(ECNS) -- Mobile apps may steal at least 40-billion-yuan ($6.26 billion) worth of data traffic from Chinese mobile phone users in a single year, Guangzhou Daily reported, citing internet experts.
Some mobile phone users suspect that telecom operators have been charging more for data traffic than they use, which has sparked hot online debate.
Staff from China Telecom explained that data traffic records via mobile security software may differ from that of telecom operators using mobile base stations.
Zhejiang Bureau of Quality and Technical Supervision, together with a metrology institute, conducted research and showed that three operators' calculations have a deviation of only 0.15 percent at most.
Song Fengzhong, vice manager of China Unicom Henan branch said operators won't forge records, as the cost of changing rules for the large and rigorous recording system is enormous.
An insider from an app publishing firm admitted that many non-malicious apps, even some widely-used ones, are designed to update and download files secretly after stealing user permission.
Internet safety expert Pei Zhiyong said secret consumption of data traffic by apps has become a common problem. "It is profit-driven," it was added.
A technician at Qihoo 360 Technology said malicious mobile apps will slip Trojan Horse programs into phones and automatically conduct downloads.
