Data Usage on Dashboard 'Plan Usage' doesn't match Usage History report

[GTB9]

On my dashboard under 'My Account' Public shows how much data I have used so far for the month. The recent re-design shows the data used as a little line chart which is very useful.

Right now it shows 4.35 GB used.

When I click 'View Usage History' and do a report to show the data used so far in this cycle (started Oct 3) and I manually add up the data usage values, I get about 1.5GB.

I read in another thread that Public batch updates the data usage values for the usage history report at midnight and noon whereas the dashboard line chart is updates in almost real-time so the values can be different. 

I am pretty sure after the next batch update the usage in the report might go up to 2 or even 2.5GB, but that is a quite a difference then what is on the dashboard. Once the number updates, I will post it here in this thread.

I have noticed this happen in the past as well.

Is there a way to show the correct values n the usage report so I can track my data use better? The data seems to be unreliable. Thanks!

[John-Q-Public]

That's what I was thinking, @computergeek541, after a bit of discussion with @darlicious . Thanks for the corroboration! 🙂

Cheers,

  -JQP

[John-Q-Public]

Thank you, @darlicious, I appreciate the detailed response! 

The "app/program" to download would be the browser itself. I have used both Edge and Chrome, both in Incognito/Private, with the same results. I have also used both Excel and Google Sheets to open the file, with the same results. Excel (.xls) is the only format offered when the Download link is clicked. Offering "csv" (comma separated values) format could address some problems, as I explained previously.

As for data filtering, I could go into an explanation, but I don't feel this is the place. (feel free to PM me if you'd like help in this matter).

It actually occurs to me that there are always exactly 2 Data posts per day, no more, no less. (mind you, I've only been with PM for just over a month)

They are not 12 hours apart, but at exactly 2 per day, it averages out to that.

This suggests to me that the times are moot, because they may not represent the times at which the data was used, but rather the time at which that 12 hours' consumption is posted (hence, making the problem with missing times in the Excel download moot) .

Anyone else see this?

Nevertheless, you've given me food for thought, regarding data usage, and some 'homework' (screenshots, comparisons, etc.). I have to go away for a bit, but I'll get to this when I have a chance.

Thanks again for your help!

Cheers,

  -JQP

[darlicious]

@John-Q-Public 

As far as why the time is not shown when downloaded? The computer and I don't get along...I can't even figure out how to filter the results in excel as I just tried to show you an example and gave up. Perhaps choosing a different app/program to download to will show the time?

Looking at your usage page again shows how the daily usage pages report each of the two 12 hour blocks of usage almost randomly during each 24 hour day with at least a 12 to 24 hour lag in reporting usage. It's fairly easy to identify the 12 hours of daytime use vs nighttime (sleepy time) usage. At night when usage is minimal unless your phone is off there will be minor usage as your phone may briefly disconnect from wifi or your OS apps configure signal strength, location, GPS etc...some phones have weird sounding apps for their camera software that use tiny amounts of data. Facebook and messenger will use small amounts even if you don't use them.

Check each of your apps to ensure background data is off. Check your apps data usage (some phones will show screen time by the minute or daily and hourly usage which helps identify when the usage occurred and you can check your Google timeline to see where it occurred.)

You can test overnight usage by taking a screenshot of your apps mobile data usage (the entire list) before you go to sleep. Then do this again in the morning. Do the same in your self serve account with your data counter (clear browser and use secret/incognito mode before logging in) and compare the results. You can test again the following night by turning the phone off or using airplane mode for the same hours that you sleep. ie. 11pm to 7am.

Keep in mind public mobile uses an approximately 5.3mb buffer that resets overnight or by toggling airplane mode on. I think you will find that the minor amounts of data are from your OS apps and Meta/Facebook apps mostly.

[John-Q-Public]

Thanks, @darlicious !

It seems that the discrepancy, which spread over more than a day, miracoulously cleared up. Perhaps PM fixed it today?

That said, there are still two other issues, one that there is data usage in the middle of then night, when I'm both asleep and on wifi (and did not receive any MMS messages), and the other being that the downloaded file does not contain the time (instead, the date repeated twice in the same cell).

A picture says a thousand words, so here are 2K:

In this screenshot, we see the data usage in the wee hours (even time zones do not account for this)

This screenshot is from the Excel data (also filtered on "Data"):

Thanks!

Cheers,

 -JQP

P.S.: Yes, I know it's not a lot of data... Still, I'd like to resolve this issue/mystery before it gets bigger.

[darlicious]

@John-Q-Public 

To clarify @computergeek541 post the daily usage page posted data updates will nearly always be two per day. If there is only one or none that means no data has been used at all usually indicating the phone is off for that 12 hour period of usage. Even if all of the plan data has been consumed there can be tiny amounts of usage reported twice daily (presumably from the phone connecting to the network for MMS.)

[computergeek541]

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@John-Q-Public wrote:

Public Mobile Community

I, too, noticed a discrepancy, though it was the other way around, i.e. the data 'summary' showed less usage than the detailed version.

As an aside,I need the time data to do a proper diagnosis, and formulation for a ticket, of yet another problem: Data being used in the middle of the night, when I'm a) on WiFi, and b) asleep! (I'll do a a separate post about this, when I have the data I need).

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The usage amount gets updated almost in real time.  The more detailed results only get updated once or twice a day in the middle of the night.  The shown timestamp is not meant as an indication of when the data was used.  It's a lump sum of an entire day's usage.

[John-Q-Public]

Public Mobile Community

I, too, noticed a discrepancy, though it was the other way around, i.e. the data 'summary' showed less usage than the detailed version.

In my effort to diagnose the problem, I downloaded the Excel file (the only format offered ; may I suggest .csv too?), I see the date repeated twice in the first column. This suggests to me that in they first generate the date, then the time, but the format of the time is incorrect, and it too displays as a date. Then, somehow, the two become concantenated in the same cell. (possibly because the comma between them is not recognized as a delineator.

Public Mobile Support, could this be the cause of two dates/no time? Can you fix this, please?

As an aside,I need the time data to do a proper diagnosis, and formulation for a ticket, of yet another problem: Data being used in the middle of the night, when I'm a) on WiFi, and b) asleep! (I'll do a a separate post about this, when I have the data I need).

Thanks!

Cheers,
-JQP

[GTB9]

Thanks -- pressing the circle refresh on the dashboard showed the correct number in the line chart. I suspect in the future I may have to use incognito/private mode to get true numbers. 

[GTB9]

That is a good idea -- it is a 2nd source for tracking data consumption. Thanks

[softech]

@GTB9 

First, try to use Incognito mode to access My Account.

And If you just using filter on the usage report, it might not show you everything.  You have to scroll through the the day you want for ALL kinds of usage before you apply the filter.  Check my post here:

https://productioncommunity.publicmobile.ca/t5/Get-Support/Usage-History-page-Filter-problem/td-p/84...

If you find that troublesome, best is to download the full usage in xls and then use Excel to filter and sum up after

[Meow]

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@darlicious wrote:

@GTB9 

However in the new self serve it kind of updates what it wants, when it wants

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This is called A.I in action. No wander the whole site has some issues here and there.

[darlicious]

@GTB9 

Don't use the filter for data. Download your entire daily usage report and then add it up manually. Data is updated in two 12-hour blocks each day in the daily usage report.

This used to occur shortly after midnight till about 2:00 a.m. eastern. However in the new self serve it kind of updates what it wants, when it wants. As I have now seen the updates at just about any time of day. They are still the two previous12-hour blocks of time from midnight till noon and noon till midnight from the day before.

If you log in using secret / incognito mode your data counter in your plan and add-ons page of your self-serve account will be up to date to the minute. You can also use the refresh button at the bottom right quarter of that page it's the little arrow thingy.

[HALIMACS]

@GTB9 

I'd not rely so much on the usage reports and refer to the overall data consumption figure.

If you want better details which are more relevant and may allow you to manage usage, reset your data counter on your device on the morning of each public mobile cycle renewal, then you can physically see which apps on your device are using data throughout a billing cycle.

[esjliv · Accepted solution]

@GTB9  - you're right, the dashboard is displaying incorrect details since the new My Account upgrades.

When looking at the Data Usage Details, make sure you are choosing the DOWNLOAD option and move that into an excel format to have a look. The dashboard that shows for Data in this area is (or was anyhow) just wrong.

Note, data shows up in the usage details section 6-12 hours after it has been used.

edit, I was referring to your Data Usage area in my above post...if you are also seeing some inconsistencies in the amounts of what is remaining then yes, sometimes these need to be refreshed by hitting that circle refresh button in your My Account, OR log in using a tab in incognito mode, as this should clear your old cache data you may be seeing.