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VeronicaDrew's avatar
VeronicaDrew
New Contributor
3 years ago

Data use spike - no explanation

11 months ago I got an email that Cox was performing service to "improve bandwidth" in the area. Within two weeks, I got a text that I was near exceeding my data use allowance - for the very first time in 3+ years (since moving into house).  No change in behavior, I live alone, changed wifi password, disabled all auto updates.  No solution.  Cox came out, recommended their "super fantastic" panoramic router but could find no explanation why the meter showed nearly double the use.  Escalated to a guy who monitored the use, spent a lot of time trying to help (this was after I reported it to the FCC, so...) and discounted the overages.  After a few months (January-ish), recorded usage leveled off to normal.  Fast forward to this July, the data spike is back and I was charged $50 extra in that month for data. Nothing has changed in my use, in fact I have literally started turning off wifi on all devices not actively in use and powering them down.  I feel like I am living in the stone age here, this isn't honest recording of usage and charges when I KNOW what I use and have implemented every potential solution I could get my hands on.  A call to Cox reveals that all they can see is that it's "streaming" (which I can see for myself, thanks), but not what device.  So it seems the super fantastic router I pay for every month is no better than the top-rated one I had before they leased me theirs as a superior solution.  Anyway - if anyone has a similar experience or suggestions, I'm all ears.  I've read old posts where others had the same issue but there never as a solution past change your wifi password. 

cox support
Data Usage
spike
  • Darkatt's avatar
    Darkatt
    Honored Contributor
    3 years ago

    Any number of things can cause a spike in data usage. Even if there was no change in HOW you use data. I watch netflix, and one month watched, (Binged actually), "The Blacklist":. I found out later, that that TV series is in 4K which used about 8GB an hour, versus the normal 2.4-2.8 gb an hour that regular HD shows use. You can use the Cox App on your cell phone to pull up the data usage or login to https://www.cox.com/internettools/data-usage.html and you can pull up the data usage, look at history and more. Also, remember some devices do backups to the cloud, that can use a LOT of data. If you have a gaming system, like a PS4/5 or xbox, they can use a lot of data when they update. and if you use a streaming device, and you turn off the tv, without turning off the streaming device, it could still be trying to stream, even if you aren't watching the tv. Last but not least, some amazon devices, echo/dot will start listening/ and trying to identify what you are saying, even if you aren't talking to it, but it's a tv, and THAT can use a bit of data as well. First stop would be to look at the history and see what days you used a lot of data and then see if you can identify what may have been going on, on those days. 

  • Bruce's avatar
    Bruce
    Honored Contributor III
    3 years ago

    It's Cox trolling for an extra $50.  The key phrases are "no change in behavior" and "turning off wifi" and "rent our Panoramic."  A lot of subscribers complain about these unexpected text overages.

    • Darkatt's avatar
      Darkatt
      Honored Contributor
      3 years ago

      Well, since the charge is 10$ per 50gb over the 1.2 TB, it would have been 5/50gb packages or more to reach 50$.  Since there are so many devices now using more and more data, it's easy to go over. Cox doesn't "troll": for an extra 50$.

      • Bruce's avatar
        Bruce
        Honored Contributor III
        3 years ago
        Fast forward to this July, the data spike is back and I was charged $50 extra in that month for data.
        Nothing has changed in my use, in fact I have literally started turning off wifi on all devices not actively in use and powering them down.

        I can only base my responds on what the OP writes.

        If Cox isn't trolling-for-dollars, why would a tech advise to rent their Panoramic to resolve an issue with data caps?  What would the Panoramic do to resolve this?