Do Cable Companies Fake Data Useage

valhalla360 wrote:
1) Since you were unaware of this in the first place, odds are you don't have the tech know-how to unencrypt the data.

2) You gave those data rights to skype when you signed up for thier service. If you don't agree to thier terms and conditions, you don't get to use thier service. If you did have the tech know-how to get at the data, you could expect a lawyer and a sherif to show up to confiscate your computer...things would go downhill from there.

3) I found out about this issue a couple years ago. If it was a major threat from hackers and it was easily done, the stock would have tanked long before you found out about it.

Lol. Guess since I don't use Skype I must not know anything about 'puters LOL. You know, since Skype is the pinnacle of technology and all ;)

I won't go into details, but suffice it to say you could lose quite a lot of bets with that kind of logic.

Besides, everyone knows security risks and holes that aren't exploited or reported immediately must not exist (buries head in sand) :R

Also, have you set up a new iPhone or updated iPhone firmware?

DW and I both got new iPhones last month. We also updated our iPads to iOS 8 and our MacBook to Yosemite. The iPhone info was transferred to the new phones from CLOUD backups.

We used nearly 200gb in that one week......... Sounds crazy, but it's true

One factor is this: Have you upgraded a computer lately
Another: What kind of "protection" do you use on your computer.

Two things will up your data usage big time

First: (Chronologically) is Mal-ware.. Many virus, worm and trojan programs like to burn up your bandwidth by either sending themselves to others from your computer or by "phoning home" or otherwise using your internet... You can read the story of one such program at www.grc.com if i got the URL right (Gibson Research) Seems someone tried to shut down his internet service by infecting hundreds of computers with a BOT (Robotic program) that flooded his system with PINGS.. The story is actually a bit funny... But I won't tell it beyond the above. But many people saw an increase in their data usage due to this illegal criminal attack on Steve (and on them for that matter).

And this was a minor infection as infections go.

Steve also tells you what to do about it, he is the expert, not me so..

Next is the latest virus ware.. Windows 8.1. (not sure about 8.0 or 7 as I've not used those) windows 8.1 has changed many programs to "APPS" and many of these APPS feature "live tiles" a Live tile is constantly updating itself, Displaying different graphics, some of these use bandwith, some just access the hard drive. I went though all my unwanted Apps which I can not get rid of and hate for the most part and turned off Live Tiles.. (Deleted those I could delete and disabled a few more).

Finally we have things you did not know burn bandwidth.. True story: Was in a campground family/internet center and had to help several log on as the router had run out of addresses (So I set them up manually outside the DHCP range).. Finally got inspired and tried to log in to the router as administrator (Yup, they took it out of the box and plugged it in, that's all so I was successful as the Default password worked) Turns out it only had a 50 address DHCP range, upped it to 100 (Which by the way Linksys recommends) and that made it better, but the next day I'm helping a young lady connect. I explained the problem, logged in and viewed the user list, as I did so: When they first put this in it was only laptops that used it, and the speed and connectivity were great, but today we have Laptops, Game machines, PDAs, Tablets, and even... Here's one: Suzie's I Phone" cell phones.

She reached in her purse... yup, she was Suzie.

Your phones may be burning bandwidth as well, again live tiles, and voice over IP calls.

DiskDoctr wrote:

magicbus wrote:

DiskDoctr wrote:

valhalla360 wrote:

- Do you skype? They use your computer as a node in thier system and will chew thru data if you don't get it turned off when not in use and just closing skype doesn't turn off this feature and it starts up automatically.

Got a link to this info?

If true, it is a theft of services by Skype and a HUGE security risk.

Skype super-node

Dave

Awesome! I have all rights to all data on my internal network. I should setup a high bandwidth Skype node, watch for excessive traffic, and capture all packets trespassing on my net.

How many videos/calls posted on YouTube do you think it will take before it becomes a CNN headline?

Hint: it may be a good time to sell Skype stock, lol.

1) Since you were unaware of this in the first place, odds are you don't have the tech know-how to unencrypt the data.

2) You gave those data rights to skype when you signed up for thier service. If you don't agree to thier terms and conditions, you don't get to use thier service. If you did have the tech know-how to get at the data, you could expect a lawyer and a sherif to show up to confiscate your computer...things would go downhill from there.

3) I found out about this issue a couple years ago. If it was a major threat from hackers and it was easily done, the stock would have tanked long before you found out about it.

Smartphones use data and the iPhone uses a lot of it, regardless of settings. AT&T will not allow you to activate an iPhone on their system without a data plan. Anyone with a smartphone would be wise to get a data plan, or prepare themselves for sticker-shock........

rockhillmanor wrote:
I don't have cable. But I did just buy a phone with unlimited data with a lot of verbiage about throttling you back if you use too much.

I do NOT use any data. I actually shut the data button off.

Within the 10 days it was showing I was nearing my data cap for the month! Try it. Do not use any data and watch how much is used.

If you go into the settings it shows that google, apps and a whole bunch of other stuff USES the data whether you have it turned on or not. What I am seeing is these guys are paying for the data usage and the companies are allowing them to access our electronics and use the data. Many of the settings I tried to shut off access to data to stated I could not turn off their access to data.

I found this out to be absolutely true when I bought my first iPhone WITHOUT a data plan and was charged for data "I" did not use.
The bill was 6 pages long of all what accesses your data in the foreground and background other than you.

At that time I probably was the only owner of an iPhone without a data plan. My provider was as shocked as I was and didn't know what to do with the charges.

So when I hear complaints about how quick everyone is reaching their limits? My guess after seeing my printed bill of data on my first iphone and now on my new straight talk phone I am experiencing a good 1/3 plus of the data is being used by the apps and phone function applications on the electronic device itself.

I'll note here that the walmart smart phone I have now is made in China and they DO show you all WHAT is using your data AND HOW MUCH each one is being used right in the settings. There is a pie chart of data used by each one!!

And it allows you to shut it off foreground and background. EXCEPT when it comes to the google stuff, can't stop them from using the data in the background because it's tied into everything and functions of the phone itself. Google is your biggest sucker of your data.

You will NOT find this info showing 'how much' data is being used by each application in the settings of an iphone....THEY don't want you to know!:W

magicbus wrote:

DiskDoctr wrote:

valhalla360 wrote:

- Do you skype? They use your computer as a node in thier system and will chew thru data if you don't get it turned off when not in use and just closing skype doesn't turn off this feature and it starts up automatically.

Got a link to this info?

If true, it is a theft of services by Skype and a HUGE security risk.

Skype super-node

Dave

Awesome! I have all rights to all data on my internal network. I should setup a high bandwidth Skype node, watch for excessive traffic, and capture all packets trespassing on my net.

How many videos/calls posted on YouTube do you think it will take before it becomes a CNN headline?

Hint: it may be a good time to sell Skype stock, lol.

Beware of the Verizon hotspot as there have been many customers reporting a sudden spike in usage reported by Verizon after switching over to their service and hefty penalties.

Both AT&T and Verizon have during the month of October a special deal where you get double the data (only one day left) and so for a Verizon plan with 20GB you instead get 40GB for the same cost.

When we used Verizon heavily we used a Cradlepoint router that has Wifi as WAN and used it to track usage up to the minute. With our 20GB plan we could safely use 19.9GB of data and not worry about running over the cap and paying the penalties. The router more than paid for itself.

If anyone at your house uses Facebook, Youtube, and Amazon and other sites that plant tracking software on your computer then even after you leave their site the tracking software continues to generate traffic in the background. Many people have been nailed by using Facebook heavily or someone in their household has been using it.

A single 720p quality video can take 1GB for 60 minutes of viewing. Often videos default to HD quality which is fine if you have no limitations but deadly with 4G (though AT&T and Verizon love it all the way to the bank).

I don't have cable. But I did just buy a phone with unlimited data with a lot of verbiage about throttling you back if you use too much.

I do NOT use any data. I actually shut the data button off.

Within the 10 days it was showing I was nearing my data cap for the month! Try it. Do not use any data and watch how much is used.

If you go into the settings it shows that google, apps and a whole bunch of other stuff USES the data whether you have it turned on or not. What I am seeing is these guys are paying for the data usage and the companies are allowing them to access our electronics and use the data. Many of the settings I tried to shut off access to data to stated I could not turn off their access to data.

I found this out to be absolutely true when I bought my first iPhone WITHOUT a data plan and was charged for data "I" did not use.
The bill was 6 pages long of all what accesses your data in the foreground and background other than you.

At that time I probably was the only owner of an iPhone without a data plan. My provider was as shocked as I was and didn't know what to do with the charges.

So when I hear complaints about how quick everyone is reaching their limits? My guess after seeing my printed bill of data on my first iphone and now on my new straight talk phone I am experiencing a good 1/3 plus of the data is being used by the apps and phone function applications on the electronic device itself.

I'll note here that the walmart smart phone I have now is made in China and they DO show you all WHAT is using your data AND HOW MUCH each one is being used right in the settings. There is a pie chart of data used by each one!!

And it allows you to shut it off foreground and background. EXCEPT when it comes to the google stuff, can't stop them from using the data in the background because it's tied into everything and functions of the phone itself. Google is your biggest sucker of your data.

You will NOT find this info showing 'how much' data is being used by each application in the settings of an iphone....THEY don't want you to know!:W

magicbus wrote:

DiskDoctr wrote:

valhalla360 wrote:

- Do you skype? They use your computer as a node in thier system and will chew thru data if you don't get it turned off when not in use and just closing skype doesn't turn off this feature and it starts up automatically.

Got a link to this info?

If true, it is a theft of services by Skype and a HUGE security risk.

Skype super-node

Dave

And it's not theft of service, when you click the skype agreement box, you are agreeing to let them use your computer as a node in thier system

But they count on the fact that most people don't read thru the contract in detail. And I don't claim to be better. I found out when we started buring thru a ton of data and I tracked it down to skype.

The problem is they make it very difficult to disable the program once installed.

No cable companies dont "fake :' useage that would be Big fraud news if true. I'm sure you would hear about it. Best guess .. your system is using it somewhere Updates , phones are big on this.. updating apps etc 5 gig is nothing nowdays and it will just get bigger. My last comcast home report was 120 gig a few netflix movies a week daughter surfing and watching you tube vidieos ,software updates etc.
As noted above there are programs that can track your useage