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Tell HN: Your Android carrier can remotely turn settings on
11–20 of 299 posts
Re: Tell HN: Your Android carrier can remotely turn settings on
#12IMHO, carrier settings are a small portion and not super impactful part of the phone configuration you see in the settings list. This is actually a somewhat cool feature. Imagine going to another country, jumping on another network and your phone automatically knows what cell bands and towers to connect to.
Carriers can't change regular settings like language, lock screen code or background. Just what cell towers you connect to and a short list of telephony related features. Please correct me if I'm wrong.
Re: Tell HN: Your Android carrier can remotely turn settings on
#13(1) Yeah, though I definitely forgot. In my country, it used to be really hard to find a plan with mobile hotspot, which used to be a x€/month (don't remember the number) option that would just hide the setting. That was a very long time ago since I saw on but I think some plans still have those restrictions and use that method to enforce it.
(2) Changing to a device that doesn't have that feature. Which probably means no Android and no iOS. I would not be willing to do so, I'd change carrier instead if it was problematic enough to me.
(3) I don't mind when it's to set settings for a good reason. I assume some settings are configured that way for the phone to properly work on the carrier network. On the other hand, I hate it when it's to enforce a stupid thing or extract more money from a built-in feature.
Re: Tell HN: Your Android carrier can remotely turn settings on
#14It's part of the mandated law in certain countries so it's normal to be implemented there.
I was not aware this could be done remotely explicitly going against settings the user himself has set.
Re: Tell HN: Your Android carrier can remotely turn settings on
#151) yes, but only got the warning once. 2) I think you need to root and disable OTA updates, but never tried. 3) Hate it, but I think it's a drop in an ocean of control, and probably way more harmless than depending on Google for everything (at least in my case). Not an Apple user, but apparently this is also a thing on Apple devices: https://www.vox.com/2015/2/12/11558938/what-is-this-carrier-...
OTA updates are updates to the OS, not the settings.
Re: Tell HN: Your Android carrier can remotely turn settings on
#16IMHO, carrier settings are a small portion and not super impactful part of the phone configuration you see in the settings list. This is actually a somewhat cool feature. Imagine going to another country, jumping on another network and your phone automatically knows what cell bands and towers to connect to. Carriers can't change regular settings like language, lock screen code or background. Just what cell towers you…
The part you mention I was aware of and am actually thankful for. This, at least to me, goes much further. Hence the shock. Updated my post w/more details so it makes more sense (hopefully).
Re: Tell HN: Your Android carrier can remotely turn settings on
#17Yes, Cell Broadcasts are controllable by carriers and that's even mandated in some countries (e.g in USA the carrier can send out a broadcast that will ignore all "silent phone" settings and scream loudly no matter what you've set and where). This will happen on all phones allowed to be used in those regions - whether Apple, Google, Samsung, Nokia or even Huawei.
You can attempt to disable it, but you need to be aware that in many places it's outright illegal for phone manufacturer and carrier to allow that.
Re: Tell HN: Your Android carrier can remotely turn settings on
#18(1) No, but not surprised, (2) don't have a phone, (3) I don't like it, that's why I don't have a phone.
How do you manage w/o a phone? Some of our bank accounts require using an Android (or iPhone) app, for example. Messengers like Signal don't work w/o a smartphone. COVID-related apps for traveling. I could continue. Genuinely curious.
I don't use or carry a phone. The long and short of it boils down to things working just the way they do with a phone, just more human involvement, like requesting a paper menu, or handing someone money directly. You make plans to be at a place at a time, then you just show up.
Re: Tell HN: Your Android carrier can remotely turn settings on
#19(1) No, but not surprised, (2) don't have a phone, (3) I don't like it, that's why I don't have a phone.
How do you manage w/o a phone? Some of our bank accounts require using an Android (or iPhone) app, for example. Messengers like Signal don't work w/o a smartphone. COVID-related apps for traveling. I could continue. Genuinely curious.
> bank
Choosing your bank according to the provision of acceptable services.
> messengers
You just need an OS somewhere (not necessarily a smartphone)
> travelling
Cannot really help: if some administration requested a smartphone, I would either try to avoid it or buy some provisional, temporary thing.
Re: Tell HN: Your Android carrier can remotely turn settings on
#20Yes, I am aware carrier can control carrier/network settings since those are loaded from network anyway, you can try to override them, but obviously if it's something like Cell Broadcast, call forwarding/barring or caller ID and others, carrier can decide to use different settingh from yours. I feel like you are confusing local Android settings with carrier settings loaded from network. For instance carrier is not go…
Thank you. I should have been more explicit. The settings I am referring to are under "Apps & notifications"/"Wireless emergency alerts". They are about controlling whether to and which alerts one wants to receive on their phone. This not only seems very user-facing to me, it's also something I definitely would want to have control over. It's an unlocked Android One device. The carrier seems to be able to remotely ch…
It doesn't really matter under what setting it's placed in the OS, but "emergency alerts" or CB is clearly network setting/service, so it's not surprising carrier can control status of this setting/service and override what you set in the phone.