Verizon Data Usage Issues

[Kamen]

Has anyone noticed data usage spikes on Verizon since they picked up their LG G3? My wife and I share a 4GB Data plan and prior to upgrading we typically hovered around the 2.5 GB mark each month for total usage. Now since we both switched to the LG G3 we are almost maxing out each month. Mind you, nothing has changed in our phone usage habits.

My billing cycle ends tomorrow and we have had to turn off our Mobile Data antenna for the last few days to avoid going over as we are at 99.9% of our max right now. The odd thing is when we both disabled the Mobile Data antenna we were at 96% used and now after two days of just Wifi only it has jumped up almost 4% as if it were still turned on. As it is both of our devices I am hesitant of wiping them unless that is absolutely needed. Any help or info would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance.

 

[doggy2965]

They were giving a free gig on all their plans but you had to call and ask I would try it.

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[srkmagnus]

Has anyone noticed data usage spikes on Verizon since they picked up their LG G3? My wife and I share a 4GB Data plan and prior to upgrading we typically hovered around the 2.5 GB mark each month for total usage. Now since we both switched to the LG G3 we are almost maxing out each month. Mind you, nothing has changed in our phone usage habits.

My billing cycle ends tomorrow and we have had to turn off our Mobile Data antenna for the last few days to avoid going over as we are at 99.9% of our max right now. The odd thing is when we both disabled the Mobile Data antenna we were at 96% used and now after two days of just Wifi only it has jumped up almost 4% as if it were still turned on. As it is both of our devices I am hesitant of wiping them unless that is absolutely needed. Any help or info would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance.

Go into system settings > data usage. See what is consuming data and try troubleshooting from there. Although your data habits have not changed, there could be something that was updated and is not downloading in the background without you realizing it. Check your sync intervals for any Social media apps or services.

 

[Kamen]

Thanks. I have done all of that and also worked with Verizon Support just now and they couldn't figure out what was going on. They had me listed as using close to 3 GB of data myself, but Data Usage through the phone shows I haven't even used half that much. They want me to contact LG Support to see if there are any stock apps that can still pull data with the Mobile Data antenna turned off, but in the meantime for the troubles they added on an additional 2 GB of data free for the next 12 months.

 

[Ju bong Chae]

I had the same problem. Turned out my google photos download would sync while i was sleeping killin my battery and data

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[belodion]

OP: Verizon have treated you well in giving you the extra 2gb....good for them.
Although it may not apply in your case I certainly use more data with the G3 when streaming YouTube clips at the higher pixel settings simply because the phone is capable of using them (although of late there have been YouTube problems as mentioned in another thread of getting anything above 720p). Exactly as you say....great, near-vertical spikes on the data usage graph.

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[belodion]

I had the same problem. Turned out my google photos download would sync while i was sleeping killin my battery and data

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How you must have laughed when you woke up to find that.

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[ahamick]

I had my xfinity tv go app eat 7 gigs in 3 hours one day. Verizon couldn't reverse the usage but offered me 2 free promotional gigs. It shows as promotional data above my standard 10 gig pool socicassume it will be removed at some point.

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[Almeuit]

I had my xfinity tv go app eat 7 gigs in 3 hours one day. Verizon couldn't reverse the usage but offered me 2 free promotional gigs. It shows as promotional data above my standard 10 gig pool socicassume it will be removed at some point.

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Were you watching it or it did it in the background? That app eats a ton since it actually stream HD.. Trust me .

 

[Lapse]

My usage of Google Maps eats up a lot more data than on my old phone because of the larger screen and pixels, and need to keep the screen bright. I've recently been closing the screen and just keeping the directions voice on during parts of a route that are familiar for long stretches, hope that works.

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[Distorted Loop]

My usage of Google Maps eats up a lot more data than on my old phone because of the larger screen and pixels, and need to keep the screen bright. I've recently been closing the screen and just keeping the directions voice on during parts of a route that are familiar for long stretches, hope that works.

Posted via Android Central App

How does a larger screen make Google Maps and Navigation use mite data?

 

[Lapse]

How does a larger screen make Google Maps and Navigation use mite data?

I thought that was why I was using more data with the LG when I was using Google maps, but good question, I'm no expert, maybe there's some other reason.

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[xocomaox]

How does a larger screen make Google Maps and Navigation use mite data?

Since the resolution is higher, you're seeing more map to refresh. That app only downloads info for what you're viewing and since your footprint is theoretically larger, is resolves more land to detail. This is my theory anyways.

On topic: if your phones are not recording the data being used, there is either a leak and you will want to factory reset both phones or Verizon has an issue where it's continually trying to download something to your phones. I saw others complaining about this issue and they had to work with Verizon to fix their accounts. I can't remember where though, but chances are the problem is the former suggestion.

 

[Distorted Loop]

Since the resolution is higher, you're seeing more map to refresh. That app only downloads info for what you're viewing and since your footprint is theoretically larger, is resolves more land to detail. This is my theory anyways.

Unless you're using satellite view, the map data is vectors, not bitmaps, so data usage should be minimal.

I just opened Google Maps on three different devices, my LG G3, my Droid Ultra/Maxx, and my Nexus 5. That covers the three most popular screen sizes (QHD, HD, 720P).

On all three phones the map opened up to exactly the same 20 square blocks map area. That would mean the same amount of data was pulled by each phone. The G3 didn't pull a larger map area, which makes your theory suspect.

I use the Waze app on my tablet daily for a 38 mile trip and 3/4 of the way into my billing cycle the phone reports less than 5Mb of data consumed by it.

At any rate, there's no way maps could consume the amount of data the OP complains of unless there are serious installation issues.

It's easy enough to check in the Data Usage portion of the phone settings.

The only extra battery drain using Maps on the G3 would be the always on state of the display, but that's not unique to Maps, any app on full time has to drive all those pixels.

Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk

 

[SteveC]

I have the same data issue, but it started over a month ago when I was using my Galaxy S4. Verizon had exchanged three different Galaxy S III's for various issues. I finally refused another S III and they sent me the S 4. My usage started up then and I figured it was because I screwed up and did all of the app downloads etc on new phone setup, with phone data and had forgot to turn on the wi-fi to do that with. However after a month of just the S4, they still claim that I use nearly 5 GB. But now I have the new G3 setup, and I know I used wi-fi, so I guess we'll see. Maybe Verizon figures somebody has to pay for the "free" GB bumps.

 

[benbigtruck]

I had an issue last December where 4gb data was burned up in a day & a half. I do use a crap ton of data normally, but wasn't at that time. Verizon opened a ticket but never found out the reason. In data usage all it revealed was Android OS was burning thru it for that spike in usage. Got a free gb a month for a year out of the deal and fought with them over the charges and they finally dropped them.

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[dwbailey98]

Have you found a solution to this problem? We switched to LG G3 phones in December and the EXACT SAME THING is happening. I will even go further, we are using the internet less than we were and we are going through a lot more data. We are even turning data off for a large portion of the day. We always had 10GB of data and we updraded in November to have 15 GB of data and we exceeded that 15 in December (and we never went over at 10 before). Verizon turned in a ticket but I thought I would ask.

 

[KeepItReal]

Instead of using the stock app Gallery, many people chose, during the initial phone's setup, into using the Google Photo app (you have 2 icons, Gallery and Photo). The Photo app says it will also give you peace of mind, by you saying 'yes' to backup your photos automatically for you. Awesome in concept, but it defaults to upload using cellular or Wi-Fi. You have to go into Settings of the Photo app and either set it to Wi-Fi only, or simply log out and not use it. In addition, Facebook has, by default, to autoplay video links in your feed, and yes, it will run in cellular. You have to go into Facebook settings, App Settings to either tell it to autoplay only when using Wi-Fi, or say don't autoplay. Get these two apps under control first. Then observe data use. Have you backed-up everything and outperform a Factory Reset? Did you take it to your carrier and have them process SIM card replacement? There are many variables...

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[dwbailey98]

I cannot see anywhere to change the Gallery App backup feature. I did not sign up for Cloud for this reason, so I am not sure where to check that. During January, I did discover the "Auto Play Video" feature in Facebook and shut that off immediately on our phones. When I found that, I figured that was one of the culprits. A couple of our phones has Instagram and we shut those off too. I have not taken it into the Verizon store yet but will if nothing is discovered in the Verizon IT ticket. I never thought about a SIM card problem either. Thanks.