Verizon Galaxy S5 data usage through the roof

[Charleen Neal]

It's not a Verizon issue. These are computers that you're caring around. The greater the technology, the more the phone can do, the more things working behind the scenes. It's not just Galaxy S5's that have issues; iPhones also report similar issues. In some cases, it could be an email stuck in your outbox that is continually trying to send.. or it could be an application that is continuously trying to update because it experienced an error in the process. It's not the provider's issue that devices use the data they do. Beware when you download apps --do your research on them and check to see what users may be or may have experienced. This will help users avoid similar negative experiences.

 

[Sandy Robertson]

My galaxy s3's data usage claims I used nearly 2gb of data on gmail in a few hours! A usage calculator I found online says that would be tens of thousands of emails - I sent and received about 20! Naturally my provider says it's impossible to be anything but sonething I did. Any ideas?

 

[tomaf]

This forum seems like a big mess, with everyone having different and contradictory info, but I'll ask this anyway. With Galaxy S5, is there a difference between having "Restrict background data" on and having "Mobile data" turned off? They are both near the top of the Data usage app in Settings.

 

[zipdrive73]

I'm not even a Verizon customer and I've known for years these crooks are the epitome of billing nightmares. While they may have the best coverage, you pay for it big time. I guess if you're rich, you don't give a crap.

My situation is with my in-laws. They are forced to use Verizon where they live. What happens is these little Mom and Pop markets get bought up by Verizon where AT&T then kisses Verizon's a$$ to get piece from a piggy back. Anyway, my mother in-law's data has gone thru the roof. Without having to go into every detail, I chatted online with billing and come to find out, if a video on Facebook or whatever (Facebook being the biggest offender of the data usage ) is not optimal for it's HD quality on WiFi, it will switch to 4GLte. No matter whether you have WiFi only on everything. However I did forget to untick Smart Switch. That to me is just crooked when it comes to carriers like Verizon and AT&T, those that charge blocks of data automatically when you hit over. Sprint just sucks because of coverage period and with us and t-mobile having our share of coverage (but better than sprint) at least they just dial u back and not charge you for it. I'm guessing smart switch off would put an end to it. We'll have to wait and see.

 

[zipdrive73]

It's not a Verizon issue. These are computers that you're caring around. The greater the technology, the more the phone can do, the more things working behind the scenes. It's not just Galaxy S5's that have issues; iPhones also report similar issues. In some cases, it could be an email stuck in your outbox that is continually trying to send.. or it could be an application that is continuously trying to update because it experienced an error in the process. It's not the provider's issue that devices use the data they do. Beware when you download apps --do your research on them and check to see what users may be or may have experienced. This will help users avoid similar negative experiences.

ok I'm betting you're either a Verizon employee or have a stake in Verizon. Either way, whether you blame the phone or carrier, the carrier represents the phone just like the manufacturer. Verizon is the one that charges the overages, not Samsung but I'm sure they are getting a piece of the action. And not everyone is advanced users. Please get off your high horse. The right thing to do is dial back. While I'm on T-Mobile, they at least do that but I can at least admit I am a customer of them. You can't even do that. Maybe you need to research.

 

[black_fan]

It *is* a Verizon issue.

I had the physically same phone on cricket/AT&T on a 1gb plan and never went over. I take the phone to the Verizon store and activate it on Verizon. In less than a week I go through 1gb of data. Why would a 'computer' on Verizon use 4x as much data as a 'computer' on AT&T using exactly the same apps and the same usage patterns?

(Yes, my phone is international and will work on both AT&T and Verizon.)

 

[black_fan]

So every time i leave home I need to go through menus to turn data on, then when I get to work I turn it back off? Repeat when I go to lunch. Repeat when I go back home. Repeat when I take a walk around the block. Repeat when I go to a part of the building that doesn't have wi-fi.

I've NEVER had this problem in over 10 years of having a cell phone on t-mobile, AT&T and some indie services, until I moved to Verizon.

 

[black_fan]

I switched my phone from cricket/AT&T to Verizon last week and went through a gig of data in less than a week- exact same phone, exact same apps, exact same usage patterns. I've been on a 1gb plan on other carriers and never went through 1gb. I've NEVER had this problem in over 10 years of having a cell phone on t-mobile, AT&T and some indie services, until I moved to Verizon.

I called and after some patient objections to their BS reasons, they reinstated my 1gb data and said they will monitor the account to see what the problem is.

 

[black_fan]

It's a setting that controls this. WiFi > Advanced > Keep wi-fi on when screen is off.

 

[black_fan]

There's a setting that controls this:
Wi-fi > Advanced Settings > Keep wi-fi on when screen is off

There's another suspicious one : "Avoid bad wi-fi connections" that can switch to mobile data if wi-fi has no connection.

Do you have any proof that this is true? I'm pretty sure mine stays on and connected even when the screen is off.

 

[jtnum]

Samsung Galaxy S5
I just updated some of the recommended updates, and the data used >18GB, which I historically use < 0.5 GB. The settings show the Chrome used 18.6 GB. I thought I was connected to wi-fi when I did the update. The data usage all happened on 1 day, which coincides with my plan reset, so now I am 13GB over my 6GB limit. Verizon was not very helpful other than keeping me on a chat for 3 HOURS initially saying it was their app that did it, until I talked with a supervisor who got me to the settings app page. Both however repeatedly tried to change my plan. They would not just change the plan for 1 month, saying that my plan was no longer offered, and that once changed, it could not be changed back to the original. So I guess I will wait for my $130 penalty for blithely following updated apps. I suspected Google+, which I since disabled, but am now wondering what app caused this quantity of data usage when I was connected to a Wi-Fi network? Any help would be appreciated so this trap does not occur again. Not impressed with Verizon customer service, either!

 

[ironass]

Samsung Galaxy S5
I just updated some of the recommended updates, and the data used >18GB, which I historically use < 0.5 GB. The settings show the Chrome used 18.6 GB. I thought I was connected to wi-fi when I did the update. The data usage all happened on 1 day, which coincides with my plan reset, so now I am 13GB over my 6GB limit. Verizon was not very helpful other than keeping me on a chat for 3 HOURS initially saying it was their app that did it, until I talked with a supervisor who got me to the settings app page. Both however repeatedly tried to change my plan. They would not just change the plan for 1 month, saying that my plan was no longer offered, and that once changed, it could not be changed back to the original. So I guess I will wait for my $130 penalty for blithely following updated apps. I suspected Google+, which I since disabled, but am now wondering what app caused this quantity of data usage when I was connected to a Wi-Fi network? Any help would be appreciated so this trap does not occur again. Not impressed with Verizon customer service, either!

Hello and welcome to Android Central jtnum!

Sorry to learn you are having problems with your data usage and Verizon.

Try going to Settings > Data usage and if that has not reset, it should show under, "Mobile", what has used that large amount of data. If it has reset then there is not much else I can suggest unless there is a specific Verizon setting/app for data usage.

 

[jtnum]

The settings;DataUsage says that Chrome used 18.6 GB. Is this the OS, or the browser? Can an app update use services provided by the OS? I am trying to determine the specific app update that caused so much data to be used while I was connected to Wi-Fi. I updated about 10 apps which included Verizon cloud, Google+, Google Maps.

 

[Jims S5]

another thing to watch is the video quality. I was using the HD quality showing off a new phone and the data usage went way up for just a few videos. I have since changed the settings to only offer a lower setting like 480P or something like that when on data...and only HD when on wifi. I have since done and experiment and have watched at least 3 times more videos and the data has dropped substantially. I do not use Facebook but if you do those videos could be coming to you in HD also. Just a thought......good info on here!