Data usage increased?

I do tend to close it after I'm done playing, so it's not that. It might also be a coincidence; I'm doing an experiment today where I barely use my phone off of wifi for anything else to see how it goes.

One thing EA did in the past several months that I really appreciate is not auto-downloading updates when you're off of wifi and open the game. There's a store across the street from my office that I can go to and get free wi-fi for when there is an in-game update to download, and it's nice that I don't have to frantically close the app to avoid using lots of data downloading it...

you need to FORCE close not just close to be sure

Yep, always force close. It looks like my experiment was a success, though, and it's not tapped out after all. I looked at the individual app data usage, and words with friends, of all things, is using an absurd amount of data for what it is, must be some big ads or something. I haven't even played a word today (just checked to see if my friends had), and it's used 3 times as much data checking it a few times, as going to Springfield has. Just ridiculous.

Edit: The game had an update a few days ago, so that's probably what it is.

Have you accounted for the many updates we have had during the event?