What is the issue with mobile data on Android/XA2?

Question

14

What is the issue with mobile data on Android/XA2?

asked 2019-04-26 17:39:17 +0300

Mario
1479 ●21 ●26 ●32

updated 2019-07-23 17:08:53 +0300

jovirkku

23703 ●213 ●311 ●247

moderator

Certain Android apps cannot use mobile data. This was a known issue in the beginning and is reported to be solved (somehow) on each new release. However, after installing the update, the issue persists, every time.

Some Android apps do work, though. It seams that an app that just tries to use the network succeeds, an app that "asks" the Andoid system whether there is an Internet connection or not always fails. Thus, I would assume that apps can register a callback that is triggered as soon as Internet connection is established; but, for some reason, on Sailfish-Android this only works for WiFi but not for mobile data.

As a computer scientist, my questions to Jolla are: "What is this reason?", "Why is this bug so hard to fix?", "What do you already know about this bug and where are the open questions?"

I'm no Android developer. But there are lot of tech people in this community. Some might be able to help, some are just curious. Some might at least be able to develop some workarounds. But, to be honest, without further knowledge about the details, this bug seams as it would be quite easy to fix. So, some of us(?), at least me, are quite puzzled what's going on here.

I only really need a single Android app: The XMPP/Jabber client Conversations. But this very app does not work at all on mobile data. And all the announcements that the issue is fixed with the next release makes me fear that the issue is no longer worked on. But it's not solved in 3.0.3.8.

Comments

1

It is strange. Is probably dependent on the provider. O2 (Germany) can not establish a data connection, but it works with a Vodafone SIM.

4carlos ( 2019-04-26 18:21:38 +0300 )

Same goes for the DB Navigator App (German Railway Service) with the latest update 3.0.3.8 I'm unable to search Railway Stations or Connections, in this case it is not even working with Wifi. Always just the error "No Internet Connection". Also strange behaviour I noticed today: I have an app to Download a digital newspaper. While connected to Wifi it asked me to Confirm the Download, since it saw the connection as Mobile Data, not as Wifi (App is set to not Autodownload on Mobile). So there seem still to be some fundamental Issues with the Connection Handling / Connection Detection in Aliendalvik. I also would really like an explanation whats going on here, and even better a real working fix for the Issue.

seiichiro0185 ( 2019-04-26 18:22:13 +0300 )

For Vodafone - Germany I realised that mobile data fails in many android apps if the Network switches to 3G.

@seiichiro0185 actually DB Navigator was my 'test case' for mobile data and it has improved a lot for me. (Vodafone.de)

jollajo ( 2019-04-26 18:26:08 +0300 )

1

I forgot, Conversations works with my Vodafone.de and has only 2/3g and not LTE/4g.

4carlos ( 2019-04-26 18:30:03 +0300 )

@4carlos thanks four the hint! I changed my mobile connection now from the O2 SIM to the Telekom SIM and this seems to work.

scharelc ( 2019-04-26 18:38:34 +0300 )

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It is strange. Is probably dependent on the provider. O2 (Germany) can not establish a data connection, but it works with a Vodafone SIM.
4carlos ( 2019-04-26 18:21:38 +0300 )
Same goes for the DB Navigator App (German Railway Service) with the latest update 3.0.3.8 I'm unable to search Railway Stations or Connections, in this case it is not even working with Wifi. Always just the error "No Internet Connection". Also strange behaviour I noticed today: I have an app to Download a digital newspaper. While connected to Wifi it asked me to Confirm the Download, since it saw the connection as Mobile Data, not as Wifi (App is set to not Autodownload on Mobile). So there seem still to be some fundamental Issues with the Connection Handling / Connection Detection in Aliendalvik. I also would really like an explanation whats going on here, and even better a real working fix for the Issue.
seiichiro0185 ( 2019-04-26 18:22:13 +0300 )
For Vodafone - Germany I realised that mobile data fails in many android apps if the Network switches to 3G.
@seiichiro0185 actually DB Navigator was my 'test case' for mobile data and it has improved a lot for me. (Vodafone.de)
jollajo ( 2019-04-26 18:26:08 +0300 )
I forgot, Conversations works with my Vodafone.de and has only 2/3g and not LTE/4g.
4carlos ( 2019-04-26 18:30:03 +0300 )
@4carlos thanks four the hint! I changed my mobile connection now from the O2 SIM to the Telekom SIM and this seems to work.
scharelc ( 2019-04-26 18:38:34 +0300 )

Answer 1

1

answered 2019-04-26 19:13:44 +0300

balta

1551 ●21 ●33 ●34

I have no connection problems in any Android app using O2 Germany, so it would be strange if that is a problem here.

Please look at the version of aliendalvik. If you're so dependent on Android apps it is likely that you installed Play services or microg, and for this modified the system.img file.

Dependent on the method you used you could have too less space in the /opt partition and then the update of aliendalvik (and subsequent packages in the update) silently fails.

The version should be the following for 3.0.3.8

,---
| Sailfish OS 3.0.3.8 (Hossa)
'---
[nemo@Sailfish ~]$ devel-su
Password:
[root@Sailfish nemo]# zypper info aliendalvik
Repository-Daten werden geladen...
Installierte Pakete werden gelesen...
Informationen zu Paket aliendalvik:
-----------------------------------
Repository         : @SYSTEM
Name               : aliendalvik
Version            : 8.1.0.53.27-1.8.1.jolla
Arch               : armv7hl
Anbieter           : meego
Installierte Größe : 278,5 MiB
Installiert        : Ja
Status             : aktuell
Quellpaket         : aliendalvik-8.1.0.53.27-1.8.1.jolla.src
Zusammenfassung    : Myriad Alien Dalvik with upgraded Android Runtime
Beschreibung       :
    Myriad Alien Dalvik with upgraded Android Runtime

_sorry for the german output_

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Comments

I'm only dependent on Conversations. It does not need any Google services, just plain TCP connections. (Before you ask, yes it is still very battery efficient, despite Android claiming the opposite). I didn't install Play services or microg. But thanks for the hint, I will check the aliendalvik version anyway.

Mario ( 2019-04-26 19:52:44 +0300 )

There is no Google dependencies if Threema is downloaded from the Threema homepage and Conversations downloaded from F-Droid. Booth runs perfect on Xperia X, Jolla 1 and Jolla C.

Don't know what the problem is. First time I started with the VF SIM Card and mobile data connections are given, so I changed to O2 SIM. After that no mobile connections are possible and I changed back and tadaa... the connection is back!

What should I think now?

Voodoo

4carlos ( 2019-04-26 20:15:35 +0300 )

2

That's why I sincerely hope for some info by the Android team at Jolla. We use Sailfish because we're interested in technology. If something doesn't work, we're interested in what's wrong.

Mario ( 2019-04-27 00:10:59 +0300 )

@Mario, +1

Indeed. The "real" SFOS is runing very well on the older Jolla devices like J1 and JC, but it has some gaps and doesn't support the fully xmpp protocoll. I don't need Android apps if the native xmpp client support multiuser chats (MUC) and OMEMO encryption.

So, on Sony devices, Sailfish X is only a custom ROM like LineAge OS, based on an Android HAL. It comes with the same problems like LOS: some things are disfunctional and heavy to fix.

Jolla should sell own devices again.

4carlos ( 2019-04-27 06:49:44 +0300 )

Just checked the version. It's 8.1.0.53.27-1.8.1.jolla

Mario ( 2019-04-28 13:54:35 +0300 )

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Answer 2

1

answered 2019-07-19 10:02:58 +0300

seiichiro0185
2155 ●12 ●19 ●19

updated 2019-07-19 10:04:22 +0300

It seems like SFOS 3.1.0.11 did improve the behavior (I'm relucant to call it fixed yet). At least my worst case App "DB Navigator" does seem to work reliably on WiFi now, which wasn't working on 3.0.3.x in 99% of the cases. We'll see how this behaves in the long run, but for now it seems a lot better after the first tries. (Mobile Data was already working on 3.0.3)

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Comments

2

Sadly, no. Conversations (XMPP messenger) is still not working on mobile data. :-(

Mario ( 2019-07-19 10:07:13 +0300 )

DB Navigator is still just working on one of the SIM cards here :(

EDIT: but I can confirm the improvements on Wifi.

scharelc ( 2019-07-19 12:07:41 +0300 )

can confirm this: no changes regarding mobile connectivity for andoid apps in v. 3.1.0.11. The ones which worked with mobile data before, do still work. The ones who didn't, still won't get connected. Restarted the phone, restarted android layer, switch to flight mode -> whatever you try when there is only mobile data available: These apps still wont get any connection!

majuss ( 2019-08-01 15:19:38 +0300 )

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