For eleven days my iPad 3G sat in its case – powered off. On the twelfth day I logged in and checked my data usage on that one-device account – it showed almost 13MB of data mysteriously used during the time my iPad was OFF.
Just last month, several lawsuits were filed, seeking class action status on behalf of AT&T customers who have found the same ‘data leaks on their bills too. In fact the NBC Today Show did a lengthy expose on the alleged billing scam – ‘Is AT&T Fleecing Customers’.
At the time, AT&T claimed that the phantom data use was routine device communications that a user might not realize is billable. That begs the question of ‘what data use’ when a device is off. I have submitted my issue to AT&T billing support and media relations for an explanation. I’ll keep you posted on their responses.
Until then, check out what others are saying regarding the ‘Great AT&T Data Theft’ Debate: FierceWireless and CNET have each offered details on the issue and the lawsuits.
Have you checked your actual data usage on your device against what AT&T thinks you’re using? Now might be a good time to check.