With Microsoft issuing its monthly set of Windows patch updates yesterday, and Adobe and Oracle both releasing new security updates, mobile security firm AdaptiveMobile is warning Smartphone and 3G dongle users to be wary of the unexpected data costs associated with background software updates, particularly when using data roaming.
“The way we are accessing and using the web is evolving fast, with more and more consumers and business users accessing the web on the move via a mobile handset or with a 3G dongle,” says AdaptiveMobile COO, Gareth Maclachlan. “Unfortunately, this shift towards a reliance on mobile data means users must also become increasingly aware of how their data allowance is being used and which online activities are causing unforeseen data costs to build up automatically.
“As data usage has sky-rocketed over the past three years, bill shock has been a hotly discussed issue in the media. However, despite awareness of the risks increasing, we are seeing time and again that consumers are still being hit by huge data bills most of which can be avoided. One of the biggest culprits we see is automatic software updates. For example, a set of Windows patch updates can be upwards of 40MB in size, iTunes updates are around 100MB and Apples latest OS update runs at over 700MB, all of which seriously drain data allowances and can lead to substantial costs for consumers.” 
AdaptiveMobile notes that there are some simple steps that consumers can take to avoid unexpected data costs. If users switch their updates to alert, rather than allowing automatic background updates, software downloads can be delayed until a later time when the users device is connected via wi-fi or fixed broadband. Similarly, for enterprise travellers who may be racking up huge bills through data-roaming, IT managers can liaise with their mobile operator to set specific network-level controls, avoiding the headache of coordinating individual controls on each employees handset or mobile broadband-enabled laptop. Forward-thinking mobile operators are now providing web-based self-care for consumer and corporate subscribers, ensuring that mobile access is used for valued activity, and not for hidden updates.
The recent Europe-wide ruling on data charges also means that users can now ask their network providers to cut them off after they reach a predetermined amount on their bill and while this is certainly a step in the right direction, it can be counterproductive if a user is blocked from sending that important time-critical email to their customer just because their laptop has decided to update Windows, says Maclachlan. However, if users are to avoid the pain of unexpected data costs – both in the UK and abroad – they absolutely must get data-savvy and ask their operator for the tools to take charge of their data usage.
