Develop Bugs

O2 and free GPRS :-)

i was on the phone to 02 today and was surprised by what the customer services agent told me. 02 are not charging for gprs.
i originally rang up to change my tariff as was worried about the amount of data i was downloading and getting a huge data bill. he said that i was not going to be charged for any data even though my allowance is only 100kb and i would be informed when i would be charged. seems very odd but im not complaining
i believe that someone works for 02 who uses this site just wondering he/she could confirm this
BTW im on the 02 200 tariff
sorry that this is not a BA thread but was just eager to ask

Yeh, I haven't been billed for my ridiculous GPRS usage. Good job too
Thing is, if we use it like its free, then one month they decide its not free we're buggered.
Also, I'm told if they hae been logging all your GPRS usage they're entitled to bill you for it in one massive bill whenever they choose.

something similar happened to my friend she didn't get charged for any voice calls for 3 months then 5 months later she got a massive bill. something to do with o2 computer system. so i wouldn't put it passed them.
i don't mined paying for gprs but £2.35 per meg is a ridiculous price and they give you a free entitlement of 100Kb whats all that about?????
just hoping we here from the guy who works for o2 to see if he can give us anymore details.

Try using a PayAsYouGo sim.
One day a while back all internet access got blocked. I cant use MSN anymore, or sync any of my email like I used to.
No word from O2 Why, and every single person in O2 has a different story as to why.
I wouldnt mind paying if I could actualy use it!
Im going to have to change from O2 to another company because they dont seem to offer working GPRS on PayG at all, no matter what the cost.
Orange do a good 3g bundle price, and when the new Universal comes out ill enjoy that! (contract though)

Be Carefull!!!
Be Carefull, guys!
I heard something similar and went a little crazy on GPRS, by listening to streaming internet radio one day. I phoned up to check it all, and was informed I wasn't gonna be charged.
I now have a bill for £165 (all GPRS 'Data Services')
...My phone is currently blocked, due to my inability to pay the bill.
Arf arf!!
B

robboy said:
i believe that someone works for 02 who uses this site just wondering he/she could confirm this
BTW im on the 02 200 tariff
sorry that this is not a BA thread but was just eager to ask
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
your correct, we do sometimes do free gprs, tho seems its most of the time these days, if u want, ill find out when it ends, but i can confirm that its free, for now.
most of the posts on here ive made are from my xda 2s and i use the gprs way too much.

i you could find out when it ends it would be great.
but its going to be a shock when it does stop. maybe 02 could sort out a better data plan. because 2.35 per mb is far to high.
i think it is important not to take the piss with downloading because if everyone starts o2 will soon change there mined

there are data tarrifs that turn £2.50 per mb to £1 per mb,
just like the text message bolt ons.........
not sure if you get it on certain tarrifs tho, ill find out prices and stuff on monday when i go back to work........... 8)

thanks joey would appreciate that, also is this through the "wap.o2.co.uk" APN?

i haven't been charged using mobile.o2.co.uk

i haven't been charged using mobile.o2.co.uk

free gprs is the only thing keeping me with O2, when it finally connects properly. :?

so why have I been charged over £150?
b

well thats a strange one i assume your on o2 in the uk. what tariff are you on?

Yeah, I'm in the UK, and on O2 250.
Grr.

The o2 GPRS tariffs are not easy to find online, but if you look in the business section, there are a few options
I pay £14.50 + VAT = £17.04 per month for 36Mb free allowance and thereafter its £0.85/Mb + VAT = £1. Unused allowance rolls over for 3 months
I only use GPRS for tomtom traffic, live train timetables, light web surfing and the odd email - I do not sync with my mailbox, but use a web based email.
My useage is well below 36Mb/month

Bennage said:
so why have I been charged over £150?
b
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
i would have them look into that, i got one a few years ago, only had a nokia 3650, and it would be imposible to download the amount of data in the time i downloaded it, apparently i had a program that connected to gprs and constantly downloading stuff...... i wasnt happy when gprs cost me 200 quid, so i didnt pay, i called them, queried it, and even they told me it wasnt right!!
give them a call mate.... 8)

Gprs mixed messages from o2
I have called frequently about it and get this answer often: "GPRS is free for light web surfing and emails", then I ask how that is, and they say that there is a 100kb limit, which, in fact means it is not free, it appears that there is some confusion over there. I have to say I am sure that I have used more then 100KB and never been billed, we'll see how long this lasts?

100 kb is nothing thats about 5 email transfers or 5 mins on the web. i think it might be that it is free to a certain limit say 50mb however im sure o2 don’t want a situation like one2one had when they said free text messages for everyone it brought the system down and nobody could send a message

robboy said:
im sure o2 don’t want a situation like one2one had when they said free text messages for everyone it brought the system down and nobody could send a message
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
why do you think o2 have not announced it officially ? they wont tell you its free, u use it as u normally would and dont get charged.

Just see how GOOD Cingular is: Siemens SX66

This is related to our forum because, I have BA called Siemens SX66 provided by Cingular.
I want to you use my own ISP and dialup from my device.
Here what they say:
First you need to subscribe to Switch your number to Circuit...Blabla Switched dialing and you have to pay 3.99 per months. AND::::::::::
USE your minutes and it will be counted against your minutes plan. I have only 250 anytime min plan.
SO, I said, well, I will use at night and weekend. DA.
The rep replied to me with confidence, Sir, even if you use it at night and weekend, we will charge against your anytime minutes.. BUT< I said, I am using it at night... No one cares.
So, really what is the points of this with Cingular. I am out when my contract is over. believe me!
Sorry, I was annoyed and may be some of you have the same frustration.

i work for cingular and can vouch that it is true, you dont want CSD, unless you want like 9.5kps GPRS is much faster and it is true even when you use it at night they will deduct from your anytime minutes, just go into a cingualr store and get the media works plan

I have 19 more months left on my cingular contract and I think I will be staying - they have not done anything to anger me - never had to contact customer service (a BIG plus for me), plus coverage is good everywhere I go.
In regards to your SX66 - why would you want CSD ? even if you are not getting charged for minutes, why would you want to go online at 9.6kbps? EVEN IF cingular had HSCSD, it would still be much slower than EDGE (or GPRS for that matter)

exactly,i'drather have EDGE or GPRS then csd, and besides, if anything goes wrong, you get NO HELP from cingular, because we may offer it but DO NOT support it,

Hi: How can I upgrade my simens SX66 to have the EDGE tecknologie?

You can't; EDGE requires hardware.

Quick GPS - high cost of downloading data??

Guys,
Just got a massive bill in from o2 - £191 on data.
Appears to coincide with me turning on the download automatically of Quick GPS data. Have I been stung here? What's the cost of this Quick GPS data?
Also its at 00:00 every night....I presume this is when o2 collects their data info.???
Thanks,
HPJ

You've probably been charged for GPRS connections. The file is 50kb large, so simply calculate and you'll have the answer. The best way to avoid that is to delete GPRS settings and download the QuickGPS data via WiFi or just disable the option for autodownloading data when it expires.

No the best thing to do is vote with your wallet and move to a mobile phone network with sensible data prices.
£191 is outrageous. Does it say how much data you used? I'm presuming you have no data bolt on at all and are paying top whack. Is the Orbit also auto checking emails, weather? anything else, because if thats a 50kb download every 3 days for one month with a few extra bytes for connecting, handshaking etc then you can only really be talking about half a Mb a month.
£191 for half a meg!!!!! Something is not right. Could anyone else have used the phone and downloaded anything else?

Well you're right, but I'm not saying, that the bill is only for the QuickGPS data. 50kb x 30 days is around 1,5 mb, which makes > £3 in O2. The bill is probably for using the CoPilot software and downloading maps for it while driving. Am I right ? Are you using this software ? I think the software is actually working like that, downloading the map region, in which you are at the moment. Check your e-mail settings as well, maybe it checks your mail every few minutes (!) and makes the GPRS connection every time. I'm attaching great software to handle your GPRS connections and stop them if you don't want them . Give it a try. Good idea is to install a billing software, which can track your calls, sms and data. Personally I've deleted all the GPRS settings from my mobile and I'm using only WiFi right now.

I noticed on my last O2 bill that I had a high number of connections at exactly midnight and that was before I even had an Orbit.
As did a friend of mine who does have an Orbit.
Something is not right here, can anyone else on O2UK check their bills please?

HPJ said:
Guys,
Just got a massive bill in from o2 - £191 on data.
Appears to coincide with me turning on the download automatically of Quick GPS data. Have I been stung here? What's the cost of this Quick GPS data?
Also its at 00:00 every night....I presume this is when o2 collects their data info.???
Thanks,
HPJ
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No the data should show on your bill at the exact date and time. As you can see from my bill I have strange data useage and this is from APRIL before I had my Orbit (only had it 2 weeks)

leez said:
Well you're right, but I'm not saying, that the bill is only for the QuickGPS data. 50kb x 30 days is around 1,5 mb, which makes > £3 in O2.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Actually QuickGPS only updates once every 3 days, not daily.
leez said:
The bill is probably for using the CoPilot software and downloading maps for it while driving. Am I right ? Are you using this software ? I think the software is actually working like that, downloading the map region, in which you are at the moment.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No CoPilot has all the maps it needs stored on your Memory Card. I don't think Copilot has any Traffic report update capabilities, and even if it did, you'd likely have to subscribe to them, so your CoPilot uses NO GPRS data at all.
Your bill is plain Wrong, you need to challenge it!!

Data is amazingly expensive. T-Mobile charge 73p per KB. Thats right, PER KB!!! But only to a max of £1 a day. You could do what I did and go for web'n' walk. which is just £7.50 a month and its unlimited data usage. Good for push email, quickgps and tomtom traffic.
O2 give you a whole 100kb in their monthly plans, which is nothing, they then charge £10 for 20mb. T-mobile still on top here.
Vodafone also do a £7.50 package but its only for 150mb (T-Mobile do have a cap but its 1gb!). If you dont have a data plan its... £2 per MB.
Data will cost you if you dont have some pre-arranged data plan. The unlimited use was the sole reason I went for T-mobile.

I got my data package about six years ago, £25 gets me unlimited free off-peak calls to landlines and O2 mobiles and I get 60 cross network minutes. And unlimited data. And as I get through about 400MB a month I won't change my tarriff even though they say I have to! I just tell them I will go elsewhere.

Unless you have a very good O2 tariff (which would only happen by mistake) vote with your feet - I did, after ten plus years of great service their (O2) GPRS charges are nothing short of a joke - a bloody expensive one I might add.
I decided the T-Mobile web-n-walk at £7,50 PCM for 1GB is fine, I have it on both phones so its possible to do whatever I want internet based and never spend anymore than the basic tariff.
Take up you bill with O2 as something is clearly wrong, if they have supplied the device and it is downloading data of its own accord the problem is theirs not yours so get them to scrub the bill.
Consider putting the SPB GPRS Monitor software on the phone so you can track what the device is doing and exactly when, time/ date, etc - Mike

You dont need these updates, i stopped them from downloading and it takes a few more seconds to get a valid GPS Signal, but costs alot less.

Guys only just been able to read the replies....I think something is seriously wrong.
Here are the stats:
- used Co-pilot less than 5 times since getting Orbit.
- have push email on. Get probably 20 emails / day. Its turned off between 22:00 and 07:00 anyway
- have SPB Shell - weather updates?
- rarely use IE
That's it. Something ain't right.....copy of the bill attached.

HPJ said:
Guys only just been able to read the replies....I think something is seriously wrong.
Here are the stats:
- have push email on. Get probably 20 emails / day. Its turned off between 22:00 and 07:00 anyway
That's it. Something ain't right.....copy of the bill attached.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Push email uses a hell of a lot of data. At our place we reckoned bout 20MB a day... just on polling etc. (push is a misnomer).
I think that's likely to be your culrpit...

It never used to cost alot....I've used puch email (in the same manner with the same amount of emails) for over 12 months now....
Just called o2....someone is looking into it.
I'll take this opportunity to suggest checking your bills just in case...I don't normally check mine, however could hardly miss the size of the last one.....

push, theres your culprit right there. Push works by your phone constantly telling the server its IP address and that its still on. This polling costs data. Depending on your provider depends on how much your charged.
Some providers do the right thing and charge you based on how much data you use in that month. Some others try and be sneaky and charge you a fix cost per session i.e your phone does the tiny poll and they charge you the min cost of lets say 20p. A few seconds later you do the same and your charged again.
Happend with me in my last workplace while on Vodafone.
Get a dataplan, if you plan on doing ANY form of net access be it push, QuickGPS, traffic info for sat nav then you need a data plan or yourll be very poor indeed.

I don't think it is push email, I don't use it after ten at night. Why is the hook-up at EXACTLY midnight? My mate has the same, MIDNIGHT connects and he does not use push email.
I think there is a major problem with O2s billing.

Guys,
Do not know if this helps I've recently managed to get O2 to agree on ;
O2 200
Unlimited Data
200 extra free texts (o2 treat)
and £120 credit on my account for £55 per month .
As I could not move to another provider (Have more than one handset).
It took a while and a lot of explaining, cross comparing tariff's etc but it can be done.

thanks for the heads up guys... i didnt realise it was soooo expensive!!!
Code:
01/05/07 12:09:22 mobile.o2.co.uk 12009 21.421 P
03/05/07 05:35:33 mobile.o2.co.uk 339 0.661
05/05/07 06:11:13 mobile.o2.co.uk 3374 6.579
09/05/07 04:56:56 mobile.o2.co.uk 509 0.993
10/05/07 01:28:54 mobile.o2.co.uk 2601 5.072
11/05/07 04:28:00 mobile.o2.co.uk 157 0.306
13/05/07 05:42:44 mobile.o2.co.uk 1539 3.001
16/05/07 06:16:22 mobile.o2.co.uk 4076 7.948
17/05/07 15:17:08 mobile.o2.co.uk 591 1.152
18/05/07 00:00:00 mobile.o2.co.uk 2351 4.584
20/05/07 22:32:10 mobile.o2.co.uk 193 0.376
22/05/07 14:10:42 mobile.o2.co.uk 44 0.086
26/05/07 02:09:58 mobile.o2.co.uk 40 0.078
28/05/07 03:31:39 mobile.o2.co.uk 204 0.398
30/05/07 18:17:19 mobile.o2.co.uk 42 0.082
31/05/07 12:22:08 mobile.o2.co.uk 39 0.076
Total Volume 28,108
Total Cost £52.81
no more gprs phone porn for me!

yeah but thats the point....I am absolutely certain it never used to be this expensive. I am sure o2 have cocked something up.
Anyway they are still looking into it.....will let you know when I get a response.

Guys
Maybe this little app will help some of your issues:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=310087
At least with this you can completely dictate when you allow a GPRS connection and then maybe even match this against your bills ?
Just a thought really.
I use this to ensure that only WiFi is being used as I dont have an O2 data package due to it being a rip off !

Taking my TP2 across Europe and Internet charging ???

Hi Folks,
I am intending to use my planned TP2 abroad(from UK), most likely Europe. I will most likely be signing up to VF. However I have just discovered than international data charges are horrendous. Something like <£5/ < 0.5MB/ £5- 5MB etc. It is quite convoluted. I thought innocently that this would be a part of my roaming deal - no way....
Thoughts, Experiences, advice???
Sam

Earlier in the year I went to Portugal on holiday, and kept my iPhone in flight mode for almost the whole week. I found that I did not really need internet access all that much, and when I did need to use it once, I went to an Internet Cafe and paid a couple of Euro's for around half an hour.

VF have free roaming at the moment, till the end of August, which is great for calls and texts but unfortunately it doesn't include data.
They have a few data plans though, if your looking for heavy usage aboard they are probably quite good value, just give CS a call they'll explain. (Make sure you call VF Business CS, they are very helpful!)

data roaming (as opposed to voice roaming) is handy only if you need to access the Internet on the move constantly
why not consider locating café with free wi-fi hotspots as an alternative? or are they hard to come by in europe?

Yes you are right. One could of course use Wifi with the TP2 !!!
I will also ring Business CS to enquire...
Thanks,
Sam

Android 3gig allowance Tmobile

Can anyone help me find this on Tmobile's UK website (that the fair use allowance for android phones is 3 gig?)
I was one of those who bought from Mobile Phones Direct, found I had a 1 gig fair use allowance, phoned up Tmobile tech support and got it changed to 3 gig.
Anyway, just had my first bill and it was for £44! They told me I had no internet allowance.They admitted it was an error, then put me back on a 1gig allowance...
That led to my protests and so they then put me on Web and Walk plus for free, but I am concerned that in some way W&W will still prejudice my d/l speed.
While on the phone I tried to find the statement on their site about andriod phones to quote back to the sales staff but could not.
Anyone?

Regular WnW: http://www.t-mobile.co.uk/services/uk/fairuse/#fup1
WnW Plus: http://www.t-mobile.co.uk/services/uk/fairuse/#fup11

OK
Link #1 says (my bold):
"Pay monthly plans which include internet on your phone on an Android phone
You'll need internet coverage, check it at t-mobile.co.uk/streetcheck. Remember that you can only use your internet on your phone Booster in the UK and you can't use your phone as a modem or use web'n'walk Plus for peer to peer file sharing, or making internet phone calls. *Internet on your phone comes with a fair use policy of 3GB a month."
which is what I thought I had
Link#2 says
Mobile Broadband Plus
"You'll need a compatible laptop, an enabled device like a USB modem and mobile broadband coverage. You can check your coverage at t-mobile.co.uk/mobilebroadband, remember that you can't use your plan to make internet phone calls. This plan comes with a fair use policy of 3GB a month. We'll monitor how much you send and receive each calendar month so that we can protect our network for all our Mobile Broadband customers. If you use more than your fair use policy amount, we won't charge you any more, but we may restrict how you can use your plan, depending on how often you go over your amount and by how much."
which is what I've now got.
Good? Bad? No different? Especially the issue of speed.
Should I get back to them?
Edit
Speedtest says dl speed is 0.35mbps, upload .051mbps. Can't remember what it was before.

My Speedtest results vary depending on where I am. At home I get at most 500kbps, but at the office I get 1800kbps. Seeing as I need internet when I'm NOT at home, that's fine with me as I have WiFi at home anyway.
So, you should check in different locations.

al89nut said:
OK
Link #1 says (my bold):
"Pay monthly plans which include internet on your phone on an Android phone
You'll need internet coverage, check it at t-mobile.co.uk/streetcheck. Remember that you can only use your internet on your phone Booster in the UK and you can't use your phone as a modem or use web'n'walk Plus for peer to peer file sharing, or making internet phone calls. *Internet on your phone comes with a fair use policy of 3GB a month."
which is what I thought I had
Link#2 says
Mobile Broadband Plus
"You'll need a compatible laptop, an enabled device like a USB modem and mobile broadband coverage. You can check your coverage at t-mobile.co.uk/mobilebroadband, remember that you can't use your plan to make internet phone calls. This plan comes with a fair use policy of 3GB a month. We'll monitor how much you send and receive each calendar month so that we can protect our network for all our Mobile Broadband customers. If you use more than your fair use policy amount, we won't charge you any more, but we may restrict how you can use your plan, depending on how often you go over your amount and by how much."
which is what I've now got.
Good? Bad? No different? Especially the issue of speed.
Should I get back to them?
Edit
Speedtest says dl speed is 0.35mbps, upload .051mbps. Can't remember what it was before.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I would read them the riot act!!
You are paying for a service for which you are not getting, you were not advised it would only be 1gig.
Push for the 3gig.
My last phone on T-mobile was G1, even that had 3gig webnwalk.
Just tell them their breaking their terms of agreement, and you should either be allowed what you should be paying for of they terminate the contract at their own cost.For breach of T&C's.

Many hours on the phone later, calling agent after agent to get sense from them...
I have web and walk plus - which is the same as the 3gig allowance???????? - on my Desire.
Or at least the lady (in India) tells me.
I will believe it when I see it on MyTmobile.
And when the £44 is wiped.
And when the dl speed is not ****e.
Sigh.

al89nut said:
Many hours on the phone later, calling agent after agent to get sense from them...
I have web and walk plus - which is the same as the 3gig allowance???????? - on my Desire.
Or at least the lady (in India) tells me.
I will believe it when I see it on MyTmobile.
And when the £44 is wiped.
And when the dl speed is not ****e.
Sigh.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Web n Walk plus is the correct addition for android devices. Web n Walk standard only gives you 1GB allowance and your download speed is restricted. Web n Walk plus gives you 3GB allowance and un-restricts your download speed.
Use the free speedtest.net app from android market to test your speed. If it has been activated, turn off your phone for 5 mins turn it on. It can take up to 24 hours for your download speed to sync up and get faster.
What they do is add Web n Walk plus to your account and then apply a monthly loyalty discount equal to the same amount.
Your download speed will vary depending on the usage on the cell site your connected to and your signal strength.
The download speed on a good day can easily exceed 2000kbps or 2 Mbps.
http://www.t-mobile.co.uk/services/uk/fairuse/
is the link and you can navigate to it by going to the T-Mobile UK home page, then click on the ‘Services’ tab along the top, then click on the ‘Internet & mobile broadband’ link on the left hand side, then click on the ‘Web’n’walk the legal stuff >’ link at the bottom of the page.
Hope this helps...

Thank you - speed test now shows 1400 kps. This is what it showed before they messed me around, but I was paying for it! Here's hoping.

I rather suspect that your problem is more to do with MobilePhonesDirect giving T-Mobile duff information than T-Mobile itself.
A friend of mine had real problems getting MPD to correctly provision data on their account.
Regards,
Dave

foxmeister said:
I rather suspect that your problem is more to do with MobilePhonesDirect giving T-Mobile duff information than T-Mobile itself.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Every chance, I've read of Desires sold by MPD registered with T-Mob as Nokia's

Mine was registered as a Nokia when I first got the allowance raised from 1gb to 3gb in April. My problem was that a month later they promptly sent me a bill for the internet use, then when I protested, they waived the bill, but changed me to 1gb unlimited. The online staff have no idea of the 3gb allowance for android phones out there in a call centre somewhere East. I was directing the lady to the particular TMob UK webpage for ages.

Yeah the call centre is in the east, but hey none of the other networks are any better. Just stay calm and guide them slowly through it, they get there in the end!
At 1400 kbps your on HSDPA unrestricted, so as long as you don’t get charged your fine...

I have had a 30 day rolling sim only contract with t-mobile. I thought that was sorted with unlimited web & walk but they didnt tell me there was a speed restriction on it. The full speed w&w plus is only availalable on 12 month contracts they tell me so I cant even change it. Fed up trying to talk to them so off to O2 now I think.

O2 is full of iphone users, so their network seems to be really full, dropped calls and restricted 3G, so im not sure if you will be any better with them.
Good luck though!

dwj said:
I have had a 30 day rolling sim only contract with t-mobile. I thought that was sorted with unlimited web & walk but they didnt tell me there was a speed restriction on it. The full speed w&w plus is only availalable on 12 month contracts they tell me so I cant even change it. Fed up trying to talk to them so off to O2 now I think.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Persevere ,talk to technical assistance,no one else !
Took me about a week to convince them,but got there in the end.

I tried to get my internet allowance changed from 1GB to 3GB today as i've just received my phone today from MPD.
However i was told they can't change anything until the first bill is through and paid for?
Anyone else encountered that?

If you ask to get transferred to sales or technical support then they are UK based, make sense of what you're saying and will help you if you explain that you're getting nowhere with the call centre people.

I went straight through to tech support and told them I should have 3gb as per the website. They changed it there and then and let me use my internet booster for somthing else. Lets hope it sticks. I got a confirmation txt for my new booster but not web and walk +

I had the same problem from mobiles.co.uk
I got it changed and used my addon as internet as well, so should get 4gb really!

herghost said:
I had the same problem from mobiles.co.uk
I got it changed and used my addon as internet as well, so should get 4gb really!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Was this straight away or did you have to wait a couple days until your bill came through?