How to Group Text?

**StuartV** · 03-08-2013, 01:42 PM

My g/f just upgraded from an iPhone 4S to an AT&T Note 2. She loves it. Or did, until she realized that she can't group text like she could on her iPhone and like I can on my HTC Rezound.

The stock messaging app doesn't work. GoSMS works just like stock. And we tried Handcent, which works a little better. In Handcent, when she receives a group text, it at least shows the whole recipient list in the From area. But, when she replies, it sends individual SMS messages to each recipient, instead of one MMS to all the recipients at once.

Is there any fix for this? An app that she can install to be able to do group texting?

I've seen some posts of using an AOSP ROM, which does support group messaging. But, needless to say, she doesn't want to hack her brand new phone, nor does she want to lose all the S-pen functionality.

Help?

**rankar7** · 03-08-2013, 04:49 PM

Originally Posted by StuartV

My g/f just upgraded from an iPhone 4S to an AT&T Note 2. She loves it. Or did, until she realized that she can't group text like she could on her iPhone and like I can on my HTC Rezound.

The stock messaging app doesn't work. GoSMS works just like stock. And we tried Handcent, which works a little better. In Handcent, when she receives a group text, it at least shows the whole recipient list in the From area. But, when she replies, it sends individual SMS messages to each recipient, instead of one MMS to all the recipients at once.

Is there any fix for this? An app that she can install to be able to do group texting?

I've seen some posts of using an AOSP ROM, which does support group messaging. But, needless to say, she doesn't want to hack her brand new phone, nor does she want to lose all the S-pen functionality.

Help?

Yes, use Go SMS Pro and make that you go to settings (under advanced menu) > send settings > check box under MMS Group Chat (support MMS Group Chat with iPhone and android, useful for US mobile networks...)

Go SMS will process the group texts. You just have to wait a few seconds when the text comes in so it can process the group texts properly.

**StuartV** · 03-10-2013, 10:59 PM

Thanks. I did get it working with GoSMS Pro. If I recall correctly, the MMS Group Chat box was already checked. But, there was some other setting I changed also, and then it started working.

Anyway, thanks for the help.

**rankar7** · 03-11-2013, 06:49 AM

Originally Posted by StuartV

Thanks. I did get it working with GoSMS Pro. If I recall correctly, the MMS Group Chat box was already checked. But, there was some other setting I changed also, and then it started working.

Anyway, thanks for the help.

nice. feels better when you can communicate.

**StuartV** · 03-11-2013, 10:05 AM

No doubt! My girlfriend was thinking about switching back to her iPhone if I could not get group text to work for her.

**justafew** · 03-11-2013, 03:55 PM

In Handcent, there is an option under Application Settings at the very bottom for Thread Group Conversation that configures it to do group messaging.

**StuartV** · 03-11-2013, 04:01 PM

I tried Handcent. It would thread the received messages for the group. But, when I would send a reply, if there were 3 (other) people in the group, it would send 3 individual SMS messages, instead of 1 MMS message.

**Phoneguy108** · 03-11-2013, 05:26 PM

What's up with the limit to 10 people at a time? What a joke!

**eds817** · 03-11-2013, 07:21 PM

What do you mean by Group Text? I assume you mean sending a SMS/MMS to more than one person. Doesn't the stock app allow you to do this? Or do you want to setup a multi user group and click once to send?

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I317 using Android Central Forums

**rankar7** · 03-11-2013, 07:37 PM

Seems like a lot of folks are having group texting problems using the stock app

Sent from my Samsung Galaxy Note II

**StuartV** · 03-11-2013, 08:43 PM

Originally Posted by eds817

What do you mean by Group Text? I assume you mean sending a SMS/MMS to more than one person. Doesn't the stock app allow you to do this? Or do you want to setup a multi user group and click once to send?

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I317 using Android Central Forums

MY definition is:

Group Text - you select multiple recipients and send a message. They all receive it as an MMS, and they can see who all the other recipients were. When any of the recipients sends a reply, it goes to the sender and all the other recipients.

Mass Text - you select a Group that is defined in your Contacts - or multiple groups or multiple individuals - and send a message. The message is sent as an SMS message, with one copy of the message sent to each recipient. Each recipient only sees the sender, but none of the other recipients. Thus, any replies only go to the sender.

**StuartV** · 03-11-2013, 08:44 PM

The stock app lets you do Mass Texting, but not Group Texting.

**Phoneguy108** · 03-12-2013, 01:01 PM

I like mass texting. Have no use for group texting.

**StuartV** · 03-12-2013, 01:24 PM

Funny. I'm just the opposite. No use for Mass Texting.

But, it's pretty normal for me, my g/f, and 2 - 4 of our friends to be group texting each other for making plans. Say, for going out somewhere that night for drinks, as one example.

**StuartV** · 03-12-2013, 04:31 PM

Originally Posted by StuartV

MY definition is:

Group Text - you select multiple recipients and send a message. They all receive it as an MMS, and they can see who all the other recipients were. When any of the recipients sends a reply, it goes to the sender and all the other recipients.

Mass Text - you select a Group that is defined in your Contacts - or multiple groups or multiple individuals - and send a message. The message is sent as an SMS message, with one copy of the message sent to each recipient. Each recipient only sees the sender, but none of the other recipients. Thus, any replies only go to the sender.

I should add that a lot of the texting programs you can download from the Play store say they support group texting, but what they actually MEAN (using my definitions) is that they support Mass Texting, not Group Texting.

**nic nap** · 03-14-2013, 07:50 AM

What are the settings to have it send mms as mass texts, then? I sent an mms to multiple people and their replies went to everyone. I am using stock msg app.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I317 using Android Central Forums

**Murray Brown** · 04-14-2013, 02:53 AM

I have set up a group on my Android Smart phone (family) all 4 in my group are at a valid email address - BUT, when I press the send button the txt fails to go. Error message reads "The Contact does not exist" - WHY - How do I fix?

**wildfoxtot** · 05-01-2013, 09:13 PM

Hi! I'm actually having the same problem right now with my Note 2. Any way you can remember what you changed to make it work? Thanks!

**Bob Sugar** · 05-03-2013, 12:00 AM

I am about fed up with this issue. I have had an AT&T note 2 for several months and have recently ffigured out how to fix it using handcent, however the fix is far from seamless. I will post up the exact settings tomorrow sometime as i don't have them memorized and i am studying for a final.

What further irks me is that my dad and sister recently got the s4,and the same messaging app works group text without an issue. To add salt to the wound, a good friend got the note 2 after my recommendation, but on verizon, and you guessed it, group text works perfectly on that too. I'm about ready to go into AT&T and pitch a fit, but I'm sure it won't do anything. So I suppose my only other options are deal with it or chuck this and snag an s4.

**StuartV** · 05-03-2013, 12:16 AM

As I posted above, I got it working on my g/f's AT&T Note 2, using GoSMS Pro. Once I got it working, it seems to have been working just fine ever since (2 months?).

It DOES suck though, that it doesn't work correctly using the stock Messaging app. But, I'm glad to hear it works correctly on the S4! I'm thinking about replacing my Rezound with one. Possibly on AT&T, even.

**droidle429** · 05-03-2013, 10:11 AM

I don't have a Samsung Galaxy, but as a Droid user I find this inability to group text the most infuriating flaw. It's almost a dealbreaker, I'd say. The majority of my friends have iPhones, and I'm constantly getting group messages I can't reply to. It makes for very confusing exchanges.

Seems like a very fundamental thing to fix, like ... yesterday.

**StuartV** · 05-03-2013, 10:35 AM

Just FYI, there are quite a few Android phones that do group text messaging correctly, out of the box. My year and a half old Rezound, for example.

And I think most if not all the rest can do it using Verizon Messages (an app in Google Play - if you're on Verizon) or GoSMS Pro.

**Bob Sugar** · 05-04-2013, 04:11 AM

Steps for getting group text with handcent to work on AT&T note 2

1 . download handcent
2. From main conversation list view, hit your left touch key, bringing up a menu.
3. Select settings, then application settings.
4. Scroll down and select thread group conversation.
5. Hit your right touch key to go back 1 screen, and click on send message settings.
6. Select send as split threads,
7. Hit your right touch key to go back 1 screen, and click on receive message settings.
8. Select auto retrieve, roaming auto retrieve, and auto download.

I set handcent as my default messaging app initially, then within my stock messaging app, set that back to the default messaging app. I use handcent only for group texting. It seems to lag a bit with large groups or if you have a lot of other stuff running. Also unsure if the roaming auto retrieve is necessary, but that is what I have set and it works.

Reboot after updating settings and feel free to hit me up with any questions. Honestly no clue how I figured this out, just a lot of trial and error while taking some good poops. Absurd we have to do this to group text.

**coryh131** · 05-08-2013, 09:18 AM

I have the Note 2 and S4 (both with AT&T) and the biggest reason I'm going to keep the S4 over the Note 2 is because of this texting issue. Group texting works great on the S4 just like an iPhone or Windows phone. And texting photos / videos works like the iPhone now too on the S4.

I was hoping there was a software update for the Note 2 that fixed these issues so I wouldn't have to sell it. The texting issues are a deal breaker for me.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I337 using Android Central Forums

**Bob Sugar** · 05-08-2013, 03:52 PM

Originally Posted by coryh131

I have the Note 2 and S4 (both with AT&T) and the biggest reason I'm going to keep the S4 over the Note 2 is because of this texting issue. Group texting works great on the S4 just like an iPhone or Windows phone. And texting photos / videos works like the iPhone now too on the S4.

I was hoping there was a software update for the Note 2 that fixed these issues so I wouldn't have to sell it. The texting issues are a deal breaker for me.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I337 using Android Central Forums

Yah, and these features on the Verizon note 2 work seamlessly. So perfect, what a bunch of **** nuggets