Push notifications (Plume) have stopped arriving...

[dougwzz98]

I use an Android Twitter client called Plume on my Samsung S9+, amongst other things it does is it sends Android notifications when new tweets appear in my timeline. This has been working fine for years.

A couple of days ago those notifications (I assume it's some sort of push mechanism) stopped occuring whenever I'm connected via the O2 cellular network. They continue to work just fine when I'm connected via WiFi. I haven't noticed any problem with anything else, just the Plume push messages stop coming through when I'm out and about connected via the O2 network.

I'm using the APN userid of bypass, so unless theres another one that 'avoids' any filtering or blocking I don't think it's that. Just in case it's an 18+ block kind of thing I've checked and I'm not restricted for that either.

My conclusion is O2 have changed something, and are now (deliberately or accidentally) blocking these push messages. It seems a bit specific though, so I'm wondering if I'm barking up the wrong tree. I don't know how to diagnose this further, any suggestions.

TIA.

[pgn]

I wonder if it has stopped on other Telefonica-hosted mvno services, eg giff-gaff, Tesco Mobile? 

[MI5]

@dougwzz98 

First off, have you tried rebooting your phone?

[dougwzz98]

Yes, reboot was the first thing I tried 

[MI5]

Might be something you need customer service to look into for you but I'd try the standard mobile apn first in case it's something they've done in the background to bypass.

[dougwzz98]

So I've tried the standard APN user (O2) and another (vertigo), no change to the problem.

I've also tried setting up a WiFi hotspot from a friends phone who is on BT mobile (aka EE), and oddly enough I get the same problem the notifications stop arriving! As soon as I connect to a landline WiFi point the problem goes away and the notifications start coming through. 

I'll try tests from some other WiFI points over the next few days and see if I can  establish a pattern. I've installed the official Twitter Android client and this is completely unaffected, notifications from that arrive regardless of how I'm connected to the internet. Maybe the easiest thing would just be to use that instead of Plume, but I prefer the Plume interface... 

[MI5 · Accepted solution]

@dougwzz98 

If you are running Android 10, look in Apps and notifications >App Info and tap on Plume.

Goto Mobile data and wifi and check if "disable data usage" is selected?

[dougwzz98]

Good call @MI5  I don't know how but background mobile data WAS disabled (just for Plume, all other expected apps OK). Enabled it and voilà notifications are back when on the cellular connection.

Cheers 

[MI5]

No problem mate. Glad you're sorted.