Why does internet explorer on windows phone use so much data?

[Windows Central Question]

Browsing a few web pages (about 10 - just news sites, not videos) uses about 10mb of data measured by the data sense app.

This seems excessively high.

I installed the opera browser and this has used less than 1mb for similar use.

I have data saving high turned on for IE, but it still seems to use loads of data just for web pages.

I only have limited data and need to keep it as low as possible.

Why is IE using so much?

 

[xandros9]

That does seem high. Even with no compression I don't see that number for just a few pages...


Maybe you can link me to some? Maybe I can reproduce it.

 

[Bradzin]

It was a few pages from theguardian.com website and then a few from the bbc news website.
I also installed the Surfy browser, that is even worse for data usage, from the history I have viewed 23 web pages, again just news type sites, no videos or heavy with pictures and according to the data sense app it has used 72mb!

 

[xandros9]

Data Sense was set to High.

IE usage before: 36 MB

Visited:
theguardian.com
- Repub. presidential hopefuls focus fire...
- UK election aftermath...
- Sheldon Adelson faces new scrutiny...
- Hosni Mubarak sentenced to three years in prison
- Syrian official: US 'supporting...

Cortana/Bing search for BBC News

bbc.com/news
- Russia stages massive WW2...
- 'Dozens' dead in Iraq prison...
- WHO declares Liberia ebola-free...
- Troops deployed to Peruvian mine

Data usage after: 44 MB

I suppose its the pages themselves since I don't think IE is just inefficient compared to others.
But its worth noting that Opera Mini is definitely superior to most other browsers in compression and stuff.

 

[Bradzin]

Thanks for checking. Gone are the days when websites were a few Kb's!

Opera is a lot better at minimising data use.

 

[shreyas24]

UC browser with the speed mode turned on might be a good choice too.