iPhone 5 / AT&T data sucking - where's the 'leak'?

[evilrobot]

Anyone ever review their (AT&T) bill and find relatively huge chunks of data going out? I'm looking at mine and seeing occasional blocks of 10mb, 15mb, 12mb, 20mb etc. showing up as data "Sent".

I'm not streaming music, sending files, watching netflix, using it as a driving GPS, etc.

Are there any apps that are notorious data hogs or possibly sharing data?

[evilrobot]

Guess I could have tried some other Google key words - found this app Onavo Count:

"Unlike other data counter apps which just show overall data usage, Onavo Count gives you a list of how much data each individual app is using, complete with charts that show how that changes over time."

https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/id543547474?mt=8

[onthedownlow]

I think you have to set up a VPN with them and then all your data is routed through their servers - FYI.

I could be wrong though. I have the apps (Extended, too), but never continued to set them up.

[GGD]

Your should be aware that AT&T's terminology is misleading, in their online Text/Data usage details, they refer to all data usage as "Data Sent". You shouldn't imply a direction from that, they don't have a "Data Received". In their PDF monthly bills they use better terminology and call it "Data Transfer".

Also, from my family iPhone experience, AT&T seems to accumulate and charge once a day for some data usage, so the time reported might not be very significant. I think apps like Mail are doing small data transfers fairly regularly to check for mail, but that doesn't seem to be reported at the moment it occurs, but maybe when the connection is terminated, or near the end of the day.

One thing that uses a lot of data for my wife is receiving email with attachments, even if she never reads them. Some people send full resolution 5MB/image pictures and don't realize what that might be costing mobile users when they receive it.

[graylocks]

there are certain apps i've learned to only open on wifi as just opening them uses a crapload of data. the main offenders are Facebook and the App Store app. Siri is a bit hungry also.

[sekker]

Podcast automatic downloads?

Onavo is the way to tell.

[Speedy]

You might try Googling 'phantom data usage'. And this forum where you will find my rants on the topic.

GGD has good info. On my 4 phantom data use was driving me crazy thanks to my cheapness. I never got to the bottom of it, I just quit using cellular data as much as possible, i.e., no overt use. After I got a 5 in November I really haven't seen much phantom data usage. I used Onavo but my later version wasn't as good as an earlier version that was pulled from the App Store.

[decay]

i spoke with an ATT support person about a similar thing.

she said when the phone is off at night (or when you sleep), wifi disconnects but cellular stays connected. i'm not certain this is true, but that's what she told me.

is it happening when you are using it, or when you are not using it?

overnight? during the day? pinpoint the times it happens, and call ATT.

Onavo is a good start to tracking it, but it will take some time to build a histogram.