with my iPhone 5s,  resulting to a phone bill 3 times higher than usual... Extremely frustrated, and was only getting worst cause everything I tried from the suggested solutions wouldn't work, not to mention that apple's help was non existent... It all came down to resetting my phone as new, which I wanted to avoid.

So I tried -once again- restoring my phone form a previous back, but this time I turned off Data Roaming!!!

2nd day now and Documents & Synch behave like they should have been doing all month now, NOT abusing my data plan! Of course I keep checking my phone every hour or so, in case it goes crazy again, but for now I want to believe that problem is solved... fingers crossed.

This is unacceptable. This has happened to me too. Att said they'll give a one time courtesy $25 to counter the $20 extra for the extra data. And of course they'll offer to upgrade to more GB for more MONEY (and they keep offering me the 15 GB shared plan, which would kill my grandfathered unlimited data on my other line). i will be readjusting my settings on the iphone 5 on iOS 8.2 so hopefully this will help. Only started after iOS 8 came into play.

Not sure if it will resolve this issue, but iOS 8.3 is now available for download.  It appears to resolves a number of issues, and is probably worth a try.

Hi, I'm from Brazil and I'm having the same issue with my 5s. I turn off my cellular data, and when turn on again, it consumes 100MB within 15 minutes. iPhones are really expensive, so custumers expect to have the best product in their hands, but it seems that it is the other way around. Apple *****.

it didn't solve my problem

My wife is an iPhone user and she's had them all but never had problems with draining data since we moved her up to the iPhone 6. She has been using iOS 8 since it has come out and never went over the 5GB mark (10GB shared plan). Last week, we received several messages that her line went had used over 11GB of the shared data (including the data rollover from last month which totalled 13GB). I called AT&T this morning and they told me we used %99.9 of the data (lucky for us, our cycle zeros out on the 13th of every month otherwise, I would be paying for overage as of today). I am not a big fan of Apple and never will be since everything goes bad every time an upgrade comes out (this includes my iPad which has gone nuts since all these updates). My Android phone is being used on daily basis on mobile data and I play "Clash of Clans" on it (without WiFi) with 5 different email accounts all on "push notifications" and still doesn't use more than 2GB of data. This is ridiculous guys. This better get fixed or I will have the phone returned at any cost.

iOS 8.3 is still the same as the others Stanky. My wife's iPhone 6 has used over 11GB of data and she's constantly on WiFi at home and work. This is what I hate about closed source operating systems!

IOS 8.3 also having the same issue. As per my observation in my case, my office emails (exchange) are utilizing cellular data even the phone is connected to wifi. Tried may options posted yet the issue is still there. APPLE need to fix this.

I am SO angry.  I have been a loyal Apple and AT&T customer.  Apple customer since college in 90's and ATT since my first cell phone years ago!  I have had every version of iPhone.  I have never had a problem with data.  I started on the unlimited plan but moved to a 3GB plan after I switched phones many years ago.  I usually get a text saying I have used 75% with a week left in the month.  I average 2.5-2.8 GB a month.  Last month, I got two days into the month and got the text that I had used 90%.  I am extra careful about data and always have been.  I do not use Pandora, Youtube, Netflix, Whats App, FaceTime etc.  I use my phone to call, text, Google, calendar, Twitter, reading news articles (never videos), listening to music from my phone (never streaming anything). I never update apps on cellular.  Everything is wifi.  I click to wifi when I can.   I have all things turned off.  Itunes do not download automatically, Location services are off, Background App Refresh is off, no Diagnostics are sent.  I close apps every day multiple times a day by double clicking the home button.  I spent 2.5 hours in ATT last month and they started with the usual questions.  Once they looked at my phone and realized that NOTHING was turned on to eat up data, they were stumped.  They even said, "I have never seen a phone this locked down". It came down to my word against theirs.  They said I used the data, I had to pay extra to get more GB for the month.  Now, I kept the extra data for this month.  I reset statistics under my Cellular Data on the day my plan changed over.  Now, ATT is saying I have used 3.1 GB this month, but my phone says 1.7.  Can anyone tell me why this might be?  The System Services says 181 MB and 317 MB in uninstalled apps.  I don't know if this is Apple or ATT, but it is ridiculous!  What is the point of having the phone if all I can really do is call and text. Maybe Samsung doesn't have this issue.