--- a/mobile/android/base/java/org/mozilla/gecko/telemetry/TelemetryUploadService.java
+++ b/mobile/android/base/java/org/mozilla/gecko/telemetry/TelemetryUploadService.java
@@ -144,16 +144,21 @@ public class TelemetryUploadService exte
     private static boolean isReadyToUpload(final Context context, final Intent intent) {
         // Sanity check: is upload enabled? Generally, the caller should check this before starting the service.
         // Since we don't have the profile here, we rely on the caller to check the enabled state for the profile.
         if (!isUploadEnabledByAppConfig(context)) {
             Log.w(LOGTAG, "Upload is not available by configuration; returning");
             return false;
         }
 
+        if (!NetworkUtils.isConnected(context)) {
+            Log.w(LOGTAG, "Network is not connected; returning");
+            return false;
+        }
+
         if (!isIntentValid(intent)) {
             Log.w(LOGTAG, "Received invalid Intent; returning");
             return false;
         }
 
         if (!ACTION_UPLOAD.equals(intent.getAction())) {
             Log.w(LOGTAG, "Unknown action: " + intent.getAction() + ". Returning");
             return false;
@@ -162,41 +167,40 @@ public class TelemetryUploadService exte
         return true;
     }
 
     /**
      * Determines if the telemetry upload feature is enabled via the application configuration. Prefer to use
      * {@link #isUploadEnabledByProfileConfig(Context, GeckoProfile)} if the profile is available as it takes into
      * account more information.
      *
+     * You may wish to also check if the network is connected when calling this method.
+     *
      * Note that this method logs debug statements when upload is disabled.
      */
     public static boolean isUploadEnabledByAppConfig(final Context context) {
         if (!TelemetryConstants.UPLOAD_ENABLED) {
             Log.d(LOGTAG, "Telemetry upload feature is compile-time disabled");
             return false;
         }
 
         if (!GeckoPreferences.getBooleanPref(context, GeckoPreferences.PREFS_HEALTHREPORT_UPLOAD_ENABLED, true)) {
             Log.d(LOGTAG, "Telemetry upload opt-out");
             return false;
         }
 
-        if (!NetworkUtils.isBackgroundDataEnabled(context)) {
-            Log.d(LOGTAG, "Background data is disabled");
-            return false;
-        }
-
         return true;
     }
 
     /**
      * Determines if the telemetry upload feature is enabled via profile & application level configurations. This is the
      * preferred method.
      *
+     * You may wish to also check if the network is connected when calling this method.
+     *
      * Note that this method logs debug statements when upload is disabled.
      */
     public static boolean isUploadEnabledByProfileConfig(final Context context, final GeckoProfile profile) {
         if (profile.inGuestMode()) {
             Log.d(LOGTAG, "Profile is in guest mode");
             return false;
         }
 

--- a/mobile/android/base/java/org/mozilla/gecko/util/NetworkUtils.java
+++ b/mobile/android/base/java/org/mozilla/gecko/util/NetworkUtils.java
@@ -61,32 +61,16 @@ public class NetworkUtils {
 
         public final int value;
 
         ConnectionType(int value) {
             this.value = value;
         }
     }
 
-    public static boolean isBackgroundDataEnabled(final Context context) {
-        final NetworkInfo networkInfo = getActiveNetworkInfo(context);
-        return networkInfo != null &&
-                networkInfo.isAvailable() &&
-                networkInfo.isConnectedOrConnecting();
-    }
-
-    @Nullable
-    private static NetworkInfo getActiveNetworkInfo(final Context context) {
-        final ConnectivityManager connectivity = (ConnectivityManager) context.getSystemService(Context.CONNECTIVITY_SERVICE);
-        if (connectivity == null) {
-            return null;
-        }
-        return connectivity.getActiveNetworkInfo(); // can return null.
-    }
-
     /**
      * Indicates whether network connectivity exists and it is possible to establish connections and pass data.
      */
     public static boolean isConnected(@NonNull Context context) {
         return isConnected((ConnectivityManager) context.getSystemService(Context.CONNECTIVITY_SERVICE));
     }
 
     public static boolean isConnected(ConnectivityManager connectivityManager) {