iPhone 5s and WAP charges

[SJWindsor]

Hi - I rarely intentionally transfer any data when I am away from a wifi connection but I got a message today that my pay as you go 250MB for the month was up - I never normally get anywhere near!

I have had a look at my account and can see a number of WAP charges that are a mystery to me. Having had a surf on this forum I wanted to check if I have understood the issue correctly:

- Even if I have all my Apps deactivated (but my phone on in case of emergency calls or texts from ill family) my iPhone and what I regard as 'off' Apps may still connect to the internet (and not via my wifi even though it's in the vicinity) and cause me a data charge

- The above may also happen when I am out and about and not near wi-fi

- The charges may appear at 0.00 but don't actually necessarily happen at that time, it's just when the system collates all the charges for the previous day.

- Vodafone can't tell me what App is causing the issue.

So, the only way to stop this happening is to go into my Settings function and turn off all mobile data to restrict all data to wi-fi only including email, web browsing and push notifications. Though presumably my phone and texts will still work? 

Is that right?

I really don't understand why this would suddenly be happening when it's never happened before. It is madly frustrating!

Many thanks

[drey_p]

Hi there

Yes, you phone can and will connect to data in the background.  This means that there can be data usage that you aren't aware of.  The best way to keep an eye on what is using the data is by installing a data monitoring app such as Onavo - Vodafone aren't able to tell you what you have used the data on, only that you have used it.

What can also happen is that, despite your being connected to WiFi, you still use data. If the WiFi disconnects even for a split second, the phone will use your data allowance without you being aware of it.  This is a feature of the iPhone in order to maintain a data connection.

Your usage is added up and billed usually at or around midnight every day so you won't see the exact times the usage occurred.

The only way to make sure that you don't use any data is to turn off mobile data.  You will continue to be able to make calls and receive texts, you just won't be able to use anything that uses data.