Discrepancy between PM Data Usage and Phone Data Usage Stats

[soleil36]

I just received a text advising me that I have reached 75% of my data for my billing period (payment due on the 27th of every month).

Checking my usage on my PM account, it says that I've used 2282.815MB / 3072MB (I have a 500MB+500MB plan, plus a 3GB bonus). 

Checking my phone stats, since 27 May, it says I've only used 898MB. 

What explains the discrepancy? Which stat should I be trusting?

[AE_Collector]

@soleil36 

You can buy data add-ons for $15 per 1 GB plus when you have been around here for awhile you will find that quite often PM gives Christmas gift add-ons of 1 or 2 GB of data and some long distance calling. SO… If you are really not needing too much more than 1 GB a month it may be a better deal to try to get by with purchasing an add-on occasionally and attempting to grab wifi here and there a little bit more. An option at least.

AE_Collector

[soleil36]

I may very well do that. Thanks for the advice. 

[soleil36]

That makes sense. To be honest, having never received a 75% text until now, I'd never really tracked my usage. I'll do that from now on to see if an upgrade in data is warranted. 

[soleil36]

Thanks. This makes complete sense. I had completely misunderstood what the 3GB promo was really about. I do see that there is the 3GB/$35 plan which I am now considering. 

[darlicious]

@soleil36 

I understand why you are confused. While you have had how your data is used explained to you. Plan data vs Add on data. Only @esjliv  has correctly told you why you have only now recieved the 75% data usage text.

If you only have plan data on your account you will get a text message from pm at 75% and 95% of data used. However if you have both plan data and add on data on your account you get these text messages at the total of your data on your account.

So what has happened is each 30 days you have been using about 1gb every 15 days. Once you used up your plan data you would start using your add on data. Then you would renew and go back to using plan data again.

Without using any of your data saving tools on your phone or your data warning or limiter and without recieving any plan data usage texts for the last 2 -1/2 cycles you have been unaware of both your usage and your actual monthly (30 day) alottment. ( You thought you had 4gb of data per 30 days.)

Employ the data saving techniques you have been given. Toggle your data saver on. Set your data warning at 25% of your plan data and your limiter at 50% so you don't get anymore surprises going forward. Background data can use up to 38% of your mobile data for doing nothing but hanging out in the background.

I suggest you schedule a plan change on next renewal to the $35/3gb plan. That plan probably best suits your normal data usage each 30 days with a little breathing room.

[esjliv]

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@soleil36 wrote:

Am I to understand that the 3GB promo was a one-time thing, and not a monthly replenishment, i.e. that I do not have a 4GB monthly plan, only a 1GB plan whereby once my 3GB is all used up, I only have 1GB/month 'forever' after?

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@soleil36 

It looks like that to me. Do you have the original promo offer you received?

It sounds like you are on the $25 plan with 1GB plan data, and you signed up with a 3GB promo...that goes away once used up.

Your 500+500 MB Plan data is always used up first each cycle, then the addon would kick in.

Since you still have your Plan Data showing, this tells me your 3GB addon does not get added fully each time at 3GB each time your plan renews.

[Anonymous]

your correct the 3GB promo was a one-time, and not a monthly replenishment,

your plan has a 1GB/ 30 day cycle.

but if you like to change your plan for more GB Data to getting you can.

[soleil36]

Am I to understand that the 3GB promo was a one-time thing, and not a monthly replenishment, i.e. that I do not have a 4GB monthly plan, only a 1GB plan whereby once my 3GB is all used up, I only have 1GB/month 'forever' after?

[hTideGnow]

Another app on android you might consider

Data Usage Widget 

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.roysolberg.android.datacounter&hl=en_CA&gl=US

It has Widget on home screen for easy checking your data usage.  Also App usage in case you want to see which app steals all the data.

[esjliv]

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@soleil36 wrote:

As requested. Screenshot of what my phone is reporting since the 27th, plus another of what my account is saying.

 

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@soleil36 ,

Many customers think Public Mobile are monthly plans, but they are not. The renewal date of you plan each cycle will fluctuate as it renews every 30 days.

If your activation day is the same day as your Community join date (this is not always the case, but for example). Your Community join date = June 2, 2020.

This means, if you have had no suspended service since you activated, your next renewal would be on June 27, 2021 (coincidently).

Activation -Community

June 2, 2020

July 2, 2020

August 1, 2020

August 31, 2020

September 30, 2020

October 30, 2020

November 29, 2020

December 29, 2020

January 28, 2021

February 27, 2021

March 29, 2021

April 28, 2021

May 28, 2021

June 27, 2021

The 3GB promo, does not get replenished each renewal cycle, right?

So as you have been using a bit more each renewal it gets used up.

The 75% data warning includes your PLAN + ANY ADDONS.

So you really only used 843 of your 1024MB this cycle.

So this makes sense that  the "Data Used" amount has now reached 75% of your allotment (total Data Limit).

Make sense??

I suggest using an app to track your data, rather than your phone. You can set it up to 30 days and include your DATA addons, or not.

Try data witness, I use it and like it:

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.iwik.datawitnesspm&hl=en_CA&gl=US

[AE_Collector]

I am not certain of the particular promo in this case but almost for sure that 3GB of data IS NOT applied every month but rather is a single block of data that you tap into if you exhaust the included 1GB of data your plan comes with each 30 days. The portion of the 3GB that has been used so far was all used in prior months since you still have some of your included 1GB plan data remaining. Once you finish up the rest of the 3GB block of data it will be gone and you won’t have anything to fall back on if you use up the included 1GB each month (30 days). You will need to live with 1GB or select a plan with more data or purchase another data add-on like the 3GB add-on they maybe gave you for switching to PM.

AE _Collector

[Anonymous]

Managing Your Data Usage

To help you manage your data usage effectively, we’ll be covering:

1. How to track your data usage
2. Tips and tricks to save data

Tracking Data Usage 1. Self-Serve

You can view your usage in your Self-Serve account by clicking on the Plan and Add-Ons tab, then on Data & Add-On Usage. Here, you will find a summary of your data usage for the current billing cycle. Alternatively, if you’re interested in seeing your your last 90 days worth of usage, you can select Usage History which is also under the Plans and Add-Ons tab.Don’t have a Self-Serve account yet? No worries, you can register here.

2. Data Usage Notifications

We send you a text message when you've used 75% and 95% of the data included in your plan. If you try to use something that requires data when you’ve reached your data limit, you will be directed to Self-Serve. Once signed into Self-Serve, you can review your usage and, if you’d like to continue to have access to data, you can purchase a data Add-On here too.

Tips And Tricks To Save Data 1. Autoplay

Many of the most commonly used applications like Facebook, Instagram, Twitter & YouTube offer a feature called Autoplay. While using this app, the Autoplay feature will preload and play videos automatically in your “news” feed automatically as you progress through it.If you’re finding that you’re going through your data really quickly or know that you’ve almost used your entire allotted amount, setting your Autoplay to work using Wi-Fi only or disabling it may be a good option for you.

2. GPS Navigation

GPS navigation is another feature that, in fact, does require mobile data. As a substitute, you could use Google Maps, which is a free navigation application that offers the ability to navigate offline. You can also purchase other navigation applications that will allow you to navigate without using data and quickly change spending into an investment.

3. Other Applications

Other applications like video games, weather, music streaming can consume a lot of data. The good news is that most smartphones will give you the ability to restrict background data for each application that you use on a daily basis.

[Anonymous]

@soleil36: I was more interested in your account overview page but it looks like you've passed 75% of all your data.

[soleil36]

As requested. Screenshot of what my phone is reporting since the 27th, plus another of what my account is saying.

 

[Staliger]

@soleil36 Your PM stats in self-service are correct. First, your monthly data is used. Then, your bonus data would be used. As you received a notification about 75%, it refers to your Monthly Data, 500+500mb.

[Anonymous]

 @soleil36 : Please post a screenshot of your overview page. Blank out personal info of course.

[soleil36]

Are you suggesting that the 75% warning was for my 500MB+500MB? Because my 3GB also appears to be at 75%. I'm failing to understand how I could have used 75% of 4GB since the 27th, especially since my phone is telling me I haven't even used 1GB yet. 

[Anonymous]

 @soleil36 : This place is 30 days...not monthly. The renewal floats up through the months.

At renewal your 500+500 will be used. If you use it all before the next renewal then you will use the 3gig add-on that sounds like you have. Then at renewal you'll go back to using the 500+500 and the 3gig will step back and wait to be needed again.

[soleil36]

My payment is due on the 27th of every month. The data period on my phone is set from 27-26. Unless my payment date is not reflective of my data period? This has led to an additional question with respect to my plan. As mentioned, I have 500MB+500MB at 3G speed, plus a 3GB bonus. PM tracks these separately in my data usage. I'm not sure how to determine what data I'm using is counted against my 500MB+500MB vs my 3GB. 

[Triguy]

The usage history in the self serve account is usually accurate.  Make sure your phone starts based on a 30 day period.

[hairbag1]

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@soleil36 wrote:

I just received a text advising me that I have reached 75% of my data for my billing period (payment due on the 27th of every month).

Checking my usage on my PM account, it says that I've used 2282.815MB / 3072MB (I have a 500MB+500MB plan, plus a 3GB bonus). 

Checking my phone stats, since 27 May, it says I've only used 898MB. 

What explains the discrepancy? Which stat should I be trusting?

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PM stats are correct/accurate. Do your phone stats start same date as plan renewal ?