Child Item

Site Totals

61363 Questions Answered 267 Categories

What exactly are the Data Categories

I have read some of these posts and really haven't found an answer to my question. We all have apps on our phones and we all would label certain apps as Social Media, gaming or navigation, etc. However, what category does the app technically fall in? For example: Facebook and Instagram are without a doubt social media. One would think that FB Messenger would be under messaging, but is it? And what exactly is Snapchat considered? Social, Video, Web???? That app does just about (pictures, videos, messaging) everything. Snapchat uses an insane amount of data and I am really trying to narrow down what category it falls in, Technically. When I look at my data utilization, I have several categories listed: Web, Social Apps, Video, Gaming, Navigation, Downloads, Audio. However, there is no way to see what apps utilize what category. It's difficult to try and cut back on certain apps that are burning up your data when you really don't know what apps are causing the problem. My main problem right now is with my daughters line that is apparently using about 90% of our shared data and occasionally puts us over our data usage. I've told her in the past to stay off Snapchat (unless in Wifi range) because that app is notorious for using tons of data. However, this time it's her "web" category that is burning through our data and I honestly don't know what that would be considered. Without turning the phone off completely (and that's not fair), there's no way to help out the situation. There has to be something somewhere that governs what an app is technically considered. Please help!

Comments

tikibar1

Relying on the phone's data usage section is a better way to analyze data usage than using VzW's data utilization tool, in my opinion. Here's some links that may help:

Safety Mode FAQs | Verizon Wireless

https://www.digitaltrends.com/mobile/how-to-reduce-your-data-usage/

8 Useful Tips to Reduce Mobile Data Usage and Save Money

Data Usage FAQs | Verizon Wireless

johntr_vzw

MissChickness, I can understand wanting to get a better understanding of the data categories. You're very much on the money on how the Data Utilization works. The categories are broad, and certain things can fit into two different categories. It's not more specific due to privacy rules. More information on the Data Utilization can be found in the FAQ Page about it: https://www.verizonwireless.com/support/data-utilization-faqs/

With your daughter's line using data, tiki Bar1 is on the right path. Her phone can give a better idea on what apps are using the data. What kind of phone does she have?

JohnTr_VZW

If my response answered your question, please click the _Correct Answer_ button under my response. This ensures others can benefit from our conversation. Thanks in advance for your help with this!!

MissChickness

I know what to look at on the phones end, when it comes to what apps are and aren't using. I want to know how Verizon categorizes these usages. We all know that when they are really pushing you to change your plan (especially when something with your current plan is "grandfathered in") to the unlimited, you mysteriously "run out of data" before your cycle is up. Therefore, if the data usage is because of supposed "web" use, then I want to know what they consider web (b/c you can't fix it if you don't know). I already know what apps use the majority of our data, but I also know that I'm most likely not even close to really being over my data too. My daughter doesn't use her phone for a lot of web use. I know what she uses it for and it isn't that :-)

MissChickness

So what exactly goes in to what category? You can provide a list of what most popular apps, etc. go in to what category without breaching anyone's "privacy". Sorry, but the data utilization page doesn't answer any of these questions. If I can see on my phone what is using the most data, battery, space, etc. and it doesn't match up with your data utilization, then what???? I've already been through this with your tech's and they can never give me any answers and are just as stumped as I am, usually.

boringusername

Just ignore Verizon categories they are useless and pointless an often wrong.

melissap_vzw

MissChickness, as someone who is not on an Unlimited plan, I understand how monitoring data can help determine who gets what every month. I am happy to offer some clarity to make your data usage easier to manage. As others in the community have pointed out, the categories we offer under data utilization are really more of a guidelines to give you a general idea of where your data is going. For each individual lines exact data usage the phone is going to provide the most accurate feed back. Depending on when the data usage was last refreshed on the phone, is may look like a bit of a mess at the moment. Please provide your daughters phone make and model so we can provide further instructions.

swfl-product-mgr

At Verizon support, it's awesome customer support that you don't directly answer the OP questions. I totally understand how you don't want to answer the customer question because either you don't know the answer or not allowed to answer the question. The answers you provide are of no use and we are better off looking elsewhere for our answers about our Verison products.

If I answered your answer to a question properly and made you aware that you are wasting time of customers, please give this comment a thumbs up.... you shills.

Child Item