Microsoft (NASDAQ:MSFT) says an unnamed third party is responsible for some Windows Phone 7 phones sending and receiving phantom data, eating through users' monthly mobile data allotments without their knowledge.
Earlier this month reports surfaced that many U.S. users' phones are sending and receiving between 30 MB and 50 MB of data every day. Last week, Microsoft said a "third-party solution commonly accessed from Windows Phones is configured in a manner that may potentially cause larger-than-expected data downloads."
Microsoft told InformationWeek that it has contacted the third party and is helping it make the necessary fixes, and added that a low number of WP7 phone users have reported the problem.
Microsoft declined to identify the third party or say whether any users were stuck with unusually high data usage bills. While wireless carriers in the past offered unlimited data plans to all smartphone users, a growing number of carriers in the United States have begun offering pricing options on a per-megabyte basis. AT&T Mobility (NYSE:T), the first carrier to implement such pricing for smartphones, charges $15 per month for 200 MB or $25 per month for 2 GB.
Microsoft debuted its new operating platform in October at a launch event in New York City. At that time, the company unveiled around nine phones that were using the new OS, including devices from Dell, HTC, LG and Samsung.
For more:
- see this InformationWeek article
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