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Turn off cell data and text permanently for a voice only plan.

Skiddy
Advocate

On a voice only plan I am forced to disable data on each billing cycle. Why? Just leave it off. Also interesting is that when you disable for the next billing cycle, TELUS in its wisdom sends a text to a voice only plan. Why? All data is off on the handset yet somehow data charges are being incurred, how? Time to move services. 

1 ACCEPTED SOLUTION

You should be able to check on your phone how much data is used for each app.

This is a screen shot from my Android phone.

App Data Usage.png

 

As for the setting that turns off data on your account, that's how it's supposed to work and it's clearly explained on the settings page.

https://forum.telus.com/t5/My-Mobility-Account/False-advertising-Irregular-data-charge-Bad-data-swit...

 

As for why your phone is using data even though you turned off data it's not unheard of that bugs in the phone are ignoring the setting.

For example:

https://www.forbes.com/sites/gordonkelly/2020/03/14/apple-ios-13-iphone-cellular-data-problem-iphone...

"a serious iOS 13 cellular bug which is consuming mobile data without explanation and increasing bills. Remarkably, while this was the first I had heard of it, affected users (at least those aware of the issue) have been suffering for months and even switching off mobile data has not stopped it"

 

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6 REPLIES 6

xray
Hero
Just disable it on the device.

Cell data is/was off, that was the first thing I checked. I guess it will be part of a daily routine. What I do not understand is why TELUS advises that data is disabled, but each month turns it on again. Other than trying to sell data to the account which has and does not need it, why enable it without my permission? 

Secondly, the plan/phone is a voice only service, however, notice that data is off was sent by text?Sort of like sending a smoke signal to a blind man, 

 

Do you know how I can check what data was used for? 

 

I will contact TELUS, but for a few dollars they will refund or lose this account. 

You should be able to check on your phone how much data is used for each app.

This is a screen shot from my Android phone.

App Data Usage.png

 

As for the setting that turns off data on your account, that's how it's supposed to work and it's clearly explained on the settings page.

https://forum.telus.com/t5/My-Mobility-Account/False-advertising-Irregular-data-charge-Bad-data-swit...

 

As for why your phone is using data even though you turned off data it's not unheard of that bugs in the phone are ignoring the setting.

For example:

https://www.forbes.com/sites/gordonkelly/2020/03/14/apple-ios-13-iphone-cellular-data-problem-iphone...

"a serious iOS 13 cellular bug which is consuming mobile data without explanation and increasing bills. Remarkably, while this was the first I had heard of it, affected users (at least those aware of the issue) have been suffering for months and even switching off mobile data has not stopped it"

 

Thank you @xray much appreciated. The account in question is a 2016 iPone SE running IOS13, which per your link can allow cellular data usage, even though the cellular data option is set to off on the device. I have reset all data usage statistics and IOS14 is now installed, perhaps it may make a difference.  

 

Otherwise, my solution will be to set a calendar reminder to disable data at the end/start of each billing cycle. This would deny any request for data service from the device for that billing cycle, do I have that correct? If so, not very client friendly, but it is what it is. 

 

Why TELUS would enable data at anytime on a voice only plan is beyond me, but then they do communicate with texts on a voice only plan.... go figure. Thanks again!

 

 

 

Again, TELuS does send us text messages to the voice only plan as well. 

I think you can turn off data permanently by calling customer service. Doesn't hurt to ask.

Note that with data turned off you will not be able to get MMS (pictures over SMS texts).

 

The vast majority of mobile accounts have data. If the account setting to turn off data did not reset montly it's likely there would be many more support calls from people complaining they can't get data on their phones.

 

As far as I know TELUS texts to customers are free so communicating that way to voice only plans has no impact on your bill.

I do agree that the vast majority of accounts have text and data capability, however, TELUS could allow data to only be turned on or off by the client thru web site access if they wanted too.

 
No issue with the charge for TELUS texts, there is none that I have ever seen. My complaint is no one ever checks for texts as text is not used.
 
Thanks for commenting, much appreciated.



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