topic Spurious data charges in Apple

Spurious data charges

Anonymous — Sat, 10 Nov 2012 12:03:05 GMT

Why do I get data charges on my bill every day (often twice, with one being always at 00:00:00) when I use virtually no data, these charges occur when I am almost always in a wifi area with wifi switched on and I have no apps running? This is costing me £20 per month and the one time I could get through to o2 they managed to offer no help at all. The only way I can stop them is by turning off cellular data.

Re: Spurious data charges

adamtemp64 — Sat, 10 Nov 2012 12:06:41 GMT

O2 record the upload and download of data seperatly and you see those 2 charges each day around midnight (discussed many times on here).

Most phones switch wifi off when in sleep mode to save battery so cell data can be used then.

If you have not got a data bolton this will cost you unless you turn data off as you describe.

Smartphones are data hogs and realy do need a data bolton.

Re: Spurious data charges

Bambino — Sat, 10 Nov 2012 14:15:34 GMT

You may have apps running in the background which you're not aware of. Some of these automatically update at night. Only way to ensure that they don't is to turn off your data at night. If you have limits on your data usage it will just eat it up.

Re: Spurious data charges

macblank — Sat, 10 Nov 2012 16:09:32 GMT

on the iPhone u CANNOT completely turn data of. even if u turn everything off some stuff continually update behind.

on androids u can change it to only run on WiFi. so you should be able to turn it to WiFi only.

Re: Spurious data charges

Bambino — Sat, 10 Nov 2012 16:27:39 GMT

I'm an Android user. Wasn't aware of that about iPhones. Why is there no facility to switch data completely off?

Re: Spurious data charges

macblank — Sat, 10 Nov 2012 16:29:41 GMT

nor was I til I got charged!!! lol

Re: Spurious data charges

Bambino — Sat, 10 Nov 2012 16:35:29 GMT

lol. Still, the OP is saying his charges have increased by £20 per month. That can't be just because his data is always on if he has an iPhone, can it?

Re: Spurious data charges

perksie — Sat, 10 Nov 2012 16:37:19 GMT

Could be especially if they don't have a data bolt on.

Re: Spurious data charges

Bambino — Sat, 10 Nov 2012 16:42:08 GMT

Is it possible to have an iPhone without a data plan?

Re: Spurious data charges

perksie — Sat, 10 Nov 2012 16:48:56 GMT

Unless the OP comes back with more info we'll never know.

I magine these charges are valid or they would have followed up.

Re: Spurious data charges

macblank — Sat, 10 Nov 2012 16:57:40 GMT

bambino. ..... no u can't

Re: Spurious data charges

Bambino — Sat, 10 Nov 2012 17:02:36 GMT

Thanks macblank. So if that's so, is it possible to run up a charge of £20 per month from the phone just updating apps during the night? If so, that's an outrageous charge.

Re: Spurious data charges

macblank — Sat, 10 Nov 2012 17:07:30 GMT

if u have no data plan then u pay for each MB or part of one.

that's why the iPhone data bolt on is 500mb and it has to be set up specifically for iPhone data.

I'm surprised the CS who sold u the fone didn't explain this. this MAY be a reason for a formal complain and MAYBE a refund.

Re: Spurious data charges

Bambino — Sat, 10 Nov 2012 17:18:46 GMT

It's not my complaint. I'm not the OP. I'm just curious about these iPhone data charges and have been asking questions about it. The OP never said what kind of phone he has, but as he's posted in the Apple section, I presume he must have an iPhone. I just didn't realise that you couldn't completely switch data off on an iPhone, as I'm an Android user and you can.

Re: Spurious data charges

jonsie — Sat, 10 Nov 2012 17:24:20 GMT

I must be missing something here. My iphone downloads nothing when mobile data is switched off.

From what you are saying when you go overseas you will always get data charges. Not so. I have never had data charges when roaming and no data usage at home when data is switched off.

Don't want to get into a debate about it but I can only speak from personal use of an iphone.

Re: Spurious data charges

perksie — Sat, 10 Nov 2012 17:51:36 GMT

@jonsie wrote:
I must be missing something here. My iphone downloads nothing when mobile data is switched off.

As the OP says, which makes me think he's running it without a data plan.

Re: Spurious data charges

Anonymous — Sat, 10 Nov 2012 18:00:10 GMT

jonsie is correct. You can turn off all cellular data access on the iPhone under Settings => General => Cellular => Cellular Data, and all data will then be restricted to wifi only.

There is also a setting to turn off 3G under Cellular, but that will only stop data using 3G, so you can still be sending/receiving data over 2G.

When I go abroad, I turn off Data Roaming, Enable 3G and Cellular Data (overkill I know), and I have never been charged for any data usage.

Re: Spurious data charges

macblank — Sat, 10 Nov 2012 19:01:48 GMT

ah that's not what I was told by CS. I must admit I know CS don't know it all (or anything (giggles))

however as I said earlier, that this is why they say u need the specific iPhone data Bolton

Re: Spurious data charges

adamtemp64 — Mon, 12 Nov 2012 08:27:17 GMT

@Bambino wrote:
Is it possible to have an iPhone without a data plan?

yes if you buy it sim free from apple or off ebay.
Or you buy on payg and change the payg type to non text and web

Re: Spurious data charges

Anonymous — Mon, 12 Nov 2012 08:42:21 GMT

@macblank wrote:
on the iPhone u CANNOT completely turn data of. even if u turn everything off some stuff continually update behind.

It is possible to turn off mobile data completely on the iPhone.

You, go into Settings/General, there is a setting called MOBILE DATA, touch this and you are then presented with an option to turn on or off Mobile Data, and also the ability to turn off 3G. You can also turn off Data Roaming too for when overseas to avoid expensive data roaming charges.

With Mobile Data switched off, you are then restricting all data to wifi, this includes email, web browsing, push notifications, and apps that use a data connection too.