Tests prove that Vodacom disappearing airtime is real

[jannievanzyl]

Hmm... interesting.
I might run a wireshark on my Nokia
At what point are these requests going out? Random? Or specifically after a boot?

Very random, but would really be interested to see what you see.

One thing that MyBB picked up was that a data usage app did not pick up this traffic on the handset. So it seems it might sit "deeper" under the APIs. not sure where WireShark stick its nose in?

 

[jannievanzyl]

So then the problem is not related to the network, because data will disappear if it was from their side. Obviously something must be using the data - telling me it's not specifically a Vodacom issue. It's a device/setup/OS issue. Or do I have it wrong here?

Definitely device side. Not sure what on the device, trying to figure that out.

 

[Rickster]

How do you know it's not?

But to answer your question, it is. We replicated the behavior on different devices.

And different networks, could you replicate it on lets say MTN too?

 

[gottagoon]

Going to test my Nokia1 with my Vodacom card in and see if it consumes data with mobile data switched off while I'm connected to our Telkom modem.

 

[DTBA]

Just a question can mybb not buy one of them cheap pepstores phones that cannot make a data connection? And leave the sims in them. For a month

 

[NqobileM]

Really this is frustrating and the Vodacom network has been slow and glitchy lately. Could be something they did on purpose so that they get more profits. It's not fair on us as users.

 

[gottagoon]

Here you go after 1HR...

 

[KikzAzz]

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.

But then why is it not happening on the MTN and Telkom nework? If it was a handset that bypasses the OS settings, it should be happening on all the neworks.

 

[gottagoon]

5Mb missing in only a hour

 

[3Gee]

How do you know it's not?

But to answer your question, it is. We replicated the behavior on different devices.

Why not list the devices here

 

[ProfA]

So despite turning off the mobile data in the settings, the DEVICES still use data by ignoring this setting and connecting to the mobile data. Totally plausible. But now the next question....do the devices in question do this on ALL the networks? If not, why not? Do the devices have a personal vendetta against Vodacom, or just prefer to use vodacom data?

 

[The Door]

Very random, but would really be interested to see what you see.

One thing that MyBB picked up was that a data usage app did not pick up this traffic on the handset. So it seems it might sit "deeper" under the APIs. not sure where WireShark stick its nose in?

Yeah, looking at tools avaliable at the moment, it's likely going to be tcpdump or PCAP. *EDIT* I see the Nokia 8's bootloader is locked so I'm not likely to get root...
Going to explore tPacketCapture as an option - set up a VPN and capture that way.

 

[WAslayer]

Yeah, looking at tools avaliable at the moment, it's likely going to be tcpdump or PCAP. *EDIT* I see the Nokia 8's bootloader is locked so I'm not likely to get root...
Going to explore tPacketCapture as an option - set up a VPN and capture that way.

It's super outdated but, did manage to capture some packets..

I did not have it running long though.. whole lotta keep alive requests, DNS queries for WhatsApp hostnames, lotta them..

Did not see any weird URLs but that could just be down to my 5 minute capture time..

 

[The Door]

It's super outdated but, did manage to capture some packets..

I did not have it running long though.. whole lotta keep alive requests, DNS queries for WhatsApp hostnames, lotta them..

Did not see any weird URLs but that could just be down to my 5 minute capture time..

Did you capture mobile data only?
I'm figuring out how to achieve that...

 

[ArmatageShanks]

5Mb missing in only a hour

Could you, knacker the APN config, change to all mental type of things so that wouldn't work, then repeat?

 

[WAslayer]

Did you capture mobile data only?
I'm figuring out how to achieve that...

I turned both WiFi and mobile data off.. I turned off mobile data, since the article mentioned mobile data was off while they were still seeing airtime declining..

 

[gottagoon]

Could you, knacker the APN config, change to all mental type of things so that wouldn't work, then repeat?

Huh?

 

[ArmatageShanks]

Huh?

The theory being that the phone isn't actually turning of the Mobile data when you hit the option, so, turn it off another way, go into the APN settings, and change it to incorrect things

So, Vodacom APN settings are this:

• Carrier: Vodacom APN.
• Username:
• Password:
• Pop Type: IP.
• Auth Type: PAP.
• MCC: 655.
• MNC: 01.
• Dial Number: *99#

Change it to this:

• Carrier: zrdhfbxdhbsfn
• Username: tdhstfhshb
• Password: htdtfhtxfhbdfgn
• Pop Type: IP. (Change to whatever else is available)
• Auth Type: PAP. (Change to whatever else is available)
• MCC: 788.
• MNC: 10.
• Dial Number: *22#

If this then results in no data whatsoever, we then know the phone is the culprit, if it makes no differnece, we'll call Jannie.

 

[supersunbird]

5Mb missing in only a hour

Did you make or get VoLTE calls?

 

[gottagoon]

Did you make or get VoLTE calls?

Nope. Only used WI FI. Mobile data switched off. No phone calls.