iPhone 5 Data Overcharges AFTER ios7 Update
sajohnson
Newbie

Basic summary:

My account has 2 iPhone 5 phones. The last few months, we have consistently had data overage charges even when we cut off our cellular completely/limit our usage. I am connected to wifi at work and at home, and so is my husband. We have the 6g plan which seems way too high considering how much time we spend on Wifi, but we still have had overage charges for the last few months. I started resetting my data meter on my phone on the 29th of every month.

The biggest problem started happening about the 6th of this month. Our billing cycle starts over on the 29th of each month, so in about 8 days, it said we had used 50% of our data. On the 11th, it said we had used 85%. Here is the real problem--our PHONE USAGE showed that we had barely used 2 gigs at this point--they were reporting over TWICE the data we had actually used. At that point, we called in to tech support and did the trouble-shooting (even though the problem was clearly not on our end)-- network reset, etc. He gave us a small credit because he could see that the problem was not our usage patterns and that I had been monitoring it on my phone. We limited our cellular switches to only maps for driving and nothing else. The usage still climbed.

The ticket with tech support was opened on the 16th. On Saturday, I got a call from the "tech support resolution team." She told me that it was a local network problem that had begun on the 16th (THE DAY I CALLED IN conveniently) and that it had been fixed. She said that we would receive no compensation for this and that it hadn't affected our past billing and that it wouldn't affect this bill. CLEARLY the problem did not begin on the 16th--it began months ago and intensified around the 6th of this month.  As a matter of fact, we had overage charges during December even though 1/4 of the month we were in the desert where there IS NO DATA CONNECTION AVAILABLE.

What is left to do? I have done all of their troubleshooting ideas. I have screenshots from several points throughout the month showing the Verizon meter compared to my phone's meter showing that I was being charged for 2x-3x the amount I actually used. How can they say that the problem began the day I called in? How are they allowed to keep overcharging when we are not even using the 6gigs that we do pay for? Is there any hope that this can actually get fixed? I have been paying $15-30 a month for overage charges. I am just glad to have concrete evidence that it is not on our end.

Please help!

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Re: iPhone 5 Data Overcharges AFTER ios7 Update
vzw_customer_support
Customer Service Rep

SteadyEddie, we'll be happy to help control your usage. Anytime the phone is connected to 3G/4G, data is being used. So when you are notified by Apple, you would still be using data. Make sure all running applications are closed http://bit.ly/19PD7E9. Also limit background apps Settings > General > Background App Refresh > switch it to OFF. The way iPhones are designed is that once wifi is idle, it will switch back to mobile data to save battery. If you have an app running in the background, it can cause higher data charges.

MarquiaF_VZW
Follow us on Twitter @VZWSupport

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Re: iPhone 5 Data Overcharges AFTER ios7 Update
vzw_customer_support
Customer Service Rep

Hello sajohnson,

Clearly, there's a wireless concern that needs our immediate attention. Rest assured as we are here to handle this issue for you with the highest regard. I'm confident that together we can take the worry out of unrecognized data usage. In order to assist, we would need to acquire some additonal info. I took the liberty of following you so you can send me a private message so we can begin. I'm looking forward to hearing from you.

Thank you...

ArnettH_VZW
Follow us on Twitter @VZWSupport

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Re: iPhone 5 Data Overcharges AFTER ios7 Update
SteadyEddie
Newbie

Customer Support:

I am following with considerable interest your comment to sajohnson.  Although I haven't keep specific data as sajohnson has been doing, I was just notified, as well, that my data usage has skyrocketed this month.  I am not doing anything different than I've done for the time I've been a customer, but I'm told I'm at 90% usage rate in roughly 2 weeks of my program which I believe is a 3 gig data account.   I'm totally confused why this could be, although I've added messaging in the recent past, but I understand that doesn't count against data use.

What can I do to understand what is transpiring on my account?    Please advise

steadyeddie

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Re: iPhone 5 Data Overcharges AFTER ios7 Update
SteadyEddie
Newbie

Customer Support:

I am following with considerable interest your comment to sajohnson.  Although I haven't keep specific data as sajohnson has been doing, I was just notified, as well, that my data usage has skyrocketed this month.  I am not doing anything different than I've done for the time I've been a customer, but I'm told I'm at 90% usage rate in roughly 2 weeks of my program which I believe is a 3 gig data account.   I'm totally confused why this could be, although I've added messaging in the recent past, but I understand that doesn't count against data use.

What can I do to understand what is transpiring on my account?    Please advise

steadyeddie

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Re: iPhone 5 Data Overcharges AFTER ios7 Update
SteadyEddie
Newbie

Customer Support:

I am following with considerable interest your comment to sajohnson.  Although I haven't keep specific data as sajohnson has been doing, I was just notified, as well, that my data usage has skyrocketed this month.  I am not doing anything different than I've done for the time I've been a customer, but I'm told I'm at 90% usage rate in roughly 2 weeks of my program which I believe is a 3 gig data account.   I'm totally confused why this could be, although I've added messaging in the recent past, but I understand that doesn't count against data use.

What can I do to understand what is transpiring on my account?    Please advise

steadyeddie

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Re: iPhone 5 Data Overcharges AFTER ios7 Update
vzw_customer_support
Customer Service Rep

@SteadyEddie

I, too, want to ensure your device is being billed for data usage correctly!  What model device are you using?  Has your device recently experienced a software update as well?  If so, what is the current software version of your device?  Lastly, have you viewed your data usage details online, on My Verizon (www.verizonwireless.com)?  Please let me know so I can further assist.  Thanks!

AnthonyTa_VZW
Follow us on Twitter @VZWSupport

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Re: iPhone 5 Data Overcharges AFTER ios7 Update
SteadyEddie
Newbie

Thanks for your response.

I am using I phone 5. I did add iOS 7.0.4. recently.

I have looked at my data use on the graph provided to review my bill. I

noted a sudden jump in Sept, 2013 from a very stable data use far below the

300 mbs service level that makes up my plan. The level then went back to

low levels again until December there was a slight elevation, January went

up considerably and now in Feb I'm told I'm over 90% after only two weeks

into the billing cycle.

Question I have is, at what point does data use begin? When I'm notified

by Apple that there is an email in my system or when I actually open the

email? I use wireless whenever possible. I have wireless at home and

usually am very cautious about using my emails or any internet based

searches if I'm not in a WiFi world. Question: So what does being in a

wireless environment do to my data use if I'm online with my phone? I

can't imagine why my data use has continued to go up. the past two months

and especially the last two weeks!!

Are there other 'drains' on my data use that I'm not aware of (I don't use

the phone for gps, for example)

steadyeddie

On Tue, Feb 4, 2014 at 8:54 PM, Verizon Wireless Customer Support <

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Re: iPhone 5 Data Overcharges AFTER ios7 Update
vzw_customer_support
Customer Service Rep

SteadyEddie, we'll be happy to help control your usage. Anytime the phone is connected to 3G/4G, data is being used. So when you are notified by Apple, you would still be using data. Make sure all running applications are closed http://bit.ly/19PD7E9. Also limit background apps Settings > General > Background App Refresh > switch it to OFF. The way iPhones are designed is that once wifi is idle, it will switch back to mobile data to save battery. If you have an app running in the background, it can cause higher data charges.

MarquiaF_VZW
Follow us on Twitter @VZWSupport

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Re: iPhone 5 Data Overcharges AFTER ios7 Update
SteadyEddie
Newbie

Thanks. Will pursue this and see if that solves my problem. In

retrospect, I know I was quite busy with emails and perhaps really took far

more time than expected.

Thanks for the link.

steadyeddie

On Fri, Feb 7, 2014 at 7:45 AM, Verizon Wireless Customer Support <

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Re: iPhone 5 Data Overcharges AFTER ios7 Update
kinlochbervie
Newbie

I have this exact same problem. I had never been charged an overdraft fee. I upgraded from a 4 to a 5S in March 2014 and have been charged an overdraft fee EVERY MONTH SINCE.

I've visited a store, talked to Verizon Customer Service twice and have factory reset my phone. The charges are between $10 - $30 a month. To date I have been charged over $100 in overdraft charges.

At this point, I have turned off all cellular data, which means I basically have a $600 calculator that tells time. I don't know what else to do, I pay approx. $100 per month for service, but I can't use it.

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