iphone facebook messenger using mobile data

We have the same issue... strong WiFi signal, WiFi assist off, extremely high cellular data usage. My wife ran out of her limit second time... december and in january... she got the carrier's sms after disconnected the call: 100% used of monthly 2Gb... Apple do something!!! facebook was not fair again, few years ago there was iOS battery issue because fb app.

That's not a solution... She will be not available through fb messenger while she is away... Update: We've just tried to receive a video call at the front of the access point (UniFi ac pro - enterprise grade WiFi). It was extremely laggy, the caller saw frozen pictures and could understand nothing... It's because the carrier limited cellular datarate heavily after fb messenger drained the subscription... FaceTime worked to the same person smooth and nicely...

Ok so it's clear there is a problem here and my guess would be it's widespread. Where do we go from here ?

I have already perused Apple and my network provider with no other suggestion other than contact Facebook app developer's. I'm reluctant to go to Android but this issue is really pushing me.

What can we do from here ?

This thread has been going on for some time now, and I have just stumbled upon it. It's the only place where I can see this issue is being discussed. I've made some observations that I'd like to share, because I too, am very frustrated with it. I have an iPhone SE running IOS 10.3.1. Facebook Messenger completely ignores WiFi. It doesn't matter if you are connected to WiFi, Messenger chews up your data plan at rapid rates. On my phone, it's about half a Gig every 30 minutes, WiFi or not. WiFi assist is off. But you all knew that already. So, I turned off cellular data access and background refresh in the app section of Settings->Messenger. NO difference, those levers are IGNORED by the Messenger application. I then turned off data usage in a second place under Settings->Cellular->Messenger. NO difference. Those levers are also IGNORED by the Messenger app. I then turned on airplane mode, then activated WiFi...it worked! No data plan usage. Why? My guess is that airplane mode is a federally mandated convention that MUST be developed into every mobile app. I also think Facebook is in an agreement with the major carriers to chew up data so we buy more and more....OR they would have fixed it by now.

So, if you want to use Facebook Messenger over WiFi, and not have your data chewed up at rapid rates, turn on airplane mode, then WiFi.

BUT, there is more! Due to Messenger misbehaving, I ran out of carrier data. My data plan had ZERO bytes left, and I was on what is called "Safe Mode" (which is a pathetic amount of 1x bandwidth I purchased for $5 until I get a data re-fresh). Without a data plan at all, and no WiFi, I got a Messenger video call!! The picture and voice quality were great! So in conclusion: 1. if you have data and want to keep it, use airplane mode when on Messenger Video BUT Messenger Video works just fine WITHOUT ANY DATA AT ALL!! I can't explain why, but can only refer back to my comment on a agreement with the carriers. Apparently Messenger is NOT an internet application, but rather communicates over a cellular network (not a WiFi internet type of network). That explains why Messenger calls appear in your recent "voice" call list, if you've never noticed, that is also strange.....

Hi,

thank you for your research.
But I observed one more thing, which is weird for me.
I have experienced the same problem, which is described in the first post of this topic. But the weirdest thing is, that my wife, which I had a videochat with, didn´t loose any mobile data at all during that videochat. She has an android device.
So I doubt to say there´s a bug in an app of Messneger only for iOS, as far as it works well on (or better to say without any mobile data used during a videochat) an android devices (or at least on one). There is probably no other explanation of the fact, that my iphone used mobile data and my wife´s android didn´t.

What are you wanting to hear?

You know what is using your data. Do you use FB Messenger a lot? Turn cell data off as a test for a day. If your mobile data goes down, you have your solution/answer. Video calling is huge for data usage.

The phone should be able to detect and choose wifi over cell data when both are present, but sometimes it does not. If your wifi signal cycles or drops during your video call, cell data kicks in to keep you going. Even if wifi assist is off.

Disabling cell data overall or just for FB Messenger may be your best way to control this.

You do know that when your device goes to sleep, that Wi-Fi is disconnected. If you start to receive something in an app, it will use a little cellular before the Wi-Fi connects back again. The only way that Wi-Fi stays consistently connected is if your device is plugged into power. I agree that .5GB is quite a bit for a 30 minute period, but then Facebook has also been guilty of using huge amounts of data. I've read of others just deleting the app all together.

You can also see what other apps are using your cellular data by going to Settings>Cellular and look at the list there and what is using data. If you do not see anything else with large data amounts, then your problem is FB Messenger.

Hi,

I Have exactly the same problem. Wifi assist is off, data for the messenger app is off, I am connected to my wifi at home with very strong signal and 200mbps, yet the app uses data when I video call. When I turn my data completely off it stops using, but not when I put it off for the app only. Is this due to iOS or Messenger? It is a seriously annoying problem.

Thanks for any insights...

I'm having exactly the same problem .It's very very frustrating.

You are not alone. I noticed t morning that FB messenger was still sending/receiving messages over cellular despite being disabled in ios settings. Only when I also disabled data for the main FB app, did it stop using cellular data. Someth is not right somewhere, FB and messenger use 100s of MB!

IPhone SE.

Hey guys,

I have the same issue and it is really frustrating. I think its an iOS issue. The apps are actually not be allowed to use cellular data while connected to a wifi and Wifi-Assist is turned off. But somehow the messenger app still manages to use cellular data.

Same problem here. I have never actually used the FB messenger app with video before, but late last night a friend called while I was sitting at home, on WiFi. I had actually been monitoring my data because I knew I knew I was already at 75% usage. We talked for almost exactly 100 minutes, and when I hung up I saw I had two texts from Verizon: one at 22:39 saying I had used 90% of my data, and another at 23:04 saying I had used all my data. I actually went over my limit by half a gig and have to pay overages. I've NEVER gone over my limit before, and there is no other explanation given the timing. When I called today for an explanation I was told that the iPhone 6 will choose whichever signal (data or WiFi) is stronger, but that seems like a stretch, since i know the signal in my house is very strong. I am actually very upset about this, though it explains why in the several months my data usage has increased dramatically (my average usage eight months ago was less than half a gig; now it's about 1.75 gigs). Seems like a scam, and needs to be addressed.

Same issue with FB messager here. I was doing a video call with a friend and it used 400+ MB cellular data with WiFi connected.

Same problem here too. Again fast strong wifi yet FB Messenger video chat uses mobile data. It's cost me data many times. I am wondering if there is any relation to having chat turned off in the main FB app. Anyhow it shouldn't happen regardless.

These posts date back 11 months. Surely if it was a fault for all it would have been fixed a long time back. Something strange going on there.