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Verizon is billing for data that we have not used! Today, I did nothing with my phone and I have a 24.50MB of usage already! It's ridiculous. I've called, and nobody can get to the root of the problem. The rep today argued with me on every point, and he kept giving me blanket statements like "apps run in the background." I told him they were all on forced stop, and that phone showed no apps running. Then he tells me Facebook and Twitter use data, and I told him I don't even have a FB or Twitter account! It is so easy for a big company to put the blame on the customer!
I believe Verizon must have a behind-the-scenes program that runs alongside each person's account to artificially report and bill on data, forcing people to change into higher data plans by giving the false appearance that they are using this much.
For the last 3 days I had all apps stopped with a forced stop setting, and still managed to incur data.
Last week I used 20 webpages via mobile and it said I had utilized 49MB of data for that.
How is it then, that on the homepage of Verizon it states I should be able to view 1,000 webpage (for my plan), and when I looked at 20, it tallied up to 49MB.
This is very scrupulous and I believe Verizon is data gouging customers.
What I have done is turned my mobile data connection off permanently. We will see if any data charges accrue over the next few weeks.
I will be viewing the data reporting and will be preparing a letter for our State's Attorney General next week, as well as collecting other complaints/reports of this issue.
This problem seems to have cropped up in the past several months.
My theory is that Verizon knew they were rolling out these new plans in order to try and compete with the other providers who were already offering better plans without contract. In ramping up to make this move to more affordable access, they found a way to pad the reporting of data usage.
I am extremely unhappy with Verizon and the lack of resolve here. So I basically am not able to use a service that I pay for (data) for concern that I will go over.
I went back and researched all bills this year, and I haven't changed any patterns in my interactions with my phone, and in fact, have used it a lot less due to more pressing commitments right now.
Unsavory and deceitful business practices, in my opinion! And I'm sure it's only a matter of time until this is proven true.
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24 MB is a small amount of data. Modern computers, and your phone is a computer, have system services that run always in the background. You should be able to go into your phone and look to see what system services are using data, along with any apps using data and how much. That is the first troubleshooting step. Web pages vary dramatically in how much data each use and 1000 pages can vary a lot. It is only an average, and a low ball average at that (low ball in the amount of data per page). You will see, after the potential for some catch up of cell site reporting, that with your data off and kept off, your usage goes to the expected zero.
24 MB is a small amount of data. Modern computers, and your phone is a computer, have system services that run always in the background. You should be able to go into your phone and look to see what system services are using data, along with any apps using data and how much. That is the first troubleshooting step. Web pages vary dramatically in how much data each use and 1000 pages can vary a lot. It is only an average, and a low ball average at that (low ball in the amount of data per page). You will see, after the potential for some catch up of cell site reporting, that with your data off and kept off, your usage goes to the expected zero.
I understand your message, but I don't think you understand mine.
I have changed nothing. In June, if my phone was on my desk, it would maybe use only 64kb of data. Today, with all apps off and everything disconnected, it used 24MB.
I've spent over a week analyzing every minute detail of every supposed data usage, event, monitoring apps and usage. There is an issue. It's not with the apps, my usage or the phone. It's will Verizon's calculations.
My main issue here is that "what I used to be able to do effortlessly and without view under a microscope" only amounted to 100 MB data for the entire month. Now, I hit that mark within a 4 day period of much less usage.
There is a problem. And it exists with Verizon. Not the operating system. Thanks for trying to help.
I'm really looking for anyone else who had a similar problem, how did they fix it, and if they left Verizon, and if so, to which company.
While 1,000 may be an average, these were very plain pages. For 20 pages to have caused 49 MB of data I calculations, something is very very wrong. That would mean that I will at the most be able to view 100 a month under my data plan, which clearly tells me I can view 1,000 (yes, we know that's an average), but that wasn't the only thing it said I could do, it said also 1 hours of video.
There is no way! This is a marketing tactic on page 1 of Verizon's Homepage to get new subscribers.
It's a very deceptive marketing technique.
And my problem still exists.
What I used to be able to do all month long for X amount of data is now being consumed in 4 days for identical data.
Hopefully someone with similar experience as mine will post next.
Thanks for your feedback.
I've spent over a week analyzing every minute detail of every supposed data usage, event, monitoring apps and usage. There is an issue. It's not with the apps, my usage or the phone. It's will Verizon's calculations.
That can be very helpful info. These apps and the data on the phone did not show any of this reported data?
DolceDolce wrote:
I have changed nothing.
You THINK you've changed nothing. Look at the phone it will tell you which app used the data that will solve your problem. Verizon is not adding data. PERIOD' If you really think that report them. The the FCC and the local authorities for theft of services. let us know how that works out for you.
You are not alone. My friend and I were just talking about this the other day. Out of the blue my data usage alert went off that I was 90%. I have shared data between my daughter and I and normally I wouldn't think anything of it with her always on YouTube. However, my daughter has been grounded for a month and lost her phone privledges. Not to mention I am on WiFi at work or at home. There is something wrong and Verizon needs to come clean and fix it. Stop blaming the customer. There is no way that with 2 people We can use up 2-3 G of data and then on 1 person (an old lady) use 5G. Try again Verizon!
We are here to find the culprit of your data usage Karynr. Unjustified data usage is never good and we want to make sure this is looked at closely. Have you been able to use our data utilization tool to find out what is using your data http://vz.to/1z1kvRW ? What make/ model phones do you have? When connected to wifi, is your mobile data turned off?
JorgeO_VZW
Follow us on Twitter @VZWSupport
If my response answered your question please click the "Correct Answer" button under my response. This ensures others can benefit from our conversation. Thanks in advance for your help with this!!
Karynr wrote:
You are not alone. My friend and I were just talking about this the other day. Out of the blue my data usage alert went off that I was 90%. I have shared data between my daughter and I and normally I wouldn't think anything of it with her always on YouTube. However, my daughter has been grounded for a month and lost her phone privledges. Not to mention I am on WiFi at work or at home. There is something wrong and Verizon needs to come clean and fix it. Stop blaming the customer. There is no way that with 2 people We can use up 2-3 G of data and then on 1 person (an old lady) use 5G. Try again Verizon!
Yes you figured out their scam! Now call the authorities. it;s logic the Verizon CEO would risk the wrath of the IS government and jail time to commit fraud as well the the negative publicity and the crashing of Verizon stock when such news of their fraud became public. Verizon got bent over by the FCC for merely SUGGESTING they throttled unlimited data users. So sure they would be so willing to commit fraud.
Did you due any due diligence? Did you check the device in question and check to see which apps are using data because they can tell you that you know. Of course you didn't. If you did you wouldn't be here throwing out conspiracy theories. Maybe the Illuminati did it.
I bought 3 new phones for Christmas last year for my children. They already had phones I was just upgrading them. We instantly went from using 8gb at our maximum month usage (in 12 years even when I had the unlimited data plan and had Pandora running a lot) to an amazing 17gb usage in 3 weeks. No changed were made to my phone or my dad's phone but suddenly I went from .7gb used as my maximum for the entire year to using 6gb in 2 weeks. The Verizon cloud was using all this data. I asked why because I had never even turned it on, never used it. My dad's phone didn't even have it until November last year when his phone went bisurk on him turning off and on several times a day for a week, telling him to reenter the 10 digit number (& no we did not have family base in such of hearing that is what is causing this), he went to the store for them to do a factory reset on his phone and I talked to them to set his settings to no data, set data limits, connect to his Wi-Fi unit, ect. He carries a Wi-Fi unit with him for work he doesn't need or use data. His data usage month maximum was .02gb in the past 3 years but suddenly he used 8gb in 1 month. I've been told everything from my router is old, my zip code, my apps, my favorite is I'm apparently listening to internet radio all night even though it isn't installed on my phone and my phone is turned off over night. Or when my daughter lost her phone (I took it for a punishment) for a week and pulled the battery out, took her phone to work and her battery in my safe at home but she used 3.9th that week. I went to this extreme because they tried to say my son must have been using his phone behind my back when I took his away the month before. They had no explanation except that it wasn't possible to use data if the phone is off. Well guess what I DON'T LIE. I needed a replacement phone. I received my new phone on Thursday but decided to not turn it on. I returned my broken phone and waited till Monday to activate my new one. I'm curious as to how my line used 2.9gb when it was in a box on its way back to Verizon with the battery sitting on my desk at work and my new phone still sealed in the box. I have been a Verizon customer for 14 years and I am ready to dump all 10 lines and go with crappy service because what ever Verizon is doing their customer service is horrible and I'm tired of my outrageous bill (all due to data overages).
Tonya, we appreciate your long time commitment to Verizon and want to assure you we are here to help. We want to keep you with Verizon for many more years to come and provide you with exceptional service with all your needs.
Did you know that one way you can check your daily usage for all the lines individually online is with our data utilization tool? Did you have other phones that use data on your account? Were there any specific times you were registering data usage on the lines that were turned off? This will break down each line and show you the data used per day. Click here for a direct doorway to the personal usage tool. http://vz.to/1NEIys8
We would be happy to go over your concerns, and dig deeper into the questions you have.
CheriS_VZW
Follow us on Twitter @VZWSupport
If my response answered your question please click the �Correct Answer� button under my response. This ensures others can benefit from our conversation. Thanks in advance for your help with this!!
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