Data usage doesn't reset to zero at the beginning of billing month. It always shows 100-200Mb used

[kevinmarken]

Hi.  I have noticed many times over the last year that when the new billing period starts for my iPad data plan, there is always 100-200Mb shown as used on day one when the data should reset to zero.   This shows even if the iPad was turned off on the last day of the old billing period and first day of the new billing period.  Then when I check the data usage from another device, it still shows 100 to 200 Mb used in the new month already!  This is 10-20% of my 1Gb iPad data plan.  

Why doesn't it rollover to zero each new billing period?  It should show ZERO data used if the device is turned off. I feel that I am getting ripped off for 10-20% of the data that I pay for each month.   Anyone know why it works like this?

[NFtoBC]

Some data plans make a reservation of data consumption into the future. Have you compared the numbers at the end of the month vs the beginning?

[kevinmarken]

That's a new term that I have never heard of...."Data Reservation".  I wonder why that would be necessary?  I have reset the data meter on the iPad and I will compare the quantity of data reported on the iPad to the quantity of data that the billing site reports as used.  I will update this thread here in 1 month.    Thanks for your reply.   🙂

[kevinmarken · Accepted solution]

The actual data quantity used on the devices and reported by the website were quite close at the end of the month...   But having the website display a 200MB buffer as a data reservation at the beginning of the month is weird when no actual data was used.  If zero data is used, the web interface should report zero.  There is no need to fudge in some random number.  It should report it as it really is.  Otherwize it is not really very 'trustable'.  That's all from me on this topic.  This thread can be closed.