NFL Mobile - High Data Usage

[carcraft]

Thank you for reading my high data use problem. For the first time last Sunday Sept 13th, since i purchased my Droid Turbo, I decided to watch a live game using the NFL Mobile app. When I opened the app, it asked me to down load the newest version. So i pushed download. 5 minuts later it was only 3% downloaded and said it had another hour to go. I stopped that download and reopened it. this time download only took about 20 seconds and i opend the app. I had to reopen the app 3 times before it would actually live stream the game. i watched the game fr close to 1 hour and 20 minutes.  Right before the game ended I got a data alert from Verizon that said I had used 80% of my 10gb plan! I checked my data usage chart on my Droid turbo and it said i had just used 3.08 gb in only 1hr & 20 min!!! That is way over what Verizon says this app should be using. Thats 1/3 on my monthly data. I would not have watched the game if I woud have known that much date would be used!

Can anyone tell my why this has happened? I would love to use this app again but the Data uasge will definatly keep me from that. Thank you for any info you can give me regarding this. I dont think I did anything wrong but now I am really concerned I may go over my data allowence for this period.

Any help woud be greatly appreciated!.

Thank you,

Rob

[vzw_customer_support]

I'd love to take a closer look into the issue! What type of stream were you running on the device? Were you playing the game in HD or a higher definition?
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[carcraft]

Thank you for your fast response! I was LIVE Streaming on Standard

Definition. I never changed the definition to anything other than what

originally came up on my screen. I dont remember seeing any other

choices for HD or other high definition. On Mon, 14 Sep 2015 13:43:00

-0700, Verizon Wireless Customer Support wrote:

A message

from the Verizon Wireless Community

NFL MOBILE - HIGH DATA USAGE

created by Verizon Wireless

Customer Support in 4G LTE - View the full discussion

[Weth · Accepted solution]

You were live streaming in high definition (HD). It automatically selects the definition based on the speed of the network, which in the case of LTE was fast. HD video will take 2.5 GB to 9 GB per hour. So the usage is right in line with what you would expect streaming HD video for 1 1/3 hours. If you stream while connected to wifi, you will not use your data. As this is expected data use for the time you used it, there is nothing to resolve.

[carcraft]

Thank you for making me aware of this!

Rob

[richlife69]

Unless you can correct my understanding, Weth, you need to be careful about your wording.  If the customer is using Verizon 4G LTE with a Verizon router tha provides home WIFI service, then the WIFI will only pass on the datastream that is provided by the service (antenna).  So there will be no difference between a WIFI connection and the 4G LTE connection -- they are the same.

If a customer has 4G LTE service independently of a WIFI service from another company, then getting the datastream via WIFI will be based on the other companies cost for service and your statement is true. 

[Weth]

richlife69 True, but there is no benefit to connecting your Verizon phone to a Verizon wifi router, so I ask why you would even do that.

I could have been more precise, but you will see "connect to wifi " used in many recommendations with the assumption it is not a Verizon router sourced wifi. And that is a fair and logical assumption.

I doubt I confused anything more than 0.0001% of people reading the post.

[Snn5]

Wait, I'm confused...if I connect to a Verizon-powered wifi network I use Verizon data?

[richlife69]

Snn5, IF you are connected with wifi to Verizon DSL or Verizon FIOS you are ok as that service is providing your bandwidth.  But I'm connected using wireless Verizon 4G LTE Internet meaning that even though I use wifi service to link to the router within my home, my external connection to the internet is with Verizon wireless.  They can't be separated.

Weth refers to using my phone by direct 4G and bypassing the router stage, but as I said in a previous post, that can easily drive me to a higher phone overage since I keep only a minimum data allowance on the phone. 

My wireless internet installation is new and my (separate) phone contract expires soon, so I'll be exploring future options.  But before getting the wireless internet, my only option was another vendors poor DSL service which often provided LESS THAN DIALUP SPEEDS!  So I'm feeling my way around this new service.

[richlife69]

Weth, maybe you can correct a misunderstanding.  I have a new 4G LTE internet installation.  I need to control data costs (which seem to be the OPs concern).  Data associated with my phone is more costly than data associated with the router which provides the WIFI, so I connect the phone via WIFI when in range.  So I'm in your .0001% and am confused.  Help me out here.

If you have seen all the posters here who are ranting about runaway data costs, you should understand my concern.  My understanding is that a weak signal can cause signal bounce which could escalate data usage which may the problem of many.  I have a strong signal, but am still using 1G of data a day with only internet browsing.  I'd like to to get better use from my setup, but with a retirement budget I WILL keep costs under control -- even if I have to remove the new antenna/router.

[Snn5]

If the phone had poor Verizon signal, wouldn't the outside Verizon antenna have only slightly better signal?  If your phone has poor signal and is bouncing around...then given most folks use a WiFi router at home with cable/DSL for the most part, wouldn't the WiFi be stronger and a better data network to use than a weak cellular data connection?  And, if someone is using Verizon home internet and is also using Verizon wireless services....it wouldn't matter much unless you were trying to stay on the router, which most likely has more data allocated to it anyway, more than a wireless data plan normally.  I think the nit-picking got complicated.

[richlife69]

Yeah, the nit-picking gets compicated, but I hope my last post clarified.  I get good wireless service as you said -- including the phone.  I'm just trying to find my best options.

Some years back, I connected my laptop through my phone hotspot.  Blew away 10GB without even seeing it.  At this point I'm cautious.

[Snn5]

I could never use Verizon for home internet.  Thankfully I have cable with no cap.

[richlife69]

I follow Snn5. It's classic speed vs data. Populated areas have few

problems (many options). Living remote (even in a high tech area) means

Big Comms don't care.

[Weth]

I stand corrected on assuming your router and your phone were on the same shared data plan.

Using cellular data of any sort as a home internet solution is going to be expensive. One Gigabyte per day for home internet is not that much.

A weak signal usually results in less data use - since you will have a slowed connection and that correlates to less data use in most cases.

What do you have behind the router - how many computers, how many phones and other devices. On computers there is ways to tell the connection it is a metered connection and it won't do automatic things over that connection.

[richlife69]

Whoops, I misled you again. 1G is my phone data plan. With the home

network (phones, two laptops, a tablet) I'm trying to contain to 20G per

month. But at 1G a day so far, that's a stretch. But total cost is till

only $30 more than my $&^% poor DSL with the phone service. The tough part

is controlling the data flow. Verizon doesn't give enough info or tools to

figure out what's really going on.

[Weth]

1 G a day is tough with 2 laptops plus.  Make sure you have the setting o your laptops to indicate your wifi is a metered connection. How much did you use on DSL?  Our family of 4 uses 10  G a day home internet without really trying.

[richlife69]

Thanks for the feedback. You've been providing the best information I

could find in my browsing. I had anticipated we might need to increase the

plan to 30GB, but that's bigger bucks. With some budget adjustments, we'll

make it, but meantime I'm going to find the best info I can to manage this

monster.

There are people in this community who scream about getting charged

hundreds or more for data they weren't using. Hard to separate fact from

fiction and who knows what they're talking about and how doesn't. I'll

start my own thread soon but first need more personal experience to know

what and how to ask.

We were sort of lucky to start the 4G LTE late in our billing cycle. I

have two days left before the real 20GB limit starts.

[Weth]

Be careful with pro-rated data if you started mid month. If you started service mid cycle and you are not paying for a full month (i.e. the start is retro-active to the start of your previous period) the cost is pro-rated but so is the amount of data. If you start with 1 week left in your billing period you will only get charged 25% of the cost, but you only get 25% of 20 GB too (5 GB).

Being proactive is the way to go. Make sure all automatic updates are turned off. Know any streaming will add up the data, but video will be the real killer. Good luck, feel free to come back and ask more questions.

[Phillymax2113]

Had the same thing happen with phone. It keeps reopening even after closed out now it says we have used 90% of our data. Please post if u were able to get resolved. Thank you