Service Messages on mobile phones?
 

Does anyone know anything about Service Messages - on Orange in particular?

Earlier today (on my 6230) i received a "Service Message", which was not like a normal SMS, and when i click OK it brought up the "Service Inbox" with a message titled "Sexy Girls!".

The default click is to Retrieve, but i clicked on the Options button just in case, and under details it said that the address was "h**p://195.74.152.84/wap/wspc_uk.wml?c=<number>" (stars included to make sure that Scoobynet doesn't hotlink the address.

Well there is no way that i am going to click/retrieve such a link, so i quit out and phoned Orange to ask what it was all about. Sadly the girl on the other end didn't have a clue, so i left it (for now).

However, i have just read the (full) Nokia manual, and it appears that a Service Message is a "...(pushed message) sent by your service provider (network service).". i.e. it would have been sent by (or with the permission of) Orange - a bit like a SIM update.

More worryingly, it seems that the default setting in my phone is to allow... "Automatic connection. If you have set the phone to receive service messages and select On, the phone will automatically activate the browser from standby mode when the phone has received a service message.".

Thus, potentially, these NON-Orange-originated messages can cause you phone to automatically connect to a WAP (or other) web-site and download stuff. I wonder if this explain the mystery half-meg GPRS item on my last bill - which is supposedly the equivalent of 500-600 WAP pages :eek:

Going to the URL via Firefox, on the real interweb allows you to see the WAP pages that would be connected to - basically they will send you pictures of scantily clad females for GBP1.50 a day!! It all seems to operate under the Wireless Information Network company (they have the abuse e-mail address for the original IP address).

I AM NOT HAPPY that Orange allow such messages to be routed directly to my (and potentially other subscriber) phone - and even more so when their help-desk doesn't seem to have the slightest knowledge about them :mad:

Anyone know some more information about this "scam"??

Cheers,

mb

Guess who got a new 6230 on Friday?! :rolleyes::D

Bob (busy trying to turn auto gubbins off!)

Bob,

i can't say for sure that it will block 'em, but try...

Menu/Services/Settings/Service Inbox Settings...

and set Service Messages to OFF
and Automatic Connection to OFF

I managed to find a bit of info at http://www.winplc.com/solutions/wap-push.aspx

mb

spam

junk media messages- i get them all the time, as well as the spam texts.

Bloody annoying

Nice one, cheers Boomer :)

Freak,

they are SPAM/SCAM, but they are not your normal SMS or MMS messages. They are Service Messages that can automatically cause your phone to connect to a web-site from standby mode!!!!!! :eek:

Maybe others could/should check the default settings on the 6230's (or other WAP enabled phones).

BOB.T,

let me know how long your batteries last?

Cheers,

mb

Funny you should say this. I've a SE K700i and it frequently shows the little world icon suggesting I'm connected to a WAP service despite nothing 'looking' active. I'm always getting these service messages too. I've just been into my SMS settings and the closest I could find to the instructions you were giving was to disable the previously enabled 'push messages' feature.

Do you think that sounds right? If anyone has an SE perhaps they might know.

Thanks for heads-up :thumb:

Jap2Scrap, I've got a SE Z1010 and just had a quick look and mine's the same as yours, push messages do seem to be the same as the nokia service messages. You can change the various settings within that, will look into it further later. I've set mine to 'ask' first before accepting one.

Thanks SC :D

Boomer, I charged mine on Saturday...actually could have been sunday and I've just looked at it now, it's on one bar. That does include loads of monkeying about with videos, pictures and a couple of calls. I'll keep an eye on it! :)

And just to add to your worries - For anyone using a phone with the Symbian OS - the first mobile phone viruses have already been discovered....

i didnt know that.......
and yes i have a 6230 too :eek: