Is there a way to tell how much data a particular app is using. I have 4GB of data and have NEVER run over. Now, all of a sudden, Verizon tells me that I'm close to my limit and I'm only 2 weeks into the month. What gives??? Seems like a scam to me.
Hi CarpeDiem,You can definitely check which apps are using data! We definitely need to find out why there's a jump in your usage. The way you do this depends on what device you're using. Which make/model do you have?RuthW_VZWFollow us on twitter @VZWSupport
Samsung S4. Hoping you can help.
Thanks for the device model, CarpeDiem!The following link will allow you to optimize your data usage by allowing you to see how much data each application is using: http://vz.to/1sAfYix. Let me know how this works out for you. Thanks!AnthonyTa_VZWFollow us on Twitter @VZWSupport
If you have not figured this out, try looking at the Verizon Cloud backup. I ended up using 8.5GB in less than 24 hours while taking wedding pictures of my son's wedding. They were uploading them to the cloud wirelessly instead of by Wi-Fi.
There are a myriad of applications that will use data like this. Verizon Cloud, Facebook, Slacker, and many others. You really should disable anything that you are not using and set the ones that you will use in limited environments to Wifi (such as cloud, or app updates etc... and leave only those absolutely necessary for Cellular Data (email, maps, gps, facebook if you use it, etc...)
Why am I being charged for data usage at night while I am sleeping and my phone is connected to WiFi?
Many apps are set to update in off hours (this includes Synching). Even though you are connected to Wifi if you have not specified Wifi for these applications then they can use Cellular Data. Verizon Cloud is one that will do this as well and cloud can use a ton of data depending on what it is synching.
how do you set these to only use wifi???
I just encountered the same problem. My usage was OK until this evening at 6:30. My kid was playing a game and the data usage jumped to 180 Mb in less than a half hour!!!! I want to know how that happened!
NEVER HAD A PROBLEM OF EVER GOING OVER OR EVEN CLOSE!! BUT!!! the last couple of months says I'm close to using my data? we have a family plan of 6GB and have been with verizon for 13 years! the last couple of months states we are going to be charged extra for going over the data? we all use Wifi when at home. We got a text stating we used all of the data and for 10.00 dollars more we could upgrade to 8GB. So I did, the next day it stated we used all our Data again?!!! What the heck?? So I upgraded to 10GB!!! I just recieved text stating we used all our data!!!!! Verizon is scamming!! All the years with never going over, all of a sudden we used all the data??
Oh my! That's quite the data spike, Omnicorp. While we aren't able to track specific websites or games that you've used to incur data, we may be able to narrow it down if you know what your son was playing during that time. Some games do require a data connection to play. You can check to see if the game connects to the network by turning off WiFi and turning on Airplane Mode in Settings. Then try to access the game. If you get an error, it's because that application needs data to play and Airplane Mode will turn off all mobile connections and turning off WiFi severs the remaining data option.JenniferH_VZW Please follow us on Twitter @vzwsupport
Great question, sapphireraven! We understand how important it is to use wifi as frequently as possible. In your Google Play Store go to the Settings. Once in there you can choose for your applications to auto-update over wifi only.RobinD_VZWFollow us on twitter @VZWSupport
Wifiuser lets make sure everything adds up and we get ahold of the usage. Have you recently had any connection issues with your Wi Fi? What device make/model do you have?AshleyS_VZWFollow us on Twitter @VZWSupport
Dear Verizon Customer Support
I have contacted Verizon twice by phone with the same issue that seems to be common and that is about the data usage problem. Just tonight I decided to check on mine and low and behold, while my husband is OUT OF THE COUNTRY AND I HAVE HIS PHONE IN THE STATES AND HAVE ONLY LOOKED AT IT TO SEE IF THERE ANY MESSAGAES I SEE DATA USAGE ON HIS PHONE. I DON'T BUY THE TURN THE DATA OFF THING NOR DO I BUY THE PROGRAMS RUNNING IN THE BACKGROUND. I HAVE TRIED EVERYTHING I WAS TOLD TO DO AND NOTHING HAS WORKED. WE HAVE BEEN WITH VERIZON FOR SEVERAL YEARS AND IF YOU LOOK UP OUR RECORDS YOU WILL SEE THAT WE NEVER USED UP OUR DATA ALLOWANCE OR EVEN CAME NEAR 3GB AND LAST MONTH I HAD TO CHANGE OUR PLAN AND PAY FOR A ONE MONTH INCREASE ONLY TO KEEP FROM GOING OVER. I SEE THE VERIZON IS AWARE THERE IS A PROBLEM SO WHY ARE WE ALL BEING TOLD THE SAME THINGS AND NO RESOLUTION.......JUST CHARGE US FOR THE OVERAGE???????? MY HUSBAND DOESN'T EVEN HARDLY EVER USE HIS PHONE EXCEPT FOR EMAIL AND PHONE CALLS. I HAVE AN IPAD SO I DON'T USE MY AS OFTEN AS I USED TO. WE SHOULD NOT HAVE TO TURN THE DATA OFF AND ON. NEVER HAD TO BEFORE AND IF WE KNEW IT WAS A MUST WE WOULD HAVE NEVER CHANGED OUR PLAN TO HAVE AN IPHONE 5. THE 4'S WORKED JUST FINE. VERY VERY VERY DISTURBING!!!!~!!!
I'm having a similar problem. My iPhone is using a lot of data during times when I am at home and connected to wifi. I've called VZW and received little assistance. I just upgraded my data limits and am already about to exceed them. I am 12-year, loyal VZW customer and do not plan to renew at the end of my current contract cycle. It won't hurt VZW much, but I'm another individual adding to the growing flock of customers that are turning off their service in exchange for reasonably-priced alternatives in my market that don't gouge me with data usage fees. Shame on VZW - I've always defended them.
Bluestare, We want to continue having a happy relationship for a very long time to come! iPhones do have some programs that can use data in the background. If you go to Settings>Cellular and scroll down you'll see a list of apps that are on your phone. You can turn off their ability to use data, and it should help to greatly reduce any data usage. When you turn off their ability to use data you'll still be able to use them when Wi-Fi is available, and if you do need to use one with Cellular Data you can always go back into the settings and turn it back on. SarahO_VZWFollow us on Twitter @VZWSupport
I appreciate your response, but as usual, your answer does nothing to address the problem. The problem is your effort to price gouge your customers. There's no reason that my data would be up an additional 2GB in one month's time. I don't need your excuses. The only settings I'm interested in tweaking are those that control the carrier I'm using. I'm simply counting down the days when I can say "so long" to Verizon. I'll be happy to go spend another 12 years with a decent carrier.
bluestare, We do not want to see you go. We truly appreciate your many years of loyalty and would love to add in many more years. I do understand that usage may not have been this high perviously but updates on apps that can be running the background can change how much the data the app uses and how it processes data. If you go into Settings>Cellular and scroll down what app shows to be using the most data?LindseyT_VZWFollow us on Twitter @VZWSupport
I have an iphone 4, but son and daughter have iphone 5s and my wife a lumina. We all spiked in data usage last month, how do we determine what caused this? Was it Facebook or Pandora? Some other app? There must be an easy way to find out.
GV2, thanks for these details. Here's a 2nd pair of eyes to help you look into this data usage increase mystery. You can view the detailed usage for all of your lines online at My Verizon http://bit.ly/xB4iTc Additionally, you can view the data usage amounts used for each application downloaded to an iPhone in Settings>Cellular>Cellular Data Usage. Please be advised that streaming music and videos on Facebook and Pandora can use large amounts of your data allowance. Do you have access to Wi-Fi? If so, connect to Wi-Fi and disable data on your devices to save your data allowance. Connecting to Wi-Fi will not debit data from your plan. LasinaH_VZWFollow us on Twitter @VZWSupport
LasinahH
Thank you for the information. We do have access to Wi-Fi when we are home and sometimes in other locations. What do you suggest when we are not at home? Like in the car? Or out on the street? Great thing about beign able to do a google search, listen to music, etc. is that you can do from anywhere. Specifically, when you are not at home. Because I have Verizon Internet at home, can I connect to that from outside? Again, what do you suggest?
Also, the link just takes me to a place where I can see how much data was used by phone line. Which I already had. What I was looking for is a way to know which apps were causing the problem and when. So, I can say oh - when I was playing Pandora on my drive to VA, I racked up XX about of Data usage. This way I know how much I can use this stuff when I am not connected to Wi Fi. Do you have that?
Thanks
GV2
