Malcolm Bastien / Flickr / (CC)

Microsoft Corp. has put the blame on an unnamed third-party application for the mysterious data consumed by devices running its Windows Phone 7 operating system.

According to a statement from a Microsoft spokesperson sent to the Seattle PI, the company has “determined that a third-party solution commonly accessed from Windows Phones is configured in a manner that potentially causes larger than expected data downloads.”

Furthermore, the spokesperson said that the software giant is in contact with the developer of the third-party application which apparently causes the phantom data consumption of devices running the Windows Phone 7 mobile OS.

“We are in contact with the third party to assist them in making the necessary fixes, and are also pursuing potential workarounds to address the configuration issue in case those are needed,” said the statement released to the Seattle PI.

Earlier this month, complaints from Windows Phone 7 users said that their devices sent data over carriers without their prompting even when connected to a local WiFi network. This could greatly affect consumer spending especially for those using plans with data limits.

Furthermore, the statement said that, “At this point in our investigation, we believe this is responsible for most of the reported incidents…We are investigating additional potential root causes for the remainder of the reports.”

A small (low single-digit) percentage of Windows Phone customers have reported being affected.

The spokesperson also told the Seattle PI that “A small (low single-digit) percentage” of Windows Phone 7 users were affected by phantom data consumption.

About Solon Harmony Dolor

A passion for technology and journalism makes this upcoming writer very interested in social media and technology news. Fresh from finishing an English and Journalism degree from the University of the Philippines Diliman, he aims to bring interesting news to our readers .