vodafone charges me for data even though on a telecom wifi hotspot (nokia n95)

Forums › Legacy mobile platforms (Windows Mobile, Palm OS, Web OS, Symbian, Meego, Blackberry) › vodafone charges me for data even though on a telecom wifi hotspot (nokia n95)

fallingleaf

7 posts

Wannabe Geek

#16702 24-Oct-2007 07:27

fallingleaf

7 posts

Wannabe Geek

#92172 24-Oct-2007 07:31

Hey all...noob here,

As the topic of this thread suggests, vodafone charges me for data useage even though I log on to a telecom hotspot (such as those 'tomizone' ones at esquires. WHY I ask you all? Vodafone cannot give me an answer except that it seems "odd" (quote verbatim).

Can anyone off a suggestion as to why this is or settings on my nokia n95 that I need to check? Its a vodafone one but I have suessfully debranded the sucker and have the nice software/firmware on it now. I run in dual mode - this may be a reason? I am not too wifi/lan savy but help would be appreciated.

Cheers

tonyhughes

Hawkes Bay
8476 posts

Uber Geek

Retired Mod

Trusted

Lifetime subscriber

#92173 24-Oct-2007 07:38

Whichever connection your data is going through is how you will be charged.

My laptop often has a Telecom data card, and a wifi connection and a cable connection. Even while I am connected to wifi, if my card is connected too, the traffic goes through the Telecom mobile card.

Disconnect any cellular data sessions when they are not required, and you cant be billed for data.

chiefie

I iz your trusted friend
5877 posts

Uber Geek

Retired Mod

Trusted

Lifetime subscriber

#92175 24-Oct-2007 07:56

To totally ensure you're not being charged for unwanted mobile data charges, you could try disabling the phone radio (switch to flight mode - though I'm not sure if this also disabling WiFi). Or ensure that the "U" or "G" is not shown up connected. Do keep in mind though, if you're within "U" or "G" enabled area, it will have the letter shown up and ready to connect if no other connection available, it is a fallback connection.

Most (GSM-based) cellphones are able to pick the fastest/better connection in such order: WiFi, HSDPA, UMTS, GPRS.

Internet is my backyard...

«Geekzone blog: Tech 'n Chips Takeaway» «Personal blog: And then...»

Please read the Geekzone's FUG

sbiddle

30853 posts

Uber Geek

Retired Mod

Trusted

Biddle Corp

Lifetime subscriber

#92178 24-Oct-2007 08:10

Firstly how are you connecting to the AP? Searching for a WLAN and then clicking on browse or do you have an access point group set up with both WLAN and Vodafone Access Points? The easy way to see if a 3G/GPRS data connection is taking place is to look for the little symbol (2 lines like arrows) that will appear below the signal strength and 3G indicator. Since logging into a Telecom or Tomizone hotspot requires manually entering your login details into a web brower to authenticate yourself you would have to do this first before you can access the internet. If you're accessing the internet without having to enter your login details your phone is using the Vodafone Internet Access Point and not a WLAN one.

freitasm

BDFL - Memuneh
79263 posts

Uber Geek

Administrator

ID Verified

Trusted

Geekzone

Lifetime subscriber

#92179 24-Oct-2007 08:12

fallingleaf: Hey all...noob here,

As the topic of this thread suggests, vodafone charges me for data useage even though I log on to a telecom hotspot (such as those 'tomizone' ones at esquires. WHY I ask you all? Vodafone cannot give me an answer except that it seems "odd" (quote verbatim).

Can anyone off a suggestion as to why this is or settings on my nokia n95 that I need to check? Its a vodafone one but I have suessfully debranded the sucker and have the nice software/firmware on it now. I run in dual mode - this may be a reason? I am not too wifi/lan savy but help would be appreciated.

Cheers

Some concepts first: although "Tomizone" is a wifi hotspot service, it's not Telecom's. Telecom Hotspot just happes to use the word as their brand. So Tomizone, Cafenet, Telecom Hotspots are all "wifi hotspots" but they are not all Telecom's.

Next... How are you connected? If you simply connected the phone to the hotspot it doesn't mean you are actually allowed to use it. Those are not free services. So you will need to login through web page.

Tomizone is offering free WiFi at Esquires, but you must ask for a card with a code and enter that code. Telecom Hotspot will ask for your login (a Xtra broadband account will sufice).

But if you do not "authenticate" you are not actually using their services - and going back to Vodafone by default.

fallingleaf

7 posts

Wannabe Geek

#92187 24-Oct-2007 09:37

Hey all, thanks for the replies,

In answer to the last reply, yes, i logged onto the place at esquires using one of their cards and logged onto their server to use the internet. The questin being, should i still be getting vodafone charges when I do that? Intuitively I don't think so.

With regards to:

Firstly how are you connecting to the AP? Searching for a WLAN and then clicking on browse or do you have an access point group set up with both WLAN and Vodafone Access Points?

I have tried both. However I do note that when I go to list my access points the vodafone ones are listed there below the telecom and tomizone ones...but obviously i click on the 'tomizone' one to use. Seems easy enough but am I missing something becasue I still get the nasty overpriced vodafone data charge on my account which shows up as "WAP charges".

Cheers!

sbiddle

30853 posts

Uber Geek

Retired Mod

Trusted

Biddle Corp

Lifetime subscriber

#92189 24-Oct-2007 09:46

fallingleaf: Hey all, thanks for the replies,

In answer to the last reply, yes, i logged onto the place at esquires using one of their cards and logged onto their server to use the internet. The questin being, should i still be getting vodafone charges when I do that? Intuitively I don't think so.

No you shouldn't. The problem here however is that while you think you're connecting via the WiFi hotspot you're obviously not actually doing this but using 3G data.

With regards to:

Firstly how are you connecting to the AP? Searching for a WLAN and then clicking on browse or do you have an access point group set up with both WLAN and Vodafone Access Points?

I have tried both. However I do note that when I go to list my access points the vodafone ones are listed there below the telecom and tomizone ones...but obviously i click on the 'tomizone' one to use. Seems easy enough but am I missing something becasue I still get the nasty overpriced vodafone data charge on my account which shows up as "WAP charges".

Cheers!

What applications are you using on your phone? With the applications you are using do have an AP selected as the default for the browser and/or other applications or are you manually selecting an AP each time you run the program? If you have created an AP group with both WLAN networks and Vodafone Internet at the bottom in hierarchical order the phone will actually ignore the public WLAN hotspots since it can't establish a connection since they require user authentication (ie for you to log on) and will default to the Vodafone Internet Access Point. The way Nokia handle connection groups is very messy and I use a program called BirdStep SmartConnect on my Nokia however this program is no longer available for sale to end users and there doesn't appear to be anybody actually selling it online now.

The problem with user authentication with Public hotspots are a real issue especially with devices such as phones where entering details isn't easy.

Sharesies

Trade NZ and US shares and funds with Sharesies (affiliate link).

johnr

19282 posts

Uber Geek
Inactive user

#92193 24-Oct-2007 10:10

fallingleaf: Hey all...noob here,

As the topic of this thread suggests, vodafone charges me for data useage even though I log on to a telecom hotspot (such as those 'tomizone' ones at esquires. WHY I ask you all? Vodafone cannot give me an answer except that it seems "odd" (quote verbatim).

Can anyone off a suggestion as to why this is or settings on my nokia n95 that I need to check? Its a vodafone one but I have suessfully debranded the sucker and have the nice software/firmware on it now. I run in dual mode - this may be a reason? I am not too wifi/lan savy but help would be appreciated.

Cheers

Not in a 100 years you can't blame Vodafone here. I suggest you change the title of this thread to I can't work WIFI on my Nokia N95 and I need help!!!!!!

fallingleaf

7 posts

Wannabe Geek

#92194 24-Oct-2007 10:15

Hello again,

What applications are you using on your phone? With the applications you are using do have an AP selected as the default for the browser and/or other applications or are you manually selecting an AP each time you run the program? If you have created an AP group with both WLAN networks and Vodafone Internet at the bottom in hierarchical order the phone will actually ignore the public WLAN hotspots since it can't establish a connection since they require user authentication (ie for you to log on) and will default to the Vodafone Internet Access Point. The way Nokia handle connection groups is very messy and I use a program called BirdStep SmartConnect on my Nokia however this program is no longer available for sale to end users and there doesn't appear to be anybody actually selling it online now.

I don't have that many applications on my phone, MSN live is the only one I used and it set it to ask for and AP before any connection was made. So essentially yes, every time I use a programe I mannually select the access point. Should I perhaps just delete all the vodafone access points off the AP list? (I never use live anyway there is nothing worth downloading or seeing there).

Cheers

sbiddle

30853 posts

Uber Geek

Retired Mod

Trusted

Biddle Corp

Lifetime subscriber

#92198 24-Oct-2007 11:05

fallingleaf: I don't have that many applications on my phone, MSN live is the only one I used and it set it to ask for and AP before any connection was made. So essentially yes, every time I use a programe I mannually select the access point. Should I perhaps just delete all the vodafone access points off the AP list? (I never use live anyway there is nothing worth downloading or seeing there).

Cheers

What AP are you then selecting? If you're selecting an AP of say Tomizone then you will have needed to have already connected to this AP using the web browser and authenticated yourself before you can use this AP for Live Messenger.

Do you have an Access Point Group created that contains both WLAN and Vodafone Internet connections? The phone can't just connect to a Vodafone Internet connection unless you have selected that somewhere.

fallingleaf

7 posts

Wannabe Geek

#92199 24-Oct-2007 11:37

Hey,

Im not too sure what you mean by access point "group" but when my access points come up there is the LAN ones and the vodafone ones together which I can select from when I first open up and try to connect using web browser. I have only ever used the Tomizone one thus far and the fist thing I do is connect to that through web browser prior to opening up any other applications.

fallingleaf

7 posts

Wannabe Geek

#92207 24-Oct-2007 12:58

Hey all.

PROBLEM SOLVED! Wehn i initially downloaded MSN live etc I did it through the "downloads" link under the menu on the n95. As this was the only variable (after digesting all of your helpful suggestions) I checked under settings and noticed that the default accesspoint under "downloads" is set to "vodafone nz gateway". So essentiall i went through that AP to get MSN DUH!

My nooob status has just gotten worse but I just enjoyed some websurfing without any data charges so it all sorted!

Thank you