Tutor
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4 Messages
I have been charged for data I did not use!
Hello, I have just gotten a bill for my monthly wireless data use for a device that is used for work. It is nearly always in a place where there is already a stable wifi connection (business). My phone says I've used apps which I do not even have a subscription for! Itunes, Netflix, and others, there this MUST be some mistake.
The phone does not even have wireless data, and the only use of wireless it does use is through using Hotspot from an Ipad I have, which when not in use is always without fail put into Airplane mode.
Who can I call to sort this out?
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formerlyknownas
ACE - Sage
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118.4K Messages
6 years ago
@romsig55
You wrote: “ I see, but since the phone by itself has no data”.
Not possible....
You have indicated it’s a smartphone, iPhone, and inferred it’s on a postpaid Account, Therefore it is REQUIRED to have a data plan. The only way to have a smartphone on AT&T without a data plan if on prepaid pay per use. But then prepaid has no bill, just a refill.
If you did put a smartphone on postpaid without data, and ATT catches the error, a data plan is added. It’s in your TOS.
Data can be manually turned off in My ATT to prevent data overage/use, but is turned on at the start of a new bill cycle. But the phone is still is required to have a data plan.
It simply comes back to your saying the phone indicates is used mobile data, and your bill agrees. ATT doesn’t have access to your phone. ATT can’t remotely turn on music streaming and Netflix, so there is no way for them to fake that.
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Anonymous
New Member
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25.7K Messages
6 years ago
Your phones data meter is independent. If it says you used the data, it was used. I would turn off background data for any app I dont use, and turn off data all together honestly since you say you always use it on hotspot.
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formerlyknownas
ACE - Sage
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118.4K Messages
6 years ago
How much data?
Post a screen shot from the phones cellular data usage.
Do you understand iPhone data totals are cumulative since the last time data was reset, which may have been when first purchased?
If you have an iPhone, of course you use iTunes. An iTunes account is required.
If you don’t have Netflix subscription why is the app on the phone?
”Nearly always” is not the same as “always on Wifi” or “cell data is disabled”.
Using any device as a hotspot uses mobile data. That is entirely what the function of a hotspot does, it shares a mobile data connection with other devices.
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romsig55
Tutor
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4 Messages
6 years ago
14.65GB
I understand. That may be the case.
An account for the music streaming service in iTunes is not required, which is what I was referring to.
Haha! First time poster... Hm what would be the point of that asking that? Out of curiosity? I doubt that the simply answer to that question would make a difference in regard to the issue. I quite simply I simply haven't deleted the app since I last had an account in 2017. Please tell me if that would help get this sorted out.
Of course they are not the same, I suppose that needed to be emphasized in order to... *shrugs* The phone has no wireless data, only the ipad. The ipad always on airplane mode, and is only taken off airplane mode in the very rare/and brief case that it is outside of a hotspot area (it is for work).
When brought outside the work hotspot, be it 3-4 hours a week AT MOST, it never using video streaming sites, nor downloading apps/etc. When brought into the hotspot area once again, it is inmediately put into airplane mode. I hope this is clearer.
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romsig55
Tutor
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4 Messages
6 years ago
Hmm I've been reading other stories similar to mine, and that definitely not the whole story "if it says it was used, it was used." I am in the process of installing the myAT&T Business app. Maybe that will illuminate the disprenpancies in use, which would in any case be next to impossible that such an amount of data was used. It seems to be a very frequent story among AT&T clients (and ex-clients).
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Anonymous
New Member
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25.7K Messages
6 years ago
@romsig55 Your phones meter built in is independent of at&t. I have yet to see a single time this was inaccurate on here.
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Gary L
ACE - Expert
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16.5K Messages
6 years ago
That's just going to give you AT&T's numbers.
Your phone has its own meter that keeps track on its own. If your phone says it used it, then the phone used it. The phone will even tell you what apps or parts of the OS used the data.
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romsig55
Tutor
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4 Messages
6 years ago
Hello
I see, but since the phone by itself has no data, I suppose you mean the hotspot from the iPad I have? In that case, the data meter simply says all the data used since I bought it a few years ago.
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Gary L
ACE - Expert
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16.5K Messages
6 years ago
When you call it a "wireless data use for a device" and then "my phone says I've used apps" don't be shocked if we name the wrong device...
Using it as a hotspot means it's just going to say "hotspot usage", it's not going to list apps that the phone used although it would list the apps the iPad uses. You'll need to reset the counters and see what it says if it happens again.
So you keep a phone without a plan near an iPad which normally has airplane mode on, but they both have access to wifi, which the iPad can't use because it's normally in Airplane mode?
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