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Unexplained/ disbelieved mobile data usage

pedroc
Dabbler
Posts: 18
Thanks: 1
Fixes: 1
Registered: ‎23-03-2008

Unexplained/ disbelieved mobile data usage

Yesterday, while my phone was at home connected to WiFi, PlusNet texted to say I had used 80% of my monthly data.  10 minutes later they texted me again to say it was now all used up (ie another 300mb?!).

A PlusNet advisor tells me that records indicate that I had used over 900mb that morning, but cannot give me any further detail.  

As I had not used the phone, the phone was connected to Wifi and the mobile connection here is sketchy at best, so 900mb would take weeks to download I find that very difficult to believe. Attempting to replicate this situation has proved impossible as I cannot get a 3g or 4g signal anywhere in my house, I can't even open a speed check in any browser using the Plusnet mobile data connection.

PlusNet tell they cannot give me any further details of what this usage comprised or what times were involved.  My Android phone reports a total of 654mb used in this entire usage cycle, not the 1536mb that PN reports.

I am now into paying extra or switching data off for the rest of this cycle.

Can anyone suggest why this discrepancy between my phones measured data and PN's figure, and how this usage could possibly have occurred?  I have the highest respect for PlusNet but something just isn't right here.

I can't think of any other product we buy where the supplier tells us how much we have used and we have no way of checking or challenging the figure.  If there is some glitch that makes this possible then I need to know to avoid it happening again, so claiming that it is to protect my privacy really isn't helpful.

Any advice welcomed...

7 REPLIES 7
MichaelWilliams
Plusnet Alumni (retired)
Plusnet Alumni (retired)
Posts: 304
Fixes: 15
Registered: ‎13-07-2017

Re: Unexplained/ disbelieved mobile data usage

Sorry to hear of this confusion, pedroc. I can offer some general advice here on the forum, but I'd really like to have a deeper dive into this and make sure you haven't been unfairly penalised. Please send me a Private Message here and I'll open up your account and take a look.

 

The most common causes of such a discrepancy are one of two things: either a setting is enabling the phone to draw data unbeknownst to the user, or the monitoring tool from the handset isn't entirely accurate. (I'm not alleging that your situation even would fit into one of the aforementioned categories, just that these are far-and-away the most common reasons we see come up.

 

In terms of monitoring tools, the most common inaccuracy we see is that the monitoring period hasn't been synced up with the actual bundle refresh date of the tariff, which is the day all of your allowances reset (not the billing date or account start date.) 

 

If the issue lies with a rogue setting or app, the most frequent causes are things like Wifi assist, which draws data from the network when a Wifi signal isn't strong enough, or apps using location services or drawing data in the background in some form. It's a good idea to have a quick look through the settings menu of your handset just to make sure there are no apps hogging the data usage. (Some smartphones will even display how much data each individual app is using.)

 

Again, without looking at the account it's difficult to say why we're seeing this discrepancy, but I'm sure we can get to the bottom of this. Please drop me a Private Message and we can get started Smiley

pedroc
Dabbler
Posts: 18
Thanks: 1
Fixes: 1
Registered: ‎23-03-2008

Re: Unexplained/ disbelieved mobile data usage

I did PM you Michael, did you get it OK?  Any progress on understanding what has happened here?

WayneG555
Newbie
Posts: 1
Registered: ‎07-01-2018

Re: Unexplained/ disbelieved mobile data usage

Same thing has happened to me. Messages in quick succession yet no obvious use of data.
Last month I upgraded as I ran out of data just before the end. Yet this month with double date I still run out!! Somethings not right!
MichaelWilliams
Plusnet Alumni (retired)
Plusnet Alumni (retired)
Posts: 304
Fixes: 15
Registered: ‎13-07-2017

Re: Unexplained/ disbelieved mobile data usage

I've just replied to your PM now, pedroc: I've been out of the office with this awful flu that's going around, so apologies for the tardiness of my response.

 

WayneG555, if you could Private Message me some account details, I can take a look into this for you too.

garyede
Newbie
Posts: 2
Registered: ‎13-08-2018

Re: Unexplained/ disbelieved mobile data usage

I have the same problem. in the last 3 months I have ran out of data, increased data and still the same problem. phoned plusnet last night and they give me a free 1 gig bolt on and increased my data allowance by 3 gig for nothing. told me to disable wifi assistant which I have done but thinking about going back to Vodaphone. I am sure Plusnet are aware of the problem but keeping things from us. If there is no improvement soon I will vote with my feet.

MichaelWilliams
Plusnet Alumni (retired)
Plusnet Alumni (retired)
Posts: 304
Fixes: 15
Registered: ‎13-07-2017

Re: Unexplained/ disbelieved mobile data usage

Sorry to hear you're experiencing the same issue, garyede.

 

Do you have background app refresh switched off, too? This is another major culprit when data discrepancies come up.

garyede
Newbie
Posts: 2
Registered: ‎13-08-2018

Re: Unexplained/ disbelieved mobile data usage

ok Michael will turn it off and monitor useage