Rik Mayall
Member
Why are you still paying your bills? I would be cancelling the direct debit straight away until it's sorted!
-
After 15+ years, we've made a big change: Android Forums is now Early Bird Club. Learn more here.
Help HTC One X: Data sucking, can't figure it out...
- Thread starter mrangryface
- Start date
-
- Tags
- htc one x
mrangryface
Newbie
I don't have any bills, this was all via prepaid.
mrangryface
Newbie
Update time, no good news...
Went back to the T-Mobile CG office. They had no real answers from corporate. Just telling me to do things like turn off MMS, turn off data roaming - all the stuff I'd already done and we've already talked about a million times. They also said they "can't" get reports on what's using data when it comes to prepaid customers. I obviously don't believe that, but whatever.
None of it makes sense anyway since the minutes are disappearing and being overcharged along with the data.
So, we told them we weren't going to bother with it anymore, and we went over to Telenor. I was pretty shocked, but Telenor does not offer SIM card packages to prepaid customers for both data and voice. You can get a data-only card, or you can get a voice card that includes some Telenor-only data programs (think back to about 10 years ago in the U.S.). If you want to activate normal data beyond that, it's 5c per 100kb. So, no go there. Even the employee said it was a rip-off and not to bother with it when I'm using such a good feature phone.
Despite what the manager at T-Mobile CG thinks, we still have a feeling that it was the SIM card, as an employee suggested. So, we got a new SIM and a new number, and we'll see if the same thing happens. If it does, I'm going to presume it's something terrible with T-Mobile since no one on Earth seems to know why it would happen with the phone. Hopefully it was just a problem with the original SIM.
The third provider here is M-TEL. They didn't have any micro SIMs and didn't have a cutter, so I wasn't going to bother signing up for a test run and then having to track down a cutter in a neighboring town. Who knows, though, they could be a fantastic service.
In the end, if it all goes to the sh*tter, then so be it. It's not the end of the world and we won't be here forever. The most important thing is being able to receive calls, which we can still do. And every cafe and restaurant here has free Wi-Fi, so I can always connect if I *really* need to connect. Of course, that doesn't help with being in the middle of nowhere and needing Google Maps.
Good times!
Went back to the T-Mobile CG office. They had no real answers from corporate. Just telling me to do things like turn off MMS, turn off data roaming - all the stuff I'd already done and we've already talked about a million times. They also said they "can't" get reports on what's using data when it comes to prepaid customers. I obviously don't believe that, but whatever.
None of it makes sense anyway since the minutes are disappearing and being overcharged along with the data.
So, we told them we weren't going to bother with it anymore, and we went over to Telenor. I was pretty shocked, but Telenor does not offer SIM card packages to prepaid customers for both data and voice. You can get a data-only card, or you can get a voice card that includes some Telenor-only data programs (think back to about 10 years ago in the U.S.). If you want to activate normal data beyond that, it's 5c per 100kb. So, no go there. Even the employee said it was a rip-off and not to bother with it when I'm using such a good feature phone.
Despite what the manager at T-Mobile CG thinks, we still have a feeling that it was the SIM card, as an employee suggested. So, we got a new SIM and a new number, and we'll see if the same thing happens. If it does, I'm going to presume it's something terrible with T-Mobile since no one on Earth seems to know why it would happen with the phone. Hopefully it was just a problem with the original SIM.
The third provider here is M-TEL. They didn't have any micro SIMs and didn't have a cutter, so I wasn't going to bother signing up for a test run and then having to track down a cutter in a neighboring town. Who knows, though, they could be a fantastic service.
In the end, if it all goes to the sh*tter, then so be it. It's not the end of the world and we won't be here forever. The most important thing is being able to receive calls, which we can still do. And every cafe and restaurant here has free Wi-Fi, so I can always connect if I *really* need to connect. Of course, that doesn't help with being in the middle of nowhere and needing Google Maps.
Good times!
Do these providers have forums? Are any other users experiencing the issues?
Also, are all your apps installed via Play? I know some apps can slyly send SMS without you knowing, I wonder if there's a nefarious app doing something similar with calls and data in the background with you (although it would probably show up in data usage)?
Also, are all your apps installed via Play? I know some apps can slyly send SMS without you knowing, I wonder if there's a nefarious app doing something similar with calls and data in the background with you (although it would probably show up in data usage)?
mrangryface
Newbie
Do these providers have forums? Are any other users experiencing the issues?
Also, are all your apps installed via Play? I know some apps can slyly send SMS without you knowing, I wonder if there's a nefarious app doing something similar with calls and data in the background with you (although it would probably show up in data usage)?
As far as I know, there aren't any forums in this country. My Montenegrin (Serbian, Mother Tongue, Whatever You Want To Call It Because It's All The Same, etc.) is very beginner level.
Thing is, no one at T-Mobile CG seems to ever have seen this problem before, either, which is disconcerting.
I did everything I could think of regarding apps. Auto-update is always off, sync for pretty much everything is off, and I don't use any crazy data apps like Facebook (disabled as well).
All of my apps were installed via Google Play, and I don't even use very many of them. I have background data turned off, too.
I was originally thinking what you said: That maybe, just maybe, there was an app using crazy data that was not being reported in my usage. Since they won't tell me what usage has been, and I haven't found any complaints for the apps I do use, I'm sort of stuck on that issue.
Yay!
mrangryface
Newbie
Thanks for the insight. I can't monitor them on the device itself since it says I'm not using any crazy data. I'd have to uninstall them all, install one, check my credit, next, next, and on down the line. A good idea, but I'm not sure I even want to bother with that haha.
I did get rid of all the apps that had ads in them, and turned off background data, but all my data was sucked away the second time I tried.
When I say I don't use many apps, I mean it. Now, I think I only have Google Translate, Maps (GPS off), dict.cc, Croatian-English Dictionary, and WhatsApp. And of course, the phone says none of them are using much data.
Argh.
rebecca811
Lurker
Hi MrAngryFace
I'm having the exact same problem with T-Mobile in Montenegro as you. I've used ten Euro of credit over two days, and in that time only made one call and looked at Google Maps, Gmail and Facebook a few times.
Did you ever end up finding out what caused it? It's a complete mystery to me, and not being able to get any help in English doesn't help.
Cheers
Rebecca
I'm having the exact same problem with T-Mobile in Montenegro as you. I've used ten Euro of credit over two days, and in that time only made one call and looked at Google Maps, Gmail and Facebook a few times.
Did you ever end up finding out what caused it? It's a complete mystery to me, and not being able to get any help in English doesn't help.
Cheers
Rebecca
jimbobcook
Well-Known Member
Hi Rebecca I think you may find Google maps is your issue, I just opened it and moved 4 miles and it used 4mb of data...
Facebook isn't that pretty either with 1mb in about 2 minutes of browsing... With a few pictures opened...
Cheers
Facebook isn't that pretty either with 1mb in about 2 minutes of browsing... With a few pictures opened...
Cheers
mrangryface
Newbie
We had a feeling it might be the SIM. When I ran out of credit on the old one, I put the new one in. I left the data turned off out of habit, and realized that I don't really need it that bad. So, I haven't been using the data and the card has been okay. There's wifi everywhere here and it hasn't been a huge deal. I would like to be able to use data; but honestly, I got sick of all the problems and trips to the T-Mobile store.
Regarding what jimbobcook said...You should check your usage stats and see what they say. If they say you're using all of this data, you should normally see what app is using that data. If it's not showing, then maybe you do indeed have the same problem as me.
My problem is that the phone and my monitoring app both say that I'm not using much data at all, yet T-Mobile is telling me something different. That's the problem in a nutshell, and I've never been able to figure out why.
While it's nice to not worry or think about it at this point, I have this idea in the back of my mind that as soon as we get to a new country, I'll run into the problem again. I do not want to deal with this B.S. somewhere else. And if that is the case, it's either the phone or a mystery app problem that I never figured out.
And if it does happen somewhere else or with another carrier, I'll be crazy mad and probably ditch the phone. I hate to say that, but honestly...how can I have any confidence in this (expensive) unit when I can't figure out where the problem is coming from, no one else seems to have this problem, and I haven't been able to solve the damn problem?
Again, I'm hoping it's the service provider and not the phone. And if it's an app, it sure would be nice to figure out what it is, because to this day, I have not and have not found anything here or anywhere else that would lead me to believe this.
Having a problem and not knowing what it is or being able to figure it out has got to be the worst haha.
I'm still frustrated and annoyed, but I've at least given up bothering with data here as it's not *that* necessary.
Please let me/us know what you find out or what your usage stats say. Don't bother with Telenor here for prepaid, but you might want to try M:Tel and see if the same thing happens. I didn't try it because the Herceg Novi branch said I needed to go to Igalo to get a micro-SIM, and I didn't feel like bothering with it that day.
Good times!
jimbobcook
Well-Known Member
mrangryface
Newbie
That's crazy. I personally don't keep Google Maps on all the time and I know that's not the problem for me, anyway, as noted in all of my above messages. Maybe it's her problem, though.
I don't know exactly what you meant by roaming, but I am not and have not been during any of this. I guess that wouldn't change the data usage anyway, only how much it costs. But again, that's not my issue.
I'm hoping it's only an issue related to T-Mobile CG, but who knows. Still driven mad by it, but I've more or less given up.
I don't know exactly what you meant by roaming, but I am not and have not been during any of this. I guess that wouldn't change the data usage anyway, only how much it costs. But again, that's not my issue.
I'm hoping it's only an issue related to T-Mobile CG, but who knows. Still driven mad by it, but I've more or less given up.
jimbobcook
Well-Known Member
Sorry I just meant 30 seconds of looking around Google maps...
I only opened up Google maps to check what data is used for Rebecca just to see where her data is going...
If you back up your phone and go factory reset run with that for a day or two and see if that makes any difference...?
Bit drastic but you never know
Cheers
I only opened up Google maps to check what data is used for Rebecca just to see where her data is going...
If you back up your phone and go factory reset run with that for a day or two and see if that makes any difference...?
Bit drastic but you never know
Cheers
mrangryface
Newbie
I think I'd only consider a factory reset if it was a last resort. I've only had this phone since the summer (late July) and haven't really done anything complicated on it. On the one hand, it makes it less of a pain to to a reset. On the other, less usage/B.S. on the phone during that time should mean less chances for problems. But, you never know, I suppose.
jimbobcook
Well-Known Member
You could find someone else on your provider and swap phones with your sim in it and see if the data stays the same... Or get a 3g ipad or something maybe?
Just a thought
Cheers
Just a thought
Cheers
rebecca811
Lurker
I just realised this is an Android forum so maybe it's worth mentioning I'm having this problem with my iPhone. But I honestly think it's the carrier's issue. I've been travelling through Iran, Turkey and the Balkans, changing sims as I change country, and have barely needed to top up in any of those countries. I've been using Google Maps and Facebook all along the way as well. I probably would not have been on GM or FB for more than two minutes in total before my credit ran out. I've downloaded Onavo, but I probably won't top up and rely on WiFi instead. Anyway, I'm kind of glad to see I'm not the only one having this issue and can't work out what's causing it. I'm only planning on being in Monty a few more days so no big issue. Hopefully Croatia treats me better 
mrangryface
Newbie
Sure, I'll just run out and grab an iPad 3G haha. Unfortunately, both of our tablets are older and US so there wasn't even a 3G option on either of them back then.
It's not that serious, but I still want to know what the problem is. Argh.
mrangryface
Newbie
I just realised this is an Android forum so maybe it's worth mentioning I'm having this problem with my iPhone. But I honestly think it's the carrier's issue. I've been travelling through Iran, Turkey and the Balkans, changing sims as I change country, and have barely needed to top up in any of those countries. I've been using Google Maps and Facebook all along the way as well. I probably would not have been on GM or FB for more than two minutes in total before my credit ran out. I've downloaded Onavo, but I probably won't top up and rely on WiFi instead. Anyway, I'm kind of glad to see I'm not the only one having this issue and can't work out what's causing it. I'm only planning on being in Monty a few more days so no big issue. Hopefully Croatia treats me better
Can you check your usage stats and see how much data it says you've used since you had the card? Onavo or iOS can tell you this, and it's the first question you want to answer.
And yes, as bad as it is to say, it's nice to know I'm not the only one with this problem heh.
rebecca811
Lurker
I don't know if I can. Does Onavo work retroactively? I only installed it yesterday, after my credit ran out and when I was wondering WTF was going on. It only shows what I have used today, which is nothing.
mrangryface
Newbie
There should be built-in usage stats somewhere in iOS. I'm not an iOS user so I have no idea where.
jimbobcook
Well-Known Member
On my iphone 3GS its in settings then general then usage then mobile usage... But there's no funky graphs or anything its just sent and received... Hope that helps
mrangryface
Newbie
I have an update for this and it's not anything good...
I'm now in Spain, and set up a monthly prepaid with Vodafone that allows me 2gb per. And you can already guess what happened...Less than a week later and all of my credit is burned. Of course, the phone shows that I've used a whopping 7mb of data (which is accurate), but Vodafone says I've used 2gb. WTF!!!!! For non-data, I've used about 10 minutes of talk and maybe 2 SMS messages.
I can't take it anymore. It's clearly the phone. Exact same problem in Germany with O2, Montenegro with T-Mobile, and now Spain with Vodafone. The absolute worst part of this is that I can't figure out what the problem is. I've tried everything (previous posts), and nothing solves it. I've come to the point where I'm willing to buy a new phone, but I really have this fear that the same problem will arise on whatever new phone I buy. What the hell.
Anyone? Anyone? This is just complete insanity. I'm going to Vodafone today, but I obviously have no hopes of success anymore. Regardless, thanks to all of you for prior and future input. Maybe someday, someone will actually figure out what's going on.
I'm now in Spain, and set up a monthly prepaid with Vodafone that allows me 2gb per. And you can already guess what happened...Less than a week later and all of my credit is burned. Of course, the phone shows that I've used a whopping 7mb of data (which is accurate), but Vodafone says I've used 2gb. WTF!!!!! For non-data, I've used about 10 minutes of talk and maybe 2 SMS messages.
I can't take it anymore. It's clearly the phone. Exact same problem in Germany with O2, Montenegro with T-Mobile, and now Spain with Vodafone. The absolute worst part of this is that I can't figure out what the problem is. I've tried everything (previous posts), and nothing solves it. I've come to the point where I'm willing to buy a new phone, but I really have this fear that the same problem will arise on whatever new phone I buy. What the hell.
Anyone? Anyone? This is just complete insanity. I'm going to Vodafone today, but I obviously have no hopes of success anymore. Regardless, thanks to all of you for prior and future input. Maybe someday, someone will actually figure out what's going on.
Totally out of ideas tbh 
. Where did you get the phone, can you take it back?
. Where did you get the phone, can you take it back?mrangryface
Newbie
Totally out of ideas tbh
I went to Vodafone today and they actually thought the problem was this: They did activate the extra