Verizon Data Usage Skyrocketing

[overlander63]

Maggie, I did a little more research on the ads and video popups, and installed AdBlock Plus on both my phone and my tablet. I reset the data counters on both, and we'll see how it looks in a few days. So far, pages seem to be loading faster, but it might be my imagination, and wishful thinking.

[Lily&Me]

That's an app, Terry?

Maggie

[Lily&Me]

I spent over 30 minutes on the phone with Verizon tech support this morning and this is what I was told...

Viewing news pages does not necessarily categorize that data as Gaming, but it may

If you open a news page with a video imbedded in it, there is no way to preemptively prevent it from loading even if you don't click on the video to view it

Skype is in fact Video

Switching from one page to the next starts a new session, where everything on that new page has to load

The best time to reset statistics is the first day of each new billing cycle, which for me is the 16th of each month, and that way you can track each month how you are using your data. I'm putting an alert in my calendar for the 16th of each month.

I used 1.9 GB of data on 2/7/17, almost entirely web pages ....if I recall correctly, I was looking that day at recipe and info pages for my new Instant Pot.

Lots of good info gathered here, I am more knowledgeable and will be more mindful of my usage in the future.

Maggie

[Jim & Susan]

Originally Posted by Lily&Me

Hmmm...thanks for that, didn't realize I could turn data off completely on my phone.

Going to call Verizon today about the video issue...

Maggie

Maggie, to turn data off completely........

Go to settings>cellular>cellular data. Turn off Cellular data.

While you're there, scroll down the page to "Use Data Cellular For"

Turn off all that stuff except for the things that you think you need the most.

I normally keep my cellular data off unless I need it for some reason (on my personal Iphone). I also have a work provided Iphone (Yeah, I have two of the stupid things). I have to keep the cellular data turned on, on that phone. But I'm not paying that bill.

On the other hand, I keep WiFi turned on, on both phones, all the time.
Go to Settings>Wi-Fi, then turn it on. DO NOT turn on "Ask to Join Networks". That opens you up to all the unsecured WiFi out there. That can be problematic with all of the internet spying going on.

I got a couple more for you, but I have to do some fact-checking first.

Jim

[overlander63]

Originally Posted by Lily&Me

That's an app, Terry?

Maggie

Yes, it is. It's in the app store, and it's free. I use a version of it for Firefox on our desktop and laptops, as well.
You will need to configure it after installing it, but the app itself tells you what to do.

[Jim & Susan]

Another one.

Turn off "push" notifications. Many sites, Facebook, Twitter, even Airforums, will "push" info to your phone if, for example, somebody posts something to a thread or other area on their site that you may be involved in....or even if they want to just send you "stuff". You have to turn this off in the application on your phone or on the website itself. You gotta figure out how this works on each website. Some sites will allow you you have this "feature" tunred on only when you're on Wifi. YMMV trying to figure this out for each site. Makes me a little nuts. I have my Facebook set to "WiFi only, but for the life on me, can't remember how to do it.

Jim

[Jim & Susan]

Originally Posted by overlander63

Yes, it is. It's in the app store, and it's free. I use a version of it for Firefox on our desktop and laptops, as well.
You will need to configure it after installing it, but the app itself tells you what to do.

Terry, is that available for Safari on Apple devices? Last time I checked it wasn't, but was for Chrome on "I" devices, I think. I blame my poor memory.

I use it on my laptop (the one I'm on now). A Windoze 7 machine using Chrome. It works very well on this laptop. LOVE it.

Jim

[ChuckZ]

I'm watching this thread with a lot of interest. I am so not tech savvy. I was wondering why my Verizon Wi-Fi data is going so fast. And like everyone else I'm not getting any real answers from them other then hey, you need our new unlimited plan. I will follow this thread closely.

[Lily&Me]

I have found over the years that I get the best answers, and the best help, from Tech Support, and I called them directly yesterday....wanting answers.

You need to be specific, and pin them down.

Tech support can also do things the regular CR folks can't...like better offers, or swapping one upgrade for another.

Maggie

[Rocinante]

FYI, Skype audio will be far more respectful of your bandwidth than Skype video. The video will eat your data for breakfast. Same is true of YouTube. If you find yourself watching YouTube videos, no matter the resolution, you will also find your data plan being eaten up. You may find that with browsers other than Safari it is possible to prevent videos from automatically playing when you visit a web page. Chrome and Firefox Focus come to mind as possible alternatives, might be worth downloading them and trying them out next time you are at a coffee shop.

[Plasma800]

Originally Posted by NWGetaways

On an iPhone, go to Settings -> Cellular. You'll see a list of all your apps that use cellular data, and each will show how much data they've used. Scroll all the way to the bottom and you can reset the statistics and then track it over the next few days.

App updates could be chewing through a lot of data. In Settings -> iTunes & App Stores, turn off "Use Cellular Data".

This.

I've pretty much disabled EVERYTHING, almost everything, on our iphones and my ipad I keep cellular turned off completely until I actually need/use it.

This happened to us on our AT&T bill... like one weekend trip somehow used up 6 gig's worth of data..? I don't think so.

[overlander63]

Originally Posted by Jim & Susan

Terry, is that available for Safari on Apple devices? Last time I checked it wasn't, but was for Chrome on "I" devices, I think. I blame my poor memory.

I use it on my laptop (the one I'm on now). A Windoze 7 machine using Chrome. It works very well on this laptop. LOVE it.

Jim

Yes, I use it for Safari for both my iPhone and iPad.

[featherbedder]

I use verizon wireless mifi for internet only, no streaming etc. When changed plan from 5gb to 8gb, first 3mos. sky high, called verizon first mo. dble billing when changed plans adjusted after some conversation about dble. charging. 3rd mo. all kinds excuses such as movie streaming etc. but lowered bill, 3rd mo. 11gb first 10 days, ph. again billed stayed same but gave huge credit next billing, now 13 days from reset usage just over 2gb same usage as before. I believe verizon playing games with usage as other have stated about rising usage. I cannot get internet coverage from any one w/out 2 yr. contract w/huge pay off if cancelled. We are getting fiber optics this summer. Not changing providers. Must have internet serv. as wife works in legal field spec. education.