---------------------wvdial.conf----------------------------------

[Dialer Defaults]
Init1= ATZ
Init2 = ATQ0 V1 E1 S0=0 &C1 &D2 +FCLASS=0
Init3 = AT+CGDCONT=1,"IP","apnname"
Modem Type = Analog Modem
ISDN = 0
Modem = /dev/ttyAMA0
Baud = 115200
Phone = *99#
Username = { }
Password = { }
Stupid Mode = 1
ISDN = 0
New PPPD = yes
FlowControl=Hardware(CRTSCTS)
Auto DNS = 1
Carrier Check = off

----------- output of "sudo wvdial"-----------------------------------

--> WvDial: Internet dialer version 1.61
--> Initializing modem.
--> Sending: ATZ
ATZ
OK
--> Sending: ATQ0 V1 E1 S0=0 &C1 &D2 +FCLASS=0
ATQ0 V1 E1 S0=0 &C1 &D2 +FCLASS=0
OK
--> Sending: AT+CGDCONT=1,"IP","apnname"
AT+CGDCONT=1,"IP","apnname"
OK
--> Modem initialized.
--> Sending: ATDT*99#
--> Waiting for carrier.
ATDT*99#
CONNECT 3600000
--> Carrier detected.  Starting PPP immediately.
--> Starting pppd
--> Pid of pppd: 28116


-----------output of "ifconfig" after running wvdial-----------

eth0      Link encap:Ethernet  HWaddr xxxxxxxxxxxxxx
          inet addr:10.1.1.13  Bcast:10.1.1.255  Mask:255.255.255.0
          UP BROADCAST RUNNING MULTICAST  MTU:1500  Metric:1
          RX packets:22576 errors:0 dropped:1 overruns:0 frame:0
          TX packets:18649 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 carrier:0
          collisions:0 txqueuelen:1000
          RX bytes:1506155 (1.4 MiB)  TX bytes:3495168 (3.3 MiB)

lo        Link encap:Local Loopback
          inet addr:127.0.0.1  Mask:255.0.0.0
          UP LOOPBACK RUNNING  MTU:65536  Metric:1
          RX packets:0 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 frame:0
          TX packets:0 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 carrier:0
          collisions:0 txqueuelen:0
          RX bytes:0 (0.0 B)  TX bytes:0 (0.0 B)


---------------------------------------------------------------------------
according to my ISP, no username/password are required to connect over 3g
so I added the following:

--------------what I added to /etc/ppp/pap-secrets--------------------------
#       *       password
connectionname * " "

---------------what I added to /etc/ppp/chap-secrets

# Secrets for authentication using CHAP
# client        server  secret                  IP addresses
myskinny *  " " *

------------------------------------------------------------------
some debugging/testing I've tried;

-Changed the apn name to something that's definitely invalid. wvdial still gives the same output ie dials in, shows CONNECT 3600000 and says that pppd is started. So somehow the apn isn't even being used

-tried using sakis3g script interactively
sakis insists on a password and username for the apn, even though my provider doesn't use one. Entering nothing causes sakis to abort. So I enter a single space for username and for password.

--------------------------- sudo ./sakis3g --interactive --debug----------------------------

[28225] [18:01:09] Asking user to enter: CUSTOM_APN Please enter APN Enter correct APN, or leave empty to abort. Contact your operator if unsure OK Cancel
[28225] [18:01:09] Variable CUSTOM_APN is not set already.
[28225] [18:01:09] Prompting user to type variable CUSTOM_APN.
[28225] [18:01:14] User pressed button 0 while typed: "myapn"
[28225] [18:01:14] User pressed OK.
[28225] [18:01:14] User typed: myapn
[28225] [18:01:14] Considering selection: 0
[28225] [18:01:14] New value is CUSTOM_APN="myapn". Returning 0.
[28225] [18:01:14] Asking user to enter: APN_USER APN: myapn Enter username required by APN, or leave empty to abort. Contact your operator if unsure. This information, along with APN password, is usually easily retrieved through a fast call to customer support OK Cancel
[28225] [18:01:14] Asking user to enter: APN_USER APN: myapn Enter username required by APN, or leave empty to abort. Contact your operator if unsure. This information, along with APN password, is usually easily retrieved through a fast call to customer support OK Cancel
[28225] [18:01:14] Variable APN_USER is not set already.
[28225] [18:01:15] Prompting user to type variable APN_USER.
[28225] [18:01:17] User pressed button 0 while typed: " "
[28225] [18:01:17] User pressed OK.
[28225] [18:01:17] User typed:
[28225] [18:01:17] Considering selection: 0
[28225] [18:01:17] New value is APN_USER=" ". Returning 0.
[28225] [18:01:17] Asking user to enter: APN_PASS APN: myapn Enter password required by APN, or leave empty to abort. Contact your operator if unsure. This information is usually easily retrieved through a fast call to customer support OK Cancel
[28225] [18:01:17] Asking user to enter: APN_PASS APN: myapn Enter password required by APN, or leave empty to abort. Contact your operator if unsure. This information is usually easily retrieved through a fast call to customer support OK Cancel
[28225] [18:01:17] Variable APN_PASS is not set already.
[28225] [18:01:17] Prompting user to type variable APN_PASS.
[28225] [18:01:18] User pressed button 0 while typed: " "
[28225] [18:01:18] User pressed OK.
[28225] [18:01:18] User typed:
[28225] [18:01:18] Considering selection: 0
[28225] [18:01:18] New value is APN_PASS=" ". Returning 0.
[28225] [18:01:18] Command "DIAL" refers to AT commands: ATD*99#
[28225] [18:01:19] Loaded default value for BAUD: 460800
[28225] [18:01:19] Config file that will be used is: "/tmp/wvdial.tmp.28225".
/-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
[28225] [18:01:19] Will now display contents of: \'/tmp/wvdial.tmp.28225\'
/-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
[Dialer Defaults]
Modem = /dev/ttyAMA0
Modem Type = Analog Modem
ISDN = 0
Baud = 460800
Dial Attempts = 3
Username =
Password =
Phone = *99#
Auto Reconnect = off
Stupid Mode = 1
Init1 = ATZ
\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-rw------- 1 root root 194 Dec 19 18:01 /tmp/wvdial.tmp.28225
\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
[28225] [18:01:19] Connection command that will be used is: /usr/bin/setsid /usr/bin/wvdial --config "/tmp/wvdial.tmp.28225"
[28225] [18:01:19] Verbosing: 28% Initializing modem
Initializing modem [28225] [18:01:19] Using default INITIALIZE.
[28225] [18:01:19] Command "INITIALIZE" refers to AT commands: ATZ OK 'AT&F' OK 'ATQ0 V1 E1' OK 'AT&D2 &C1' OK AT+FCLASS=0 OK ATS0=0 OK 'AT+CGDCONT=1,"IP","myapn"' OK
[28225] [18:01:19] Will send INITIALIZE commands to tty /dev/ttyAMA0: "" '\pAT' OK ATZ OK 'AT&F' OK 'ATQ0 V1 E1' OK 'AT&D2 &C1' OK AT+FCLASS=0 OK ATS0=0 OK 'AT+CGDCONT=1,"IP","myapn"' OK '\pAT' OK
[28225] [18:01:19] We are root already. Proceeding.
[28225] [18:01:19] Device /dev/ttyAMA0 is not busy.
[28225] [18:01:22] Got response from tty:
AT
OK
ATZ
OK
AT&F
OK
[28225] [18:01:22] Unknown command "STAGE7".
[28225] [18:01:22] Unknown command "STAGE8".
[28225] [18:01:22] We are root already. Proceeding.
/-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
[28225] [18:01:22] Will now run command: \'/bin/rm -f "/tmp/sakis3g.3gnet"\'
/-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
[28225] [18:01:22] Command returned 0.
\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
[28225] [18:01:22] We are root already. Proceeding.
[28225] [18:01:22] Device /dev/ttyAMA0 is not busy.
[28225] [18:01:22] Verbosing: 35% Connecting
Connecting --> WvDial: Internet dialer version 1.61
[28225] [18:01:23] PID 30702 is still running.
--> Initializing modem.
[28225] [18:01:23] Located "netstat" within PATH (/bin/netstat).
[28225] [18:01:23] Waiting for interface to go up (0 seconds passed).
--> Sending: ATZ
[28225] [18:01:24] PID 30702 is still running.
[28225] [18:01:24] Waiting for interface to go up (1 seconds passed).
[28225] [18:01:25] PID 30702 is still running.
[28225] [18:01:25] Waiting for interface to go up (2 seconds passed).
[28225] [18:01:26] PID 30702 is still running.
[28225] [18:01:26] Waiting for interface to go up (3 seconds passed).
[28225] [18:01:27] PID 30702 is still running.
[28225] [18:01:28] Waiting for interface to go up (4 seconds passed).
--> Sending: ATQ0
--> Re-Sending: ATZ
[28225] [18:01:29] PID 30702 is still running.
[28225] [18:01:29] Waiting for interface to go up (5 seconds passed).
[28225] [18:01:30] PID 30702 is still running.
[28225] [18:01:30] Waiting for interface to go up (6 seconds passed).
[28225] [18:01:31] PID 30702 is still running.
[28225] [18:01:31] Waiting for interface to go up (7 seconds passed).
[28225] [18:01:32] PID 30702 is still running.
[28225] [18:01:32] Waiting for interface to go up (8 seconds passed).
--> Modem not responding.
[28225] [18:01:33] PID 30702 is not running any more.
[28225] [18:01:33] PID 30702 is not running any more.
[28225] [18:01:34] We are root already. Proceeding.
/-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
[28225] [18:01:34] Will now run command: \'/bin/rm -f "/tmp/sakis3g.3gnet"\'
/-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
[28225] [18:01:34] Command returned 0.
\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
[28225] [18:01:34] We are root already. Proceeding.
[28225] [18:01:34] Device /dev/ttyAMA0 is not busy.
[28225] [18:01:34] Verbosing: 42% Connecting (second attempt)
Connecting (second attempt) --> WvDial: Internet dialer version 1.61
[28225] [18:01:34] PID 30997 is still running.
--> Initializing modem.
[28225] [18:01:34] Waiting for interface to go up (0 seconds passed).
--> Sending: ATZ
[28225] [18:01:36] PID 30997 is still running.
[28225] [18:01:36] Waiting for interface to go up (1 seconds passed).
[28225] [18:01:37] PID 30997 is still running.
[28225] [18:01:37] Waiting for interface to go up (2 seconds passed).
[28225] [18:01:38] PID 30997 is still running.
[28225] [18:01:38] Waiting for interface to go up (3 seconds passed).
[28225] [18:01:39] PID 30997 is still running.
[28225] [18:01:39] Waiting for interface to go up (4 seconds passed).
--> Sending: ATQ0
--> Re-Sending: ATZ
[28225] [18:01:40] PID 30997 is still running.
[28225] [18:01:40] Waiting for interface to go up (5 seconds passed).
[28225] [18:01:42] PID 30997 is still running.
[28225] [18:01:42] Waiting for interface to go up (6 seconds passed).
[28225] [18:01:43] PID 30997 is still running.
[28225] [18:01:43] Waiting for interface to go up (7 seconds passed).
[28225] [18:01:44] PID 30997 is still running.
[28225] [18:01:44] Waiting for interface to go up (8 seconds passed).
--> Modem not responding.
[28225] [18:01:45] PID 30997 is not running any more.
[28225] [18:01:45] PID 30997 is not running any more.
[28225] [18:01:45] Failed to connect.
[28225] [18:01:45] Error: Failed to connect.