Tesco/ Data Usage Limit

[fendi]

Hi guys.

I'm in a little bit of a pickle about my data usage with Tesco.

Yesterday I got a text saying I was near the limit of my data usage and will be charged £0.60/MB if I exceed it.

I logged into my account yesterday and it showed my usage as being 916mb. Their fair usage I believe is 1GB. Today I get another text so I log in and it shows 1500mb or so. So exceeding their fair usage limit by over half a gig.

That has got me worried because I'll be billed for over £300+. I've disabled my data connection now. I really only used it for Whatsapp and Clash of Clans. But even with just these two I am amazed at home much data has been used. Especially in 1 day. 600mb+. Is this even possible? I don't download apps over 3G. only at home over the Wifi. I send some photos from time to time on whatsapp but that is it. No video. No youtube either.

Has anyone exceeded Tesco's 1GB limit and not been billed? Should I ring them and ask if I will be billed for going so far over their limit? This is the first time it has happened in over 2 years of being with them. I am usually a light user so have no idea how 1.5gb has been used in what is pretty much half a month.

Any advice would be welcomed.

 

[fendi]

Phone manufacturer, model and if known - OS version please.

Ah sorry about that.

It's an iPhone 4. iOS 5.1.1.

To add a bit more. I had used Ruzzle a bit too and have Skype on in the background - not being used. But I've always had Skype on and Whatsapp on 24/7 for over a year with no problems. Even when the sim was previously in an Android/San Fransisco.

Edit.

I am just wondering if I should call them and ask to speak to someone about it. As the first warning text only came in a day ago. The second today. Or if an automated system will just bill me. Maybe talking to someone could give me the benefit of the doubt.

 

[fendi]

I’ve just got off the phone with Tesco. 4455 for anyone that needs to call them from their handset. The guy said that he can see that I’ve used the 1500+mb but my account shows that I haven’t been charged for going over the limit. He said though that the system might not be up to date so to call back in 5 hours when they will be able to confirm. At first he said I won’t be charged but then he backtracked and said the 5 hours.

So fingers crossed it stays as £0.00. I’ll keep all data turned off now. I had no idea that I could use 1.5gb’s worth of data in 2 weeks – and that’s without using any streaming or music sites/youtube. Pretty scary.

 

[fendi]

You didn't download any new games / new apps recently did you? Or attempt to sync all your music via dropbox or anything else similar?

Myshra, I think you might have hit the nail on the head with Dropbox. I have used that this month for the first time. That's probably it. Damn. I can see that using a large amount of data. Not music but photos. I'm not sure how many photos I have on it. I use the PC to upload them but I have viewed them a couple of times on the mobile to show friends.

I guess I am guilty of it then. I just hope it isn't too late to get off without being charged a huge amount for a silly mistake. Thanks for identifying the problem.

As for games/apps. I never download them over 3G. I am always patient enough to wait till I get home.

Will get them a couple before I hit the cinema tonight. I hope the news doesn't ruin the showing.

 

[fendi]

Hi guys,

Just an update. I didn't get to ring them back later that day. Went to the cinema and didn't fancy possibly hearing bad news before the flick.

So I spoke to them yesterday. I had logged into my account previously before doing so. Data usage had gone up to 1823mb! From 1530ish the night before. No idea how.

Anyway, they said that my account was still showing £0.00 for any over charges. They said I am over the fair usage limit but because I am on an old tarrif that doesn't exist any more they believe that is the reason the system hasn't picked it up. I don't know what to think. But over the telephone I asked whether if was possible to disable data for the rest of my billing month. He said it was and that it would take 24hrs to kick in. So now I have a smart phone that isn't so smart (until I get home for wifi). 12 days to go to find out if I get charged.

What I find quite odd is that I did receive a warning text and another the following day telling me that I was close to my limit. But then in less than two days having checked the usage online it went up by 900mb. And that is without hammering it as I was being careful. They said that the system update every 5 hours so it can't be updating from a week or so ago.

One thing I dislike about the iPhone and maybe it was user error is that in settings I can't find anything to disable data being pushed through. I for some reason thought "notifications" was the area I was looking for so turned all of that off, but didn't realise until the other day but that data could still be going on in the background. And in some apps there is no option in their settings to turn this off, but I still get updates.

I got an update from Clash of Clans when I had both 3G/data and Wifi turned off so I'm not sure if the app sends these in an offline mode.

About drop box. I have views photos but to be fair I haven't uploaded that many so I can't imagine 900mb came from there. And if it syncs once I presume the photos don't need to be downloaded again but viewable without using a ton of data.

Anyway guys. Thanks for your posts. I'll let you know how this ends.