Haven’t seen this topic addressed yet. We are are coming off of our 2-year cell phone plan and low and behold, the provider (AT&T) is just now sending us texts regarding our data usage. Of course, it’s at the point of “just” spilling over into the overage category, so they are trying to up sell us to buy more gigabytes(@ $25/month) so as not to incur overage charges.

This prompted a call to them to help us dissect our data usage and they could not help or provide anything but very broad usage categories such as ‘technology’ or ‘social’ which when pressed further for clarification onto which apps would be included into which category, they could help with.

We have two phones. Our usage is pretty consistent. We use Google maps when on the road, WhatsApp now and again, and some other apps now and again.

Here are my questions.

1) Is there an app out there that logs the amount of data being used by time and date, per application? This info would be very useful to determine usage.

2)In general, does keeping an app that is rarely being used, in turn use discernible amounts of data in the background? Stuff like UBER, etc.

3) Specifically to WhatsApp. How does the data get charged against an account? Is it the caller, the receiver of the call, or both?

Are you using an Android or iPhone?

How much data are you getting in your plan? 1GB,8GB?

#2: Normally, "exiting" the app will stop it from using data but not always.

#3: I think you're going to be using your data whether or not you're the caller or receiver.

Slightly off topic: I also have ATT but switched to their Prepaid & with autopay enabled, I'm paying less then $41 for unlimited calls/txt & 8GB (rollover data), includes hotspot feature.

Thanks! We have iPhones and 6GB/month including rollover.

I'm on Verizon and the data info is available in settings. I'm sure it's on your phone somewhere.

Jim

Your phone probably has it listed already.

The s8 tells me how much data is used, and allows me to limit it so I don't go over.

It also shows how much data per monthly period (you set the start/end date) and year to date that each app has used.

It may even separate the wifi and network data totals.

I'm sure if the base phone does that, there has to be a hundred and one apps that provide even more info.


ETA: I found this with a quick google search, maybe check them out and see if they have free trials.
https://www.igeeksblog.com/how...k-iphone-data-usage/

I recently blew through a whole months data on my plan (me and the wife) in about 10 days.

Couldn't figure what the hell happened since neither of us did anything different to use that much data that quickly.

It turned out that the culprit was the "App Update" setting. All of my apps were constantly trying to update in the background using cellular data. None of the apps actually finished their update because they were all doing it at once...but they just sucked up the data usage.

I turned that setting off and it's all good again.

Ramius, I’ll check that!

For anyone looking for the same for Android phones, I'm using the free apps Datally and GlassWire to track and minimize data use.

agree shutting those various apps OFF helps;

I'm on the S9 learning curve & actually using more data & WiFi than ever. Mostly by learning what is/is NOT what I want my servant-droid cell phone to actually do.

some day I'll count the OFF switches I've made. It also has been telling to learn at some point those get turned ON, whether of my own unsuspecting fumble or something else.

1st month with Android sucked up 2G requiring finally upsizing to 6GB. Now into 3rd month of actual WiFi World & more data use, with "11 days remaining" in my billing cycle I have 86% of that upsize remaining. I have rejected nearly daily 'alert' notices of app upgrades, as most of them still do not use.

quote:

Originally posted by RAMIUS:
I recently blew through a whole months data on my plan (me and the wife) in about 10 days.

Couldn't figure what the hell happened since neither of us did anything different to use that much data that quickly.

It turned out that the culprit was the "App Update" setting. All of my apps were constantly trying to update in the background using cellular data. None of the apps actually finished their update because they were all doing it at once...but they just sucked up the data usage.

I turned that setting off and it's all good again.

You should be able to set all app updates to WiFi only.

I have Sprint service – voice and data. There’s a Sprint app in the Apple App Store that provide complete and concise info about Voice minutes, text messages, data, and mobile hotspot data used. And days remaining in my plan this month. Likely there’s a similar iPhone or Android app for your carrier.