High mobile data usage

[Minnie74]

Hi,
I was just wondering if anyone could give me some advice, I have had iPhones for 5 years and am pretty good at managing my data. Yesterday my plan rolls over to a new period and 8:50pm I get 3 text saying I have gone 500 MB over my plan. I check my data usage and according to it I have used 1.2 GB between 8:30pm-8:40pm (10 minutes) on the first day of the cycle that's my whole allowance. I was using my phone 4g at the time but no differently to how I normally use it, I think it may be an error as I am pretty aware of how much data my phone uses. I have never had a problem in the past except when my son chewed through 1.5GB in 24 hours watching YouTube videos on my phone but my phone wasn't being used in that way this time and that was a 24 hour period not 10 minutes.

[Minnie74 · Accepted solution]

Actually I think I solved my issue, when this happen was out & using mobile data and one of my apps needed updating since the iOS 8 update. While updating one app in mobile data is ok I must have inadvertantly hit update all which is what used all the data. I have now gone into settings - Itunes & App Store, use mobile data and turned this feature off. I hope this helps someone else.

[spotifylover16]

I'm a new user with iphones & Telstra. I've only been using my new iphone S6 since Tues (4 days ago) and had a text saying I've used 50% of my data. I been using spotify the past couple of days during my morning walk and at work. Would this chew up my data?

[TimBartel]

Hi spotifylover16,

It certainly could be a culprit. I use Spotify a lot myself, and have found that it is responsible for a fair percentage of my data usage. 

If you'd like head you can head to Settings > Mobile > The scroll down to the list "Use Mobile Data For" . From there you'll be able to review how much data each app has used since the last time you reset those statistics. 

Cheers,

[beauravn]

Hi, 3 days ago I upgraded my old Telstra Mobile Broadband account using a Telstra 4G Advanced USB modem and laptop with no other devices. I upgraded because my previous 15Gb monthly data allowances suddenly shot up to 40Gb after installing dropbox for my graphics work. However, my new TELSTRA HOME WIRELESS PLAN only became active 2 days ago and all I have done in the past 2 days is check my emails and browse Facebook, occassionally visiting other websites (mainly news sites). I have spent a total of approx 10 - 12 hours online in this 2 day period and still using my 4G Advanced USB modem while I wait for my new modem to arrive in the mail. Well, that's the background story ... so how could I have possibly used 5.44Gb of data (13% of my new 40Gb allowance) in 2 days without opening dropbox at all or doing any major uploads/downloads of any kind? How do I check to see if another user has 'hacked' my account? How do I make it impossible for anyone or anything to access my USB modem other tham my one laptop device and nothing else? Is dropbox the problem here as my Publisher also has access to it? Cheers, Beau

[MattyC]

Hi Beau. Thankyou for coming through, and sorry for the confusion and frustration.

If it's a USB modem, then only someone in possession of the device itself can use the data.

Dropbox may be syncing and causing that data usage, but your publisher using your dropbox won't be an issue, as he'll be using his data allowance, not yours.
The usage you've described and the data you've used sound about right, particularly as websites tend to be quite data intensive of late, particularly with adds and other video content set to autoplay.
It might be worth looking at some of your browser settings. 
If there was a significant gap between devices, you may also find that some of your programs have been waiting for a chance to update themselves too, which would cause an early spike in your data usage.

Check your settings, and keep on eye on it over the next few days, and let us know how you get on.

Thanks again, for coming through - Matthew.

[dm4]

My new arrangement was settled three days ago and already I have used 2.4 gig of shared data I use my mobile phone to access my account and email and this is counted as being data download, WHY.???????

[dm4]

I was going no r the impression that checking on bigpond was free. Obviously because I have made a complaint I am going o be penalized for being eo bold. I am now going to disable my internet access on m mobile wnr see just what occurs. What out Telstra, my case is still open with the Ombudsman,

[dm4]

THE BIGGER YOU ARE THE HARDER YOU FALL.

[TimmyT]

Hi dm4,

Access to the Telstra 24x7 app (http://tel.st/app) on your mobile service is unmetered within Australia except for when using the store locator with Map View turned on and getting help and support using 24x7 social support. My Account ( http://tel.st/cpyn) is metered however you can do most of the same things using our 24x7 app. Emails is similar to accessing a website so this will be be deducted from your monthly data allowance.  

With regards to BigPond (http://m.bigpond.com), anything with the green dot which will be displayed on the top right corner of the site is unmetered on your Telstra mobile service. Further information can be found here http://m.bigpond.com/pricing

Tips which may help reduce your mobile data usage can be found here 27 Mobile Data Tips

- Tim 

[dm4]

Don't be fooled. Telstra are using all sorts of methods to increase revenue. Twice last month I received lots of 1gig extra, within 2 days. Only less than two days to end of billing period. I was aware of my usage but I still got the two gig and charged for it. If you cannot get you refund let the TIO know.

[dm4]

Why don't you tell your support staff that. I went to the tio got some relief, recontracted 24/8 and guess what, my mobile phone date is still taken from the start of the billing date 9/8. Can you explain that. Both internet connections recontracted.

[dm4]

If your support staff cannot help, I would never trust software, anyone who does will get what he/she deserves.

[ShannonD]

Hi @dm4

We have had reports from many other customers over the past couple of years and have conducted full reviews of our usage recording systems/processes from end to end.

No systemic issue was found with the way that we record/monitor customers usage.

This is not to say that there are never issues with usage recording, no system is perfect, but these are very uncommon and in almost all cases the issue is actually an unknown or unused feature on the device itself.
 

There is an opportunity for your usage to increase without you changing your behaviour at all. This is because many new features can use data in the background, usually to provide you with a better browsing/playing/user experience.

You can find some helpful tips about managing data via https://www.telstra.com.au/help/my-account/manage-your-usage/manage-your-data

I'd personally recommend keeping an eye on your usage via My Account https://www.my.telstra.com.au/myaccount & our 24x7 app http://www.telstra.com.au/my-account/telstra-24x7-app/ as it is updated within 48 hours however data is usually current as of about 15mins ago. 

If you would like us to check everything is correct on our end, please contact 132200 & say "mobile fault"

[dm4]

Thank you for your help. Help is not what I want or need. What is needed is what Telstra are contracted to. Read what I have said. I was RECONTRACTED 24/8. Now my phone limit has been reached. I used my desk top computer to check.. Not my mobile phone that I am /have been using for this forum😴

[ShannonD]

Hi @dm4

If you go over your monthly data allowance, a 1GB block of Extra Data will be automatically applied to your plan for $10.

If you use the 1GB block before the end of your billing period, we’ll automatically add additional 1GB blocks of Extra Data for $10 each. At the end of your billing period, you will return to your normal monthly data allowance. For any of your data sharing plans, Extra Data blocks can be used by all eligible data sharing services on the same account.

You can find more information about this via https://www.telstra.com.au/latest-offers/extra-data 

If you're using the 24x7 app to monitor usage, data is current as of about 15mins ago. If you're finding that the usage is increasing, then something must be causing this.

Unexpected or high data usage can be concerning and the first thing to understand is there is an opportunity for your usage to increase without you changing your behaviour at all. This is because many new features can use data in the background, usually to provide you with a better browsing/playing/user experience.

Managing app/OS settings can greatly reduce usage. The big hitters are;
- Background App Usage
- Automated Updates
- Location Services
- Maps

For example, iOS users found an increase of usage when iOS was released as it included a feature know as WiFi assist. This is when your phone uses mobile data automatically when the connection to the Wi-Fi network is weak. You can find how to turn this off viahttp://mobilesupport.telstra.com.au/apple/iphone-7-plus-ios-10-0/connectivity/turn-automatic-use-of-... 

Another example was when a Facebook update allowed videos to auto-play. I found my own usage increase dramatically when this feature was enabled. 

There are some really helpful tips about managing data you can find via https://www.telstra.com.au/help/my-account/manage-your-usage/manage-your-data & I'd definitely recommend checking this out. 
 

To confirm, what plan did you recontract to?

Also, what kind of mobile are you using?

Are you saying that you didn't get the full allowance of the new contract or that you have gone over this?