Is this not *****ing data?!

<p>Yesterday afternoon I loaded R220 airtime on my 85 year old mother-in-law's Samsung. As she only has a cellphone in order to make and receive calls, this usually lasts her a good few weeks, but this morning, a little over 12 hours later, she saw her balance was back to just a few rand (as it was when loading the vouchers).</p> <p>I visited a Vodacom branch where I was told that it was because her Mobile Data was switched. After asking what was using the data, i was told background app refreshes - she doesn't use or have apps on the phone. The lady then telephonically put me intouch with Customer Services who told me that the phone was connected to the internet and had been since midnight on the 23rd of March 2017 till when the mobile data was switched off in store.</p> <p>My mother-in-law would not even have been awake at that time of the night! So how, and what site or application was active - they have requested this info and will be in touch with me...</p> <p>When I asked how the phone was connected to the internet, as she uses no apps on the phone, does not browse the web (doesn't even know how) the reply was, I quote: "the phone automatically connects to the internet when you load airtime"... and that at R1.50 per minute. The customer must then switch the data off if not required. For what? Why? And how many other people are affected financially by this practise?? WHAT internet was she on? P.s. The phone is set to do software updates on when on wifi and only when promted.</p> <p>My concern is twofold:</p> <p>1. If she had been connected to the internet from the 23rd, why was there a surge in use only after I loaded the airtime. It hasn't happend before?</p> <p>2. How much data is stollen from people who have their mobile data permanently on for app use???</p> <p>I am not the most technologically savvy person, and I am on contract so not sure what the pre-paid service differences are, but this simply does not make sense? I don't get a huge bill every month for data, and my Mobile data is permanently on?!</p> <p>Is this how Vodacom makes extra money, by *****ing from the either uninformed or uneducated people making use of their services? If it was an error on my mother's side, perhaps a setting etc, then surely we would have picked this up before?</p> <p>I do not accept Vodacom's reasons, and thereby placing the blame on the user!!</p> <p>i am disgusted that something like this can happen, especially to an 85yr old lady who knows no better!</p>