Data usage and Piggybank

[Mike1955]

We were unaware Sky were changing the rules over how long unused data was held in the Piggybank. That aside, since we "lost" 58gb of data in early June, our iPhones have been burning data like there is no tomorrow! I have had to transfer 5gb of data in the past week! We have a 2gb per month contract nd that has been fine for the past 5 years. So we don't understand why this is happening, we have not changed our phone usage at all.

Today was bizarre, my wife had a text saying she was (again) out of data. On checking via My Sky, our mobile account on my iPad showed no data on either phone,,whereas on my iphone both had plenty of data.

We have tried to get help through Sky but after a 75 minute phone call speaking to four different people, we are none the wiser.

Has anyone else had problems recently with their data usage, and especially after data has expired, or can otherwise explain why our data usage should suddenly go through the roof in the last 2/3 weeks? Thanks!

[63johnw]

Hi @Mike1955  if you look in your phone settings it should tell you what's been using the data. It could be that an app has updated and something has changed in the settings for that app, for example auto video play in facebook or X ? 

[Mike1955]

Thanks John. What is perplexing us is that both our phones are using a lot more data not just one or the other. This has been happening over the last week to two weeks. We have not changed any settings intentionally. We don't stream or download videos etc, dont really use Instagram or similar. Not been abroad etc. Not had any downtime on home broadband so home usage should be via wifi. Where exactly should we be looking for evidence of the type of change you mention? And could that happen accidentally? Thanks!

[63johnw]

What phones do you have @Mike1955  ? Do you use facebook or X ? 

[Mike1955]

Mine is iPhone 14 Plus wife's is 14 pro think we are on iOS 18.3 or 4?

[63johnw]

Have a look in settings, mobile service then scroll down to se which apps are using the most data @Mike1955 

[Mike1955]

Ok thanks, sorry yes I use FB and X but usually just to read, wife uses FB less but not X. As I said nothing has changed this month, at least not knowingly!

Looking at "current period" usage largest items in order are mail, safari, system services, personal hotspot (wasn't expecting that), App Store, maps, News (rarely use this), photos, Sky Go, FB

[63johnw]

Personal hotspots would definitely use a lot of data @Mike1955.

In Facebook app go to settings, media, autoplay in feeds and stories and make sure it's off. 

In X go to settings, accessibility display and languages, data usage and make sure video autoplay is off. 

[Mike1955]

Ok thanks. Don't think I was ever aware personal hotspot was in use! Certainly not something I've enabled deliberately. Though as I said it's not something that has changed! Anyway I'll follow up your suggestions.

[Mike1955]

I've made those changes John thanks for the advice; I'm now in a dialogue through X (ironically) and head office via email. My Sky again showed no data on either phone then an hour later it reappeared! So there is clearly something wrong either with our phones or our account! The story continues!

[Wapopwa]

I just had a discussion with Sky Customer Services having suddenly lost over 200GB of PiggyBank data for the same reason as the original poster. The explanation was that they sent an email informing customers of the impending rule change c. 12 months ago so 'hard luck' basically. I queried why they had not sent any sort of prompt or reminder  and the person I was talking to said that they'd had a lot of customers making similar calls and complaints. They said that they couldn't reinstate my data but that they'd be able to help me in other ways. ie, as usual with Sky, the solution to a customer problem is to re-contract and pay Sky a bit more.

I had allowed my overpayment for data to continue because I expected to be able to trade a proportion of that value when upgrading my phone. The fact is that I and presumably others have paid for and not used services with a good faith expectation that the value of the unused part would have a proportionate future value. I don't doubt the legitimacy of Sky's position but would say that it represents 'sharp practice', especially without the safety net of a reminder. I am not a lawyer but spent spent a lot of my working life negotiating high value contracts with large organisations around the world so have some idea of what is and isn't reasonable and the importance of clear and timely communication with customers; 'Gotcha... we told you a year ago' isn't good enough.

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To illustrate the inconsistency of Sky's approach; by comparison - as they are quick to do for other elements which cost them, albeit notionally as part of a paid broadband subscription - I received a message saying that unless I logged into my Yahoo/Sky.com email address before xyz date, my account would be deleted. Anyone who has had a change of email address imposed for any reason will know the difficulties that may arise eg loss or difficulty of access to services and other online accounts where the username = email address. The explanation was 'inactivity' which was a surprise since I use the email address via my Macbook, iPhone and iPad on a daily basis. It took three somewhat terse exchanges with Sky's support team on X/Twitter to ascertain that the login needed to be via my account on Sky.com. 

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[PBIDD]

We have just been told by sky that sky are now deleting data over 12 months.  We held about 300gb now down to 200 by transferring big chunks to our two iPhones.  This way apparently we can keep our data bank healthy.  We are the sane as you in as  much as we have the minimum data deal because if the databank.  It's one of the main reasons we still stick with sky mobile,   If that is lost then.......

[Daniel0210]

@PBIDD 

This has been discussed at great length on this thread and notifications were sent out in January 2024

https://helpforum.sky.com/t5/Sky-Mobile/Piggy-bank-data-missing/td-p/5003730 

[Manmadefibre]

Yes, I've been having exactly the same problem since an upgrade about 10 days ago. Another gripe i had was that as part of the upgrade it appears my house wifi was turned off and the upgrade used mobile data. Even worse than that, unknowingly to me, it didnt reconnect to my wifi and for about a week, everything was coming off mobile data!