FP3, mobile data on disabled SIM2

Help Fairphone 3
1

Hi,

this is a follow up to Phantom Mobil Data Packets
But it is a bit outdated, not solved and about FP2.

I get monthly charged for mobile data on SIM2, which has mobile data disabled and shows 0 byte in data usage. I use FP3 with latest standard OS.

I have a SIM in slot 1, with mobile data enabled, where I see the expected amount of data collected.
In slot 2 I have a SIM with my ever used mobile number and no data plan. So mobile data for slot 2 are disabled and so data usage shows 0 always.

Anyhow I get charged for mobile data by my SIM2 provider. It’s not much, around 1-2 MB/month, costing a couple 10 cent/month.
But how can SIM2 create mobile data at all, when mobile data is disabled? I don’t use MMS or similar, which may trigger this data too.
The usage data from my provider shows only 10K packages, multiple times per day, and nearly daily, which summarizes to the mentioned 1-2 MB/month. This brings me to the conclusion, that the source is a single app or service.
The provider can’t tell me, which URL is involved in data transfer. So I have no idea, which app or service causes this data usage.

Any other idea how I can figure out what’s the cause of this?
Is is possible to log data transfer for a specific SIM, maybe in developer functions?
Or an app?

2

Can you ask your network to block data at their end? as it doesn’t sound like it’s the phone that is using it.

3

Thanks for reporting that this also affects FP3.

It’s not much, around 1-2 MB/month, costing a couple 10 cent/month.

That may be true while at home, but I was billed several 10’s of € while on holiday a few years ago (each packet was rounded up to the smallest unit of charge (100kb if I recall correctly) and charged with full roaming rates). Like you, I made sure I had everything turned off except the phone number for calls and SMS and I only used WiFi for actual data while at the hotel.

I’m not sure if FairPhone can do anything about it or if android / google is to blame, I’ve seen this reported for phones from other manufacturers too.

But it really is unacceptable for a device or software to “go behind its owner’s back” like this. Money aside, privacy and anonymity are also issues!

4

Do you not have to choose whoch SIM to use for mobile data on the FP3? I have 2 SIM inserted in the FP2 since years and only one can be used for mobile data, i.e. if its turned on for SIM 1 I cannot turn on for SIM2 without turning off automatically for SIM1. I never had such issues and I doubt its an FP issue, but more a provider issues. Which provider do you use, is it the same as on the 1-2 FP2 who had the issue?

1 Like
5

I would delete APn for the SIM not used for mobile data.

6

But surely, if there is an “off” button, it should do what it says.
Working through a shopping-list of hacks and workarounds is NOT what user’s should be expected to do! (Especially when they purchased the phone outright)

1 Like
7

There’s no hack mentioned the phone can only use one sim slot for data, so as previously mentioned I would contact your network provide to see how data is being used and|or ask them to stop data on your ‘second’ sim.

Enure you have both data and sms on the same sim.

Select your preferred SIM card for:

  1. Cellular data. Here you must choose. SIM card 1 is selected by default, but you can change it
  2. Calls. Here you can pick a specific SIM card, or decided to be asked every time you want to make a phone call
  3. SMS. Same here, you can pick a specific SIM card, or decided to be asked every time you want to send a message

https://support.fairphone.com/hc/en-us/articles/360048229472-Set-up-the-SIM-card-s-on-your-FP3-FP3-

8

I used both SIMs with FP2 already, but I can’t say if this issue existed back then too. Have to root around in old billings to be sure.
Starting with FP3 I had SIM1 for calling only and SIM2 for data transfer until I recognized, that SIM2 can’t do 4G. Then I toggled the SIMs to the above mentioned configuration, that the SIM with data plan can use 4G in slot 1.
So yes, I can select which SIM to use for mobile data and it basically worked for both, slot 1 and 2.

9

That’s exactly the point @buncer.
Of course, I can ask my provider to decline data connections for this SIM or remove the APN from its settings.
But I’d like to know who or what is sending data out of my phone, especially through a data disabled SIM.

10

Hope you noticed it has to be SMS disabled too ~ That you have a cost on your plan doesn’t mean it is from your phone, there could be a hack by a third party to your account.

11

The question is, could you turn on for both at the same time, with LOS 17 Android 10 its not possible for FP2. However, as mentioned I would just remove APN for SIM not used for mobile data, without APN there cannot be any internet connection irrespective of any other settings

12

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