Tons of "internet access" data charges while abroad
 

Hopefully some of you experts can help. I'm with T-Mobile and have been for years. I travel non-stop internationally with my job. I have a Blackberry Bold and have the unlimited worldwide email access plan. When I'm overseas, I don't use my Blackberry for ANYTHING over than emails.

So I always have the same amount of bills each month except this current bill. All of a sudden when I was in Canada last month I have a TON of "internet access" charges. Some as many as 30 times a day.

I haven't downloaded any new programs, I don't have wireless synchronization on my calendars, etc. When I called T-Mobile the representative said that I must have some synchronization on. I told her I don't and told her to look at all the previous months worth of bills while I'm abroad to see that this has never happened. I don't even open the browser when abroad.

I'm cutting and pasting just 1 day on my bill and you can see just how many charges I'm being billed. There was 57 pages worth of these! You can see the data isn't much for each one but the end of the month there was a ton so I got charged.

T-Mobile said they would investigate it but can any of you figure out what program could be causing this? Thanks so much!


5/17/11 Internet Access 0.0039 Megabytes -
5/17/11 Internet Access 0.0029 Megabytes -
5/17/11 Internet Access 0.0029 Megabytes -
5/17/11 Internet Access 0.0029 Megabytes -
5/17/11 Internet Access 0.0029 Megabytes -
5/17/11 Internet Access 0.0029 Megabytes -
5/17/11 Internet Access 0.0039 Megabytes -
5/17/11 Internet Access 0.0029 Megabytes -
5/17/11 Internet Access 0.0039 Megabytes -
5/17/11 Internet Access 0.0029 Megabytes -
5/17/11 Internet Access 0.0039 Megabytes -
5/17/11 Internet Access 0.0048 Megabytes -
5/17/11 Internet Access 0.0048 Megabytes -
5/17/11 Internet Access 0.0029 Megabytes -
5/17/11 Internet Access 0.0048 Megabytes -
5/17/11 Internet Access 0.0029 Megabytes -
5/17/11 Internet Access 0.0029 Megabytes -
5/17/11 Internet Access 0.0029 Megabytes -
5/17/11 Internet Access 0.0029 Megabytes -
5/17/11 Internet Access 0.0029 Megabytes -
5/17/11 Internet Access 0.0048 Megabytes -
5/17/11 Internet Access 0.0029 Megabytes -
5/17/11 Internet Access 0.0048 Megabytes -
5/17/11 Internet Access 0.0029 Megabytes -
5/17/11 Internet Access 0.0039 Megabytes -
5/17/11 Internet Access 0.0048 Megabytes -
5/17/11 Internet Access 0.0029 Megabytes -
5/17/11 Internet Access 0.0048 Megabytes -
5/17/11 Internet Access 0.0048 Megabytes -
5/17/11 Internet Access 0.0048 Megabytes -
5/17/11 Internet Access 0.0048 Megabytes -
5/17/11 Internet Access 0.0048 Megabytes -
5/17/11 Internet Access 0.0029 Megabytes -
5/17/11 Internet Access 0.0029 Megabytes -
5/17/11 Internet Access 0.0048 Megabytes -
5/17/11 Internet Access 0.0029 Megabytes -
5/17/11 Internet Access 0.0048 Megabytes -
5/17/11 Internet Access 0.0048 Megabytes -
5/17/11 Internet Access 0.0029 Megabytes -
5/17/11 Internet Access 0.0039 Megabytes -
5/17/11 Internet Access 0.0029 Megabytes -
5/17/11 Internet Access 0.0048 Megabytes -
5/17/11 Internet Access 0.0029 Megabytes -
5/17/11 Internet Access 0.0029 Megabytes -
5/17/11 Internet Access 0.0029 Megabytes -
5/17/11 RIM Blackberry 0.0019 Megabytes -
5/17/11 Internet Access 0.0029 Megabytes -
5/17/11 Internet Access 0.0048 Megabytes -
5/17/11 Internet Access 0.0048 Megabytes -
5/17/11 Internet Access 0.0029 Megabytes -
5/17/11 Internet Access 0.0029 Megabytes -
5/17/11 Internet Access 0.0029 Megabytes -
5/17/11 Internet Access 0.0039 Megabytes -
5/17/11 Internet Access 0.0029 Megabytes -
5/17/11 Internet Access 0.0039 Megabytes -
5/17/11 Internet Access 0.0068 Megabytes -
5/17/11 RIM Blackberry 0.0107 Megabytes -
5/17/11 Internet Access 0.0029 Megabytes -
5/17/11 Internet Access 0.0029 Megabytes -
5/17/11 Internet Access 0.0048 Megabytes -
5/17/11 Internet Access 0.0048 Megabytes -
5/17/11 Internet Access 0.0048 Megabytes -
5/17/11 Internet Access 0.0039 Megabytes -

Re: Tons of "internet access" data charges while abroad
 

That's something logging in periodically and checking for updates or new messages. Facebook? Some IM program other than BBM?

Re: Tons of "internet access" data charges while abroad
 

That's what I suspect as well. You may not have started anything, but is there anything new that you installed that possibly runs in the background automatically? Is there absolutely anything new on your BlackBerry between this trip and those before?
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Re: Tons of "internet access" data charges while abroad
 

Hi guys,

Thanks for your comments. No, I haven't installed any programs before this trip. I don't use Facebook, I don't use IM programs, I don't even open the internet browser. I have no bookmarks that might pull RSS feeds. That is why this is so frustrating. I only use emails.

Someone on another forum said it could be something checking time zone settings? Is there anyway to turn that off?

The thing I'm worried about is TMobile has no idea what it is and either do I but I need to access emails constantly as I travel internationally for work but don't want hundreds of dollars in unwanted fees while they figure out what is causing it?

Could it be anything else?

Re: Tons of "internet access" data charges while abroad
 

I just noticed today on my Worldmate icon on my Blackberry desktop there is a yellow arrow on the Worldmate Icon..... Does anyone know if they changed something with the program where it's downloading something? I have never in the years I've had this App noticed this.. maybe this is what's causing it?

Re: Tons of "internet access" data charges while abroad
 

I'm wondering if those "internet accesss" records indicate use of the carrier APN? Notice some of the others are RIM BlackBerry, but the so-called internet access charges are the great majority. My only idea is to delete the APN settings in TCP/IP setting in device options. That will guarantee that you only use the blackberry apn.

If you need the carrier apn for some reason when you are home, you can add it back when you return, then delete again when you travel abroad.

Re: Tons of "internet access" data charges while abroad
 

Hi Ira,

Thanks for that advice. I'm afraid although I've used Blackberry for many many years I don't know how to do that. Would you be so kind as to provide step by step instructions to do what you're talking about? I'd really appreciate it.

Re: Tons of "internet access" data charges while abroad
 

On OS 5 at least, it would be options > advanced options > TCP/IP, then delete the info after "APN:". For example, you probably have set epc.tmobile.com.

If you are running OS 6, it will be the same general idea, but you may have to look for it in options.

You may be able to get away with just unchecking the APN Setting Enabled box, but I've seen it advised by another with a lot of experience in this that it is better to delete the apn to be safe.

If you find that your APN settings are blank, then I will be really confused as to what happened on your trip.

Re: Tons of "internet access" data charges while abroad
 

That's one of the reasons that when I'm travelling abroad I keep my data "off while roaming" and only turn it on when I want to check mail while away from Wi-Fi. You give up the advantage of push email but it does keep this kind of issue under control.

Re: Tons of "internet access" data charges while abroad
 

How about a weather app?

Re: Tons of "internet access" data charges while abroad
 

I had a similar issue while traveling thru Germany last year. Turns out that I had Google maps running in the background for a few days and I didn't even realize it. The charges ceased on the day that I did a battery pull.

Luckily AT&T waived the charges. I now set my data to off while roaming and haven't had the issue again.