WAY Too Much Data Usage

[Bruhaus]

Yesterday within two hours I got texts from AT&T saying that I had used 65%, 95%, and then 100% of my monthly 2 gig data plan.  All I had done was listen to a couple songs and check facebook a couple times.  So i reset my data counter and checked in two hours later, and Spotify had used 365mb for just a few songs.  

I have music quality at 9/kbps

I have no playlists seleced for play offline

I have sync over cellular data off

This morning i deleted and redownloaded the app.  I reset my statistics, double checked normal quality and nothing was set to sync.  I played exactly 2 min of a song connected to my data plan, and spotify used 56.3MB.   

Any clue?....

[Peter__]

This appears to be a bug with the most recent applications. Full details over on this topic:

http://community.spotify.com/t5/Bugs/iOS-Application-using-excessive-mobile-data/td-p/636966

[ShawnMattCraw]

I would stop using the app immediately! Even if you are on Wifi it seems to do this. They currently have not fixed the problem after weeks of people reporting this "bug" and many people have had to pay overages to their cell service providers because of spotify, myself included. You will go over your data limit by playing a few songs.

[Peter__]

You can stop all cellular data for the app and continue to use it on WiFi though.

[ShawnMattCraw]

Even with that work around being an option, you will have to have a constant wifi connection to continue streaming. In my situation there is no reason for Spotify, as I don't have an open wifi connection at work, the gym or in my car. I also do not trust Spotify to only use my wifi, even if I designate it to do so in the settings, due to it using my data while I was on wifi in the past.

[Peter__]

You can also disable Spotify mobile data from iOS Settings (to totally stop it):

Alternatively you can disable mobile data for Spotify on iOS 7 in iOS Settings > Mobile > Use Mobile Data For > Spotify > Off.

[Foxxstory]

Well the whole reason I pay for the service is to be able to use my playlist in the car.  this used to not be a problem when I had my 3gs but ever since I got the 5 it has been a problem.   .  I used to use my spotify on the way to work and  then on my way home, 5 days a week, a 45 min trip each way and I would never go over 2 gb.  Now I can't do that.  I haven't been able to use spotify in my car for months and I am about to just stop paying for premium since I can't really use it.  And I shouldn't have to use the offline option to be able to enjoy the service.  it is clearly the app.

 
Disabling mobile data should not even be brought up.  Like I said.. before I could use spotify forever, never went over 2gb.  I upgraded to 3gb because I notice the spike.. and I still could go over 1gb a day if I let it.

has this been fixed yet?

[jeremygoh]

@Foxxstory
The app caches music so that it doesn't cut off esp in weak connections.. Sometimes do you realise when you are in 4G and it switches to GPRS or Edge or even 3G your music doesn't cut off? I believe that while you are listening to your music - the app actively starts downloading the next song so the listening experience will be smooth.

And when you select another song from the playlist - essentially it will start caching another song. (That's from what I experience and understand..)

If you would like to keep your mobile data in check, i'll definitely you to use the Available Offline mode and cache the songs to your phone since you're a premium subscriber.

Jeremy.

[Foxxstory]

Hi

I know and understand all of that.  But what I am saying is that before I could listen to spotify 1 hr a day 20 days a month and never go over 2gb.  Now I can go over 3gb in 2 days if I let it.  And before I did not need to use offline mode to cache the songs.  That is my frustration #2.  I don't want to use phone HD space for songs.  Before my music "app" was empty because I was streaming and never going over.  Now I had to upload songs fom my library taking, space and I had to stop using Spotify in the car.... again, which I used for like a year with my 3GS never going over.  .  The whole reason I am paying for the service is to be able to stream without using my own space.  I already own most of the music i listen to on Spotify.   I go to a lot of shows and play a lot of shows and need the space for videos or pictures. 

I also have wifi at home and at work and I idon't go on facbcook or youtubes and watch videos over cellular.  I try to keep my data to a bare minimum, No atuomatic updates or  background refresh for most apps.

 The same caching process that happened with my 3gs happens with the 5.  There is no reason for the app to consume more data unelss there is a bug,  as I read on here. 

I just did one of the solutions explained here.   Deleting, rebooting and installing the app back. Just reset it and listened to two songs.about 8 minutes and it used 13 mb.   Seems reasonable.  I need to use it a morning I am commuting to work to see how much data it uses.

[user-removed]

@Foxxstory hahaha yea I totally understand what you're saying. Having to listen offline all the time would be totally unreasonable. Unfortunately (or fortunately) I am on T-mobile which allows for unlimited high speed streaming of Spotify so I doubt I could recreate your issue, but please let us know if Spotify has stopped eating up all your data after you tried the solutions suggested here. I feel like the excessive data usage bug was squashed in one of the previous updates but I could be wrong.