iphone wi fi assist

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Wildge

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Received today( via Martin Lewis) thought it may be of help to some. QUOTE..
A new iPhone setting could eat into your data allowance, as when you think you're using Wi-Fi it may automatically switch you to your phone's data. This could land you with huge bills or being cut off from using the web if you don't have an unlimited internet data package.

The problem could affect ANYONE who has upgraded to the new iOS 9 operating system, even if you don't have the new iPhone 6s or iPhone 6s Plus.

The new feature in question is called 'Wi-Fi Assist' which the settings clearly state will "automatically use mobile data when Wi-Fi connectivity is poor". If you have iOS 9 and do nothing, the default setting is that this function is switched on. While Apple hasn't returned our calls to confirm this, on the many devices we tested it on, this was the default every time.

This will use your data allowance much quicker than you may expect, and in the extreme, could mean you have to pay for extra data if you end up above your limit and want to continue using more. Vodafone, for example, allows you to continue using it at £6.50 per 500MB. But worse would happen abroad where extra data can cost up to £8/MB.
The problem could affect ANYONE who has upgraded to the new iOS 9 operating system, even if you don't have the new iPhone 6s or iPhone 6s Plus.
 
Last edited:
Simply navigate to Settings > Mobile Data then scroll to the bottom of the list and toggle Wifi Assist off.
Wifi-Assist.jpg
 
BIG THANK YOU for posting this. Just been to settings to switch off - could have cost a fortune when travelling as come across poor wifi often.
 
It's a bit of a non story (again)

It will only switch you to data if the wifi signal is poor or drops out. It will not do it at random or if you have a strong wifi signal.

Personally if the wifi signal is that bad I usually switch it off and use data anyway so it's not something that bothers me in the slightest.

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NickNic said:
It's a bit of a non story (again)

It ill only switch you to data if the wifi signal is poor or drops out. It will not do it at random or if you have a strong wifi signal.

Personally if the wifi signal is that bad I usually switch it off and use data anyway so it's not something that bothers me in the slightest.
Click to expand...
:) I don' t even have an iphone but if it's helped only one Funster today that will do for me (y)
 
NickNic said:
It's a bit of a non story (again)

It will only switch you to data if the wifi signal is poor or drops out. It will not do it at random or if you have a strong wifi signal.

Personally if the wifi signal is that bad I usually switch it off and use data anyway so it's not something that bothers me in the slightest.
Click to expand...
It may be for you, but for others this could be important. You may understand how your phone works and what to do, but for many a simple post like this can help many people. Pat on the back for the OP
 
Don Quixote said:
It may be for you, but for others this could be important. You may understand how your phone works and what to do, but for many a simple post like this can help many people. Pat on the back for the OP
Click to expand...

It would only be important, or even of the slightest interest, if you are on a plan/contract that gives you inadequate data for smartphone use in which case this feature should be the least of your concerns. The issue would be exactly the same with an Android device if their version of the feature became enabled without you noticing.

When you are switched back to data all the things that are disabled by default when using data - automatic updates, some video streaming, basically the known big data munchers - would be disabled and stop. I can see it could be annoying if you were watching TV or something on Youtube but can't see any other problem.

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Poohbear said:
Been a feature on Android for several years, the difference was that the default was "off".
Click to expand...

I wonder if all this fuss would be being made if the default setting there was "on"

I've had bit of a read of the articles about this and most of them are just the usual Apple-bashing rubbish. Barely any mention of the fact that this is a cross platform feature with the only difference being the default setting.

I do agree though that it may have been a better idea to leave it off as a default and publicise it more to make people aware that it's there.
 
Wildge said:
:) I don' t even have an iphone but if it's helped only one Funster today that will do for me (y)
Click to expand...

Thanks for for posting, I've not gone for IOS 9 yet, but good of you for posting for others.
 
NickNic said:
It would only be important, or even of the slightest interest, if you are on a plan/contract that gives you inadequate data for smartphone use in which case this feature should be the least of your concerns. The issue would be exactly the same with an Android device if their version of the feature became enabled without you noticing.

When you are switched back to data all the things that are disabled by default when using data - automatic updates, some video streaming, basically the known big data munchers - would be disabled and stop. I can see it could be annoying if you were watching TV or something on Youtube but can't see any other problem.
Click to expand...
Again you are assuming that everyone who owns a phone understands what they signed for. Please do not assume that just because you are savvy when it comes to phones that others are in the same boat as you.
Just like owning a MH, people do not know it all and that's were this forum works, as we all learn something.
 
Don Quixote said:
Again you are assuming that everyone who owns a phone understands what they signed for. Please do not assume that just because you are savvy when it comes to phones that others are in the same boat as you.
Just like owning a MH, people do not know it all and that's were this forum works, as we all learn something.
Click to expand...

It's not a case of being savvy. If anyone has any smartphone with a data plan small enough to be affected by this then they will be exceeding it more or less every month anyway so won't notice any difference

If they never use data and just use their phone for calls and texts then it still makes no difference - nothing changes.

The other thing nobody has considered is how often this will actually kick in. The articles make it sound like it will be happening every time you use your phone for anything which is patently rubbish. It will be the odd time you are using it when you are on the edges of a wifi network. For the vast majority of people it will never, or very rarely kick in.

This is a typical scare story - hyped to frighten the people you mention who aren't all that tech savvy but missing all the important detail and facts. It tells you all about the worst case scenario but goes into no detail whatsoever about what will actually happen in reality.
 
NickNic said:
It's not a case of being savvy. If anyone has any smartphone with a data plan small enough to be affected by this then they will be exceeding it more or less every month anyway so won't notice any difference

If they never use data and just use their phone for calls and texts then it still makes no difference - nothing changes.

The other thing nobody has considered is how often this will actually kick in. The articles make it sound like it will be happening every time you use your phone for anything which is patently rubbish. It will be the odd time you are using it when you are on the edges of a wifi network. For the vast majority of people it will never, or very rarely kick in.

This is a typical scare story - hyped to frighten the people you mention who aren't all that tech savvy but missing all the important detail and facts. It tells you all about the worst case scenario but goes into no detail whatsoever about what will actually happen in reality.
Click to expand...
I'm not sure which part of the OP message is missing the important bit, but it DOES state: "Vodafone, for example, allows you to continue using it at £6.50 per 500MB. But worse would happen abroad where extra data can cost up to £8/MB.
The problem could affect ANYONE who has upgraded to the new iOS 9 operating system"
Now we could go round and round all day here. Your original post stated "It's a bit of a non story (again)", but you have posted loads on it so far, so perhaps you were wrong.............

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OK, numpty time, and I volunteer for the job.

As far as I understand it, my phone only picks up the wifi that I have a password for, such as my own at home.
If I am out of range of this my phone reverts back to 4G and no wifi.
How does wifi assist help, or not, in this instance.
Surely it can't pick up wifi that I haven't selected ?
If it can't pick up wifi how can it charge me for something I don't have ?

Told you it was numpty time.
 
@knokinonabit Just from reading here it seems that it will switch to your data if WiFi drops out, so if you walk down the garden it will use your data which is pretty normal to be fair. As suggested here it would be data use abroad that might be the issue if you thought you were on WiFi but we're using your data plan, there again I switch data off abroad so no problem.

Martin
 
I guess if you have data turned off it won't override that setting.

Martin
 
Been a "feature" on Android for many years. Big UP to Apple for catching up.
Uses wifi until you're out of range, then swaps over to mobile data - kinda makes perfect sense
 
funflair said:
I guess if you have data turned off it won't override that setting.
Martin
Click to expand...
Correct
And / or you'll find out how "unsmart" your smartphone is without a data connection ;)

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Gizmouk said:
Correct
And / or you'll find out how "unsmart" your smartphone is without a data connection ;)
Click to expand...

Always turn my data off abroad and just on when I want to check e-mail or a quick fix on FUN.

Martin
 
In
funflair said:
Always turn my data off abroad and just on when I want to check e-mail or a quick fix on FUN.

Martin
Click to expand...
If you use an Android device and don't want to have to remember to turn data on / off when outside the UK:
Settings > Connections > More Networks > Mobile Networks >
Make sure Data Roaming is unticked

Not sure if IOS has another similar.
 
Gizmouk said:
Been a "feature" on Android for many years. Big UP to Apple for catching up.
Uses wifi until you're out of range, then swaps over to mobile data - kinda makes perfect sense
Click to expand...

Exactly. I think it's a great idea. Can't understand why anyone would want to turn it off.
 
funflair said:
@knokinonabit Just from reading here it seems that it will switch to your data if WiFi drops out, so if you walk down the garden it will use your data which is pretty normal to be fair. As suggested here it would be data use abroad that might be the issue if you thought you were on WiFi but we're using your data plan, there again I switch data off abroad so no problem.

Martin
Click to expand...

:Ta2:

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funflair said:
Just from reading here it seems that it will switch to your data if WiFi drops out, so if you walk down the garden it will use your data which is pretty normal to be fair
Click to expand...

That's basically it isn't it. That's what any and every phone does anyway all the time.

You're at home or in McDonalds or wherever connected to WiFi. You go down the road and lose the WiFi connection so your phone reverts back to data. That's what has always happened and always will happen.

All this feature does is allows the data to kick in a bit sooner before the WiFi has completely dropped out.

Thinking about it like that makes all the scare articles (if you Google it there are absolutely loads of them!) look even more pathetic.
 
Update to iOS 9.0.1 and then this feature disappears ....
 

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