iPhone cell data accuracy

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Level 1

132 points

iPhone cell data accuracy

How accurate is cell data logging on the iPhone?

I’m using 6s+ and iOS 11. I was very carefull to reset stats at the very beginning of my billing period with my service provider. I took screen shots and have date and time of statistics reset. Today I took screen shot of statistics reset today and confirm there was no interim reset. There is a discrepancy of 4+GB between phone and service provider. I have been on phone with service provider and have yet to resolve the discrepancy. Can someone offer some possible explanation of the discrepancy? I might overlook some small differences but I was careful and determined to track data and I can not overlook 4+ gigs of overage. Service provider could not offer explanation. I have access to data logs if that is helpful.

Posted on Dec 6, 2017 4:40 PM

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Answer 1

madra31

Level 6

9,946 points

Dec 7, 2017 10:54 AM in response to Tom Dignam

A discrepancy is to be expected because the carrier is measuring data units provided while the phone is measuring data units processed.

In general, the discrepancies are not significant but they can be especially if the phone does not recieve all the data recorded as being provided by the carrier. Thus the phone is not an accurate measuring device as far as billing is concerned although it may be relatively accurate as far as usage on the device is concerned.

Even if the discrepancies are minor, there is no way to match the phone's records with the carrier's because of timing differences. The phone will log the data as used while the carrier will report data usage when invoiced. In the case of MVNOs for example there can be a significant lag.

It is unlikely the carrier's record of usage is wrong.

Carriers have very sophisticated measurement systems and also are typcially subject to regulatory requirements for accuracy.

For practical purposes it is effectively impossible for a consumer to challenge usage reported by a carrier.

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Answer 2

madra31

Level 6

9,946 points

Dec 7, 2017 3:03 PM in response to Tom Dignam

Take a look at the link. It is one of the more useful discussions of the issue I have seen.

https://www.technologyreview.com/s/429181/how-your-wireless-carrier-overcharges- you/

In addition, the rounding conventions the carrier uses may differ from those on the phone which could result in significant "discrepancies" between the two.

The practical issue is that a consumer cannot really conduct a controlled experiment to compare how a particular "session" is logged at the carrier end as compared to how it is logged on the phone.

In addition, there is no easy way for the consumer to verify the accuracy of the recording on the phone itself. That could be inaccurate.

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Answer 3

Tom Dignam Author

Level 1

132 points

Dec 7, 2017 1:35 PM in response to madra31

Madra, thanks for the reply. While I appreciate the difficulty of challenging a major service provider, that was not my initial intention. My inquiry was to establish the accuracy of my phone data log and discrepancy between that and the reported usage by my mobile carrier. I understand lag times in reporting data ect but in this instance that is irrelevant. I don’t expect bit for bit accuracy but I did expect some reasonable variation somewhat less than the 26% reported by my supplier.

I was careful to set up this reporting comparison and I am surprised that my phone might only process 74% of of data billed by my provider. Are there statistics available which confirms this is the case and consumers are to expect up to 26% variations, 4+GB in my case between data used and data billed?

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