can phone data be turned on without my knowledge?

Forums › Android › can phone data be turned on without my knowledge?

steadysteve

75 posts

Master Geek

# 136768 8-Dec-2013 15:21

i have an older LG phone running android 2.3.3
sometimes i find that my account balance has mysteriously become close to zero
when i check details on the vodafone site, i see that some dollars of data has recently been used
and i always feel sure that data has been turned off on the phone...i keep it off mostly
so i can't help wondering if it is possible for someone remotely or some app to turn data on without my knowledge?

Gilco2

1507 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 127

Subscriber

# 947477 8-Dec-2013 15:25

dont know. but on my samsung s4 with data turned off I was getting charged for data. Never found what was causing it. Still have the S4 but tucked in a drawer. Use the HTC One now and no data charges. Works out cheaper overall.
so yes it is possible for data to be used even though it is turned off

HTPC Intel Pentium G3258 cpu, Gigabyte H97n-wifi motherboard, , 8GB DDR3 ram, onboard graphics. Hauppuage HVR 5500 tuner, Silverstone LC16M case, Windows 10 pro 64 bit using Nextpvr and Kodi

steadysteve

75 posts

Master Geek

# 947479 8-Dec-2013 15:27

interesting, thanks for that
pretty annoying - i always imagined that if data usage is OFF, it should be OFF!

johnr

19282 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 2600
Inactive user

# 947488 8-Dec-2013 15:47

Turning off mobile data on the handset should mean off 100% zero usage back to the mobile network

kiwigeek1

622 posts

Ultimate Geek
+1 received by user: 12

# 947534 8-Dec-2013 16:41

yes and no... theres 3rd party apps you can install you give permissions too.. some do access the data on and off like quick settings app which is nice and was nicer then what you got on some older android 2.1 phones then the control panel.

its possible you click allow to something that can control turning it on.. but why would they turn it on?

anyhow shouldnt matter if use it around house and have wifi on as that is used over 3g data

kiwigeek1

622 posts

Ultimate Geek
+1 received by user: 12

# 947539 8-Dec-2013 16:47

avast is good .. it keeps a track per each app what uses all the data.. so maybe can see if a app using most of it
and disable it and see if problem goes away with it auto enabling again.

its so easy though to click enable if in the settings.. thats my issue with touch screens.. bright light and you cant read them and takes a split second to touch screen accidentally and its turned on or off something before you
hit back button or home and you find out later

steadysteve

75 posts

Master Geek

# 947559 8-Dec-2013 17:33

thanks all

mm avast sounds like a good idea to keep track - i'll give it a go

of course it could also be that i am turning it on somehow accidentally ...