iphone suddenly started using cellular data !

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Shagy

97 posts

Master Geek

#47135 10-Nov-2009 14:13

Have vodafone changed the cellular data plans or settings

first some background: I purchased my iPhone outright when it was first released
and have been using it on my pre existing VF account - not an VF iphone account
3g off
push off
APN www.iphone.xxx

so no data for me as APN is unchanged still pointing to www.iphone etc
or so i thought ....

this month I noticed a big increase in my usual bill
it was data charges, something I've never been previously charged for or used on my iphone till now
I've always used wifi at work and home, plus i thought i was safe as I don't have a VF iphone account
so the APN shouldn't work (never used to)

I've called VF and await there explanation

as an experiment I removed the iphone APN left it blank, no wifi- still works able to browse
tried a bogus APN- still works able to browse

anyone have any idea's whats going on? has VF changed their celluar data config
as far as I'm aware if you have no VF iphone account and your APN is set to the default iphone APN
you get no data.

johnr

19282 posts

Uber Geek
Inactive user

#271665 10-Nov-2009 15:00

iphone APN was opened up a few months back so any connection can use it same as www.vodafone.net.nz

Blank APN field has always routed back to www.vodafone.net.nz APN this is nothing new done this since the packet data network was launched

approx 3 months ago if a customer adds a invalid APN (just makes one up) this will default back to www.vodafone.net.nz this was changed due to customers bringing in imported devices / software putting in a Vodafone NZ SIM and then complaining to Vodafone that when ever they tried to connect they would get error 619 and blame the network

John

johnr

19282 posts

Uber Geek
Inactive user

#271668 10-Nov-2009 15:10

Just a FYI turning off 3G does nothing as the phone will just use the packet data network on 2G GPRS

Shagy

97 posts

Master Geek

#271678 10-Nov-2009 15:37

thanks for the info johnr
I just turned of 3g to conserve battery power since I wasn't using data

well that stinks no wonder I'm getting data charges
is there anyway to stop the iphone using data

surely customers should have been notified if these changes
and and offered a way of disabling data

I think it's rather insidious how a service has been changed from being disabled to enabled with no notification of how to disable it or any notification of the changes from VF as far as I'm aware

oldmaknz

536 posts

Ultimate Geek

#271681 10-Nov-2009 15:42

iPhone is meant to be always online. However since data is very expensive in NZ I can see how you would want to block it. If you install the carrier file from iPhonewzealand for Vodafone you will have the option to put in a fake APN to block any cellular data transit but will lose the ability to tether officially. Up to you.

johnr

19282 posts

Uber Geek
Inactive user

#271684 10-Nov-2009 15:48

Shagy: thanks for the info johnr
I just turned of 3g to conserve battery power since I wasn't using data

well that stinks no wonder I'm getting data charges
is there anyway to stop the iphone using data

surely customers should have been notified if these changes
and and offered a way of disabling data

I think it's rather insidious how a service has been changed from being disabled to enabled with no notification of how to disable it or any notification of the changes from VF as far as I'm aware

Iphone is sold as a always online device maybe email the idea off to Apple

Mobile carriers / fixed line carriers make changes all the time to their networks they do not have to notify these changes as they are routine changes

John

Dinuir

41 posts

Geek

#271685 10-Nov-2009 15:55

This is probably a good deal for telco's. They get to charge customers for data usage even when it is accidental with no way to deactivate it.

You would think that one APN could be setup for users which did not allow data access.

oldmaknz

536 posts

Ultimate Geek

#271688 10-Nov-2009 15:58

A fake APN was considered but I don't think it went through.

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clicknz

467 posts

Ultimate Geek

Trusted

#271693 10-Nov-2009 16:15

Hi - have been in similar situation to OP & have found that setting APN to www.m2.net.nz (I think it's the APN for Black & White) will stop unintentional data use. This can be loaded from unlockit.co.nz.
If you do want to access cellular data an easy way is to just delete the 'z' from the end of the APN, use data, & then add it back again to block data.
There are so many apps now that run ads or check for different things, or if you just want to read an email it will try & retrieve new mail, that it can get expensive.

Cheers,
Mike

Photographer/Videographer clickmedia.nz

Shagy

97 posts

Master Geek

#271709 10-Nov-2009 17:03

spoke to VF I found out they made changes to iphone data "a couple of months ago"
the only way to stop data other than having data disabled totally at VF end is to use
APN www.m2.net.nz a blank or bogus APN's still allows access

VF has not bothered contacting existing users to inform them of the changes to iphone data
which I think is pretty poor.

my guess there would be other iphone users also thinking they are not using cellular data when in fact they are
weak wifi

making changes to the networks is one thing but enabling a service that costs $$ which was originally disabled with no way to disable it and doing it without any notification to the user is quite another in my book.

oldmaknz

536 posts

Ultimate Geek

#271713 10-Nov-2009 17:11

Solution: XT. Like it or lump it.

Shagy

97 posts

Master Geek

#271843 10-Nov-2009 21:36

from my experimenting you don't need to use unlocket.co.nz or carrier files
with latest iphone OS just go to settings. general, network, cellular data network
cellular data
APN tap on the APN address and edit to suit

oldmaknz

536 posts

Ultimate Geek

#271859 10-Nov-2009 21:57

That does not work with the default Vodafone IPCC, at least as of a short time ago. Vodafone force the iPhone to be always online, like it's meant to be. If you don't want data get it disabled on your account.

Editing out the 'z' on the APN has always worked for me when the default Vodafone IPCC is not in play.

Shagy

97 posts

Master Geek

#272006 11-Nov-2009 12:28

sorry I should have made my previous post a bit clearer

it does stop data if you set the APN to www.m2.net.nz
any other address blank, or bogus and you'll get data

nice little earner for VF from unsuspecting users

dnn

5 posts

Wannabe Geek

#272691 13-Nov-2009 11:15

Can't you just take notice of whether the wifi icon is on at the top of screen? If it's not on then obviously it will be using cellular data, therefore you should cease browsing, right?

Shagy

97 posts

Master Geek

#272762 13-Nov-2009 15:04

that's all well and good if your aware of the changes VF have made to cellular data access
and you know all the apps that use internet access, if not your in for nasty surprise

it's not just browsing the iphone has the potential to use internet at any time with any app
I would venture there would be quite a few users who are not intimately aware what apps use internet and which don't
an extreme example would be google maps, with no data on the phone you can cache the trip and set off
if you don't want get data charges you can't use google maps.
if you are unaware of VF changes, you think you've cached the trip when infact your live
if your unaware of the changes you wouldn't be looking at your wfi connection or thinking about how you shouldn't be using online apps

even if your on wifi, if you happen to drop connection or wander into a poor coverage area if you don't disable data
your are on cellular data very easily without noticing.