iPhone 4 and 4S

[SkysieBaby]

Hi everyone, I am new to this forum but needing advice so sorry if it's not in right section!

I have an iphone 4 and have (as far as I know) ALWAYS connected to my home WiFi when browsing the internet, and although I do also have the bundle that includes up to 500mb mobile data browsing I wish to keep this for emergencies lol.

I just checked my unbilled usage on my online Vodafone bill and I have alot of 'WAP' items coming up, ranging from 1 to 500kb but not charged for as yet.
I must also note that because I generally always intend to only use WiFi to browse the internet, I switched Mobile Data to 'off' under network settings on my phone on Saturday (I realise this also affects MMS), and since that date can see no more WAP items appearing on my bill.

My question is; does this mean up until Saturday my phone has been automatically using mobile browsing rather than the wifi connection when I'm using the internet and slowly using up my free allowance (even though the wifi 'fan' has always appeared in the top left)?

And if so how do you set the iphone 4 up to connect to wifi as a first instance, should I ever need to turn the Mobile Data back to 'on'?

I was under the impression that Vodafone cannot see or charge for any home wifi useage so I'm fairly sure these WAP items on my bill are not this, so can only assume its actually been connecting to mobile browsing! Oh, and also I have only received and sent one picture message since having my phone so its not this either.

Any help from forum members or Vodafone administrators would be very much appreciated to clarify this!

Thanks x

[CarlJ]

"I was under the impression that Vodafone cannot see or charge for any home wifi useage"

Correct

If you are constantly on WIFI connection technically speaking these should not appear on the bill if the fan appears at the top left hand corner of the handset..

I too am not 100% certain but have heard of people receiving a few meg instances on the bill at midnight and early hours of the morning.. when the phone was "not in use"

the only thing I could speculate is... what games, applications and services would you use that requires an internet connection... aside from safari...

[SkysieBaby]

Many thanks for your reply

Thats the thing thats kinda worrying me...even when I play games or use any apps e.g. looking at free wallpapers etc, I always make sure I connect to wifi first cos I'm that paranoid about it lol.

[CarlJ]

no worries

ever use video calling or anything like that?
Vodafone services..?

Push email or amm fetch services?

My mind is drawing a blank what else it could be

[jeffkinn]

When the phone goes into standby WiFi goes to sleep and thus youcan easily use your mobile connection for data. What you have now started doing by turning off mobile data is the right thing to do.

I do the same when I am at home but I also want mobile data on when I am out but I forget to turn it on when I leave home until I wonder why I haven't received any emails for a while.

[SkysieBaby]

I've had a search through this forum and it might be that I had my notifications on (which I've now also switched to off) though I don't remember ever receiving many anyway, and I also didn't realise that you need to close all the open apps on the phone by double clicking the home button, I just assumed they closed once exited.

I'm also pretty sure that I've re-checked that wifi is stilll connected after I've let it go into sleep mode.

I want to know conclusively what it is though grrr!

[George]

Hi SkysieBaby,

Firstly, a very warm welcome to the eForum Family, it's always great to see new faces on here .

I can definitely understand your concern in regards to the WAP access. I see that CarlJ and jeffkin have both given some excellent advice though, thanks guys .

To be honest, it's difficult to say exactly what was using your data, however all of the suggestions already made could well be the culprits. In turning off Mobile Data, you've definitely ensured that you'll only connect via Wi-Fi unless you specify otherwise. If you've got 500MB of data then you've got nothing to worry about if it's used just a little bit.

If you need any further assistance then don't hesitate to ask .

George
eForum Team

[jeffkinn]

If you are checking the phone by definition it isn't asleep and you will see WiFi as being active. But when the phone is sitting there and doing nothing with a blank screen the WiFi is sleeping as well.

You seemed to have proved the point yourself anyway.

[lelithomson]

The same thing keeps happening to me and I just want to use wi-fi. It only started happening this month and last and I dont know how to sort it. Please could you help me with the settings you used because I couldn't find it on my phone. I had a big bill last month and asked vodaphone to help me sort it and they weren't interested :-):

[scorpio2011]

Vodafone support told me last night that you have to turn of "Mobile Data" when in a WIFI zone otherwise your WIFI usage gets counted as part of your 3G allowance.

I've been overcharged by Vodafone for 2 years now on this, swearing blind that I've not used 3G when VF claim I have, and only confirmed this was the reason last night.  

I wonder if the other networks doing the same.

[jeffkinn]

I don't see how that can be true. Wi Fi by definition is using a network that is not VF and cannot be seen by VF. If your phone us using Wi Fi it is not part od your monthly data bundle. It might be part of some other aspect of your package that relates to Wi Fi. I have unlimited use of BT OPenzone Wi Fi as pat of my home broadband package so I dont use any VF credentials to connect to Wi Fi.

The real issue is that you can not be sure the phone is using Wi Fi just because it is connected to a Wi Fi network unless you turn off mobile data. My old BB Storm was terrible for this and I don't know how the iphone compares because, unlike the BB, you cannot see visually which network is being used.

But if youa re using Wi Fi VF do not charge for it.

[kids]

---

scorpio2011 wrote:

Vodafone support told me last night that you have to turn of "Mobile Data" when in a WIFI zone otherwise your WIFI usage gets counted as part of your 3G allowance...........................

That's rubbish. As jeffkin has already pointed out Vodafone cannot see your home wifi usage so therefore cannot charge you for that,

The only reason that I can think of for you being charged for what you think is wifi usage is if the phone itself has a problem where the wifi is not connecting to your home router when you think it is.

Does the phone pick up wif iOK with the mobile data switched off?

---

[scorpio2011]

This is an extract from the online support chat I had earlier with a VF representative:

VF: You need to disable your Mobile data on your iphone, when you are using WIFI. The reason for this is that since iphone Data is active, and the system would consider and calculate the data on the iphone and it charged for WIFI.

Which seems to confirm what the VF person on the phone told me yesterday.

@kids Yes the iPhone picks up WIFI fine when I turn Mobile Data off. When the support rep told me this last night I told him this was "rubbish" too and he threatened to cut me off due to my "language". 

[jeffkinn]

I'm sorry but this is utter nonsense - and unless I am given some pretty substantial eveidence to the contrary I will not believe it for a second.

Vodafone do not use your phone to determnine their billing. They use the data flowing through their own servers. Wi Fi data does not come through Vodafone servers.

You should have cut them off for telling you complete nonsense.

[scorpio2011]

Do you know who I should contact to complain about this?

Some people have said it could be a faulty phone but with 2 VF people telling me otherwise I don't know what to think. 

[Simon]

HI scorpio2011

Have you been able to respond to the details sent across in the PM? If not please send your contact details across to us by following the instructions in the PM and we'll gladly be in touch.

Thanks

Simon

[kids]

---

scorpio2011 wrote:

Do you know who I should contact to complain about this?

Some people have said it could be a faulty phone but with 2 VF people telling me otherwise I don't know what to think. 

---

If you are near an Apple store then go and see a Genius and tell him what you have been told and ask him to run a diagnostics test on your phone.

As other people have said, if there is not a problem with your phone then what you have been told is utter rubbish.

[scorpio2011]

@Simon - I have just emailed support with the WRT-135 reference you suggested.

Kids - I hadn't thought about asking Apple to check this out so will try & pop along to one of the Genius Bars later in the week if I don't get any succcess through VF.

Nobody was more shocked than me when the 2 VF people I contacted told me that this was how it is. I expected they would consider asking me to do some kind of phone reset - but both were absolutely adamant that "this is how all phones work" which I still find hard to swallow.

[kids]

---

scorpio2011 wrote:

Nobody was more shocked than me when the 2 VF people I contacted told me that this was how it is. I expected they would consider asking me to do some kind of phone reset - but both were absolutely adamant that "this is how all phones work" which I still find hard to swallow.

---

Also worth bearing in mind is that the wifi on an iphone disconnects itself after a few minutes of it going into sleep mode unless the phone is connected to a power source in which case wifi is maintained.

So if any apps / emails try to update themselves when it is asleep and not on a power source  and  connected to wifi then cellular data is automatically used. 

[scorpio2011]

The VF reps on here told me to email them with a reference code so I got impression it would be reviewed by someone relatively clued up. After several days I just got this reply: "Thank you for contacting Vodafone Customer Services with regard to data. I have reviewed the email and would like you to switch to air plane mode and then use the data, you will not be charged. You can also get in touch with the technical team, I am sure the team will assist you further." I honestly don't know whether to laugh or cry......