Root Can Sprint tell you are rooted by remote viewing of apps on your phone?

[jamesdean]

I recently had a reason to call into customer service about a voice mail problem. The first thing the rep did was to check if I had download any apps that would be interfering with the process. She took a minute and said I had not downloaded anything the=at would interfere.

That made me begin to wonder if they can look at your phone/account and really see what apps have been downloaded and if so, if they saw root only apps there would there be a reason for concern?

 

[frenchy714]

I recently had a reason to call into customer service about a voice mail problem. The first thing the rep did was to check if I had download any apps that would be interfering with the process. She took a minute and said I had not downloaded anything the=at would interfere.

That made me begin to wonder if they can look at your phone/account and really see what apps have been downloaded and if so, if they saw root only apps there would there be a reason for concern?

I wouldn't worry too much about it. They can do plenty over the phone w/o being able to tell you're rooted.

 

[jamesdean]

I wouldn't worry too much about it. They can do plenty over the phone w/o being able to tell you're rooted.

Thanks, I am wondering if they really can see the apps you have downloaded?

 

[SButler]

Thanks, I am wondering if they really can see the apps you have downloaded?

I had a Sprint corporate rep. at my office yesterday and asked him if they really cared if we rooted our phones. His response was the vast majority of the tech side of sprint roots there phones and in most cases dont care. But to answer your question he said they can see what you have downloaded if you give them access to your device. Funny thing is he said he is getting an evo on monday and wants to know if i can show him how to root it and his galaxy tab.

He also gave the name of a tech to go see in my area if i have any problems with my phone that will fix it for me even though im rooted. Pretty cool i guess.

Hope this helps.

 

[frenchy714]

Thanks, I am wondering if they really can see the apps you have downloaded?

I'm sure they can if they *really* want to. When the customer service rep checked to see if you had any apps that may be interfering w/ your v-mail, maybe they were looking for specific apps, and unless you have those specific apps, they probably don't pay too much attention to the others.

 

[vinniemac3]

ive been having the same problem ever since i rooted. no vibrate and dont know how to fix it

 

[frenchy714]

ive been having the same problem ever since i rooted. no vibrate and dont know how to fix it

Not to stray from the topic too much, Vinnie, how's your battery life been treating you? Any improvement?

 

[ovrrdrive]

Technically I have never seen anything from Sprint that would lead me to believe they had a problem with rooting our phones. The only thing they're worried about is warranty service on bricked or otherwise screwed up handsets. As long as the user understands and accepts the liability I don't much see why they'd care.

Well, the rooted hotspot seems like it might be an issue but I can't think of anything else really...

 

[frenchy714]

Technically I have never seen anything from Sprint that would lead me to believe they had a problem with rooting our phones. The only thing they're worried about is warranty service on bricked or otherwise screwed up handsets. As long as the user understands and accepts the liability I don't much see why they'd care.

Well, the rooted hotspot seems like it might be an issue but I can't think of anything else really...

I agree.

 

[ndh777]

I recently had a reason to call into customer service about a voice mail problem. The first thing the rep did was to check if I had download any apps that would be interfering with the process. She took a minute and said I had not downloaded anything the=at would interfere.

That made me begin to wonder if they can look at your phone/account and really see what apps have been downloaded and if so, if they saw root only apps there would there be a reason for concern?

Sprint (associates) usually can tell simply by turning off or on your phone. If you have a different ROM, they will be able to tell immediately. If you changed the boot screen, they can tell.

If you left everything the same as it was with everything stock, it'll be a bit harder to tell unless they take your phone "to the back" and open it and do some software checks. If they go into your Hboot, they can tell from there too.

By apps, they can if you downloaded apps that require root access. But at the same time, people often download apps from the Market and don't realize that the app won't work unless they are rooted so they may figure that you are a noob who doesn't know lol Such apps that require root access would include:
-Wifi tether apps (unless it's something like PDaNet or EasyTether although Sprint still frowns on any type of tethering without a tethering add-on to your plan)
-Root File Explorer
-Root CacheMate
-Overclocking apps...

Any app that requires root access will let them know whether or not your phone is rooted.

If you have added a ROM that changes the UI (user interface; the way the phone looks) some buttons may have changed and it may be learned that you aren't using the stock UI that Sprint/HTC provided such as them telling you to go to your phone dialer on an ASOP ROM and inputing a code (generally, it won't work on an ASOP ROM) or going into settings and changing something only to find that that feature was removed in the ROM or that feature is not working in that ROM.

Over the phone is harder to tell whether or not someone is rooted. If she/he asks you "are you rooted", it's best to say no. If they ask you about an app that requires root access, tell them that you tried using the app, but it doesn't seem to work on your phone...basically act clueless about anything root related lol and on a need-to-know basis.

 

[9to5cynic]

Hmm.. I had no idea that sprint could view the apps installed on our phones. Does that hold true only for stock rooted roms or all sense roms? Are AOSP included?

(Assuming they can't see your apps in you're on aosp, then by them *not* seeing your apps would be a give-away)

I do like hearing stories about techs at sprint who don't have problems with rooting.

 

[ndh777]

Hmm.. I had no idea that sprint could view the apps installed on our phones. Does that hold true only for stock rooted roms or all sense roms? Are AOSP included?

(Assuming they can't see your apps in you're on aosp, then by them *not* seeing your apps would be a give-away)

I do like hearing stories about techs at sprint who don't have problems with rooting.

No, to our knowledge, they cannot see what apps you have on your phone remotely.

If you take your phone into their store or let them know over the phone, "This phone is rooted", that's how they'll know.

The OP was asking about apps being able to tell if he was rooted or not because the person working for Sprint that he was on the phone with was asking about apps on his phone. He came here and asked us about whether or not Sprint would be able to tell if his phone was rooted simply by him saying what apps he had on his phone.

To our knowledge, Sprint has no way of telling what apps you have on your phone, what firmware you are running, if it is rooted or not...through a remote means, meaning them actually being somewhere else and looking at the specs of your phone through a computer or whatever.

If and when the Cloud becomes standard on phones, phone carriers will be able to tell what apps we are running and whether or not we are rooted. But that shouldn't be for some time.

 

[9to5cynic]

OHHH... Okay. I was thinking it was strange that I hadn't heard of it until just now. Makes much more sense.

 

[sitlet]

Remotely? No way, that would be highly illegal. If you go to a store, obviously if you hand them the phone, they can see if you have root apps.

 

[jamesdean]

Sprint (associates) usually can tell simply by turning off or on your phone. If you have a different ROM, they will be able to tell immediately. If you changed the boot screen, they can tell.

If you left everything the same as it was with everything stock, it'll be a bit harder to tell unless they take your phone "to the back" and open it and do some software checks. If they go into your Hboot, they can tell from there too.

By apps, they can if you downloaded apps that require root access. But at the same time, people often download apps from the Market and don't realize that the app won't work unless they are rooted so they may figure that you are a noob who doesn't know lol Such apps that require root access would include:
-Wifi tether apps (unless it's something like PDaNet or EasyTether although Sprint still frowns on any type of tethering without a tethering add-on to your plan)
-Root File Explorer
-Root CacheMate
-Overclocking apps...

Any app that requires root access will let them know whether or not your phone is rooted.

If you have added a ROM that changes the UI (user interface; the way the phone looks) some buttons may have changed and it may be learned that you aren't using the stock UI that Sprint/HTC provided such as them telling you to go to your phone dialer on an ASOP ROM and inputing a code (generally, it won't work on an ASOP ROM) or going into settings and changing something only to find that that feature was removed in the ROM or that feature is not working in that ROM.

Over the phone is harder to tell whether or not someone is rooted. If she/he asks you "are you rooted", it's best to say no. If they ask you about an app that requires root access, tell them that you tried using the app, but it doesn't seem to work on your phone...basically act clueless about anything root related lol and on a need-to-know basis.

Just to clarify my original question. I was on the phone with the Sprint rep, they did not ask me about apps installed but instead said they would check and did check on the apps I have downloaded to see if there was anything there that would be causing the problem. In other words they indicated they checked on their end and made their decision based on information they had without my input.

I also believe they really do not care about tethering apps since they are now the only carrier that has not asked Google to block access to such apps in the market.

 

[jamesdean]

Remotely? No way, that would be highly illegal. If you go to a store, obviously if you hand them the phone, they can see if you have root apps.

Apparently they can and if so, what would be illegal about that?

 

[9to5cynic]

Just to clarify my original question. I was on the phone with the Sprint rep, they did not ask me about apps installed but instead said they would check and did check on the apps I have downloaded to see if there was anything there that would be causing the problem. In other words they indicated they checked on their end and made their decision based on information they had without my input.

I also believe they really do not care about tethering apps since they are now the only carrier that has not asked Google to block access to such apps in the market.

Wow. That seems a bit sneaky on sprints part. Not only do they (*did they ) install programs without our say so, they can look up what we're using. Great.

 

[ndh777]

Just to clarify my original question. I was on the phone with the Sprint rep, they did not ask me about apps installed but instead said they would check and did check on the apps I have downloaded to see if there was anything there that would be causing the problem. In other words they indicated they checked on their end and made their decision based on information they had without my input.

I also believe they really do not care about tethering apps since they are now the only carrier that has not asked Google to block access to such apps in the market.

Oh wow, you learn something new everyday I thought they had a big war against tethering since they wanted us to pay $30 a month extra for the package. That's great to know, thanks!

Oh ok. I assumed that the rep was asking you what apps you had on your phone. That's still odd though that they were able to check on their end as I have never heard of them being able to do anything like that.

 

[ndh777]

Remotely? No way, that would be highly illegal. If you go to a store, obviously if you hand them the phone, they can see if you have root apps.

Well, technically, if they pull out your phone and check the apps in the store such as just going down your app list and see some root access apps, that still technically doesn't mean that you are rooted. Many people who are unrooted download root access apps and don't read the descriptions that clearly say "ROOT NEEDED" lol and then there are some apps, like the Root File Explorer that can be used without root but have additional features for root users.

 

[killsumting]

Sprint just cancelled my service for "..as a modem...". Sprint decided to add $10/phone on my account (4 phones so $40) in June, so I rooted in October and streamed netflix for 2 months. They didn't like it when I tried to get my $40 extra out of them that THEY decided was appropriate. So I rooted and Sprint crys and says "you can't do that" and cancelled my service :-D. And also, they just sold me 3 galaxy III's with lte service that only works on 3G... I can't even stream Pandora. Just talked to T-Mobile and they have LTE where I'm at with unlimited 4G w/ tethering and $30 less a month... no brainer. Now, I can sell my Galaxy III's on craigslist (phones aren't compatible), buy new ones on T-Mobile with discounts and it all comes out in the wash, I'm $500 ahead Good by Sprint, you suck!

 

[EarlyMon]

You pirated the hotspot, streamed video that takes a lot of bandwidth, got caught, and necro'd a thread to tell us that that was their fault.

Ok.

 

[MizzouBrent]

Well they charge 10 bucks per month for any smartphone on your plan. They're not making up stuff... This should all be clear when you sign your contract. Even with the extra fees it's still cheaper for unlimited data.