unexplained data calls

[Wizzzilk]

Hello all,

I'm having a bit of trouble with my new Treo 650. I've had the device for about 8 weeks now and I love it. But I'm noticing some strange behavior. I have dealt with Verizon tech support on this but I think I have exhausted their expertise on this particular issue. So here's the problem.

I'm using VersaMail to check my pop3 account on each hour and half-hour between 9:00 am and 11:00 pm. It hasn't affected my battery life too severly so I'm pretty happy with it an I'd like to keep these settings. But the problem I'm seeing is that the phone makes unexplained data calls at times other than my pop3 scheduled connections. For instance, this morning at 6:52 am while I was having my morning cup of coffee with the phone on the table next to me, I noticed it was making a data call. The light was amber and when I turned on the display of the device the connection arrows were green. The phone also made at least 2 more unscheduled/unexplained data calls this morning before I arrived at work at 7:45 am. I know this because I saw the amber light at least two more times. There could have been more calls that I just didn't see as I was getting ready for work.

The calls seem to be very short as the amber light and the green arrows are only on for about one minute. And I've checked the KB total usage stats from the call log and there is not a lot of data being sent or received.

This has been going on pretty much since I got the device about 8 weeks ago. When I spoke with Verizon support in early July they informed that on that particular day my phone had made 150 data call from 12:00 midnight until about 4:00 pm that afternoon. We investigated and found that the Verizon Wireless Sync was trying to connect but since I had never provided a password (I only launched the app to see what it was all about) the connection was failing. I NEVER received any notification on the device that it was having problems logging into Wireless Sync. Which upset me quite a bit since I was charged about $20 for the attempted logins (Verizon graciously reversed the charges). For the record, I don not wish to use Verizon Wireless Sync. I'm simply reporting the history of this problem.

Anyway, the Verizon support tech then walked me through confirming that all Wireless Sync push options were turned off. This seemed to help alleviate most of the problem. But as I stated, this morning the phone made at least 3 unexplained data calls again.

So my question to all of you Treo gurus is this:

How on earth can I determine what application on my device is making these calls? Is there another app that I can use to monitor all incoming and outgoing bytes to see their destinations and originations? Like a firewall for my phone?

Here is a list of apps that I have installed:
Ultrasoft Money v4.3.1
Bejeweled 2
Village Sim
Documents to Go v7.001(815)
VersaMail v3.0C
LauncherX v1.1.2b

Any suggestions will be appreciated.

Thanks in advance,
Steve

[Wizzzilk]

It just did it again. I have no idea what is going on. The phone just made 3 more unexplained data calls.

10:24 am
10:26 am
10:27 am

I checked the call log details after each one of these calls and there was absolutely no change in the Total KB sent or received...

I'm completely lost as to what is doing this. Please help!

Thanks,
Steve

[Wizzzilk]

I'm noticing a trend here now. It seems to happen in 3's. It happened again at

12:15 pm
12:16 pm
12:17 pm

I checked the Total KB sent and received again and it was still the same (except for the 4 KB changes for each time VersaMail makes its twice hourly checks of the pop3 account).

It then did it again at

1:04 pm
1:05 pm
1:06 pm

Again I check the Total KB sent and received and it was still the same except for the 4 KB from VersaMail doing it's pop3 checks.

I've checked the settings of all of the applications I have installed to see if maybe they have something configured incorrectly that will go out to the web to check for updates or something but I don't see anything!

Thanks,
Steve

[dfr867]

I'm new to Treo but I work on computers for a living and it sounds like a nasty virus! Don't take my word for it but having my phone info being sent out doesn't sound to good to me!

[Antoine of MMM]

SOrry, there are no viri for PalmOS devices. Really, there are not a one despite what folks might want to tell you. Other mobile platforms yes, but not on the Treo.

CHeck VersaMail to make sure that you dont have auto Get Mail checked for any accounts you have setup. If that is unchecked, good. That was the only app that you had listed that would do that.

If VersaMail isnt the issue, its the wireless sync. See if you can find any settings in the program that would automatically look to sync with an Exchange server every hour; that would be where your data line is being turned on.

Hope that helps.