Does playing games on Windows Phone use Data plan?

[spaulagain]

My sister recently joined my ATT phone account and has a Lumia 900. My phone is almost always on a WiFi connection because I have WiFi at home and work. However, my sister lives with my mom who doesn't have a WiFi connection at her house. And my sister doesn't have one at her school either. As a result she uses a lot more of our share plan than I do. Recently, she used 3.5 GB within the first 10 days of the billing period causing some alarm for me obviously. After we told her about the excessive use, she said she just texts and plays games now.

We have unlimited texting/calling but do the games use Data while you play them? Trying to find the source of her usage so we can control it better.

Thanks in advance

 

[jonathanrn]

I don't know of a way to figure out what app(s) are using that much data other than her paying closer attention to what she's doing. I think with Data Sense, you can find that information out, however, 1) Exclusive to Verizon for now, and 2) I don't think it will be available to 7.x devices.

One thought could be MMS? My parents are on vacation and my mom used about 90% of her 300MB in a few days (where she normally uses about 10-20% the entire month), mostly from e-mailing and texting pictures.

 

[freestaterocker]

Some games use data, some don't. Any games with leader board will, and some games-like Wordament-function entirely on data or WiFi. Easy way to figure out what she can play without using data; have her go to settings>cellular and turn her data connection off, and then try all her games in all modes. The ones that still have full functionality don't use any.

And as mentioned already, picture messages do, in fact, use data.

 

[spaulagain]

Some games use data, some don't. Any games with leader board will, and some games-like Wordament-function entirely on data or WiFi. Easy way to figure out what she can play without using data; have her go to settings>cellular and turn her data connection off, and then try all her games in all modes. The ones that still have full functionality don't use any.

And as mentioned already, picture messages do, in fact, use data.

Ok, great, I'll check that for her games. Thanks for the help!

 

[spaulagain]

I don't know of a way to figure out what app(s) are using that much data other than her paying closer attention to what she's doing. I think with Data Sense, you can find that information out, however, 1) Exclusive to Verizon for now, and 2) I don't think it will be available to 7.x devices.

One thought could be MMS? My parents are on vacation and my mom used about 90% of her 300MB in a few days (where she normally uses about 10-20% the entire month), mostly from e-mailing and texting pictures.

Ahh, that might be it too. Thanks

 

[Daniel Ratcliffe]

Also factor in that Xbox LIVE enabled games will use data to sync up achievements and Gamerscore to her profile. Nominal amounts, but data nonetheless. And AlphaJax is another online-only game AFAIK.