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Forcing GPRS to disconnect - O2 XDA mini s

Anyone know how I can force my mini s to disconnect from GPRS after it has checked my email?
Si.

press and hold the red phone button (hang up) for about 5 seconds - you should see it switch from GPRS (small [G] icon) to 'GPRS Available' (large [G] icon)

I'd rather it did it automatically - so I can leave it alone all day and it will connect to check now and again then disconnect.

same problem here. is there a fix?
also when i have forgot to disconnect am i paying for gprs? or is it just any content i download?
cheers.

GPRS is paid for by data usage, not connection... so you can leave it connected (so long as nothing is downloading in the background!)
V

cheers vijay, but have you got a workaround for original question?
on my old c500 when i had finished getting mail it automatically switched itself off.are we missing something?

vijay... unfortunately, at least on my Qtek 9100, there's always some data sent.. very infrequently, but over a day of no activity, the GPRS Monitor application that came with it reported 200KB traffic. So I always make sure to disconnect regardless

ZeBoxx: it doesn't surprise me. At least in theory, you only pay for data transfer on GPRS, not time connected like on dialup. However, I think activesync is an unpredictable beast at bet. I never use GPRS - so for me, to ensure I'm completely disconnected I use a dummy grps account.
futuresbright: I'm working on a set of such tools, but I believe there's already a command line tool to disconnect GPRS. I haven't made one yet that will automatically disconnect after checking email. I have to work on a related app, so I will try to look into the question, but I can't promise any time frame I'm afraid
V

Yeah, the monitor comes with a little icon on the Today Screen with which you can explicitly enable/disable GPRS as well. So obviously it can be done by external software

GPRS disconnect on O2 XDA mini S
If I tap the GPRS icon on the top bar when I have a GPRS connection up, I get an option to disconnect it (and it works!). I too don't like the thought of racking up data calls even though it is supposed to be packets switched not circuit switched.

no worries vijay,thanks for your time.
will just have to remember to switch off manually for now.

GPRS / EDGE - always "connected"?

I am using GPRS/ EDGE. Sometimes when I have NOT used any Internet program, the G or E icon become a pure square G or E only without the 2 arrows. Does it mean it has DISCONNTED the GPRS/EDGE? Now if I launch IE and click a URL, the E/G icon will flashing with a moving 2 arrows and eventually after 1 or 2 seconds, become a "square E/G icon with fixed 2 arrows".
I am wondering, shouldn't the GPRS/EDGE be ALWAYS connected, such that the "G/E icon with fixed 2 arrows" should always appear? What setting I should change in order to make my Xda neo perform that way?

Hi isomania!
1) The icons are interpreted as follows:
Solid G/E - GRPS / EDGE network present, but not connected.
Small G/E with moving arrows - connecting to network.
Small G/E with solid arrows - connected.
2) There is no point to keep GPRS\EDGE connected when no programs are using it, since that would only shorten battery life. If I am not mistaken the timeout on the connection cannot be changed from the device side. I know push mail function sends some data (I think 400 bytes every 120 sec) to keep the connection alive, but it kills the battery and racks up the phone bill (unless you have unlimited data).

Thanks for your explanation. But for me, "connecting GPRS/EDGE" is STILL costing some time (may be 1 to 2 seconds). so i am wondering if I can keep GPRS/EDGE connected all the time I want, so that whenever I want to check POP3 email / go to any website, then I don't need to wait the 1 to 2 seconds connection time. Now THAT'S would be my definition of "always on"

One or two seconds to establish a connection? How will you ever manage having to wait that long? :roll:

isomaniac said:
Thanks for your explanation. But for me, "connecting GPRS/EDGE" is STILL costing some time (may be 1 to 2 seconds). so i am wondering if I can keep GPRS/EDGE connected all the time I want, so that whenever I want to check POP3 email / go to any website, then I don't need to wait the 1 to 2 seconds connection time. Now THAT'S would be my definition of "always on"
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Check the various tweaks n tips floating about, there's always a couple that will force gprs to remain on at all times. The downside isn't battery life, it barely affects that or push mail wouldn't exist. It's that eventually you will lose the signal, the connection will die and you won't notice the difference until you try to use it. Then you have to either toggle flight mode or reset the phone...after you figure out what happened. If you're constantly having to connect to gprs, you may be better served by looking for a disconnect timeout. With that, it'll get the occasional chance to reset the connection, making sure it's active. I have no idea what they are offhand and don't use them but I've come across them in the past so try a search and check the wiki.

The downside isn't battery life, it barely affects that or push mail wouldn't exist.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Sorry, but I have to disagree.
Maybe if you manage to somehow keep the connection without transmitting anything (not sure this is possible) the battery drain will be minimal.
I am using push mail on my Jamin for only 3 days and the difference in battery drain is very noticeable. In fact even with no mail (I don't sync the rest) to transfer the battery life is cut almost in half.
I read an article where the same is reported for the universal.

i have a question about this related topic, i'm a noob, just got my mda on wed and i called them and added the data plan to my existing line, the guy said it would take about 72 hours for the browser to be surfing the web normally, well today is sunday and i still can't surf, my G icon on top is with arrows moving, and it shows i'm connected to EDGE but my browser only says Locating and never loads anything, please help?

Hi werkmeister47!
Arrows moving means GPRS is trying to connect, but not actually connected.
There are two possibilities:
1) The provider hasn't connected you yet (72 hours??? When I bought a SIM from Orange I was surfing in 5 minutes)
2) Your connection settings are incorrect. You have to contact technical support for exact settings for your network.
Good luck.

Can someone explain GPRS a little clearer for a newbie

OK so Ive installed SPB GPRS monitor but a little confused - I presumed that if you received (for example) 30 emails at 2kb each then your traffic would be 60kb for that session/day etc? Hmmmm there must be something Im missing as the GPRS monitor is always showing a lot higher and also included traffic when I was connected only via my wireless router. Its definitely all set up correctly so perhaps someone could give me a little GPRS lesson? ta x
It also seems to want to increase whenever it feels like it - I turned it on to check the calendar and it increased 6kb LOL
EDIT:
even stranger - I just turned it on to check my calendar and its increased from 93kb to 97kb and I havent sent or received anything yet GPRS is connected....but that should make a difference should it?

I am not an expert on this but here are some basic facts for starters:
1) When checking emails or calendar or whatever, various headers and other data are sent as well so if you have 30 emails at 2Kb each your traffic will exceed 60k because the email program and the server have to talk amongst themselves to let each other know there are new emails and what to download.
2) What do you mean, check the calendar? If you are synchronizing with exchange server then even when your WiFi is connected ActiveSync tends to go for GPRS (thank you M$) and even if there are no new items to download simply checking the calendar might cost you the 6k (I am not sure, but thank M$ again for the protocol)
3) Make sure you don't have any apps in the background that are set to automatically update, like weather plug-ins. Those will connect to GPRS if WiFi isn't present when they need to update. Note that when you put the device on standby, it turns WiFi off, but keeps GPRS on.
Well, hope that shed some light on the issue for you.

Please don't double post, evidently madkitty.

that makes things clearer - I also hadnt realised that when I was checking for emails every 10 mins it was costing...I only thought it was when you sent or received them
think we should all get GPRS manual from the network operators :lol:

My phone is constant data transfer, help.

My phone constantly transfers data eating up the battery. I manually turn off data on the comm page. It stays off briefly then begins again. Any ideas?

Try this file, unzip, transfer over, install, open NO GPRS from the programs menu and hit toggle.
That should do it, just hit toggle to re-enable.
This is posted elsewhere, try using search first.

go to activesync, menu->schedule
and set "peak times" and "off-peak times" to "manually"

I once had this when I had an MMS trying to download. Delete the MMS header from your mailbox or specify the network/connection which should be used for downloading MMS.

clarksdv2 said:
My phone constantly transfers data eating up the battery. I manually turn off data on the comm page. It stays off briefly then begins again. Any ideas?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Check the MMS...
But the big question is... do you have push mail or perhaps a weather program?
Push especially will keep your data connection on as it is constantly polling your email...
The good news is if your are connected it doesn't necessarily mean that you are using data. If you are in a 3G area then an H icon will appear instead of the 3G icon while there is a data transfer...
If you want to stop it alltogether check out MoDaCo's NoData or the GRPS above..

No push email or other data service
I have my personal email on 30 minute retrieve increments other than that I have no other data services. My phone is just on this constant data call although no data is being transferred. This subsequently drains my battery awefully fast.

well, what is exactly the problem? is it that your pda
"is just on this constant data call although no data is being transferred"
or
"constantly transfers data" ?

More details.
The phone is engaged in a constant data call represented by 3G with the left and right arrow, however, no data is actually being transferred. The battery is draining within 8hrs on standby because the high transmit to receive ratio. Although no data is transferred the radio constantly interrogates the cell site thus throwing out unnecessary power. If I manually disengage via the communication manager, the phone will hang up the data call for a brief period, but will reengage fairly quickly. I can't find any settings that would create this situation. I downloaded the program in this post, but the phone still continues the data call. This has never happened on this phone until a month or so after installing the ROM flash with WM6, but I can't be sure if there is a direct correlation with the new flash. Thank you all for your help.

clarksdv2 said:
I have my personal email on 30 minute retrieve increments other than that I have no other data services. My phone is just on this constant data call although no data is being transferred. This subsequently drains my battery awefully fast.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
try turning off this 30 min email and make it manual to see if this is the cause...
not sure if u have htchome weather, because it will also auto update every few hours...

http://wiki.xda-developers.com/index.php?pagename=My Pocket PC keeps connecting to the Internet.

have you checked the activesync schedule time?
furthermore goto commmanager and disable direct push. if your commmanager does not show you the icon to disable direct push, install schaps advanced config and activate there the icon.
i am pretty sure that one of these two options causes the problem.
what other apps have you installed?
if all this does not help, hard reset your device and install/config one app after another.

Same Problem
I've got the same problem. I'm using the default HTC WWE ROM. At random times, sometimes twice a day, my "Rogers Internet" data connection (GPRS, EDGE or 3G) connects automatically and doesn't disconnect. If I catch it happening and click cancel, it tries again. It will not give up until the connection has been established for at least 10 seconds.
I've gone through every program I have, checking to make sure the auto update option is disabled (if there is an auto update). I do not use the direct push and therefore, activesync schedule is greyed out.
Any ideas?

I'm suprised that it drains your battery so quickly. My phone stays connected at least 90% of the day, and I usually have at least 70-80% battery when I get home from work, usually more. The only time that it gets drained quickly is when I'm browsing the web too much on NetFront 3.5...a notorious battery drainer.
Sorry I couldn't help...but maybe it's a battery issue? Since I'm connected so much and have no battery issues? Or maybe a radio change could help you?

I don't have any abnormal battery drain, just weird auto-connect problem.

are you sure you have checked every single program? there has to be something that's trying to connect to the internet to grab data. weather apps, time sync, quickgps (i know, ridiculous, i'm just throwing it out there). try looking at what processes are running in the background using a task manager. that might help you eliminate suspects.

I have Spb GPRS Monitor on my phone. I've been looking at the logs. There is no pattern to the connections and they seem to be never more than 20k connections. I've installed NoGPRS and will use that while I'm sleeping. Just weird that it connects at all.

I had a similar problem, so I installed KaiserTweak and changed the setting to disconnect from 3G after use and that did the trick for me - no more constant connection and the battery stopped heating up and dying quickly.

Mobile web - GPRS Auto Attach - does it kill the battery?

I have just set my mobile web connection to 'always on'. I've done this through the 'Advanced Config' app - GPRS auto attach: Enabled. Will this take more battery? I've read old posts for other phones, that claim this does kill battery but I've also found a post in this forum that says it doesnt! http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=546359
I have had endless trouble with my data connection - not being able to connect to internet, google maps, email etc and the only way to fix it was to either toggle airplane mode on and off or to actually soft reset. I'm hoping that having the GPRS auto attach will solve this trouble.
Any thoughts?

I'm doing experiments now with the battery life.
I charged phone to 100% and left in standby overnight with mobile web connection running. When I checked this morning, after 9 hours battery life was at 98% (received 1x sms and 1x email during the night).
Mobile web has now been connected for 17.5 hours and battery life is at 79%. 22mins device usage, mostly internet. No calls today and just the 1x sms and 1x email (Im not very popular - as is evident from the lack of replies to my post )
I will do the same experiment tonight with mobile web not connected.

Hi
It doesn't drain the battery. You have a permanent connection to the network anyway to receive phone calls. When you "attach" a data connection you're phone obtains an IP address and keeps it. To get an IP address requires an initial bit of talking to the cell and once it has it, that's it, it's doing nothing unless being actively used. If you disconnect all the time you will use more power as it costs power each time you have to negotiate for an IP address. Networks also prefer the connection to remain on as it cuts down on network traffic.
The only way your power is used more is if you have an application that is using the data connection continually.
Regards
Phil

Thanks PhilipL, exactly the answer i was hoping for as my connection seems a lot more stable since enabling auto attach.