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AIBU?

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Original poster

To ask why my sons data runs out on his phone when he is only using WiFi?

68 replies

SpringSunshineandTulips · 01/09/2020 13:23

His data is gone within a day or so and this month he’d been home the whole time and using WiFi. He went out today and I tried WhatsApping and texting him but neither message delivered. I could get through on a phone call though. I couldn’t find him on find my iPhone either when he was out. As soon as he came home again the messages all delivered and I can see him on find my iPhone. Does anyone know why or how to rectify this please?

OP posts:
heartsonacake · 01/09/2020 13:24

How much data does he have?

Smella123 · 01/09/2020 13:24

He may have WiFi assist on? It means it’ll connect to his mobile data if the WiFi signal isn’t very strong. You can turn it off in his WiFi settings.

BoobsOnTheMoon · 01/09/2020 13:25

Check for a setting that switches it between mobile and WiFi depending which signal is strongest. Our WiFi signal is rubbish so my phone often starts using data instead!

BoobsOnTheMoon · 01/09/2020 13:26

Or, is he using mobile data to access websites that your home WiFi doesn't allow access to? Sorry to suggest it but it's a possibility.

bonjonbovi · 01/09/2020 13:35

Is all his data gone, or is it not configured correctly? Can you see the usage on the phone to confirm it’s being used?

AlCalavicci · 01/09/2020 13:37

Check his wifi settings , I tend to have to turn my phones off if I am at home and using my blue-tooth head phones as they interfere with each other ( flaming annoying ) but then I forget to turn it back on when I go out and my data get hammered .

Also check the data saver function , as this will determined which is the best connection so even if your DS is at home if the wifi is patchy it will use his phones instead .

Finally check the limit , I set mine to warn me before it is due to run out at ( i think ) 1 g, then turn of when I am down to 500 so that I have a a back up if I am stuck or a emergency ( travel a lot on public transport so time tables need to be checked often )

AlCalavicci · 01/09/2020 13:38

( ooh x post with lots then Blush )

RosieGirl27 · 01/09/2020 13:39

I agree with the above comment. As a teenager a friend used all his mobile data watching adult videos as his mother had a block on adult content on the WiFi.

BarbaraofSeville · 01/09/2020 13:43

If the wifi is weak in his bedroom or wherever he uses the phone, so the phone is switching to mobile data, you can get a booster box thing fairly cheaply to boost the wifi signal all over the house. You can normally tell by looking at the icons at the top of the phone whether it is connected to data or wifi so he should check this.

If he looks in settings, you should be able to see which apps are using data, which may help solve the problem. You can also set the phone so it only downloads updates, podcasts or anything else when on wifi, which stops the phone downloading everything it has missed the second it finds a data signal and running through all the allowance within no time.

Also, how much data does he have? Is he watching lots of videos on data? The link below gives details of the cheapest ways to get various data allowances:

www.moneysavingexpert.com/mobiles/cheap-sim-only-contracts/

CarolVordermansArse · 01/09/2020 13:44

Check which apps are on it, there might be something on there that shouldn't be which is using it up.

Original poster
SpringSunshineandTulips · 01/09/2020 14:00

Thanks. He’s only 11 but does watch a lot of YouTube but WiFi reaches his phone. I will go through what everyone has said and see if I need to change any of these settings. Thank you all.

OP posts:
BarbaraofSeville · 01/09/2020 14:03

He's not making video calls when he's out and about is he?

Undies1990 · 01/09/2020 14:10

If it's a phone contract that's in your name, phone up the provider and ask them to have a look into it. They will be able to see what's using up the data and when. Firstly, make sure the "data roaming" is off - if the Wi-fi in your house drops out then the phone will auto connect to 3G/4G and use up his data allowance.

LemonPeonies · 01/09/2020 14:45

I was gonna suggest he's probably watching porn but actually at the age of 11 I really hope not!

2020iscancelled · 01/09/2020 14:56

Has he got mobile data turned on? If he’s out and about and nothing is delivering there is also the option that he’s switched the data off....
obvs this is only an option if you’ve not actually checked the data balance?

But as other pp have said, mobile data will kick in when wifi signal is weak. Or if he’s switching it off for anything specific

CodenameVillanelle · 01/09/2020 14:59

Turn off mobile data on YouTube and any other apps that stream video so he can't use it up by mistake when he's out. One video can rinse a huge amount of mobile data.

SafferUpNorth · 01/09/2020 15:03

We had same toward the end of last year with 10-year-old DS's phone. Turns out watching a few youtube vids and streaming music off Amazon Music on the 10-minute school bus trip make light work of a 500MB data package! He now has 4GB Grin

DuckbilledSplatterPuff · 01/09/2020 15:04

He needs to turn off all the updating apps when he's out like facebook, email etc.. that is what is using up his data, and only have texts and phone turned on. Then he can turn them back on again when he's in a wifi zone. Depending on his phone provider he may be able to access free wifi from them in town.

LeroyJenkinssss · 01/09/2020 15:07

It’s either WiFi assist which chews through data or he’s streaming stuff out and about. I’m guessing you’ve done the due diligence as to checking which apps are using data?

TheGreatWave · 01/09/2020 16:32

Some apps preload videos etc. That really uses up the data. We had to change settings in the actual app.

hastingsmua1 · 01/09/2020 16:38

How much data does he actually have though? As it sounds it isn’t sufficient for his needs

I am a power iPhone user and have all the above settings on (WiFi assist, app updates, app content being pushed in the background eg new tweets or mail automatically loaded) and I also stream videos/video call - yet my data isn’t eaten up. I struggle to get through 50GB with all these settings on. I only really use my data if I intentionally do so, like streaming an entire Netflix season.

grafittiartist · 01/09/2020 16:40

We have had this problem.
I went into the EE shop- and they were really helpful.
If you share a provider/ account then you can gift data to others- that's been useful.

honeygirlz · 01/09/2020 17:00

Yep, I also don't trust my phone to use wifi all the time, and switch off mobile data on my phone (especially when travelling abroad).

emmathedilemma · 01/09/2020 17:07

You should be able to check the usage. I had this when I got a new handset and a bigger data allowance but within a week of the first month I had a text saying i'd nearly used my allowance. When I looked it was showing usage in the early hours of the morning when I'd been in bed and definitely not using my phone. I checked all the settings to try and work out if something was running in the background but couldn't find anything. When i contacted Vodafone they seemed to be aware of it as a known issue and immediately gave me an additional data allowance on the contract for no extra cost and i've not had that issue since......very fishy!!

heartsonacake · 01/09/2020 17:37

You still haven’t said how much data he actually has? Because if it’s only 500mb, that’s the problem.

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