topic Re: Spotify using 3g data while roaming, 'Download over 2G/3G' is explicitly OFF. in Android

Spotify using 3g data while roaming, 'Download over 2G/3G' is explicitly OFF.

StaleIcon — Wed, 12 Dec 2012 13:40:28 GMT

I was out of the country and on roaming (O2, in Marseille) from the 30th to the 2nd of December. During this time, Spotify downloaded almost 70mb of data, even though I had expressly unchecked the use 2g/3g option.

The only thing I can think of that may have triggered this is that my wifi was connected to the hotel's network, but wasn't logged in (they had a second layer of authentication which I didn't have a password for). I'd guess that Spotify checks the Wifi on/off status, but doesn't perform any data source checks after that and then downloads regardless of the connection type?

I had a roaming package enabled, so (as far as I can tell) it didn't cost me anything, but this seems like a potentially costly bug for someone...

HTC Sensation, O2 network (roaming), Spotify v0.5.4.73

Re: Spotify using 3g data while roaming, 'Download over 2G/3G' is explicitly OFF.

Peter__ — Wed, 12 Dec 2012 17:07:30 GMT

Hey! Welcome to the community 🙂

Was your client in offline mode?

The download over 2G/3G only means the client won't download and sync offline playlists over the mobile network, if you are in online mode and you perform a search or listen to a track that isn't sycned (or scrobble to last fm) then it will still use the mobile network if available.

If you want Spotify not to use any data at all, you need to force the client into offline mode (not sure how you do it on android, I'm a BlackBerry user!).

Peter

Re: Spotify using 3g data while roaming, 'Download over 2G/3G' is explicitly OFF.

StaleIcon — Wed, 12 Dec 2012 18:36:25 GMT

Hmmm... That doesn't really make sense. The on/off says "download over 2G/3G." Since there's no clarifier text, one could reasonably assume that was a wifi data only toggle (like many other apps have).

Besides, what if I am connected via WiFi while also on an expensive mobile rate; what if the WiFi drops? Will Spotify switch to expensive mobile data without telling me?

Thanks for the reply!

Re: Spotify using 3g data while roaming, 'Download over 2G/3G' is explicitly OFF.

Peter__ — Wed, 12 Dec 2012 18:44:10 GMT

As far as I am aware, Spotify prefers WiFi connections, so whilst you are connected to WiFi it will use that, I would assume that if you lost your WiFi connection it would automatically start using the mobile network.

You can avoid using the networks at all if you sync your playlists for offline listening and then force the client into offline mode. The client also prefers offline tracks to streamed ones, so if you are listening to a track that has been synced for offline, it shouldn't try and stream it even if you are online.

Peter

Re: Spotify using 3g data while roaming, 'Download over 2G/3G' is explicitly OFF.

licenced — Wed, 12 Dec 2012 19:31:04 GMT

Check out this thread
http://community.spotify.com/t5/Mobile-Android/Android-app-using-too-much-data-Post-details-here/td-p/116042