Has Anyone had an Unexplained Jump in Data Usage with the JetPack?

First thought is computer was downloading updates, which is usually done automatically.

alakid77

I have also. I weekly check my computer settings to make sure all updates ask before downloading, so thats not the reason. I also have had more unexplained usage for the last 2 months. I have had service for almost 3 years now and this is not first time this has happened. so hate to say it but i am now looking in to going with Sprint.

Did you signup for Windows 10? If you did, this is being pre downloaded and the size is about 4GB

We certainly don't want you to consider leaving us, alakid77. I understand knowing exactly what data is being used for is important. Have you tried using our Data Utilization Tool? http://www.verizonwireless.com/support/data-usage-faqs/?lid=sayt&sayt=data%20utilization* This can be very helpful to break down usage details.

VanessaS_VZW
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Same thing happened to me this week. On Monday the Jetpack showed what is historically a month's worth of data usage in one morning and my computer was not even on!

You can file a complaint with the FCC. It is very easy and quick. This way there is a solid database of users who have this same issue and someone to research it.

We certainyly want to get to the bottom of this to prevent a similar occurence in future, Montanaann. Are other devices connected to the Jetpack as well? Do you typically leave the Jetpack on while computer not in use?
YaleK_VZW
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Hello,

I see no way to reply to any messages in the forum even though I am signed in. What do I have to do to reply in the forum?

I have a PC, an IPad and two smart phones. I do not connect the phones to wifi and only occasionally the iPad. The data overage comes through the Jetpack and I do not stream anything or watch movies. This last time, the data overage showed up on a Monday morning and then another big blip on Tues around noon. I was not doing anything unusual and there were no software downloads occurring.

Of particular note, when I called customer service, the answer was to reboot the Jetpack and upgrade my plan; a monthly insurance fee was also pitched to me. Had I taken these 'solutions', it would have cost me another $156/year. Being on a fixed income, I can't afford this.

OK, apparently if I reply to a message through the email received from this forum it is posted in the forum. I am also able to post messages here now directly. I had already signed in before, so I don't know why I had to do it again.

I still have not received a satisfactory answer as to the sudden huge jump in data usage in one day. I did not not download Windows 10 or do anything except visit sites I normally visit. I chatted with 2 agents, but the transcripts were not sent to my email address either time. I was also told an extra GB would be retroactively added to my account, but I see no evidence of that. Since my JetPack can no longer provide usage readings and Verizon could not fix this problem, why should I trust that there is not a malfunction regarding usage measurements? I have used public wi-fi since I am almost maxed out on my account, and I cannot trust that this will not happen again.

I don't think that happened in my case. Things don't update unless I give permission, and nothing like this had happened in the course of a year.

The data utilization tool has been worthless for me, and I don't think it comes close to my actual usage. I never used my computer for gaming, but the tool thinks I have.

Montanaann - Overages are costly! We can help you monitor the usage and avoid those charges that take a strain on your budget. When you are not using the Jetpack are you powering it Off? Do you use Facebook? When you are connecting to the Jetpack what do you do online? We have great tools to keep your eye on the data use! Check it out. http://bit.ly/1KQQExi

JacobV_VZW

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Windows 10 update is special. If you got asked if you want to update and you said yes, that was your permission to download in the background.

I did not download Windows 10.

snico00

Same problem here. All of a sudden there has been a huge jump in data usage by the jetpack and the amount of people on this forum who suddenly have data usage problems is proving that something is definitely wrong and Verizon has not addressed this issue. My jetpack used in one day almost what I use in a month. I've been on the phone with support everyday for several days and I get the same run around. They say it's something I'm doing when in fact I haven't changed my routine of internet use.

You are absolutely right; they have an issue and they know it. Consider the huge bump in revenue this is giving them!

AZconfused

I had the exact same thing happen. 3.27 GB downloaded at 10:42 PM on 8/2/15 while I was asleep. All downloads turned off. I had a few exchanges with with a rep on this forum on 8/3 but nothing since. It should be easy for Verizon to find out the IP address that this huge download came from.

I understand how you feel. I kept getting the same responses that seemed canned as well. No help in getting to the real root causes. I posted because I think there is a glitch with the Jetpack or with Verizon's software. One agent I worked with so no activity from his end on the day I supposedly used almost 4 GB, but he saw the same cumulative usage I saw for the month. I have used as little as 4.5 GB in an entire month visiting the same sites I currently visit.. I have had the Jetpack for a year, so I know how to monitor and control my usage Something is wrong, and I do not think it is on my end. Someone who is at a higher level than Verizon's customer service agents needs to get involved. This appears to be a technical issue.

I was told that, due to privacy rules, Verizon can't tell us that detail. It has to be kept secret... Even from us!

I thought Verizon could help me get to the cause of my big jump in usage too, coincidentally on 8/2 as well. If there is something could have highjacked my computer for a large download, show me how to look for it. I did check on downloads though, and there were just a couple of pictures at a couple of KB apiece.

I still don't understand how Facebook could have increased the usage with my laptop. I was told it works like an app. All I do on Facebook is read a few posts each day. I have never posted on Facebook.

The first agent thought I should change my password, but the one I have is complicated and there are only four neighbors in range of where I use my Jetpack. They all have their own internet service and don't need mine.

Facebook uses a lot of data, it downloads videos on the page. It is a common source of high data use.

I can tell you from experience, it is not Facebook or a password violation. It is either a software problem with the Jetpack (as I was told by a VZN rep) or a revenue-enhancement ploy Verizon uses to milk their customers when they need or want to inflate their accounts receivable. I recommend filing a complaint with your state attorney general and the FCC. Neither one is difficult and can be done online. That way you are part of a crowd instead of just one person and an investigation can be launched.

blairsis

I had the exact thing happen on 8/2 at 7:30am. Verizon told me someone was using gaming or watching videos. It used 3 gb. I was on my way out the door to play golf at that time and the only one home This jet pak never goes over on 1gb in a month.

Facebook's Auto-Playing Videos Are Blamed For High Data Usage Charges

Videos consume substantial amounts of mobile data. This is problematic for people that have limited data plans and spend a lot of time scrolling through the Facebook News Feed. Facebook enabled videos to automatically play by default, which has caused many people to incur high data usage charges.

there is not one cause. The conspiracy theory is just that.

blairsis

how do you file with FCC? AT and T just got hit with a big fine for slowing Data down. Maybe Verizon is trying something similiar. I have been getting the run around as well and nothing is getting resolved.

What videos? I have never seen any on the Facebook pages I visit, and I have Flash Blocker, which I found cuts down on unwanted data usage. Plus, nothing like this had happened before after a year of visiting Facebook every day.

Jebo101

Yes, I have, my Jetpack went over 6 GB Cost an extra $60.00 I am not happy about this. This is terrible. Thinking about cancelling and looking for another internet service. ,

rrrocker

Yes. Something downloaded ~4GB early in the morning of 8/5, which really chapped my hide since this is the day my billing cycle resets. 4GB of my quota blown away before I even wake up the first day of the cycle. Awesome. BTW, my internal router also logged this usage, so I know it's legitimate.

Incidentally, the "Get Windows 10" icon appeared in the systray of my Win7 laptop right around then. I have a feeling MS pushed Win10 to me even though I have not requested it nor have any interest in it at this point. I'm going to try to locate the files when I get home...

Admins rail against 'unwanted and unexpected' Windows 10 downloads - TechRepublic

They tried to push it to me unsolicited too; fortunately, it failed.

rrrocker

Hmm...

FTA: "For individuals who have chosen to receive automatic updates through Windows Update, we help upgradable devices get ready for Windows 10 by downloading the files they'll need if they decide to upgrade. When the upgrade is ready, the customer will be prompted to install Windows 10 on the device," a Microsoft spokesman said.

Silly me for not realizing "automatic updates" includes "whole new operating systems", eh?

See: Metered Internet connections: Frequently asked questions - Microsoft Windows Help

Windows 10 downloaded if you indicated you wanted the free Upgrade when it was available. That was your "agreement". When Windows was released, Microsoft pushed out Windows 10 to those that signed up, even if you had automatic updates off. It is right around 4 GB and we have had a rash of several people on here indicate they went over about 4 GB than their usual.

For everyone with Windows computers, there is also a setting you can add to your wifi connection to the jetpack or Verizon internet router on the Windows computer. You indicate the connection is a metered connection and it will limit any automatic usage on that connection.

If you have a metered connection I strongly advise you never, ever just leave the jetpack and computers on and connected. Only turn on both when you need access and then turn it off. Many that are going over are just keeping everything running and connected 24/7 which is fine if you have a large amount of data or an unlimited connection, but you are asking for trouble if you have limited data.

JerZJack - We are still here to get to the bottom of the issue you are having! I have just sent you and email on our support page. Please reply at your earliest convenience?

JacobV_VZW

Panman54

I posted in the wrong section, no help so figured it out. For the last 3+ months my bill has more than doubled, really. I started at an average of $80 a month with one movie purchased. It has risen to $195 this month with no movie and the usual usage. Just knowing they stole a few hundred bucks from me with no response makes my decision to stop the service and switch provider a no brainer. My IT guy at work is primed to start an online attack at Verizon, they are too big to hurt bad but he said we can make a dent to ease my payback mode! I don't need to get pay per view and can use my IPad at home till I find an honest provider!

I do not know what I can tell you other than what I have already stated in earlier posts. I have not used my Jetpack since 8/2 because I am not going to incur overage charges. This has forced me to use public wi-fi for the last two weeks of the billing cycle. I do not know if you can pull the transcripts of the two chats I had with Verizon agennts, but the first one said he was going to send me a transcript,but I did not receie it. I followed the instructions for emailing the transcript of the second chat to myself, but did not receive that transcript, either.

I also did not receive the extra gig I was promised retroactive to 7/16 although both agents told me I was receiving it.

I had my Jetpack replaced once because it did not record usage, only to be informed that there was a software problem with Jetpacks that could not be fixed. I have explored possible problems on my end, and I would appreciate a sincere effort from Verizon to look into a problem on its end. Just the suggestion that the problem may not be on my end got me flamed by one of your top posters. I have not experienced that in many years. There should be community standards here so that customers that are suppoesed to be here to help do not alienate Verizon from its other customers.

Also, someone who claimed to be a Verizon representative contacted me because of my post. I did not respond because the person wanted my password.

mousemargo

I'm right there with you. On one day it hit me with .9GB in one log in. I don't stay logged in, don't video. stream. or any of that. I too know when my laptop and PC update. This was not the case as they tried to tell me. Even then, I have never had a .9GB update ever! It seems like this last year was always adding for no reason at all.

mousemargo

Write to the BBB and to the Federal Consumer Protection Office. The more they hear from us the more we have a chance of getting this corrected. Verizon won't give the customer any satisfaction. I had one day at .9GB and there is no way I could use that kind of data. I had 7.2GB and send one 25MB email and it jumped to 8.22. No updates going on. My PC tells me. i did not accept Microsoft 10 and still get the requests to accept but will not. I checked and it is not on my PC. They send notices to change your plan to AVOID overage charges so I did and was told it was backdated but they failed to get it in the system that way cause when the $198 bill (was to be $60) came I was told plan was changed on demand and not backdated even though 3 other reps told me it was backdated. I average 6 GB each month lately - use to be under 5GB. With the paln change they are charging me $105 in overage. Do you know how many gigs that is/ At $15 overage charge do the math. I don't stream or play games and don't think I could run up that kind of overage if I did. I only log on a couple times a day and never leave it on.

7 GB overage.

And yet everyone keeps saying it just can't be me, but no one actually does any research to confirm it is them or not. I can't be me is not effective to fight back to Verizon. You need data. And usually when you obtain that data, you find out it was actually your computer that used the data.

Did you check the directories noted above at a minimum?

Another familiar story that parallels my own. I wrote to the FCC and, as a result, did get a call from the Verizon Executive office saying they would call me again when they. Knew more. That was last week....

Callmeterry

Had an almost 3 GB usage last night and based on the times I received the alerts, times when we were asleep. According to the update log, there was one update for an IE security update, couldn't tell how much it used, but really really don't think it was 3 GB. My data usage for last night isn't showing up online, other than the device used. We have not gone over 10 GB per month (usually using around 8) in at least a year!

My cynical side is telling me that this overage occurred because this month I tweaked my account to save some dollars.

Is that true for anyone else? Or has anyone come up with some kind of reason that makes sense?

John_Getzke

> I received the alerts, times when we were asleep

Keep in mind that all data usage reports are delayed to some degree. The fact that you received the alert at night is not a direct reflection of when the data usage actually occurred, only when it was detected by Verizon. The data usage may have very well happened while you were awake earlier in the evening.

> We have not gone over 10 GB per month (usually using around 8) in at least a year!

As we continue to state in all data usage threads, your data usage history is not helpful in figuring out what happened in a new usage situation. Things change all the time, with or without your knowledge and in most properly solved cases it is data usage that occurs without the knowledge of the users.

> Is that true for anyone else?

Anything that you do with your VZW account is not a reflection of your actual data usage. Apples and Oranges.

> Or has anyone come up with some kind of reason that makes sense?

The only way to actually solve a data usage problem is to setup and maintain data usage monitors on your personal devices. There are many ways to accomplish this task and they all require research and configuration for each environment depending on what is going on. Some monitors only work for Windows, some only for Mac, some only for mobile devices, some only for home routers, etc.

There is no one simple explanation for data usage, every instance is different and unique. There may be trends that occur overtime like when Microsoft released Win10 for everyone (multiple GB downloads triggering complaints on VZW forums). But those are much less common and difficult to identify than what is actually happening for someone.

Callmeterry

Regarding the timing of the alerts, we got three over the space of several hours, so even if the first is delayed, the last wouldn't have been. Also, when I look at usage through my account, dates and times are listed, so I could confirm that usage was occurring when I wasn't actively using the computer. Thanks to earlier above from weth, I was at least able to track down some of the issue.

Patterns of usage are valuable....they are how many of us do business. When there is an unexpected and initally unexplained jump, with no outwardly change in patterns of use, there WILL be questions. To brush it off as not important is not good business and suggests a consumer is ignorant. I would question the same of electric, gas, or other utility use if I saw an unexplained spike.

Which is why this forum is valuable. As is why asking if anyone else had something similar happen. It is not apples and oranges - many of the responses have focused on the common denominator of Windows 10. Unfortunately, John, none of your response provided any usable information to help figure out where and what to look for. If Verizon is unable to provide info due to privacy concerns, then the next best thing is to provide tools or methods to figure out where and what is going on with our data. So far, the best info I've gotten so far has been from other users above.

I was able to narrow down what was going on with my account to what is likely a Windows 10 issue with the help of earlier posts. So thanks to the community.

wlabreeze

up and down for past two years. started at 6gb, now 20.gb. some days hits the fan. thinking of switching to installed internet with voip, but i know now home phone will be sucking data too. may skip voip. trying to get rid of ATT live in spot where verizon only internet ser. or satilite. im screwed

Dguidry008

I have an iPhone 5 never had a data usage problem until the last 2 billing cycles. I'm currently 9 days into my current cycle with over 75% of my data gone from only 3 tv shows on HBOgo! That's 4.5 gigs from only 3 shows? I'd think it's a fluke expect that my sister and two friends are having the same data problems across 4 different devices. Only constant seems to be Vzw. Maybe something to look into...

It's always fun to enjoy your favorite shows on a mobile device, Dguidry008. Many video apps, including HBO Go, stream videos in high definition, and better quality viewing means more data is used to ensure you get the same experience as your tv. Check the app settings to see if you can lower the quality when connected to a mobile network, or just make sure to use it mostly on WiFi. You can also see what else is using mobile data either via your phone settings, or online with our data utilization tool: http://vz.to/1Jv4PsM . As for your current cycle, we want to avoid overages there. You could consider turning off mobile data as it gets closer to going over, or you can increase your data plan if it does go over: http://vz.to/1FVgivb
RussellM_VZW
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4.5 GB for three HD shows is what would be expected. HBOgo adjusts quality and how data is used by the speed of your connection. You can expect 1.5 to 4 GB per hour of video.

bencolton

EXactly the same problem 2-1/2 yrs ago! I went around and around with them for 6 months, exchanging out the jet pack for new one at my expense, giving them a 3-day log of when it was used that didn't match their records, left the jet pack at the store for 2 days and still racked up double usage, turned it off every night still double usage... They kept trying to satisfying me with $20 and $30 credits ea month month telling me they knew about this common issue/problem and that they were working on it. They would not let me out of my 2-year contract with 18 months to go. I argued and argued to no avail. Finally I gave up, put the mifi in the trash (no usage on bill now!) and continued to pay for the monthly contract ea month! Finally in April 2015, was able to cancel contract and told them what happened. Response: " that's too bad, huh, never of that problem before!!! Would you like to sign another 2-year contract and give it another try?"

This his would be such a good device for us as we travel the country and would be soooo convenient IF we were billed accurately!

The person admits to watching 3 shows from 1 1/2 hours to 3 hours of high definition video. That is expected to take about 4 GB. No mystery there. Yet you say it is not accurate and say it is the exact same thing. That makes no sense if it is the exact same thing since the data use is as expected.

pinky56

I had this same issue last month on 8/4 just 10 days into my month when I usually have barely used 1 GB or less. Suddenly that day there was almost 4 GB used at one time. Customer Service finally agreed to research it and said it was some type of update (maybe for the unit) called Limelight. If it's their product, shouldn't their updates be free to the customer? I was so exasperated because I was already calling about another (billing) issue, that I gave up. I had the exact thing happen last night. When I sat down to do my usual activity online (email, FB, simple things) my usage was at .6 GB; an hour or so later it was 4.33! I am planning to call support this week, armed with a neighbor who has been in IT her whole life to talk "the language" with them to explain to them that when she checked my laptop after the first event, nothing showed up. I'm definitely shopping to change what I'm doing, because I end up with no usage of my wi-fi for over half the month, and have to resort to the library or community computer in my complex. FURIOUS!

rrrocker

Limelight is a content delivery network (CDN). One of their many clients is Microsoft, for the delivery of Windows Update content. Most likely what caused your 4GB spike on 8/4 was Windows Update downloading the entire Windows 10 update whether you asked for it or not. Same thing happened to me on 8/5.

That is doubly distressing that it happened a second time, though.

Window 10 auto download x2. The files are on the laptop. Unfortunately this is data your devices used and You are responsible for it.

Panman54

I've been going back and forth with the criminals at Verizon. My bill for a 50 dollar plan went up to 230 this month. The increase has developed over the last six months. On one of the MANY threads about the exorbitant usage charges on here there is one customer that has increased to $3200! I am too old, 61, and too well off to worry about what they can do to me so I'm shutting down the checkbook and I'll wait for the lawsuits to develop and then join in. I live where not many services reach so I figured I'd go ahead and pay the 6K to trench a phone line here and get an ATT or Charter acct. I hope all of you being screwed follow suit. My company would NOT treat customers like this!!

Lynnchi

I just got my jet pack just less than a month ago. The Verizon marketing says their 10 GB plan is the equivalent of downloading 30 movies or viewing 136,000 web pages. I got this plan thinking there is no way I could exceed that as I do not download movies, or do gaming, and couldn't possibly view 136,000 web pages in a month. Sixteen days into my usage I get a text from Verizon that I have used up 75% of my gigabytes. Today (23 days into the plan I get a note that I have used 90% of my data. I called customer support and they thanked me for my 17 years of being a customer and I told them their marketing was fraudulent and misleading. They tried to dismiss it as gaming and I quickly said there is no gaming. Then they tried to say it was the tablet going through updates. Then offered me a $10 discount.

I was also blatantly lied to when they told me their black box home kit was compatible with alarm systems. Their own alarm tech support told my alarm company the black box land line is not really suitable with alarm systems.

Anyone considering the jet pack should think again. Their data tracking is a rip off. I believe it to be fraudulent and criminal