Crazy surge in Singtel data usage !!!

[leeletmum]

Anyone using iPhone 5 experiences sudden unusual increase in data usage recorded by Singtel recently?

My average monthly data usage based on last 6 months' bill since I upgraded to iPhone 5 was less than 1Gb. But this month, after 20 days, I received sms from Singtel that I hit my 3Gb limit. Since then I have been monitoring my usage using Singtel's mySingtel app and noticed that the figure increases very quickly though my usage pattern didn't change at all.

Called 1688 several times and Singtel is investigating. Waiting for an explanation.

Anyone has similar experience and what is the problem?

 

[xkiller213]

you also monitor your phone data usage... settings > general > usage > cellular usage... see if the numbers increases for no good reason...

btw make sure personal hotspot is off, as your comp might find LTE faster than your home broadband and use it more often than your home's broadband... this is usually the case for inexplicable spikes in data usage...

 

[leeletmum]

Personal Hotspot is off most of the time. Also I have a password for access. Wonder if it is anything to do with sim card. Changed new sim card on 1 Apr as I was previously complaining to Singtel that my Singtel signal was very weak on my iphone and they suggested I get a new sim card. For info, the signal didn't change for the better with the new sim card too.

 

[Oonie]

the iphone 5 and iOS 6 uses a lot more data than last time... not sure what it is exactly in the OS... but there's something that uses a heck load more data than iOS 5

 

[royfrosty]

It is normal. As long as its on LTE your download speed is higher. Bandwidth is larger. Thus downloading is more. Is just a simple theory, you take bubble tea straw and start sucking at any one point of time you will definitely drink more than using a small straw.

 

[kianzzz]

Anyone using iPhone 5 experiences sudden unusual increase in data usage recorded by Singtel recently?

My average monthly data usage based on last 6 months' bill since I upgraded to iPhone 5 was less than 1Gb. But this month, after 20 days, I received sms from Singtel that I hit my 3Gb limit. Since then I have been monitoring my usage using Singtel's mySingtel app and noticed that the figure increases very quickly though my usage pattern didn't change at all.

Called 1688 several times and Singtel is investigating. Waiting for an explanation.

Anyone has similar experience and what is the problem?

It's not really normal. I am facing the same problem too. Within 3 days I hit 500mb even though I am using like before. And most of the time I am on my ipad too. Jus happened in last month only.

 

[gardiboy]

It is normal. As long as its on LTE your download speed is higher. Bandwidth is larger. Thus downloading is more. Is just a simple theory, you take bubble tea straw and start sucking at any one point of time you will definitely drink more than using a small straw.

Just to add on. LTE provides speeds up to 10X faster than 3G. When data is faster, don't does one naturally wanna test out and download / browse more stuff?

Think about this. I doubt anything is wrong with Singtel servers.

 

[leeletmum]

I switched off cellular data and LTE on Mon night 9.40pm to 7am, on wifi only. Slept and woke up in the morning, checked MySingtel app on data usage, went up by 12.3mb. How to explain???

 

[gardiboy]

I switched off cellular data and LTE on Mon night 9.40pm to 7am, on wifi only. Slept and woke up in the morning, checked MySingtel app on data usage, went up by 12.3mb. How to explain???

The updating of the data usage in MySingtel isn't real time. There are some periods of irregular capturing.

Btw, what version of iOS are you on?

 

[pychen]

i also face this problem...

i suspect it is my IP camera software that streams video to my iphone...it seems that every time i use the app, it chalks up data in blocks of 50mb...

now i terminate the application each time i finish using it (instead of leaving it running in the background)

have just reset my data usage statistic to coincide with my billing cycle - will monitor it for a month and see how...

 

[leeletmum]

The updating of the data usage in MySingtel isn't real time. There are some periods of irregular capturing.

Btw, what version of iOS are you on?

Latest iOS 6.1.4 was updated on Mon when I did a backup of my iphone to itunes and restore from backup. Can't remember when I updated iphone prior to this update.

 

[leeletmum]

I switched off cellular data and LTE on Mon night 9.40pm to 7am, on wifi only. Slept and woke up in the morning, checked MySingtel app on data usage, went up by 12.3mb. How to explain???

Singtel called. Said could be due to HD pictures when I go into online purchase store. I looked at qoo10 app, but not sure if that is really the reason.

Then I asked them about the MySingtel app on data usage, is it real-time? He can't answer me directly. Said would go back to the investigation department to check specifically on the above as to why 12.3mb was shown as used. Just then, I checked again on MySingtel app data usage and noted from 3.29pm to 5.51pm, difference of 25.7mb, not sure why again, since I was home and switched off 3G/LTE, only on home wifi and half the time my hp was left charging and not used. The staff said would check on this period too.

 

[duhduhduh]

emails or push notifications?

 

[loldude333]

You guys are not the only ones. I hit 1GB of data usage while i was in NS, using my iPhone 5 only on weekends and off days. I use Wifi at home, which is about 30%-60% of the time. Admittedly i do surf FB, Internet, Instagram etc pretty often, especially when travelling. But i don't understand why its possible to use 200MB of data in 3hrs. I was periodically checking my WhatsApp and Facebook during a wedding dinner. M1 subscribers with similar usage patterns as me chock up a mere 700MB-900MB per month, and they use theirs everyday! Methinks Singtel is calculating incoming and outgoing data, while M1 doesn't. Is there a loophole there, and do the rules and regs cover this? I'm rather miffed as i'd like to use my data to tether to my laptop while in school, but i don't its possible with this kind of usage.

 

[Manndy]

same issue here. was surprised when I got sms alert that data has been exceeded. im using iphone 5 as well on iOS 6.1.4. it looks like a bug with the recent update.

to confirm my finding, i turned off data then reset cellular network data stats. using wifi, ran flipboard for some time reading artciles. Send and Receive data remained at 0 byte.

based on actual usage, the phone was being used almost the same way as before, i.e. before the iOS update. normal surfing, imessage, whatsapp, and no music/video streaming at all. only thing that was updated was the OS, so it's likely that there's a bug that's causing it to continously connect to data. just my thought.

 

[mr_voodoo]

Singtel just activated a lot of 4G base stations in the last 2 months to complete their coverage.

Despite being on wifi, my iPhone preferred to use 4G as it's faster then the wifi network it's connected to. The root of the problem is a 2.4ghz wifi router which has lower throughput then LTE.

5ghz router should solve the problem, but in reality with multiple devices at home and radio interferences LTE could still outperform 5ghz wifi.

Is it a bug ? no the iPhone is just being smart and using the "faster" connection via LTE.

So there's nothing wrong with Singtel, just the iPhone choosing to connect over 4G instead of wifi. Switch off data completely if you want it to use WIFI at home.

 

[kollybie]

Singtel just activated a lot of 4G base stations in the last 2 months to complete their coverage.

Despite being on wifi, my iPhone preferred to use 4G as it's faster then the wifi network it's connected to. The root of the problem is a 2.4ghz wifi router which has lower throughput then LTE.

5ghz router should solve the problem, but in reality with multiple devices at home and radio interferences LTE could still outperform 5ghz wifi.

Is it a bug ? no the iPhone is just being smart and using the "faster" connection via LTE.

So there's nothing wrong with Singtel, just the iPhone choosing to connect over 4G instead of wifi. Switch off data completely if you want it to use WIFI at home.

That's trueee... as our home router wifi signal might dipped, LTE might take over the data usage hence incurred mobile data usage.. hence it is wise to off the data when you are using WIFI at home

The SingTel Data App is not real time, hence it will defer

 

[kun1he2]

M1 user here with "free" 1GB mobile that came bundled with fibre plan...
Got a shock too when I was charged for excess data, as I usually make sure that I'm on wifi first before setting my iPad to download vids via iFunshion app, recall previous old versions used to warn when it switches to mobile data, not sure which updated version removed the warning.

Now I make sure to turn on mobile data only when needed on the iPad.

 

[leeletmum]

I now turned on only 3G when outside, LTE is off. When home, I turn off 3G/LTE n only use home wifi.

Still, e data usage is clocking up FAST!!!

 

[LobsterX]

I now turned on only 3G when outside, LTE is off. When home, I turn off 3G/LTE n only use home wifi.

Still, e data usage is clocking up FAST!!!

turn off cellular data silly....