Massive downloading mystery on iPhone 3G & T-Mobile

[Hesadanza]

I have an iPhone 3G, which I'm using on T-Mobile, with web2go. My battery has had severe problems ever since I got the phone, tending to drain to zero within just a few hours. I have just found out that my phone has been using the EDGE data connection very strangely, sometimes downloading huge amounts of data, which is likely the reason for the battery problem. Apparently I hit a cap with T-Mobile, because it is now asking me to upgrade my data plan.

Here is a log from the past month from T-Mobile's website:

Date Time Megabytes
07/15/09 07:56 AM 0.0986
07/15/09 05:56 AM 0.0869
07/15/09 03:56 AM 0.0712
07/15/09 01:56 AM 0.0751
07/14/09 11:56 PM 0.0869
07/14/09 11:49 PM 0.0332
07/14/09 11:31 PM 0.0058
07/14/09 11:18 PM 0.0429
07/14/09 11:14 PM 0.0273
07/14/09 10:43 PM 0.0166
07/14/09 10:36 PM 0.0068
07/14/09 10:07 PM 0.1669
07/14/09 01:43 PM 51.3203
07/13/09 01:43 PM 107.3769
07/12/09 01:43 PM 108.0849
07/11/09 01:43 PM 137.4951
07/11/09 10:34 AM 34.3613
07/11/09 12:08 AM 46.706
07/10/09 12:08 AM 86.29
07/09/09 12:20 AM 85.833
07/08/09 07:03 AM 84.8642
07/08/09 07:00 AM 0.0107
07/08/09 06:59 AM 0.0107
07/08/09 06:58 AM 0.0097
07/08/09 06:57 AM 0.0097
07/08/09 06:56 AM 0.2666
07/08/09 06:55 AM 0.0175
07/08/09 06:54 AM 0.0107
07/08/09 06:53 AM 0.0087
07/08/09 06:52 AM 0.0087
07/08/09 06:51 AM 0.0107
07/08/09 06:50 AM 0.0107
07/08/09 06:49 AM 0.0107
07/08/09 06:48 AM 0.0087
07/08/09 06:47 AM 0.0107
07/08/09 06:46 AM 0.0107
07/08/09 06:45 AM 0.0107
07/08/09 06:44 AM 0.0097
07/08/09 06:43 AM 0.0097
07/08/09 06:42 AM 0.0097
07/08/09 06:41 AM 0.5312
07/08/09 06:40 AM 0.0087
07/08/09 06:38 AM 0.0107
07/08/09 06:37 AM 0.0087
07/08/09 06:36 AM 0.0087
07/08/09 06:35 AM 0.0107
07/08/09 06:34 AM 0.0107
07/08/09 06:33 AM 0.0097
07/08/09 06:32 AM 0.0058
07/08/09 06:31 AM 0.0107
07/08/09 06:30 AM 0.0019
07/08/09 06:29 AM 0.0078
07/08/09 06:28 AM 0.0097
07/08/09 06:27 AM 0.0087
07/08/09 06:26 AM 0.0087
07/08/09 06:25 AM 0.538
07/08/09 06:24 AM 0.0107
07/08/09 06:23 AM 0.0107
07/08/09 06:22 AM 0.0146
07/08/09 06:21 AM 0.0156
07/08/09 06:20 AM 0.0097
07/08/09 06:18 AM 0.0087
07/08/09 06:17 AM 0.0185
07/08/09 06:16 AM 0.0087
07/08/09 06:15 AM 0.0019
07/08/09 06:14 AM 0.0068
07/08/09 06:13 AM 0.0097
07/08/09 06:12 AM 0.0097
07/08/09 06:11 AM 0.0039
07/08/09 06:10 AM 0.0058
07/08/09 06:09 AM 0.5722
07/08/09 06:08 AM 0.0058
07/08/09 06:07 AM 0.0087
07/08/09 06:06 AM 0.0273
07/08/09 06:05 AM 0.0078
07/08/09 06:04 AM 0.0097
07/08/09 06:03 AM 0.0097
07/08/09 06:02 AM 0.0107
07/08/09 06:01 AM 0.0087
07/08/09 06:00 AM 0.0087
07/08/09 05:59 AM 0.0039
07/08/09 05:58 AM 0.0058
07/08/09 05:56 AM 0.0019
07/08/09 05:55 AM 0.0068
07/08/09 05:54 AM 0.0019
07/08/09 05:53 AM 0.6679
07/08/09 05:52 AM 0.0087
07/08/09 05:51 AM 0.0107
07/08/09 05:50 AM 0.0107
07/08/09 05:49 AM 0.0107
07/08/09 05:48 AM 0.0097
07/08/09 05:47 AM 0.0039
07/08/09 05:46 AM 0.0058
07/08/09 05:45 AM 0.0097
07/08/09 05:44 AM 0.0097
07/08/09 05:43 AM 0.0107
07/08/09 05:42 AM 0.0087
07/08/09 05:41 AM 0.0097
07/08/09 05:40 AM 0.0107
07/08/09 05:39 AM 0.0097
07/08/09 05:38 AM 0.6406
07/08/09 05:36 AM 0.0058
07/08/09 05:35 AM 0.0097
07/08/09 05:34 AM 0.0107
07/08/09 05:33 AM 0.0107
07/08/09 05:32 AM 0.0107
07/08/09 05:31 AM 0.0029
07/08/09 05:30 AM 0.0068
07/08/09 05:29 AM 0.0087
07/08/09 05:28 AM 0.0107
07/08/09 05:27 AM 0.0097
07/08/09 05:26 AM 0.0107
07/08/09 05:25 AM 0.0087
07/08/09 05:24 AM 0.0087
07/08/09 05:23 AM 0.0087
07/08/09 05:22 AM 0.3349
07/08/09 05:21 AM 0.0097
07/08/09 05:20 AM 0.0039
07/08/09 05:19 AM 0.0058
07/08/09 05:18 AM 0.0087
07/08/09 05:17 AM 0.0087
07/08/09 05:15 AM 0.0097
07/08/09 05:14 AM 0.0097
07/08/09 05:13 AM 0.0087
07/08/09 05:12 AM 0.0097
07/08/09 05:11 AM 0.0107
07/08/09 05:10 AM 0.0097
07/08/09 05:09 AM 0.0097
07/08/09 05:08 AM 0.0097
07/08/09 05:07 AM 0.0156
07/08/09 05:06 AM 0.7333
07/08/09 05:05 AM 0.0107
07/08/09 05:04 AM 0.0078
07/08/09 05:03 AM 0.0107
07/08/09 05:02 AM 0.0107
07/08/09 05:01 AM 0.0087
07/08/09 05:00 AM 0.0097
07/08/09 04:59 AM 0.0029
07/08/09 04:58 AM 0.0068
07/08/09 04:57 AM 0.0087
07/08/09 04:56 AM 0.0107
07/08/09 04:55 AM 0.0087
07/08/09 04:54 AM 0.0087
07/08/09 04:53 AM 0.0087
07/08/09 04:51 AM 0.0107
07/08/09 04:50 AM 0.0214
07/08/09 04:49 AM 0.0087
07/08/09 04:48 AM 0.0097
07/08/09 04:47 AM 0.0087
07/08/09 04:46 AM 0.0087
07/08/09 04:45 AM 0.0224
07/08/09 04:44 AM 0.0097
07/08/09 04:43 AM 0.0107
07/08/09 04:42 AM 0.0107
07/08/09 04:41 AM 0.0097
07/08/09 04:40 AM 0.0107
07/08/09 04:39 AM 0.499
07/08/09 04:38 AM 0.0107
07/08/09 04:37 AM 0.0087
07/08/09 04:36 AM 0.0097
07/08/09 04:35 AM 0.0107
07/08/09 04:34 AM 0.0097
07/08/09 04:33 AM 0.0107
07/08/09 04:32 AM 0.0107
07/08/09 04:30 AM 0.0107
07/08/09 04:29 AM 0.0107
07/08/09 04:28 AM 0.0097
07/08/09 04:27 AM 0.0107
07/08/09 04:26 AM 0.0107
07/08/09 04:25 AM 0.0107
07/08/09 04:24 AM 0.0107
07/08/09 04:23 AM 0.5175
07/08/09 04:22 AM 0.0107
07/08/09 04:21 AM 0.0146
07/08/09 04:20 AM 0.0107
07/08/09 04:19 AM 0.0097
07/08/09 04:18 AM 0.0097
07/08/09 04:17 AM 0.0107
07/08/09 04:16 AM 0.0107
07/08/09 04:15 AM 0.0146
07/08/09 04:14 AM 0.0097
07/08/09 04:13 AM 0.0097
07/08/09 04:12 AM 0.0146
07/08/09 04:10 AM 0.0107
07/08/09 04:09 AM 0.0107
07/08/09 04:08 AM 0.0078
07/08/09 04:07 AM 0.5585
07/08/09 04:06 AM 0.0107
07/08/09 04:05 AM 0.0107
07/08/09 04:04 AM 0.0107
07/08/09 04:03 AM 0.0097
07/08/09 04:02 AM 0.0107
07/08/09 04:01 AM 0.0107
07/08/09 04:00 AM 0.0107
07/08/09 03:59 AM 0.0097
07/08/09 03:58 AM 0.0107
07/08/09 03:57 AM 0.0107
07/08/09 03:56 AM 0.0107
07/08/09 03:55 AM 0.0107
07/08/09 03:54 AM 0.0097
07/08/09 03:53 AM 0.0107
07/08/09 03:52 AM 0.5253
07/08/09 03:51 AM 0.0097
07/08/09 03:50 AM 0.0097
07/08/09 03:49 AM 0.0107
07/08/09 03:47 AM 0.0029
07/08/09 03:46 AM 0.0068
07/08/09 03:45 AM 0.0107
07/08/09 03:44 AM 0.0107
07/08/09 03:43 AM 0.0107
07/08/09 03:42 AM 0.0029
07/08/09 03:41 AM 0.0078
07/08/09 03:40 AM 0.0097
07/08/09 03:39 AM 0.0097
07/08/09 03:38 AM 0.0097
07/08/09 03:37 AM 0.0097
07/08/09 03:36 AM 0.4687
07/08/09 03:35 AM 0.0107
07/08/09 03:34 AM 0.0107
07/08/09 03:33 AM 0.0107
07/08/09 03:32 AM 0.0097
07/08/09 03:31 AM 0.0107
07/08/09 03:30 AM 0.0087
07/08/09 03:29 AM 0.0097
07/08/09 03:28 AM 0.0097
07/08/09 03:26 AM 0.0107
07/08/09 03:25 AM 0.0097
07/08/09 03:24 AM 0.0107
07/08/09 03:23 AM 0.0107
07/08/09 03:22 AM 0.0097
07/08/09 03:21 AM 0.0097
07/08/09 03:20 AM 0.5556
07/08/09 03:19 AM 0.0097
07/08/09 03:18 AM 0.0097
07/08/09 03:17 AM 0.0097
07/08/09 03:16 AM 0.0146
07/08/09 03:15 AM 0.0039
07/08/09 03:14 AM 0.0078
07/08/09 03:13 AM 0.0097
07/08/09 03:12 AM 0.0107
07/08/09 03:11 AM 0.0097
07/08/09 03:10 AM 0.0107
07/08/09 03:09 AM 0.0039
07/08/09 03:08 AM 0.0078
07/08/09 03:06 AM 0.0107
07/08/09 03:05 AM 0.0107
07/08/09 03:04 AM 0.3242
07/08/09 03:03 AM 0.0107
07/08/09 03:02 AM 0.0107
07/08/09 03:01 AM 0.0097
07/08/09 03:00 AM 0.0097
07/08/09 02:59 AM 0.0097
07/08/09 02:58 AM 0.0117
07/08/09 02:57 AM 0.0097
07/08/09 02:56 AM 0.0097
07/08/09 02:55 AM 0.0029
07/08/09 02:54 AM 0.0058
07/08/09 02:53 AM 0.0107
07/08/09 02:52 AM 0.0107
07/08/09 02:51 AM 0.0107
07/08/09 02:50 AM 0.0097
07/08/09 02:49 AM 0.5371
07/08/09 02:48 AM 0.0107
07/08/09 02:47 AM 0.0039
07/08/09 02:46 AM 0.0078
07/08/09 02:44 AM 0.0097
07/08/09 02:43 AM 0.0107
07/08/09 02:42 AM 0.0107
07/08/09 02:41 AM 0.0097
07/08/09 02:40 AM 0.0097
07/08/09 02:39 AM 0.0097
07/08/09 02:38 AM 0.0097
07/08/09 02:37 AM 0.0097
07/08/09 02:36 AM 0.0097
07/08/09 02:35 AM 0.0107
07/08/09 02:34 AM 0.0097
07/08/09 02:33 AM 0.4902
07/08/09 02:32 AM 0.0039
07/08/09 02:31 AM 0.0078
07/08/09 02:30 AM 0.0097
07/08/09 02:29 AM 0.0107
07/08/09 02:28 AM 0.0087
07/08/09 02:27 AM 0.0087
07/08/09 02:26 AM 0.0087
07/08/09 02:24 AM 0.0097
07/08/09 02:24 AM 0.0097
07/08/09 02:22 AM 0.0097
07/08/09 02:21 AM 0.0107
07/08/09 02:20 AM 0.0087
07/08/09 02:19 AM 0.0087
07/08/09 02:18 AM 0.0107
07/08/09 02:17 AM 0.2734
07/08/09 02:16 AM 0.0107
07/08/09 02:15 AM 0.0087
07/08/09 02:14 AM 0.0087
07/08/09 02:13 AM 0.0097
07/08/09 02:12 AM 0.0097
07/08/09 02:11 AM 0.0097
07/08/09 02:10 AM 0.0107
07/08/09 02:09 AM 0.0117
07/08/09 02:08 AM 0.0097
07/08/09 02:07 AM 0.0097
07/08/09 02:06 AM 0.0107
07/08/09 02:05 AM 0.0107
07/08/09 02:04 AM 0.0107
07/08/09 02:03 AM 0.0107
07/08/09 02:01 AM 0.0546
07/08/09 02:00 AM 0.0166
07/08/09 01:59 AM 0.0107
07/08/09 01:58 AM 0.0107
07/08/09 01:57 AM 0.0097
07/08/09 01:56 AM 0.0097
07/08/09 01:55 AM 0.0146
07/08/09 01:54 AM 0.0097
07/08/09 01:53 AM 0.0107
07/08/09 01:52 AM 0.0097
07/08/09 01:51 AM 0.0097
07/08/09 01:50 AM 0.0097
07/08/09 01:49 AM 0.0107
07/08/09 01:48 AM 0.0107
07/08/09 01:47 AM 0.0097
07/08/09 01:39 AM 0.0595
07/08/09 12:41 AM 21.4951
07/08/09 12:40 AM 0.8847
07/07/09 10:55 PM 18.8613
07/07/09 10:51 PM 1.0683
07/07/09 10:39 PM 1.0585
07/07/09 10:24 PM 1.1367
07/07/09 10:01 PM 1.081
07/07/09 09:46 PM 1.0458
07/07/09 09:41 PM 1.0537
07/07/09 09:24 PM 1.0595
07/07/09 09:18 PM 1.0654
07/07/09 08:42 PM 12.2158
07/07/09 08:37 PM 1.0761
07/07/09 08:32 PM 1.0566
07/07/09 08:16 PM 1.0781
07/07/09 08:07 PM 2.5273
07/07/09 07:56 PM 1.0537
07/07/09 07:41 PM 1.0527
07/07/09 07:25 PM 1.0585
07/07/09 07:10 PM 1.0849
07/07/09 06:52 PM 1.1093
07/07/09 05:36 PM 1.1191
07/07/09 05:20 PM 1.0986
07/07/09 05:07 PM 1.208
07/07/09 04:51 PM 1.1103
07/07/09 04:50 PM 0.0117
07/07/09 04:34 PM 1.1308
07/07/09 04:18 PM 1.0712
07/07/09 04:06 PM 1.0791
07/07/09 03:50 PM 1.1074
07/07/09 03:37 PM 1.1074
07/07/09 03:22 PM 1.0732
07/07/09 03:06 PM 1.0849
07/07/09 02:50 PM 1.0966
07/07/09 02:34 PM 1.1298
07/07/09 02:19 PM 1.1308
07/07/09 02:04 PM 0.0058
07/07/09 02:02 PM 1.1054
07/07/09 01:49 PM 0.0566
07/07/09 01:45 PM 1.0859
07/07/09 01:31 PM 0.081
07/07/09 01:27 PM 1.1611
07/07/09 12:48 PM 3.7675
07/07/09 12:47 PM 0.0117
07/07/09 12:25 PM 1.1074
07/07/09 12:12 PM 1.1386
07/07/09 11:55 AM 1.1865
07/07/09 11:39 AM 0.0781
07/07/09 11:35 AM 1.1494
07/07/09 11:17 AM 1.1845
07/07/09 11:07 AM 1.0439
07/07/09 10:51 AM 0.0654
07/07/09 10:49 AM 1.0615
07/07/09 10:34 AM 1.0849
07/07/09 10:18 AM 1.1396
07/07/09 10:02 AM 1.124
07/07/09 09:45 AM 1.2968
07/07/09 09:07 AM 1.7255
07/07/09 08:41 AM 4.2861
07/07/09 08:37 AM 1.7617
07/07/09 08:27 AM 1.0507
07/07/09 08:12 AM 1.1025
07/07/09 07:56 AM 1.0556
07/07/09 07:41 AM 1.1181
07/07/09 05:39 AM 8.7714
07/07/09 05:23 AM 1.0781
07/07/09 05:06 AM 1.0478
07/07/09 04:51 AM 1.0615
07/07/09 04:32 AM 1.0488
07/07/09 04:16 AM 1.0878
07/07/09 03:59 AM 1.0449
07/07/09 03:43 AM 1.0683
07/07/09 03:26 AM 1.0507
07/07/09 03:10 AM 1.1005
07/07/09 02:53 AM 1.0488
07/07/09 02:36 AM 1.0546
07/07/09 02:19 AM 1.0839
07/07/09 02:02 AM 1.0615
07/07/09 01:46 AM 1.0869
07/07/09 01:29 AM 1.0478
07/07/09 01:13 AM 1.0722
07/07/09 12:42 AM 2.1884
07/07/09 12:24 AM 1.0605
07/06/09 11:51 PM 3.3076
07/06/09 11:41 PM 1.0468
07/06/09 11:24 PM 2.2187
07/06/09 11:07 PM 2.0888
07/06/09 10:51 PM 1.0498
07/06/09 10:45 PM 1.0703
07/06/09 10:29 PM 0.1152
07/06/09 10:25 PM 1.0712
07/06/09 10:10 PM 1.5292
07/06/09 10:03 PM 2.1982
07/06/09 09:53 PM 3.1748
07/06/09 09:37 PM 1.0556
07/05/09 11:55 PM 122.166
07/04/09 11:55 PM 113.9121
07/04/09 10:50 AM 81.4316
07/03/09 10:50 AM 90.0722
07/03/09 10:37 AM 1.5546
07/02/09 11:54 PM 98.166
07/02/09 11:40 PM 2.1484
07/02/09 07:59 PM 12.0927
07/02/09 07:50 PM 0.0009
07/02/09 07:48 PM 0.2392
07/01/09 09:47 PM 128.2998
07/01/09 12:25 AM 103.8945
06/30/09 12:25 AM 97.3593
Total Megabytes 1,776

You can see that there is some weirdness going on here. On some days, there is over 100 megs of data downloaded. And this is EDGE, so it must have been transferring data at the max rate all day long. On other days, it logs a connection from the phone every minute of the night (7/8/09). What is going on here?

I do have an Exchange account set up. I called T-Mobile, and they thought that there might be something wrong with that. Has anyone else seen a problem like this before? Is Exchange causing this crazy downloading? Any other ideas?

[babyblue_pimp]

I've never had this issue before...
thats insane that you've downloaded over a GB of data on edge!, let alone in two weeks....

I wanna say it has to do with the exchange account, but i have mine on and it doesn't do anything like that...
If i were you, i'd turn off the exchange account for an hour or two, if theres a noticeable difference that could be the culprit..
Which OS are you running? What jailbreak/unlock method?

[Hesadanza]

Yea, 1.8 GB over EDGE since 6/29/09. Pretty crazy.

I can try turning off Exchange and seeing if that is the issue, although I'll have to wait until my month ends on Tuesday to have data again to test it. Hopefully I get my data back when the month rolls over, because right now I seem to be blocked. I get the "upgrade your data plan" screen in Safari.

I'm running OS 3.0, jailbroken with redsn0w, and unlocked with ultrasn0w.

[LrdBane]

Do you use SBSettings? There is one toggle that is called Processes. Use that and see whats running. Maybe it will tell you whats in the background and possible using that data. Few apps are pushing but if you have one of the few it may as well as the email is suspect here.

[GIRLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL]

Maybe it's push notifications for a certain app? I turned it off and I got an easy 2 hours back on my battery life. However it didn't use much data.

[Hesadanza]

I do have SBSettings, and have checked Processes. The only two processes that seem to run all the time are Phone and Mail. I think I have narrowed it down to my email accounts. I have 4 IMAP email accounts, and one Exchange account. I believe at least one of these accounts may be sending and receiving huge amounts of data each time it fetches (push is turned off). Why it is doing that, I don't know. I didn't think I had synced that many days back. But there may be a stray setting on one of those email servers that's causing a ruckus connecting with the iPhone.

Oh, and replacing my SIM card with a new one from T-Mobile got my data back working... fwiw.

[LrdBane]

Well I use Yahoo mail in my Mail app and its running all the time but I have fetch new data off and set to Manually. Push is also off. If you go into your Settings then "Mail, Contacts, Calendar" Click Fetch New Data See whats on. AND you can take it a step further and check advanced make sure nothing is set off in there as well. My Advanced settings are set to push in here but they only push when I open the Mail app it seems.

[Hesadanza]

I found the source of the problem. One of my IMAP email accounts was causing all of the trouble. Apparently the email server it was connecting to has a stray setting that was probably causing the phone to redownload all of my messages from that server each time it connected for fetch. So every 15 minutes it was redownloading my entire mailbox. That's why I had such huge data downloads, and battery drain issues. I still haven't found out what is wrong with that email server, but I removed the email account from the phone, and it works fine now. Data usage and battery life appear normal.

[LrdBane]

Well good it was found. Last thing you needed was the new SIM to block you out again for the same issue.