Mobile Internet fees despite dummy APN and disabled setting

asked 2015-07-07 15:28:44 +0300

Hundezahn
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updated 2015-07-07 20:47:04 +0300

chemist
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http://talk.maemo.org/

Hi,

I use a Vodafone CallYa Prepaid card, which charges mobile internet per minute if the tariff is not active. Prior to the expiration I disabled mobile network and put in some dummy text for APN, although I never even used mobile data, which means that the existing APN was wrong to begin with (https://together.jolla.com/question/74430/falsche-apn-vodafone-de/). I also disabled the location.

Nevertheless did my Jolla manage to establish a mobile internet connection while laying around idly and consumed all remaining money on my account. I asked the hotline to be 100% sure. The Data Counter still only shows traffic in WLAN. The only running apps were the calender and the clock.

I'm just really puzzled. Is there any way to stop the device from connecting?

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I had the same thing, on Vodafone PAYG, in UK 4 weeks ago. £9 drained as 5.6 Gb was downloaded according to Data Counter. I do not even know what was downloaded. However, this first happened after I tried the Warehouse app Car Connection. Within 5 minutes of it running I got a text from Vodafone saying I was connecting to their data network. I thought it had stopped No mobile connection was enabled nor showing as active. The next morning the massive download had triggered a low money-left text from Vodafone. I removed that app, even though it should be bluetooth only, and have had no similar instances since. It may just be coincidental of course.

cpcompany ( 2015-07-07 18:07:43 +0300 )edit

Thing is, I have zero traffic and I don't get the connection text from Vodafone, because, well, no real connection takes place. It's like the phone just connects for the heck of it and then disconnects, with a pause between the connections. This is comprehensible by the fact that the money didn't drain at the speed of 0,09c/minute, but it took the whole sunday to drain 5 €.

Hundezahn ( 2015-07-09 12:36:10 +0300 )edit

answered 2015-07-07 22:06:36 +0300

tigeli

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admin

updated 2015-07-07 22:13:48 +0300

Even you define invalid apn into settings it does not mean that operator wouldn't default your connection to some other apn if the device connects to mobile data.

However you could remove configuration directly from /var/lib/ofono//gprs files by removing all [context] configuration. Eg:

[context1]
Name=Internet
AccessPointName=internet
Username=
Password=
AuthenticationMethod=chap
Type=internet
Protocol=dual

To remove that configuration you will first need to stop ofono by running "systemctl stop ofono" after you have gained root-privileges by running "devel-su".

After that there's no configuration on ofono to setup mobile data connection.

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@tigeli or how about a real solution? I am able to configure the gprs files but not all are. My wife lost all her prepaid euros due to this. If you think this is acceptable for a mobile phone in 2015 then you are completely off.

late88 ( 2015-07-08 17:27:26 +0300 )edit

@late88 I do need a way to reproduce the issue but so far I have not been able to do so. Neither anyone has been able to provide me a foolproof steps.

And it's not like that I would not have tried.. I've had one Jolla with a prepaid sim since October 2014 with me (I've also used it.. as my daily phone) and no data costs have occured on it.

tigeli ( 2015-07-08 18:01:32 +0300 )edit

Thanks for the answer. Still trying to reproduce the issue and report back.

late88 ( 2015-07-08 18:12:58 +0300 )edit

@tigeli Thanks for this workaround. But as I only want to temporarily deactivate the mobile data, it's kind of an overkill.

I think the sticking point is not whether it's prepaid or not, but whether there are fees/minute resp. fees/connection. As long as my tariff is active, I have 500 MB free traffic and no problem. The unexpected costs occure when the tariff becomes inactive and starts to charge per connection, regardless of traffic.

Hundezahn ( 2015-07-09 12:30:47 +0300 )edit

Mobile Internet fees despite dummy APN and disabled setting

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Mobile Internet fees despite dummy APN and disabled setting

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