I am assuming you are connecting your smart phone to your computer and not using the AT&T sierra module. Go into your smart phone app manager and change the settings on updates. On your computer you can change updates to "notify me of updates" instead of automatic updates. Sometimes they will update stuff you don't really want. On my computer I don't use some of the tool bars, or Bing by microsoft so why should I update them. Plus, take your homescreen off the home page like CNN or Foxnews. Use outlook on your computer to check your e-mail instead of going to the ATT site. I check my news on "news myway".
I am probably getting too old. Had my smart phone for about 2 years and hate it. When I'm not charging the battery I am swearing at it. LOL. Has some great features but like my laptop better using it with the ATT sierra module and the Verizon Jetpack module. We use about 15 GB a month. DW is going to keep her smart phone and I am going back to a flip phone that I don't have to charge twice a day.
BTW I use Firefox, ghostery and adblock plus on the laptop. Amazing how much less data I use and still go to the sites I want to view. JMHO