Tests prove that Vodacom disappearing airtime is real

[Jamie McKane]

Tests prove that Vodacom disappearing airtime is real

MyBroadband conducted a series of tests which revealed that the airtime balance steady declined on Vodacom even when mobile data was off.

The last round of tests found that when four identical smartphones - each with a SIM from a different mobile network - were connected to Wi-Fi with mobile data turned on, the Vodacom and Cell C SIMs were charged for out-of-bundle (OOB) data usage.

 

[ProfA]

Old news?

 

[Mr Scratch]

I'm curious as to whether MyBroadband could do the test here using iPhones instead of Android devices.

 

[WAslayer]

Please rerun this test with the Glasswire app instead.. I find it to be better than any other app at detecting data usage..

Also, a larger sample set of apps showing the same data, would go along ways in throwing the ball back in mobile operators court..

 

[keill]

I experienced the same data loss - left the network even though I was with them for over 20yrs.

 

[rpm]

Old news?

Did we miss something. Were these tests reported which we do not know about?

Note - This is a second set of tests with mobile data turned off - not the same as the previous tests.

 

[ProfA]

Did we miss something. Were these tests reported which we do not know about?

Note - This is a second set of tests with mobile data turned off - not the same as the previous tests.

Ahhhh. Apologies. I misread the part about mobile data turned on in the last round of tests. My apologies.

But in a certain way i stand by my comment because many of us have experienced the stolen (please call it what it is) airtime problem for a long time before this article. Same as with Rain. They havd been fcking over their clients long before you guys decided to report on it.

 

[supersunbird]

I experienced the same data loss - left the network even though I was with them for over 20yrs.

A few cents (thus sub MB) over a few days or lots of data?

 

[ijacobs3]

I'm curious as to whether MyBroadband could do the test here using iPhones instead of Android devices.

This would be interesting to see

 

[access]

interesting. does it happen on any brand phone?

cellphone data is provided along with certain communication data, like for example when cellphone numbers showed when browsing.

is vodacom detecting this and inadvertently charging because it is related to a specific sim/device.

 

[KikzAzz]

A few cents (thus sub MB) over a few days or lots of data?

A few cents a day is big money on millions of contracts.

 

[jannievanzyl]

Think it's important to put this into context. And also point out that this was discussed with MyBB.

MyBB turned the mobile data setting off on the phone but the phone kept on using mobile data. From the network side we could see the data flowing across the link even during the time MyBB indicated the phone had the data switched off.

The traffic is thus real and would incur charges as per previous comms (this SIM does not have a data bundle and is running OOB).

The real question here is why is an Android device using its mobile data connection when it's tuned off?

 

[eg2505]

A few cents a day is big money on millions of contracts.

this,
guaranteed income whether or not people actually call people and dont use wifi or other data providers.

 

[eg2505]

The real question here is why is an Android device using its mobile data connection when it's tuned off?

developer settings, keep data alive?
that setting can be turned off.

 

[jannievanzyl]

developer settings, keep data alive?
that setting can be turned off.

Could well be that an app on the MyBB handset is bypassing the OS setting. In fact, pretty sure it has to be. I looked at the detailed traces myself and the URLs it's going to are pretty weird.

 

[WAslayer]

Think it's important to put this into context. And also point out that this was discussed with MyBB.

MyBB turned the mobile data setting off on the phone but the phone kept on using mobile data. From the network side we could see the data flowing across the link even during the time MyBB indicated the phone had the data switched off.

The traffic is thus real and would incur charges as per previous comms (this SIM does not have a data bundle and is running OOB).

The real question here is why is an Android device using its mobile data connection when it's tuned off?

Why did MyBB not include this in their article..? Seems like pretty pertinent information that readers should be aware of...

 

[ThinkCentre]

The real question here is why is an Android device using its mobile data connection when it's tuned off?

Sorry, but I disagree! Why does it not happen on the other devices?

 

[elf_lord_ZC5]

You expecting a Leopard to change it's spots?

 

[eg2505]

Could well be that an app on the MyBB handset is bypassing the OS setting. In fact, pretty sure it has to be. I looked at the detailed traces myself and the URLs it's going to are pretty weird.

Samsung spyware? who would have thought!

 

[The_Ogre]

Sorry, but I disagree! Why does it not happen on the other devices?

I was going to ask him the exact same question.