Can not receive picture via text message on VM Samsung J3 (Virgin Mobile)

[AC Question]

Last week I purchased a Samsung J3 to replace my LG Volt. I've seen the question posted a number of times but have not seen an answer that helped me. I have virgin mobile service and on a plan this is wifi only (no data).

I guess the main thing that puzzles me is how come I was able to get these same messages on on the same plan using the LG Volt and now I can't with the new phone ?
Did they change some setting on the new phone to push towards purchasing a data plan ?

If it matters I am in the U.S. Thanks for the help.

 

[B. Diddy]

Welcome to Android Central! MMS (which is the standard way to send a picture via text messaging) requires mobile data (3G/4G), and doesn't work over wi-fi. But other kinds of messaging apps like Hangouts can send photos using their own kind of instant messaging. But since it's not SMS/MMS, that means the recipient also has to use the same app.

Do you recall on which app you were receiving picture messages on the older phone?

 

[Fstuff92]

I was using the stock messaging app, when I view the details on an old message(with pic) it's type is listed as : multimedia message. My wife,son, and myself all have the same phones and plans. Theirs still work as they always have.

 

[B. Diddy]

What do you mean when you say your plan is wi-fi only? Do you mean that it's voice only, and no mobile data? Voice-only plans may still include some number of texts and MMS messages/month -- did you change your plan? What does Virgin Mobile tell you?

 

[Fstuff92]

I have a plan that includes 300 talk minutes and unlimited test messages. However to get online I have to be on wifi, there is zero data. I have not been able to get an answer from virgin mobile.

 

[Fstuff92]

I should add that I can not receive or send those picture messages unless I was hooked onto wifi

 

[Rukbat]

You can't receive or sent SMS text messages or MMS attached pictures with wifi, they're 2G and 3G (or 4G) respectively. It's not that it's not allowed, it's that it can't be done - SMS, which is the "carrier" for the picture, is a phone-only (like talk) protocol - the carrier has no equipment listening on "the internet" for the text.

As B. Diddy said, you may have been using Hangouts or some other app. Or Virgin may have carrier the MMS portion over wifi before, but stopped now. Talk to them (yes, I know - why do you think they're cheaper?) Then, if they can't help you, let us know here.

 

[B. Diddy]

Also, look at the fine print of your plan. Is it only plain text messages (SMS) that's unlimited, or does it include MMS as well?

 

[Fstuff92]

It's any text message.Like I said I still have two LG volt's and this same plan and they are able to receive these messages(with pictures) as they always have. It wasn't until I switched one phone over to the new Samsung J3 that this problem occurred. The other two work as they always have. If connected to wifi I can send and receive picture message via text (using the default / stock /) messenger, not hangouts or other

 

[B. Diddy]

Does Virgin Mobile support wi-fi calling, and if so, is it turned on for both the Volt and the J3?

 

[Fstuff92]

This is the answer I got from tech support at Virgin Mobile:
******************************************************************************
Upon reviewing your account, we have confirmed that you are on the
$20/300 Min UNL Text/Wi-Fi Plan. The picture messaging service requires
a 3G connection to send or receive such messages, this means that your
current plan is not compatible with such services.

If you would like to have multimedia messaging we recommend that you
upgrade to one of our newer plans.
********************************************************************************
I followed up with the same question I asked here that I've never been able to get an answer to. How come with all of that being true I was able to receive these types of messages so long I was connected to WIFI when I was using the LG volt ? Once I switched phones now I can not.

 

[B. Diddy]

That's strange, because I was under the impression that although MMS requires mobile data to transmit, it doesn't actually require a mobile data plan, since MMS doesn't count against mobile data limits in the first place. Let me see if I can find anything in the Virgin Mobile fine print.

EDIT: I can't find your plan on the current Virgin Mobile website. What I can find on the site is the PayLo program, but the $20 option doesn't include any texting at all: https://www.virginmobileusa.com/#!/cell-phone-plans/paylo-plans/overview/

 

[Fstuff92]

Thanks for your help B.Diddy. Yeah they no long offer my plan. I get they I may have to choose a different plan to get these messages, I mean you really do get what you pay for. I just would like to how come I could with the volt and not the J3 (and family members using the volt still can)