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New Member
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3 Messages
Friday, July 8th, 2022 8:23 PM
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My husband and I are on an older plan. First, there was an attempt to force us to change plans by increasing our payments. Now it appears they are claiming we use more of our data than is feasible. My husband and I have taken to turning off our cellular and roaming and yet miraculously data is still being used. What was never an issue has suddenly become one (i.e. we have never used more than 60% of our 12g and now we are consistently running up against the clock). We've attempted calling AT&T and they continuously claim it is our internet provider or an app. But if we turn off our cellular data, shouldn't that remove the possibility of using data? Case in point, AT&T claims we used 450mg every minute for 10 minutes, while we were home on wifi. How is that remotely possible?
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Updated
1 year ago
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Official Solution
ACE - Master
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10.8K Messages
2 years ago
Have you put the phone in airplane mode, and only re-enabled Wifi? Also reset the cell data statistics? If you put the phone in airplane mode, and after resetting the statistics, the phone shows zero data used, then AT&T is wrong. If your statistics on the phone show a value, than the phone is using data.
I’m not actually sure that any data usage you see from AT&T is up to date in real time.
BTW, what is 450mg? To me, mg means milligram, a unit of weight. The units of data that I’m familiar with are kb, mb, and gb.
ACE - Expert
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64.7K Messages
2 years ago
But if we turn off our cellular data, shouldn't that remove the possibility of using data?
It should if cellular data data is really off.
Case in point, AT&T claims we used 450mg every minute for 10 minutes, while we were home on wifi. How is that remotely possible?
It shouldn’t be again provided cellular data is really off. Also be aware data reporting is not real time. The time stamp for that data use is when the usage was reported, not necessarily when the usage occurred. The actual usage could be from many hours to several days earlier. Your iPhones track data usage by app. It should be fairly easy to determine what is using the data.
ACE - Master
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10.8K Messages
2 years ago
Turning roaming off is usually meaningless as far as using cellular data. As long as you’re using AT&T towers, you aren’t roaming. How are you turning cell data off? Are you enabling airplane mode, and then turning Wifi only back on, because airplane mode seems to be about the only way to stop using any cell data, short of pulling your SIM. Have you checked which apps are using data? You can go in the phone setting under Cellular and see how much cell data every app is using, as well as being able to toggle most apps on/off for using cell data. But, there are some services, like system services, that you can’t easily stop using data. You can reset the statistics so everything starts out from zero to see what’s using data.
ACE - Expert
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64.7K Messages
2 years ago
because airplane mode seems to be about the only way to stop using any cell data, short of pulling your SIM
@dwill05Not true. There are two data settings on an iPhone, cellular data and data roaming. As you noted, data roaming off does not stop domestic data use but turning cellular data off definitely does stop all data use whether on ATT’s network or not.
New Member
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3 Messages
2 years ago
Since posting we have lost another 4gs of data. I understand it is not in real time, however you can view your data charges in real time by clicking Data, Text, and Call logs. Once there, it shows 450mg every minute for (now) the last 30 minutes. We have turned off cell data, roaming, and entered settings to turn individual apps cell data off. We’ve called and gotten nowhere. It is literally depleting our data by the minute. This has never been an issue before. We have been customers for over 10 years. We have 26 days left with only 3 out 12gs. I’m flabbergasted.
New Member
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3 Messages
2 years ago
Sorry, in my rage I continuously used mg instead of mb. I’m just flustered by the fact that our bill went up alongside a data issue. Thank you for your advice, we will give it a try and see how it shakes out in the morning when it shows us the data usage for 7/8 in its entirety. I do appreciate everyone’s help.
ACE - Sage
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118K Messages
2 years ago
@jude479
. I understand it is not in real time, however you can view your data charges in real time by clicking Data, Text, and Call logs.
On the phone, yes. The information in your My ATT account is delayed by as much as 72 hours. The information on your phone is live and is the only data that really counts. If in settings on your phone, your phone claims to be using 450 MB every 10 minutes, then it is indeed using that much data. You should be scrolling through the apps to see which application is using so much data. Is likely something is streaming in the background.
Once there,
Where? Are you looking at the records in settings on your phone, or are you logging into your online account. Your phone settings total is accurate.
it shows 450mg every minute for (now) the last 30 minutes. We have turned off cell data, roaming, and entered settings to turn individual apps cell data off.
Since you're using an iphone, you have to reset your data statistics and see if your phone continues to use large amounts of data in a very short amount of time. If your phone is still using a lot of data, it's not AT&T at fault. There is either something wrong with the phone, or something has been left running in the background.
We’ve called and gotten nowhere.
I wouldn't expect you would get anywhere with AT&T because they cannot see your phone. All they can see is the records that have been reported to AT&T. If the records AT&T has, and the totals on your phone in settings both agree, then you have indeed use that much data.
It is literally depleting our data by the minute. This has never been an issue before. We have been customers for over 10 years.
10 years ago phones were not capable of using the amount of data they are now. They had smaller screens, less ram, fewer pixels.
And it is very likely that it will continue to consume more data as the screens get bigger, and 5G allows your phone to consume far more data in a very short span of time.
We have 26 days left with only 3 out 12gs. I’m flabbergasted.
AT&T does not control your data usage. All they do is report the amount of data that your phone says it used.
New Member
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2 Messages
2 years ago
I have the same issue. I have never ever ever come close to using the 30 gb plan. We used to have the 15 GB plan until they forced the 30. Last month we went over and used rollover for the very first time..... I was out of the country and not using any data on my phone. This month we are almost out of data as well and when I went into the usage, I found 17 entries in a row of 450 MB data used. Funny thing is I was driving that whole day and not using anything I haven't used before.
So yes, I do believe this is a scam......
ACE - Sage
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118K Messages
2 years ago
@msmel
Until you can show that your phone/s have used less data than AT&T(or any service provider) says it has used, I will maintain the carrier is extremely likely to be correct.
The beginning of this conversation should have been something like," we have tracked our data for this billing cycle on each phone and it shows we have used less data than AT&T has recorded in our online account".
Instead you have gone to a conspiracy theory that somehow AT&T is, what? Siphoning off your data for what purpose? Most are using unlimited, so it's not like At&t needs your pool of data to keep the network running when they have plenty to share.
Do the homework in your phones settings, so you know how much data your phone says it used.
As pictured (android)
Iphone does not track by bill cycle, but does have apps for that purpose you can download.
Fyi
Larger phones, higher resolution screens, more ram, and 5G are going to chew up data like crazy. It's why unlimited made a come back
Community Support
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232.6K Messages
2 years ago
Hello,@msmel. Thanks for reaching out with your concerns about your data usage. We understand how frustrating it can be when you feel that your data is being used up more than you feel it should. We can help you with that.
Thank you, @dwill05,@sandblaster and@formerlyknownas for your helpful and accurate information.
Activities that use a lot of data
Many devices on your plan – smartphones, tablets, and even in-car Wi-Fi®–use wireless data that can count against your monthly allowance.
These activities that can consume a lot of data:
- High definition video streaming (900MB per hour)
- Video conferencing, like FaceTime®and Skype®(480MB per hour)
- Standard-definition video streaming (240MB per hour)
- Online interactive gaming (60MB per hour)
- Streaming music (30MB per hour)
- Downloading movies and large data files
Tracking your data use is your first line of defense. Here are some simple ways to stay informed:
- Sign in now tocheck your usage online.
- Get quick updates on how much data you've used since your last bill withStar Services.
- Set updata usage alertsso you'll know when you've used a certain percentage of your monthly data allowance.
- Learn how to manage your usage when traveling abroad.
Want to manage data use from your mobile device? Get the myAT&T app. Text and data rates may apply for download and use.
We hope this information is helpful. If you have any other questions or concerns please reach back out to us!
TT, AT&T Community Specialist
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