Why am I seeing data usage at times

[BCochran1981]

when I know for a fact I'm connected to wifi? And at times when I'm connected to wifi AND ASLEEP?

[Snn5]

What phone are you using?

[flutterfly8497]

Some phones revert to mobile data when they "go to sleep." Other times if a MMS comes through, it will use mobile data to send to or from your phone, regardless of the wifi. MMS can only be sent via mobile data.

[Snn5]

And through WiFi using Verizon Messages+.  MMS, if part of an unlimited messaging plan, does not count towards data use.  Apple phones are horrendous for dropping off of wifi during periods of unuse.  Androids can be set up to avoid weak signals or keep wifi awake when asleep.

[Snn5]

There's also that reporting lag.

[flutterfly8497]

You're right, it doesn't count toward the data allowance,  but it does show up as data use if you look at the itemized data use for the line. I forgot about Verizon messaging over wifi...thanks for pointing that out! 🙂

[Eadur]

1. You can not trust the date/time stamp as the exact time of your data usage. Be design the cell towers collect and store data usage for like six hours. Then the cell towers release the data usage to the Verizon servers, to be recorded as your data usage. This is why you will see your data usage at odd ball hours of the night or day.

2. You did not say which phone you are using. For example, my wife has an iPhone 5c 8GB. And when we first got it, it was using excessive amount of data usage. Whereupon, we were told to adjust this and disable that. However, all that was is a band-aide over a wound. Later onward I learned from difference sources, what that by design the iPhones do turn off WiFi when they go dormant. So if a download is in process or information is being back up wirelessly, and the phone goes dormant, it will switch to use cellular data, if it is left on.

3. Afterwards, I learned from difference sources that to prevent an iPhone from disconnecting from your WiFi source, you need to keep it connected to a power source. By doing so, you prevent the iPhone from going dormant. Therefore, it will stay connected to your WiFi source. In which case, after we started doing this, it solved the issue of my wife's phone from using excessive amount of data usage. And this is why I purchase my wife a 9 foot power cord for use at home.

4. Moreover, I have a Droid MAXX 16GB, and I have not used any data usage allowance since 26 October, 2014. The reason being that I do not have an iPhone. So I am happy, and only have to worry about my wife's iPhone .

[Snn5]

4.   So, you have data to use but havent since Oct 2014?

[Eadur]

My wife and I have "Shared Data Allowance". So because I can stay connected to our Home WiFi Network, I do not use any of our "Shared Data Allowance". Therefore, I only have to worry about my wife's iPhone using the monthly "Shared Data Allowance" each month.

[Eadur]

P.S.

1. This is why I was in the dog house for awhile after we got our phones. We got our smart phones at the same time. And my wife could not understand her phone was using huge amount of excessive data usage, and mine was not. She was blaming me for it at first.

2. But in all fairness it took me two weeks to figure out that I must enter our Home WiFi Network's key code, before my phone could connect to our WiFi. So it was 26 October, 2014, when I entered our WiFi key code, in order for my phone to connect to our home WiFi, and I have not used any of our monthly Share Data Usage Allowance.

3. Therefore, before 26 October, I was using some of our Shared Mobile Data Usage. But it was almost like nothing compare to my wife's iPhone. ...