IWIK's "Data Witness" for Android - Getting started and brief overview

[srlawren]

Hi folks,

If this is repetitive information, please forgive me, as I don't recall seeing this posted before.  I'm here to let you know (you may already!) that Public Mobile community member @IWIK has built a great data usage tracking application for Android, named "Data Witness".  You can find it in the Google Play store here:  https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.iwik.datawitness

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EDIT 2021-Sept-29: you no longer need to reach out to IWIK to get a free voucher.  Instead, just install the "Data Witness PM" app, which is free for use on Public Mobile network:

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.iwik.datawitnesspm

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IMPORTANT NOTE:  The app does cost a small amount on Google Play Store, but, thanks to @IWIK's generosity, he is giving it away FREE for Public Mobile users!  To get it free, send @IWIK a private message, and [s]he will respond with a download code to get it for free.

What does it do?

Once installed and configured (more on that shortly), you can track your data usage against your plan alltoment, and it allows flexibility for PM's 10, 30, and 90 day plans and any data amount you choose.  The easiest way to use it once all set up is to create a (or multiple) widget on one of your home screens, and it looks roughly like this:

You can see it here in the middle of my screen.  You can customize this highly when you create the widget--custom colours, opacity of the background, etc.  But in a nutshell it shows you the percentage of your plan's data allotment you've used so far this term, how many days are left in this term, and even gives you bar graphs so you can visualize this info.  You can see in mine, my days are slightly ahead of my data usage, so I'm tracking well to not run out of data during this 90 day cycle.

If you don't want to set up a widget, you can also get this info by just going into Data Witness:

Installing and configuring

You can install it from the Play store link I used above.  Launch the app and there you can set up a number of configuration items.  Here's the main config menu:

From here, you'll want to pop into General settings and set up you plan details:

Log into your PM self-serve account and grab your current data usage amount and use that in the first setting shwon above. At your next renewal date, this will reset automatically to zero, as DW will be with you from the start of that cycle instead of part way through.  Set your data limit based on what's in your plan (I'm on the 6GB/90 days plan), and your plan length and your last cycle start date.  This is all you need to do to start benefitting from Data Witness right away!

There are a number of other settings you can tweak. I don't fully understand all of them, but this is how I currently have mine set up:

(I'm not sure of the ramifications of not having it check while the screen is off.)

Here you can tell it (using the sliders) when to let you know you're getting close to using up your data, and optionally have a persistent notification (you probably don't want that on, but it's a personal preference).

That's all there is to setting it up and basic usage.  As I mentioned, there are a ton of options to personalize your widget(s).  First of all there are two widget sizes to choose from:

And once you choose one and place it on a home screen, a ton of settings:

Enjoy!

[jordanharris01]

For some reason, no matter what I do, the app refuses to start service and tells me my SIM is incompatible. I haven't lost service... any ideas?

[IWIK]

@Delaroyas adding some personalization to the persistent notification is a good idea. I'll see what I can do!

[Delaroyas]

@IWIK, just starting to use your app earlyer this week, and it rocks!

Thanks for giving it away to PM consumers, you are a really nice person.

Minor suggestion, it would be nice to be able to select the units for the data and the days left in the notification bar.

exemple : 63% of limit, 19 days left.

could be:  645MB used,  19 days left.

or             37% of data left,  21% of your cycle left.

But as others said, it works great as it is! Thanks again!

[IWIK]

@srlawren Thanks for the suggestions, I'll definitely look into implementing these. Both good suggestions. Will take some work but doesn't sound impossible.

[srlawren]

@IWIK yes this patch is working great, thanks again!

I have a couple of things I'd love to see added if feasible and when you have time and desire to do so:

1) I would love to be able to see my current MB/day average use during this plan cycle, based on data up to end of yesterday.  So, if I'm 33 days into my plan and have used 1940.3 MB, I'd like to see 58.80 average/day.  In addition, a projection of how much data I will have used by the end of my cycle at the current average would rock!

Why?  Usually every morning I look at my current usage (which is roughly up to end of previous day) and divide by number of days into my plan to see how much on average I'm consuming a day.  Then I multiply by 90 to figure out where I'll land if I keep going at that rate.  It's a real rough gauge on how I'm trending on my plan cycle's bucket.  I'd love to be able to see these two figures, maybe added to a slightly larger version of the 4x1 widget?  4x2 or something?  Or maybe you have a better presentation idea.  🙂

2) I'd love to be able to see a graph/bar chart of my daily usage through the cycle.  Divide the screen width into 90 (or 30, whatever your configured plan is) and show a bar for that day's usage total on the graph.  Hopefully that makes sense?  This one would be hard to fit on the existing widgets I'd think, so in the main app is probably more practical.  OR, in it's own 4x1 widget that could be added in addition / in replacement of the existing 4x1 option?  

As I said, these blue-sky requests... I do love the app as-is!  This would just make my life that much easier.  🙂

[srlawren]

@IWIK wow, you are fast!  Got the update a bit earlier this aft.  I have de-selected the new "Show 'No Service' notifications", and will test it out over the next couple of days.  Much obliged.

[IWIK]

@srlawren Yea, I can deffinatly see how they can become annoying, I'll add an option to hide them in the next release.

Thanks again

[srlawren]

Thanks @IWIK, this is definitely an improvement! 

I think an option to suppress these notifications would be great!  Or maybe have a threshhold for a certain # of checks with no signal before notifying?  For most it's probably a non-issue, but I personally go through a few areas of no signal during my daily commute, in each direction, due to some underground sections of the SkyTrain (Vancouver-area LRT system) and so on.  

[IWIK]

Public Mobile doesn't label their sim cards (for a certain function in Android) and they are not required to do so, however with my method of detecting a PM sim card (at least differentiate between Telus) it only shows PM as the carrier when you have signal.

A new update is now being is being pushed out now that basically puts things on hold until the next check where you have signal. Currently there is a low priority notification and any widgets will change their status to 'Waiting...'

It seems to work for me, hopefully everyone has the same experience.

If wanted I can disable/give the choice to disable the notification if it becomes a nuisance.

Currently it doesn't 'listen' to changes in signal, just if it happens to check and you haven't any.

Thanks all for your help, patience

IWIK

Join the Beta test team

[srlawren]

Hi @IWIK.  Yes it's definitely to do with being temporarily disconnected from PM.  I had it happen again this morning near the Columbia skytrain station, where there is a short tunnel and often little to no signal.  I grabbed a few screen caps before it righted itself as we pulled out of the station and I was able to start the monitor service again. 

I do think this is due to my havijng an incompatible (roam mobility) sim in SIM2, as I never got this message using the non-PM-specific, general Data Witness app previously, with the same two SIMs present, but it wasn't looking specifically for PM.  I do have SIM2 disabled on my phone, so it would be great if DW just ignored it and didn't try to validate that SIM that's disabled.

[IWIK]

@srlawren I think I had a similar issue today actually, possibly something happens when signal is lost... I'll have to look into it this week, certainly not ideal

[srlawren]

@IWIK I had a weird thing yesterday with the PM version.  I temporarily lost signal in my underground parkade at home (normal), but a few moments later I got a notificatoin from DWPM that said my SIM was missing or incompatible.  After my signal was restored, I couldn't get it to start the monitor.  I rebooted the phone and I believe that termporarily allowed DWPM to work fine, except a bit later it gave me the same notification.  A bit later still when I was trying to get some screen caps for you, I noticed it was fine and it hasn't happened again since .

I'm not sure what's up.  I'm wondering if it could be a dual SIM issue?  My phone is dual SIM, and I have a Roam Mobility sim in SIM 2, although I also have that SIM slot disabled in settings as it's not needed while I'm in Canada.  But I'm wondering if when I lost signal on SIM 1 (PM) from being in the parkade, if DWPM tried to use SIM 2 and discovered the RM SIM which would in fact not be compatible.  I suppose I could have temporarily lost PM/TELUS signal the second time when it happened later (different location) too.

If it happens again I'll try to gather more info.  

[IWIK]

@kevindo27 No data is used, all the required information is based on what the phone reports as far as incoming and outgoing.

[kevindo27]

Just wondering, does this app use data to track the data usage? And if so, by how much??

[IWIK]

Update rolling out to Data Witness PM 'Beta'

ver 1.0.2(3)

FIX for no Phone permission request on 6.0+
NEW Handling of no Phone permission granted

[srlawren]

@IWIK was 100% correct, I was missing the required "Phone" permission.  I presume IWIK will work on getting the app to prompt when it needs the permission instead of just closing, but in the meantime if you are having the same issue, go to settings (the gear icon in your notification tray), then Apps, then Data Witness PM, then Permissions, then slide the Phone permission to on instead of off, and you should be able to start the monitor. 

[IWIK]

@srlawren

Yes I do mean 5.1 and higher (although 7 doesn't have app exclusion as of yet)

Hmmm, I'll have to look into all this, could be permission issues, I was having a few. Give me time, you can certainly use the regular one...

[srlawren]

@IWIK, I went ahead and installed the PM beta anyway to try it out.  I'm having an issue starting the monitor service.  Every time I try, the app just immediately quite back to the home screen.  I can't seem to get it running.  Reboot did not resolve the issue.

[srlawren]

@IWIK just to clarify, when you said it required 5.1, I presume that means "and higher"?  6.0/6.0.1 are okay?

I do have dual SIM but I rarely use my second slot, it's got my Roam Mobility SIM sitting waiting for my occasional short trips to the USA, while I use my PM sim in SIM 1 99% of the time.  I don't mind trying out the beta version though if you think it would be of any benefit to you.  In fact I might (tentatively) be going to the USA on the last weekend in July.  Not sure how quickly you need feedback on the multi-SIM aspects so that may or may not help.  Let me know.  Also about the OS version since I'm on 6.0.01.

[IWIK]

Hey all, I'm doing a quick 'beta' test on a new version of the app (technically a whole new app) that is exactly the same just free to download and checks the sim to only work with phones that are on public mobile. I'd love for some of you guys, especially those with dual Sims to test it out.

https://play.google.com/apps/testing/com.iwik.datawitnesspm

That's the link to join the open beta, it does require android 5.1 due to a technical reason of separating Telus Sims from Public Mobile Sims.

Going through forward I'd like for this to be the app most people use as it saves from manually generating and sending download codes. After I get a few testers in and all looks well it will be published just as any other app would.

[imm1304]

Thanks for this app @IWIK!

Very useful and relevant to us.  

Appreciate your time and effort in making this app.  

[srlawren]

@IWIK awesome new features, that are sure to make a number of PM users very happy!  Thanks for your continued efforts!  🙂

[IWIK]

Just a heads up, new version being rolled out now (2.4.0)

New - settings for add-on data (used after term data maxed out)

New - App exclusions - disregard data usage from certain apps. Designed to allow you to ignore your SMS/MMS app and increase accuracy. You may not want to use it with Hangouts as it may use actual data. Supports up to Android M (6.0) - not N (7.0) yet.

Please try it out and let me know how it's all working.

Here's a screenshot just of selecting apps to ignore, YAATA being my SMS/MMS app of choice.

[srlawren]

@IWIK awesome!  I didn't originally mention that, as I wasn't sure if the offer was open to any PM users.  I have edited my original message above with a note to private message you.  🙂  Thanks again!

[kutzki]

@IWIK NO WAY! That's awesome. PM sent. 🙂

[IWIK]

@kutzki it is free for Public Mobile users, I can't seperate them in the Google Play store automatically, but just send me a private message and I'll give you a download code.

[kutzki]

Awwe.... thought it was free. Lol good job @IWIK! Cool looking app.

[IWIK]

^ absolutely.

Another important point, that I *may* be able to address later is it seems MMS (picture messaging) counts toward data in Data Witness. Of course this doesn't count in your actual bill so a lot of MMS can throw off the accuracy.

[srlawren]

I should mention:  I don't know 100% if the app is 100% accurate.  I haven't done any thorough testing, but in my infomal comparisson betwen what it shows that I've used in the app vs. what self-serve shows, it is always quite close.  I would recommend you use the app/widget as a rough estimation of your used/remaining data, but do periodically check on self-serve as well.  Use it as a convenience/augmentation of self-serve, but not a total replacement.  

Hopefully that makes sense.  It does SEEM to be pretty accurate, but self-serve is ultimately the "system of record" for your usage.

[homer]

This can be helpful for a lot of users!