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Can the data usage numbers from the Verizon website for a shared usage plan be trusted?

Today, I got a text message telling me that the data usage for my shared plan had been exceeded, and that I might be charged an overage fee unless I made a change. It is the last day of my billing cycle.

I have a 4 GB shared plan, and when I got the alert, the total usage was 3.26 GB. The alert was unambiguous. My "acct used its prorated data allowance". My account is set to send alerts at 90% data use, but no such alert was recieved.

I checked the details of data usage; most of my usage is on the JetPack, and even though I had been online for several hours this afternoon, it showed the last data share event at 5:50 am today. It also shows about 200MB data use from 4 months ago, I have no idea why.

I called customer service, and the rep agreed with the 3.26 number being accurate, I could take it to the bank. I looked on my mobile app, it also showed 3.26. So I turned off the JetPack, waited an hour.

I logged in using DSL, bypassing VZ, I know I have not used any VZ data since the service rep assured me that 3.26 GB was the number to believe. Now (5:50 PM EDT) my mobile app shows 3.26, as before, but logging into the main website, I see 3.36 GB, but still the latest data usage event at 5:50 AM. So much for taking the number that the service rep said was good to the bank.

Now I believe that I used 100 MB today, it's inline with my own data use monitor. But how am I supposed to manage my data use, if VZ will not tell me what I have used in something approaching real time? I still have no idea if the data plan has been exceeded or not, the timing of the last data share event, and the mysterious increase by 100MB since talking to the service rep suggests appreciable latency in reporting the data use to the web. Not to mention the 200 MB of data from April that shows up under current usage.

I am in a quandry. I plan to use about 300MB of data this evening, just before monthly cycle resets. The web site tells me I have enough data left; the text message tells me I do not.

All I can say is, grrrrrrrrrrr.

Comments

Jakeman1

No, they cannot be trusted and for many reasons but the most reasonable one is they do not track and report in real time meaning they could be reporting 2 GB used when in fact you have used 2.2 GB of data that will catch up to you at some point.

I used to have the problem of using 2.5 GB of data per month (wasn't a big problem because I had Unlimited Data). When I started looking at the data usage by Application I was amazed at how many of the apps on my phone that I never use, were the largest Data Hogs. These apps have many names, but I prefer to call them Bloatware.

what my research showed me was Backup Assistant was the largest usage of Data on the phone, and I do not use it. I went so far as to change the pin through a CS agent and never set it up after that so there is nothing for it to communicate to. That in itself was using almost 2 GB per month just updating or sending Call and Listen messages back and forth (personally I think it is set up that way to drain Data and cause Overages).

Next on the list was VZ Navigator (also never used it) and then MyVerizon (Also never used it) next came Amazon and Slacker Radio.

So ultimately I found an app called Onavo Count which is a data monitoring app. It tells me how much data each app is using real time. It also allows me to change the usage of the app itself so I can change apps like Navigator or Backup Assistant to only use Wi-Fi if available.

I set these Data hogs up to use only Wifi and really with setting Backup Assistant, Navigator, Amazon and Slacker to only use WiFi my data usage went down to roughly .5 GB per month on a very large month. Right now I am 14 days into my Data Cycle and I have used a whopping 52 MB of data so far.

A decent list of what to disable is located below (but that varies from user to user as some people insist on using one or more of these).

Amazon Kindle

Amazon MP3

Apps (this is a Verizon Apps Store)

Backup Assistant (can be one of many variations of this)

Facebook

Google Play Books

Google Play Movies & TV

Google +

MOG Music

Music Store

My Verizon Mobile (also one of the largest Data Hogs)

NFL Mobile

Slacker Radio

Slingbox

Smart Actions

V Cast Tones

Verizon Video

VZ Navigator

YouTube

Quick Office

tikibar1

There are a number of threads that discuss data usage issues with jetpacks, i.e.,

Space Search | Verizon Wireless Community

John_from_Lawrencevil

Thanks for the input.

Yes, I know that various apps can have unexpected consequences. Still trying to figure out how my wife's iPad managed to use 750 MB one night, doing nothing in particular. That is why all our devices now have data usage monitors, and we pay attention.

What gets my goat is that it seems to be nearly impossible to get a believable number from Verizon. I am perfectly capable of taming my apps and making sure they are under control, but that is much, much harder if I have to guess at how much data they are actually using.

Some experiments yesterday and today lead me to think that the total usage number from the website is reasonably up to date, with a latency of no more that 20 or 30 mins. But the detailed usage breakdown numbers are generated by a deranged chicken, and bear no correlation in time or quantity to the actual data usage by any given device. I arrive at that conclusion by having only one device on the network at a time, running a task of known impact, turning it off, then looking at the total data usage figure reported for the next couple of hours. The step I see in the total seems to correlate well with reality, the detailed usage figures are best explained by the deranged chicken model.

Jakeman1

If you load Onavo Count on your phone and let it run for a little while, it will tell you APP by APP what is being used. Try it over night and see what happens when you are asleep.

Verizon_Support

Hello John_from_Lawrenceville,

We certainly know how important it is to have accurate information for our customers to effectively manage their data usage. This is one of the many driving factors as to why we have so many self service options available to you.While the website and the app shows usage up to a specific date and time, keep in mind that the data is cumulative. As it's reported, we try our best to deliver the message to you as close to real time as possible. I strongly encourage our customers to use these self serve options as a gauge to help manage the account. As aways, we are here to help if you have any additional questions.

Thank you...

ArnettH_VZW

Follow us on Twitter @VZWSupport

John_from_Lawrencevil

"keep in mind it is cumulative". As if this were an excuse. Of course it is cumulative. >>name calling removed<< That is exactly the issue. I need to manage my cumulative data usage, and with no way to tell what that cumulative total is as any given time, that is very hard to do. And yes you provide many self serve options. But if they are not accurate, and if you send out spurious "you used all your data" messages, it is as if you are trying to bluff me to jack up my usage plan to be defensive. My issue is not that I am unaware of the self serve options, its that they are inconsistent. And that some of the numbers you give are clearly better explained by the "deranged chicken making up numbers" model than by anything else.

My only real question is this. If it is 1 hour to go on my billing cycle, and I think that I might be close to incurring an overage, say because you sent me a spurious message telling me I was already over my limit, what self serve option can I use to see what my actual, real situation is? So I can make a rational decision. If I had a clear answer to that question, the fact that the detailed data usage is all messed up would not bother me a whit. (Self serve only, your live customer service stops 1 hour before my billing cycle ends). Where can I get an accurate measure of my cumulative data useage?

Message was edited by: Verizon Moderator

Verizon_Support

I hear your real question loud and clear John_from_Lawrenceville! Viewing your usage online in your My Verizon site, #DATA and your mobile application will all give you enough details to make a rational decision. If you are worried about going over within the hour of your cycle you can take advantage of wifi or increase (backdate) your plan to prevent overage. Of course we are always here to assist as well (*611 from your device). Thank you.

TominqueBo_VZW

Please follow us on Twitter @VZWSupport

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