Data traffic in roaming registered when cellular data roaming setting is off

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8 points

Data traffic in roaming registered when cellular data roaming setting is off

After spending some time with the Apple Support Team in the online chat without getting a reasonable answer, I hope to get one from an apple software engineer in the forums.

This behavior is observed with iOS 10.3.1 (14E304)

The problem is that I am charged for data usage in roaming when my Cellular Data Options is "Roaming Off". "Cellular Data" is ON, but I don't think this should matter. Moreover "Current Period Roaming" shows 0 bytes.

What I get as an answer from the support team is that

1. 0 bytes does not necessarily mean really 0 (it might show 0 and the actual usage to be even in MBs)

2. Even if Cellular Data Options is "Roaming Off", apps can use cellular network to complete started background operations (e.g. checking email, polling messages from facebook, or whatever)

I can't see any reasoning in that. I would exepect that anytime phone switches from/to cellular/wifi network the existing connection is disconnected and a new one is created. In that context before establishing a connection I assume the following checks.

1. Check if wifi accessible (including provided credentials). If yes connect to it.

2. If not 1, then check if Celullar Network is accessible. If no, then no connection => no traffic. If yes, go to 3.

3. If not in roaming => connect, if in roaming go to 4

4. Data Options is "Roaming Off" => no connection => no traffic, otherwise - connect

(Intentationally missed a few branches in the workflow like ON/OFF for cellular data to keep it simple)

Following that workflow, I can't see the reason why any traffic should be counted if Data Options is "Roaming Off".

Also "Current Period Roaming" is in bytes. If 0 bytes does not mean 0 bytes, why do I have that stat in bytes? Apparently it is misleading and in my case it costs $15 for nothing.

Looking forward to any reasonable explanation.

Thanks,

Todor

iPhone 6, iOS 10.3.1

Posted on May 28, 2017 4:51 PM

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Answer 1

ChrisJ4203

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230,347 points

May 28, 2017 4:56 PM in response to tpetrov

tpetrov wrote:

I hope to get one from an apple software engineer in the forums.

This behavior is observed with iOS 10.3.1 (14E304)

You are not going to get an Apple Software engineer here. This is a user to user support forum, and Apple does not participate here.

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Answer 2

tpetrov Author

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8 points

May 28, 2017 5:03 PM in response to ChrisJ4203

Can you point me to a better place? I started from https://forums.developer.apple.com/ for that reason but they suggested writing to apple support forums. I can give another try with the online chat but honestly I don't want to go through all that, having to talk with people who have no idea what I am talking about... (sorry if it sounds rude to someone)

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Answer 3

ChrisJ4203

Level 10

230,347 points

May 28, 2017 5:07 PM in response to tpetrov

If you try the developer's forum, you are not really entering the restricted forum, so that is also not Apple engineers. I suspect you are going to have to contact Apple and escalate your call to engineering, rather than just a regular chat. I couldn't tell you to be honest.

I can only ask one thing, when your carrier is charging you for roaming, can they identify what/where this is occurring? Do you live anywhere near large bodies of water, such as one of the Great Lakes? I've seen where you can roam across from the Chicago area to places in Michigan. But, with coverage and roaming agreements like they are now, that is hardly ever a case anymore. Does your carrier say you are in a fringe area for their coverage?

I understand you saying that you have Roaming turned off, but I'm just curious for that part. Do you have Wi-Fi assist turned off?

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Answer 4

deggie

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167,177 points

May 28, 2017 5:19 PM in response to tpetrov

In addition to what Chris said, if your cell provider has a partner provider in the area you are in that does not require roaming then your phone may connect with them and use cell data. You can check with them and see. Also, how much data used are we talking about and how was it carried on your bill?

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Answer 5

tpetrov Author

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8 points

May 28, 2017 5:23 PM in response to ChrisJ4203

I am living in Bulgaria actually (10000 km from US), so basically anything in US is roaming for me. My carrier provides only start of the data session and the size of data in that session (does not give me a lot of info). Approximately 20 sessions for a week, each one a few KBs.

Wi-FI assist is turned on.

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Answer 6

tpetrov Author

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8 points

May 28, 2017 5:27 PM in response to deggie

Sorry for repeating part of the answer I gave to Chris - everything in US is roaming for me. I was most of the time on AT&T network in US but AT&T told me they can't do anything if I am not their customer and to contact my carrier. My carrier says - this is all the data from the US carrier... Neither of them really willing to help...

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Answer 7

ChrisJ4203

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230,347 points

May 28, 2017 5:30 PM in response to tpetrov

If wi-fi Assist is turned on, then it could be what is overriding the Roaming being turned off. I've not used Wi-FI Assist, but I have read a number of things regarding how it seems to work if and when it wishes. And since deggie and I are both in the US, we couldn't really tell you much about what your carrier is going to do/say. Sorry.

I did not see your response to deggie before I responded. Are you saying that you are from Bulgaria and are using a phone on AT&T in the US, and are being charged roaming by your Bulgarian carrier? Now I'm really confused.

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Answer 8

tpetrov Author

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May 29, 2017 1:02 AM in response to deggie

deggie, that's what I am trying to understand why. My SIM is Bulgarian (Roaming for the SIM is allowed) => When I am in USA, it is using Roaming; iPhone's Data Roaming is Off => it should simply not connect whether or not the cellular data is on or off. Don't see the reason why I should turn off the whole cellular data, why do I need this other setting then which is designed for controlling data in roaming.

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Answer 9

tpetrov Author

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May 29, 2017 1:10 AM in response to tpetrov

Chris, that's interesting idea that wi-fi Assist might cause the issues, but if it does, then it should be again a bug for me (following the described 4-item workflow in my description)

To you question. Yes, I am from Bulgaria, the phone is bought in US (it doesn't really matter), the SIM is Bulgarian with roaming allowed. My carrier does not have coverage in the USA, so my phone is using partner networks. In my case 90% of the time it was AT&T (though I noticed a few times T Mobile too). Then my carrier is charged automatically for me using this other network and I am charged by my carrier.

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Answer 10

ChrisJ4203

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230,347 points

May 29, 2017 2:52 PM in response to tpetrov

Okay, now I'm getting a better view of the situation. You are correct that where you purchased the phone doesn't matter, or at least is shouldn't, since you have a Bulgarian SIM in the phone. I wasn't understanding at first where you were and what you were doing that you were mixing a Bulgarian SIM and AT&T.

I'm not completely aware of what the difference is between the two settings, Cellular Data being on/off, and then Cellular Data options being able to turn off Data Roaming, since the small explanation that is written beneath it is rather confusing.

I'm afraid that getting a clear explanation for that might require Apple, but then it could even require some clarification from the carriers, since they are the ones allowing it. I wonder if the differences have to do with partner agreements for roaming, which is generally cheaper, versus regular roaming, where you would connect to a carrier that uses the same bands as you and does not have a partner agreement with your carrier? A thought, but not something I can really answer. An interesting question non the less. I know that when I went on a cruise, I just put my phone in Airplane mode when I got on the ship and didn't turn it back to cellular until I docked back in the US. Heard too many of those $3,000.00 bill stories. Good luck.

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Answer 11

tpetrov Author

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8 points

May 30, 2017 1:32 PM in response to ChrisJ4203

Thanks both Chris and deggie for trying to help. I spent a few hours with Apple last night but didn't get a clear explanation how everything works. The guy I was talking with stated that a sample data is exchanged when I connect to a new network e.g. from AT&T to T-Mobile. I need to find out a good article explaining the protocol used by phones to understand if this is correct and what messages are exchanged between the phone and the tower that can be charged.

Also he states that the data is too small and is not counted. However I would not expect to see 0 bytes if some amount is generated. If it is maybe 0 MBs, then one may assume they round but if it is bytes, my expectations is different.
In any case It was clear that I can't get the answers of these questions from the support team... will maybe try to find out some papers on this topic...

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Answer 12

deggie

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167,177 points

May 28, 2017 5:27 PM in response to tpetrov

If you are in the US using a Bulgarian iPhone and you have not set up international use then you need to turn cell data off, not just cell data roaming.

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