Sharp practice

[Mightfly]

During a visit to Switzerland, there were daily messages that £1.99 had been deducted for mobile data even though it was switched off the entire time (confirmed by data usage on the phone). After a long call to customer services (involving a supervisor) the charges were refunded - but this shouldn't have been necessary. They always react as if this isn't possible, but I know that this has been a problem for many years and O2 just assume that most people won't bother to question it - because there are relatively few people who don't choose to be permanently online.

[gmarkj]

Depending on which phone you have the phone could be trying to connect to services in the background.

iPhones try to connect to visual voicemail and iMessage, and some Android do the same with google chat/sms.

The only way to stop this is to turn off background data and put the phone into airplane mode, but even that sometimes fails when turning the phone off and on again...

[Enlli]

O2 will only pass on charges which have come from the Swiss networks. As pointed out, some phones do appear to connect when data is switched off. Usually it is small amounts and at home or EU you wouldn't even notice them, but a road they can kick in a daily charge.

[MI5]

@Mightfly 

You must have connected to a swiss network as otherwise no one would know you were there.

O2 only pass on charges from foreign networks which you connected to. There's no sharp practice involved at all.

[Mightfly]

Of course I connected to a Swiss network, making calls and texts etc. - the point was about mobile data.

As an app developer, Android can be frustrating to work with at times.  However, I see little reason not to believe Google on the subject of mobile data usage:

https://support.google.com/fi/answer/9458407?hl=en#zippy=%2Cturn-mobile-data-on-or-off

The phone recorded precisely 0 B of data during the period.  I could read through the Android source code to see whether any rounding is involved but (again) see no reason why it shouldn't be - given how many developers around the world could do the same (and be very vocal if there was any discrepancy).

[MI5]

@Mightfly 

You do realise that calls and texts also trigger the daily charge don't you?

Guide: Roaming MegaGuide 

[Mightfly]

Fair enough, given:

https://www.o2.co.uk/shop/international/using-phone-abroad#2

The problem is the wording of the message flashed up about the 100MB daily limit.  If O2 customer services are also unaware how this charge is triggered (they focussed exclusively on the 'Data usage' screen) then it's hardly surprising that others would be as well.

[MI5]

We're all aware of how useless customer service is these days @Mightfly 

All you need to do is come here and ask. Much quicker and safer 👍

[Mightfly]

Thanks MI5, good suggestion - over and out on this one!