Why Am I Seeing Unexplained Data Usage?

Historically I use very little of my allowed data. Now there are unexplained spikes of usage and Verizon won't explain how the data is being used.

And the usage is very suspect -

1. in the middle of the night

2. there is wifi in the house

On July 26 and 27, at exactly the same time - 4:24 AM - 300 MB were used.

I called Verizon, pointed out that, at 4;23 I am asleep, the phone is lying on the bedside table and, again, there is wifi in the house.

So the charges make absolutely no sense.

The operator said well maybe it is blah-blah - news, social media - missing the point that I wasn't using it at 4:24 AM.

I really don't see why I should pay this.

Anyone?

Accepted answers

SuzyQ

HAMM10214 wrote:
Interesting, is that our APPs that are being used have not changed, we have not downloaded new APPs, and i too had a phone turned off for an ENTIRE day and it showed data usage..

While you have not changed the apps or downloaded new ones, the apps themselves are using more data (if you use Facebook, Snapchat, Twitter, News feeds, they all are incorporating more and more video and that's using more data, unless you have changed your settings to restrict background data, and adjusted each app to use video on wifi only).

All comments

Ann154

What is the Wifi sleep policy on the device in question? Can you please provide a screenshot of the current data usage screen?

GONE2MAINE

Does that help?

Are you a VZ rep?

Ann154

That's the top half of the screen, but it doesn't show the individual application usage.

Although the notification bar has a story all on its own. (Facebook = data hog) if you are not careful. Not sure what the red icon and the B icon are for.

I can tell you one other thing You have both wifi and the 4G LTE network on at the same time. If you don't have the wifi sleep policy set up right, you can potentially use 4G LTE when you thought you were connected to the wifi.

Ann154

This is a peer to peer community forum and not a direct link to Customer Service. While there are a number of VZW reps that roam this community, it isn't guaranteed that they will respond. The reps are also clearly marked in a number of ways. I'm just another customer like yourself.

Acrillix

Turn 4G off altogether when asleep. I do this because my ex-gf keeps hogging all my data.

HAMM10214

Here is an interesting article Hundreds of Verizon customers are battling data over-limit fees: Money Matters | cleveland.com

I really don't think its a coincidence that people are having the same issue at the same time.....................

Acrillix

You guys realize that the faster the Network the more data is used...VZW just went from 4G XLTE to LTE Advanced so now data is going to be used even more. I don't even care I am with VZW for the speed, reliability, and customer experience.

SuzyQ

Interesting article, and I have no doubt people are seeing data spikes, and an increasing amount of data being used. My experience may not be typical, but it may help some out there...

I have 5 lines, 3 smartphones and 2 basic flip phones. My daughter has an iPhone5, I have an Android, the third smartphone is a 3G Blackberry Bold on our home phone line and sees little to no data usage. I monitor our data usage, as until recently we shared 3 GB. It has been sufficient.

A few months back, I noticed my daughter's line was leaping ahead on the data meter, like half a GB in a day ... she said she'd let one of the kids watch Netflix in the car for awhile and that explained it. We thought ... it kept increasing, and it turns out all her apps had been reset to use mobile data. She reset them and it got better.

This month MY phone was gobbling data (1.5 GB in the first 10 days of the new cycle??) - I turned off background data (never had to before) but that seems to have slowed the "leak".

My own idea of what's happening - more and more video is finding it's way into more and more apps and websites. Facebook has it on by default, so just logging on to your account is sending video to your phone. News channels are using more and more video feeds. Twitter now has video tweets, Instagram has video, Snapchat is everywhere - all those apps sending and receiving video by your phone can eat data like crazy, and how often do you pull up FB or Twitter or Instagram, or Snapchat when you are out and about?

So, while you may not have changed the way you use your phone, the apps you use have changed the way content is delivered, and there a LOT more video involved by default. Unless you DO change the way you use your phone and have your settings, your data WILL increase.

Just my thoughts on the matter....

Acrillix

I back this 100%

JEFFMELDAVIS

It has happened to us as well. We went to the xl plan so 12GB plus we were offered 2gb a line so I have 16 GB. we use about 9 GB on Average, but after this plan, we changed nothing and our July, August Statements went thru the roof saying we have used up to 18GB. I don't trust Verizon anymore. In 2010, Verizon admitted to overcharged 15 million customers for data they really didn't us and had to pay the FCC and customers $80 million. I am going to call the FCC and complain to them about Verizon billing for July and August. I want the company investigated again. Everyone should file a complaint with the FCC.

JEFFMELDAVIS

Thanks for your thoughts SuzyQ. Its interesting that only Verizon is leaking Data and not the other carriers?

This is now trending. Stay Tuned

SuzyQ

Search the other carrier's forums - you'll see similar experiences....

HPcustomer

I notice that the previous messages were from 2016. However, we're experiencing the same in 2022. All of a sudden we're running out of data with 10 days to go in the month. We're getting major spikes in data usage at 1, 2, 3 am. When I look at the usage breakdown, the main culprit on one of our three phones seems to be Communication and Device Services category; on another phone it's Downloads and Marketplaces.

What's going on? Do we need to start complaining to the FCC?

Verizon_Support

We can help solve this mystery, HPcustomer, not to worry. You mentioned major usage spikes at 1,2, 3 am in the morning. What is the data amount you see at these times?

-Joey

dc2449

we are having the same issue. We even dropped a line from our plan and are still hitting data max which we never did before.

Yes, complain to everyone.

I'm sure they have changed the way they calculate data usage and are trying to get everyone to upgrade their plan to something more expensive.

But their nonsense explanations of how they calculate data does not actually explain anything.

Verizon_Support

I would be questioning the data usage too, dc2449. How long has it been since your data has increased? Do you use home based WiFi? How many devices do you have? What is your usage?

Please elaborate. -Vanessa

joesergey

that is the right thing to do. My spikes happened at 5 am on Fridays and Saturdays and I am out of data in the middle of the month. They are cheaters.

[Deleted User]

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Verizon_Support

Don't mean to intrude. I want to help with your mysterious data. I do know apps can run in the background and cause data. I can help you find out where it is coming from. https://www.verizon.com/about/news/verizon-wireless-makes-it-easy-for-customers-to-monitor Does this help? https://www.verizon.com/support/data-usage-faqs/

-Amber