Why am I getting multiple copies of the same text message?

[AC Question]

Getting multiple copies of the same text message

Nearly every time someone texts me, I'll get the same message two, three, sometimes four or five times. I have the galaxy S5, but it was happening on my old phone too, an LG Optimus. I doubt it's the phone, but every solution I've been offered (new sim card, resetting the phone) didn't work. I'm on T Mobile. Is there anything I can do to solve this?

 

[B. Diddy]

Re: Getting multiple copies of the same text message

Welcome to Android Central! What does T-Mobile say about this?

 

[Kleighb83]

I've been having this problem as well. And also have T-Mobile. If you find a fix, PLEASE share. Cause I'm about ready to turn mine off completely

 

[jimmyd95]

Same thing is happening with me. I recently upgraded to the Galaxy S5 with T-Mobile and texting has been pretty annoying. Either I get repeats like stated above (and they sometimes happen minutes later, which is even more annoying because you think you got a real new message), o rI don't get anything.

Last night two separate people asked me why I haven't responded to them. I got nothing from them! But then today things seem to work okay.

I tried using my wi-fi and 4G, and it doesn't seem to matter (though the issue of not getting any messages at all is newer to me and I haven't been able to test as much on 4G with that issue).

In the last months texting even on my old phone (which was a flip-phone) was getting worse too. So this has to be a T-Mobile issue more than a phone issue, so I don't expect reboots/resets to do much.

If anyone has any ideas please share!

 

[jimmyd95]

One thing I am testing is that I think the issue is worse when connection via wi-fi. It happened to me last nigtht where I was getting multiple copies of texts then I turned on 4G and it didn't happen again. Could just be coincidence, but that's what it seems like so far.

 

[B. Diddy]

For what it's worth, there's another thread about the Sprint S5 Lollipop update where someone recommended using Chomp SMS as a workaround to avoid the multiple duplicate texts.

 

[jimmyd95]

Thanks, I'll see if that's an option. Yesterday was the first time I was told that messages I sent got received more than once. So it happens outbound too, though seemingly less often.

 

[jimmyd95]

I tried Chomp, and the same thing happens. I thought it would, this problem seems to be more than an issue with the phone service (or specfically the SMS service) rather than the SMS app being used. I tried 3 different ones now all with the same result. It's not that the app is somehow repeating messages, it's that the phone is receiving them multiple times, so the SMS app is doing what it's supposed to.

I still think that it's the wifi connection, but haven't been able to test enough with 4G yet. And it's not that the wifi connection is weak. I stream music and it works just fine with no timing out or buffering or whatever the whole time, but my texts at the same time have come in multiple times still.

Though, of course, if anyone is experiencing something different I'd love to hear about it.

 

[jimmyd95]

It's happening with 4G too. Both cases of me not getting messages and then getting multiple copies. So frustrating.

 

[xxpotluckxx]

I have this same exact problem! Using a HTC M8 on T-Mobile running 5.0.1 and my brother has the Galaxy S4. Whether we're connected via celltower or through T-Mobile Wi-Fi calling, we get multiple copies (one time 11 copies) of texts we receive.

It doesn't seem to matter what provider network the texts originate from because I get them from multiple networks. I've 1. Cleared all threads in the stock message app 2. Reset & powered down several times 3. Cleared the dalvik cache in the stock recovery 4. Performed a factory reset and none of these methods have fixed it, and just recently asked around and was told by multiple people that they receive my texts twice sometimes.

I also intermittently have trouble receiving mms messages containing pictures, with "failed to download" displaying in a gray notification box every time i try to choose download. This isn't very often it happens, but enough to be annoyed by that red triangle in the list of threads.

I'm not sure if it's T-Mobile's network problem or if it's a T-Mobile app update side effect, or even one of my apps that backup my sms. I currently have HTC's backup option selected to backup texts and phone settings etc., and also use SMS backup & restore. Also have Google backing up the phone and app settings.

Would love to find a resolution to this as it maddening to go running to the phone all day and 40% of the time it's a duplicate incoming text!!

 

[jimmyd95]

It's definitely worse on wifi for some reason... I'm with you, potluck, it's extremely annoying. If anyone finds a solution please post it!

 

[jimmyd95]

Spoke too soon I guess. I know no one is looking at this thread really, but today is the worst it's been, and I'm on 4G! For the first time I am getting messages from about 24 hours ago. I got a text this morning that confused me, so I responded thinking it was a new text and I actually woke up the person. She's a single mother who's been sick and not sleeping well, so I feel terrible waking her. Just now, I got another text from about 24 hours ago.

I'm done with this issue. I'm going to try resetting the APN stuff and if that doesn't work I may switch providers if I can. This is ridiculous!

 

[xxpotluckxx]

It's funny you mention that because the same exact thing happened to me this morning. Received a text that was sent last night around 8, this morning around 11. Two days ago i received 5 text messages that were supposed to be sent during a convo the night before and when I finally received them at 5 am the next morning I felt like and ***** because on their end it seemed like I was ignoring their questions and responding out of context. I also noticed that when connected to a 5ghz Wi-Fi connection for Wi-Fi calling the multiple text issue is 300% worse if not more!

 

[jimmyd95]

T-Mobile said this is a known issue and they are working on it. But they also said that it started I think last Tuesday, and my issues have been going on a lot longer than that. Well, we'll see.

 

[jimmyd95]

I guess they were telling the truth. Things seem to be normal now and have been for about a week.

 

[djspyral]

I have the same issue here. On T-Mobile with the LG G3 and recently updated to Lollipop. It's really rather annoying. I'm willing to bet it has a lot to do with their tower upgrades. I just hope it's resolved soon.

 

[BatmansPrincess]

LG G3 on T-Mobile...4g...getting the same texts 5,6,8 times. Sometimes minutes between. My messages weren't going out yesterday. Some people said they got them all late last night...just back to back but out of order. This was an issue before...I was told to clear the text app cache. Did that and nothing. Then one day poof all was fine. Till this morning. HELP!

 

[webb12501]

I have a Samsung Galaxy S3 and I started having the same issues as soon as I switched to an Android from a iPhone. I am with Bluegrass Cellular, though, and not T-Mobile. I am about ready to throw the phone through the wall. I just received 15 copies of the same message spaced a minute or two part. When I contacted Bluegrass, they checked my phone (found nothing wrong of course) and said they didn't know why it was doing it. I am so over this!!!

 

[Diane Webber-Thrush]

I just read on a T-Mobile forum that deleting texts might help. I'm trying that (I hadn't deleted any texts!). Will report back if it works.