Contract

[Amarice]

Hi,

I just looked at my data usage tracker and it appears as though my facebook usage is being deducted from my free 200MB when it should be unlimited!! I use the official facebook app for android so can't understand why this is happening.  I haven't downloaded anything or used the phone internet for pretty much anything else!

I only re-signed/renewed with vodafone a month ago to extend my contract and get a new phone{Mobile Number Removed}and was even told I'd 'it seems I would be getting an extra 150MB per month,' which could have just been an error on the salesman's behalf so all good, it happens.  It was definately stated though that social networking would be unlimited, as per my previous contract.  What's worse is that more than half the time i try to connect to facebook it says "connection lost" when I have full reception and I either have to tap the thing (galaxy nexus) a bunch of times or wait half hour or more for it to work... please help?

Thanks heaps 

[PareshPatel62]

Unlimited social networking pack is not included in new contract so you are getting charged for facebook.

[Roger]

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Amarice wrote:

Hi,

I just looked at my data usage tracker and it appears as though my facebook usage is being deducted from my free 200MB when it should be unlimited!! I use the official facebook app for android so can't understand why this is happening.  I haven't downloaded anything or used the phone internet for pretty much anything else!

I only re-signed/renewed with vodafone a month ago to extend my contract and get a new phone

Hi what plan are you on exactly? This needs to be clarified so the problem with data usage can be sorted out.

[Charlotte]

Hi Amarice,

I can certainly help!

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Amarice wrote:

I just looked at my data usage tracker and it appears as though my facebook usage is being deducted from my free 200MB when it should be unlimited!! I use the official facebook app for android so can't understand why this is happening.  I haven't downloaded anything or used the phone internet for pretty much anything else!

If you're using the official Facebook app for android then you're definitely using the right app. When you click on external links through Facebook normal data charges apply. 

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Amarice wrote:

I only re-signed/renewed with vodafone a month ago to extend my contract and get a new phone{Mobile Number Removed}and was even told I'd 'it seems I would be getting an extra 150MB per month,' which could have just been an error on the salesman's behalf so all good, it happens.  It was definately stated though that social networking would be unlimited, as per my previous contract.  What's worse is that more than half the time i try to connect to facebook it says "connection lost" when I have full reception and I either have to tap the thing (galaxy nexus) a bunch of times or wait half hour or more for it to work... please help?

If you re-signed then it is possible you moved to a different plan which doesn't include social networking. Could you please let me know what plan you changed to and I'll be able to check this for you? If you were advised that it would be included I'll need to look into this for you however I'd love to check the plan first and see if it's included. 

How are you liking the Galaxy Nexus so far? Is the Facebook issue "connection lost" the only issue you've noticed? Could you please let me know how it works when you're using the mobile internet and if you also get this error and did anything like this happen with your previous phone? Please let me know as this will help me to isolate the issue and get this sorted, we want you to be loving your new phone!

Thanks,

Charlotte

[Amarice]

Hi Charlotte,

I was on the $29 cap and re-signed with the same cap.  I had unlimited social networking before and was told nothing had changed with my entitlements.  I don't navigate away from facebook when I use it, I do use the chat/messaging functions but I shouldn't imagine that would make a difference right? The strange thing too is that last month facebook didn't seem to contribute to my data usage, just my browsing and app downloads.

Do you require any further information? Phone number etc?

Regarding the Nexus, it does seem like a pretty good phone.  It's easy to use, and the camera's quality is great, I just wish it came with a manual though.  I've only had a couple of minor problems with it so far.  Once it wouldn't turn on after charging but I read in a forum that you just take the battery out for a few seconds and all is well, which did work fine.  The internet connection problem does seem to mostly affect facebook and my "draw something" application, since it requires facebook access (I do recognise there's data charges for that app).  Browsing is otherwise ok but is rather slow, sometimes timing out on loading a page.  The other problem it seems to have is it's voice input for voice dialing and voice to text (for messaging etc).  This function often fails, and when it does work, you can't change the setting to "English Australia," which no joke means you have to speak with either a british or american accent for it to recognise what you're saying and even then it's hit and miss.  I would assume though this is just a manufacturer thing and I should look at getting the Google Now app, which I thought was supposed to come preloaded. The only other thing that has concerned me with it is that I an article explaining how this model of the galaxy has been banned from sale in the US due to ongoing litigation with Apple, i think something to do with the Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich platform breaching patented software or something.  As such, it's ability to download apps, particularly from Google Play, has been restricted with the suggested work around being to upgrade to Android 4.1 Jelly Bean... I have no idea how to go about this though.

Sorry for the essay, I know none of these problems are Vodafone's, they belong to the manufacturer.  I thought it might be handy for you to know though, since I believe it is still a relatively newish model.  My previous phone was the not-so-hardy Nokia X6, which had its own bugs but never seemed to have much of a problem with its internet connection, and it seemed to work particularly well with wi-fi networks, even when overseas.

Thanks so much for your help!

[Bruno]

Hi Amarice,

Amarice wrote:

I was on the $29 cap and re-signed with the same cap.  I had unlimited social networking before and was told nothing had changed with my entitlements.  I don't navigate away from facebook when I use it, I do use the chat/messaging functions but I shouldn't imagine that would make a difference right? The strange thing too is that last month facebook didn't seem to contribute to my data usage, just my browsing and app downloads. 

If you've recently re-contracted and you've started to have your Facebook access counted towards your data usage, the most likely cause is that you've been upgraded onto a newer $29 cap. 

The best thing for me to do, is to look at your upgrade order for you, so that I can ensure you continue to receive your free social networking access. To do this, I will need to get some more specific information, so I've sent you a private message with my contact details. 

Once I've received you email, I will be able to see exactly why has happened and get is sorted out for you.

Amarice wrote:

Regarding the Nexus, it does seem like a pretty good phone.  It's easy to use, and the camera's quality is great, I just wish it came with a manual though. 

Some wishes really do come true! Our website has an online user manual for your GALAXY Nexus that will help you navigate all of the features of your phone. I've included a link to it for you here.

Amarice wrote:

The internet connection problem does seem to mostly affect facebook and my "draw something" application, since it requires facebook access (I do recognise there's data charges for that app).  Browsing is otherwise ok but is rather slow, sometimes timing out on loading a page.  

How many bars of signal are showing on your handset when you're having these connection issues? I want to get an idea of whether it may be due to signal where you are, or possibly a software glitch (as it's only happening when you use facebook or services that connect with facebook)

Amarice wrote:

The other problem it seems to have is it's voice input for voice dialing and voice to text (for messaging etc).  This function often fails, and when it does work, you can't change the setting to "English Australia," which no joke means you have to speak with either a british or american accent for it to recognise what you're saying and even then it's hit and miss. 

If the software for voice input hasn't been optimised for our Aussie accent, then the efficiency of the application will really depend on how well you can do a British or American accent (not very well in my case). 

There are a lot of applications available on the Play store that offer differing levels of voice control for the features of your handset, reading through the reviews might help you find one that is a little more accepting of our Aussie accent (please let me know if you find a good one).

Amarice wrote:

The only other thing that has concerned me with it is that I an article explaining how this model of the galaxy has been banned from sale in the US due to ongoing litigation with Apple, i think something to do with the Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich platform breaching patented software or something.  As such, it's ability to download apps, particularly from Google Play, has been restricted with the suggested work around being to upgrade to Android 4.1 Jelly Bean... I have no idea how to go about this though.

When the Jelly Bean upgrade is made available for the GALAXY Nexus, you will be able to download the update right from your handset (go to settings>about>software update), so the process of upgrading is really easy.

I've included a link to an article on our blog about the Android software journey if you're interested. It explains how an update goes from being announced, to testing and on to your phone.

I'm looking forward to your reply so that I can get these issues sorted out for you as quickly as possible. If you have any other questions in the meantime or if there's anything else that I can help you with, please let me know.

Cheers,

-Bruno.