Find my Phone Windows Phone 8 uses data?

[champion7891]

Hi Guys!

This is my first time posting here at WP Central though I've been following the site since Windows Phone 8 came out and the forums since I got my 8X.

Ok so I've recently been having a paranoia about the stuff that's on my Cellphone...specifically if someone gains access to it (even though its password protected), so I've been wanting to try out the find my phone/ring/lock/erase function. My question is that I am on wi-fi and this doesn't work, but turning on EDGE (yeah EDGE, my country doesn't have 3G yet!) makes lock and ring work (though I still cannot find my phone on the map).

So:
1. Is Data connection always on necessary for find my phone/ring/lock/erase?
2. If as ring/lock works, can I assume that erase will also work?
3. Any ideas why Find my Phone does not show phone on map?
4. When both Data and Wifi are on, does Wifi get preference always? The thing is that data allocation here is really in small amounts (think 3 MB packages per day or up to 45 OR 500 MB per month), so if I am to use data, I do not want it to be churned through.
5. What's the battery effect of having Data on, since before I really didn't need it, and was happy with wifi whenever its available.
6. Having push email for 4 accounts, about 5 other apps running in background, facebook, people's hub etc. always on, what's the data estimate on monthly usage (I know this is really speculative, but say if I don't have wifi access for 4-5 hours a day and that's the period that (if) cellular Data gets kicked in exclusively, and I do not actively use data)?
7. Are there other safe ways to protect my data on phone? I am willing to sacrifice some convenience for slightly more security (i.e. person can't easily access my phone or at least the only way he could is through a reset)?

I really hope this isn't too bothersome a post (I know I've asked a zillion things). . I hope I can find answers here!

Thanks!

 

[James8561]

1. Yes
2. Yes
3. Because your Location settings is off
4. Yes
5. nominal but noticeable same with wifi
6. you'll have to use it to find out. shouldn't be more than 200 MB/mo with emails but fb does consume a lot if you check often.
7. use PIN lock and Password lock

 

[champion7891]

1. Yes
2. Yes
3. Because your Location settings is off
4. Yes
5. nominal but noticeable same with wifi
6. you'll have to use it to find out. shouldn't be more than 200 MB/mo with emails but fb does consume a lot if you check often.
7. use PIN lock and Password lock

Got it thanks a lot!

So I guess I will try data for a few days and find out.

Just a further clarification wrt point 7:
1. Data connection would be off if lets say a person takes SIM out => erase won't work. Any way to make it impossible to break in phone without reset?
2. You mean PIN lock with respect to SIM?

WRT point 3:
3. I assume both DATA and GPS must be on for location?
4. Also, I am not too keen to have GPS on all time (battery + privacy concerns (apps pulling location etc.). Any workaround/suggestion?

Thanks again!

 

[champion7891]

Bump

 

[foxbat121]

Find my phone doesn't have to use data. The default is using SMS. GPS on doesn't mean it is on and use battery all the time. It will only connect and consume battery when an app is using it.

Setup a screen lock password or PIN will prevent others use your phone without hardreset. It is not SIM lock. That is for different purpose,

 

[SJX426]

I was having significant issues until i found this article:
Setting up your Windows Phone with Find My Phone

I deselected and selected several times and all of a sudden it worked. This includes both location switch and the Find My Phone sections in settings.