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Droooooj

macrumors regular
Original poster
Oct 19, 2009
104
5
London, UK
I bought a MiFi dongle and a 2GB international data sim to use abroad (to avoid roaming charges). I switched off Mobile/Cellular data, and left the phone connected to the dongle via WiFi. I burnt through 2GB in 4 DAYS!! :(

Usually I don't even use 1GB per month of data. But I realised I'd forgotten to turn off the settings which back up your photos/videos whenever you're connected to WiFi. So any video I took was getting backed up 'over WiFi' (ie eating my data) instantly. Even when I did switch this setting off, and bought another 1GB, I got through it so quick. I couldn't work out where all the data was going.

I'm going abroad again soon - please has anyone got a checklist of everything I should turn off to stop my phone using WiFi data as and when it wants?

I believe the App Store will force you to download iOS update installers when on WiFi and there's no way round that. Is there anything else that truly can't be switched off?
 
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magicMac

macrumors 65816
Apr 13, 2010
1,012
427
UK
I bought a MiFi dongle and a 2GB international data sim to use abroad (to avoid roaming charges). I switched off Mobile/Cellular data, and left the phone connected to the dongle via WiFi. I burnt through 2GB in 4 DAYS!! :(

Usually I don't even use 1GB per month of data. But I realised I'd forgotten to turn off the settings which back up your photos/videos whenever you're connected to WiFi. So any video I took was getting backed up 'over WiFi' (ie eating my data) instantly. Even when I did switch this setting off, and bought another 1GB, I got through it so quick. I couldn't work out where all the data was going.

I'm going abroad again soon - please has anyone got a checklist of everything I should turn off to stop my phone using WiFi data as and when it wants?

I believe the App Store will force you to download iOS update installers when on WiFi and there's no way round that. Is there anything else that truly can't be switched off?

Honestly 1-2GB is not much these days, don't be fooled by the carriers.
 
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Critycal

macrumors regular
Sep 24, 2016
100
171
At least your videos are backupped now ;-)

On topic: check Settings > Mobile data and turn off WiFi assistant and iCloud drive.
 

Droooooj

macrumors regular
Original poster
Oct 19, 2009
104
5
London, UK
Honestly 1-2GB is not much these days, don't be fooled by the carriers.
As I said, I barely use a gig a month of 4G data at home. I know what apps/activities are data hungry and data light, and I go carefully. I just wasn't expecting a load of stuff to be down/uploading without my knowledge when on WiFi.

On topic: check Settings > Mobile data and turn off WiFi assistant and iCloud drive.

That was already switched off long ago! Before my trip.
There must be something else?
 

Shirasaki

macrumors P6
May 16, 2015
16,249
11,745
When you are connected to wifi, there is nothing much you could do about it, honestly. Your best bet is to not use mobile data at all and ignore your dongle, or put your sim into your phone if possible so that iOS won't do a lot of stuff when you are in "mobile network" as expected.
 

magicMac

macrumors 65816
Apr 13, 2010
1,012
427
UK
As I said, I barely use a gig a month of 4G data at home. I know what apps/activities are data hungry and data light, and I go carefully. I just wasn't expecting a load of stuff to be down/uploading without my knowledge when on WiFi.

I think you're missing my point. 1-2GB is not a lot of data, but it only seems like it because you switched off so many functions while on mobile data.

Think about it for a minute. Also think about how when you use 1GB on mobile data the phone isn't always on mobile data.

One full backup of the phone is easily 1GB
One iTunes movie is 4GB
Streaming 150 songs is 1GB.
Take some photos and upload them...
Watch a bit of YouTube
Etc...
Stop complaining and do the maths

As I said don't be fooled by the data caps mobile networks impose. If you actually look at what you use on wifi at home with fibre/ADSL it will easily be 30GB+ /month even with light, casual use.
 
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willmtaylor

macrumors G4
Oct 31, 2009
10,314
8,198
Here(-ish)
Apps. Stupid continuous updates. Seems like every day I have to update Apps...
It's so annoying that app developers continually improve the form and functionality of their apps. What nerve. And the arrogance of Apple to give us the option as to whether we want them installed automatically or not. Where do they get off?!?! :cool:

(Settings>iTunes & App Store>Automatic Updates toggled "off.")
[doublepost=1493982637][/doublepost]
The phone didn't eat the 2GB...
For some reason I'm reminded of this:
giphy.gif
 
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