Prepaid data usage stats without phoning

A

Academic

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I have a prepaid sim in my PC card. To find out how much data I have left I have to remove the sim, pop it into a cellphone and call 141. Is there not another, webbased way?
 
Can you not send the *141# USSD command via the modem utility and see the results on your PC?
 
What data card do you use with the MTN SIM card? Not all data cards support USSD services.
Sierra Wireless data cards would support USSD command requests.
Watch this space for new PAYG services on MTN
 
Sierra Wireless 850

The Watcher software only allows me to send SMS's and *141# is not recognized as a valid number. What is a USSD command and how is it supposed to work on a SW card?
 
USSD is a mobile data product (acronym for Unstructured Supplemetary Services Data).
Its a simply communications medium for sending simple data requests to the network for two way responses.
In practical terms, its your *123# (MTN phone setup USSD) or *121*MSISDN# (MTN Call Back) commands
*141# is also a USSD command that queries the PAYG network node for balance requests.
 
What Software is needed?

MTNer said:
*141# is also a USSD command that queries the PAYG network node for balance requests.
Click to expand...
Is there 3rd party software that you can use? I also have a modem that does not have any software ... all I can do is send an sms with the T-modem software.
 
You are going to love me for this

Due credit to Sierrawireless's excellent help.

To get you usage stats on your prepaid sim without removing the sim from the PC card:

1. Connect to the network

2. Check on Control Panel/Phone and modems what com port the Sierrawireless 3g modem is using (I used the 3g modem and not the HSDPA modem and it worked).

3. Open windows hyper terminal. Start/Programs/Accessproes/Communications/Hyper terminal

4. Name your new connection. Use the drop down box to get the com port identified in 2. Make sure the bits per second are set at 115200 and leave everything else on default.

5. Go File/Properties. Press the ASCI button and select "echo local". This is to be able to see the commands you are typing.

6. Type command ati5
You should get a response with AC 850 information.

7. Issue the following command AT+CUSD=1,"*141#",15 and voila you should get your usage stats.
 
Thanks Academic.

I can confirm that that works great with the Novatel card too.

This beats the pants off sim swapping.
 
MTNer said:
What data card do you use with the MTN SIM card? Not all data cards support USSD services.
Sierra Wireless data cards would support USSD command requests.
Watch this space for new PAYG services on MTN
Click to expand...

This space has been watched for a very long time now. Any new PAYG services??
 
debug said:
Anybody tested this with E620 data card yet ?
Click to expand...

I tried it, got an OK response from the E620 card, and then no response from the network.
I can't be sure if the card sent the request and just doesn't show the response, or if it is just lying and doesn't actually support USSD commands.

Either way, I hope its sorted out by a firmware upgrade soon.
 
Dial 555 and not *141#

Academic said:
Due credit to Sierrawireless's excellent help.

To get you usage stats on your prepaid sim without removing the sim from the PC card:

1. Connect to the network

2. Check on Control Panel/Phone and modems what com port the Sierrawireless 3g modem is using (I used the 3g modem and not the HSDPA modem and it worked).

3. Open windows hyper terminal. Start/Programs/Accessproes/Communications/Hyper terminal

4. Name your new connection. Use the drop down box to get the com port identified in 2. Make sure the bits per second are set at 115200 and leave everything else on default.

5. Go File/Properties. Press the ASCI button and select "echo local". This is to be able to see the commands you are typing.

6. Type command ati5
You should get a response with AC 850 information.

7. Issue the following command AT+CUSD=1,"*141#",15 and voila you should get your usage stats.
Click to expand...

I followed these instructions for the E620.

Now I can dial 555 but not *141#. You need to have the ear piece.

It has made my life a lot easier.

Sean
 
...
Ok so nobody answered the REAL question here. Where's the web service to check your usage? Surely MTN isn't planning to only have all these very unfriendly USSD methods to check usage for INTERNET/DATA services [isn't that somewhat ironic?.].

It's almost like a Grocery Store that doesn't sell bread...
 
The ideal would be to show all this information in the control panel.

I'm getting a bit tired of swapping my sim between my phone and datacard. [still waiting for the ear piece, so can't phone for the info either]
 
ginggs said:
I tried it, got an OK response from the E620 card, and then no response from the network.
I can't be sure if the card sent the request and just doesn't show the response, or if it is just lying and doesn't actually support USSD commands.

Either way, I hope its sorted out by a firmware upgrade soon.
Click to expand...

It wouldn't surprise me if the card is lying, the card also reports that it supports Class 1 Fax when sent the AT+FCLASS=? command, but so far I haven't been able to send a fax from Windows XP.
 
ginggs said:
It wouldn't surprise me if the card is lying, the card also reports that it supports Class 1 Fax when sent the AT+FCLASS=? command, but so far I haven't been able to send a fax from Windows XP.
Click to expand...

I have a E220 HSDPA Modem from MTN and after following the instructions above, using USSD commands , to check usage I get the same response as ginggs with the E620. The response is simply "OK" and no usage stats are displayed.

Does anyone know yet how to check the usage of the E220 without removing the sim and inserting it into cellphone and then dialing from the cellphone?:confused:
 
Omega Red said:
Does anyone know yet how to check the usage of the E220 without removing the sim and inserting it into cellphone and then dialing from the cellphone?:confused:
Click to expand...
It could just be that your E220 requires a firmware update in order for USSD to work properly. The updated firmware is normally available from MTN's software page, but it is currently on vacation, see here.
 
The lack of data usage usage checking functionality might be a deliberate attempt to ensure that subscribers are always kept in the dark about how much data they have used and how much is still remaining just so that you can use more than you have and could thus be hammered with exorbitant out of bundle costs.


I mean I never know how much data I have used up until month end when I receive a statement from MTN.
 
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