Smart Phone Extra Charge, Was Told It Was Cuz I Exceeded The Data Limit..

[piggynose]

this doesnt make sense, cuz i get free wi-fi use, and use whatsapp, which i was told was free. it cost me 47euros!!

[Buenchico]

Your phone will only connect to wifi if there's a suitable service within range (and, where necessary, the relevant password has been provided). Otherwise any internet-based services will be routed through the mobile phone system and charged accordingly.

So, presumably, you've been using Whatsapp (and/or other internet services) when there's been no suitable wifi service available.

[Gizmonster]

I was part way through typing an answer when I noticed Chris had answered .....
It's fine saying you get free Wi-Fi but, like Chris said, if you were out of range and you had your mobile data switched on, any internet usage would have eaten your allowance up .... plus more ...
I'm assuming you were abroad somewhere ??

[Buenchico]

^^^ Piggynose lives in Spain, I believe, GM.

[Gizmonster]

Ah right.
The way I interpret things is, piggynose has been using WhatsApp after being told it was free .... which is kinda true. It's free, insofar as you don't pay anything for the use of it, but it uses internet, so you need to ensure that you have an adequate allowance.
I'm guessing they've been using it and not realised that it uses the internet .... it looks like they've exceeded their allowance by quite some way for them to be charged 47 euros :(

[Hopkirk]

Is it a local Spanish operator, or are you using a British one in Spain, Piggy?

[Old_Geezer]

£40.40 is some overuse !

Above advice is all sound.

If you aren't logged on to a nearby WiFi, and your mobile has data turned on you will be using your data and, if you go over any inclusive data limit you have, then you will attract additional charges.

No additional charges are made by the WhatsApp creators for using the app, but it is still sending data over the Net which needs to go over WiFi if you don't want to use up your allowance and start to be charged. It's still data to be sent/received.

You can switch data off on your handset. Or you could do what I did and get the service provider to switch it off on the account just in case it ever accidently gets turned on.

[ummmm]

I get a text when my data is almost up.

[piggynose]

i am living in spain. according to a colleague, i had 2 options, the normal wi-fi and data, if the wi-fi is turned off, data kicks in. bloody expensive mistake. it seems unfair, surely orange should give the benefit of the doubt?

[hc4361]

Contact your provider and put a limit on your credit - I have mine set at £10 so I can never be charged more than that.

[Old_Geezer]

There is no doubt. If you use their data network then you used their data network. They have little reason to give it away free or every rouge around would be trying it on despite knowing what they were doing. You should turn it off in your handset settings.

[piggynose]

og, how the heck was i supposed to know about data? i've only bought a smartphone a month ago. my previous phone didnt include data, and the phone came with no info regarding data.

[Islay]

You read the instructions for the phone on the web, unfortunately ignorance is not a defence.

[Gromit]

You doubt you have used €47 worth of data. You have been charged a fee each time you have used Whatsapp.

[hc4361]

piggy, they must have told you what your data limit is. Have you been using your phone for whatsapp and browsing while you've been out and about?
Did you connect your phone to your wifi at home?

[Hopkirk]

You need a teenager to teach you about modern technology.

[piggynose]

islay, my phone is a rise 31, dont you think i tried to find some info on the net, without any sucess, all i got was its not available to the public yet,. wow no sympathy here, just goes to show if you're not an expert in something, you must be an idiot in ab eyes!!
as for asking teen for advice, cheers.
rant over

[piggynose]

data limit, ?? is there a simple explanation to what this means? all i was told by a colleague is, you have 2 ways to connect to the internet, one is free, and the other isn't.

[piggynose]

so i am told i have 1/2 gb limit per month, thats chinese to me, whats that in terms of how many things i can do, eg how many whatsapp i can send.

[Pigletion]

So you have 500MB a month, that will be fine if a lot of the time you connect to wifi (home, in shops/cafes/work etc.). You will only use the data when not on wifi.

As has been established, to prevent using data without meaning to, you can turn off your data and turn wifi on. Further, poke around in the Settings of your phone and you can usually either set a limit on your data or get a notification to warn you based on a threshold you set. If you speak French, you can look at this manual (not sure why there is no easily available English version...) https://assistance.orange.fr/medias/woopic/files/content/download/731204/14648465/version/1/file/orange_rise_31_guide_utilisateur.pdf

You can find out how much you have used in WhatApp via the app itself - see http://technology.onehowto.com/article/how-to-know-how-many-megabytes-whatsapp-uses-437.html It will tell you how many messages and how much data used, so you can get a guesstimate of data per message.

Also, bear in mind that any photo/videos sent/received in WhatsApp will increase the data usage, but text only messages will be smaller. Again, in the settings in WhatsApp you can set it so that attachments are only downloaded when on wifi (in fact you can make WhatsApp only send/receive when on wifi).

Hope that helps