Help So Mobile Data is the culprit behind battery drainage?

[rubsnick]

So I've had my phone for quite a while and I'm at DC currently and my phone was dying way too often. I need my phone to get around (GPS, Navigation and what not) and I'm all on foot. I tried using my phone as little as possible while sightseeing and well I'd not touch it all day other then GPS and google maps and yelp. So heres the run down of my phones settings in the beginning of an average day.

1. Phone is used shortly for GPS navigation (walking)
2. Phone has screen brightness set halfway due to sun
3. No auto-sync and very little email updates.
4. Battery was at about 80% when stopped using for long period of time.

So this is at about 12PM, at around 6PM the battery is literally at 20% and I barely touched it (maybe to send a text, check google) but other then that very little use. Maybe 1 minute at a time for like 10 times.


Needless to say with such little use and such insane battery drainage I was infuriated.

So I decided to try something else... shutting off the mobile data network. Low behold I went from 100% at 12PM to around 40% at 10PM This was using the phone much more heavily then before but making sure I shut the data network off when I didn't need it. I'd whip it out play a quick game of tetris or bejewled while resting and keep on walking. Overall it was amazing how much better the battery life is. Keep in mind my phone is pretty much stock rooted. (No sideload update that most of you might have) So I just went to HTC widgets and added the mobile network toggle on one of the screens and that's what saving me a ton of battery life. Just a quick heads up. I mean I knew Mobile data ate up battery but that this rate it was freaking rediculous!!!

 

[dylando808]

yup with mobile data on your phone still might be pulling down or sending up data even with auto sync off.
i also use the mobile toggle widget to turn off data when i'm not using internet based apps, and i try to stay on wifi often. i have my town mapped out pretty good when it comes to finding good wifi spots just in case

i would think with your usage GPS would be the biggest battery sucker. when the GPS is on and working it can drain my battery like no ones business. but i don't use GPS as much as other people so i also have a widget for that and use it on demand.

 

[Simba501]

Yeah, it's pretty battery hungry. You said you're rooted, stock. I remember before I rooted, there was an option in wireless settings somewhere that basically automatically turned off mobile data when it wasn't being used (screen off for a while presumably). It should still be present, since you're on a stock rom. I think it was "Mobile Data Always On", or something like that. If you uncheck it and leave data enabled (should be two different settings), you can have quick access to data (without having to toggle anything), still receive sync notifications, and add the ability for the phone to shut data off when not being used. It sounds like you're just shutting it off completely. Look for that setting, I think it'd be convenient for you.