"Message expired or not available"

[Android Central Question]

I have a ZTE Blade A3 Prime with Android 10. I get an intermittent error when receiving larger text messages or pictures - "Message expired or not available". I have Yahoo Mobile. They have told me that the service is working perfectly fine. I tried a factory reset, but have same problem.

 

[mustang7757]

You try another message app like Google?

I'll leave a Link to register so you can communicate here as a guest account you can only post questions but can't reply

https://forums.androidcentral.com/showthread.php?t=409154

 

[B. Diddy]

Welcome to Android Central! That usually means that there was a problem receiving the MMS message, possibly due to poor mobile data signal at the time the message arrived. Are you able to receive picture texts successfully at other times, or does this happen any time someone tries to send you one?

 

[scotty4872]

I am able to receive texts and pictures at times. It only happens intermittently. I'll get the text portion of a message, but not the attached picture. Instead I get the "Message expired or not available" message instead of the picture. If it is a longer text message, when the problem occurs, all I get is the "Message expired or not available" message.

 

[scotty4872]

I have tried Textra. I don't get the error message. But when I have issues, with Textra, I don't get the message at all.

 

[B. Diddy]

Yahoo Mobile uses Verizon's towers, and that ZTE phone is missing support for Band 66. If Band 66 is the primary one in your area, then that might be why.

https://bestmvno.com/phone-plans/yahoo-mobile-unlimited/#:~:text=If you want to use,, 5, 13, 66 .
https://www.zteusa.com/bladea3prime

 

[scotty4872]

How do I find out if Band 66 is the primary one in my area? Is there a way to make it work, by changing any settings, etc. if it is?

 

[B. Diddy]

I'm not sure if there's a good online resource for that. You might try contacting Yahoo Mobile customer support (or possibly Verizon support).

An app like Network Cell Info Lite can tell you which band you're currently connected to. If it's one of the other bands and the signal is strong, then you could probably exclude this possibility (unless the problem seems to happen only when you're in certain areas that might use Band 66 predominantly).

 

[mustang7757]

I have tried Textra. I don't get the error message. But when I have issues, with Textra, I don't get the message at all.

What carrier you have ?

 

[scotty4872]

Yahoo Mobile

 

[mustang7757]

Yahoo Mobile

When you mentioned it earlier thought was message app, lol
I didn't know they are a carrier of Verizon.
I thought I read somewhere don't recall If ZTE or Razor phone having issues on Verizon

 

[mustang7757]

I remember a article like this , they can work on Verizon but had some issues, they more for GSM like TMB or AT&T as article states .

https://www.theverge.com/circuitbre...-blade-max-view-budget-phone-unlocked-verizon

 

[scotty4872]

I installed Network Cell Info Lite. It shows that I'm connected to band 4 and I have a full signal. I'm currently using Google Messages (that is what came pre-installed on the phone). At least with that, I can see who tried messaging me and have them resend the message. Sometimes that works.

 

[mustang7757]

I installed Network Cell Info Lite. It shows that I'm connected to band 4 and I have a full signal. I'm currently using Google Messages (that is what came pre-installed on the phone). At least with that, I can see who tried messaging me and have them resend the message. Sometimes that works.

You can try this , turn off the phone and take the sim out reinsert the sim and start the phone and test

 

[B. Diddy]

Maybe also try Reset Network Settings: https://www.hardreset.info/devices/zte/zte-blade-a3/reset-network-settings/

 

[scotty4872]

I've powered off the phone and reseated the SIM. I've also reset the network settings. I'll test it out and see if they fixed it. Thanks!

 

[scotty4872]

Still have same issue. If my friend Bill sends me a text with an attached pic, I get the text and the error message in place of the pic. He has Verizon. If I have him send the same message to my friend Paul, he receives it perfectly fine. He has AT&T. If Paul forwards that message to me, I receive it perfectly fine. However, if Paul saves the pic and then sends me a text message with the saved pic attached, I get the same error. That doesn't make any sense.

 

[B. Diddy]

Just to be sure, use this site to make sure your phone is considered to be completely compatible with Yahoo Mobile: https://www.yahoomobile.com/shop/compatibility

 

[scotty4872]

Just checked. It is compatible. It was provided by them as a trade in option.

 

[B. Diddy]

You mentioned that you have strong signal on band 4, which I presume is at home. Do you experience the problem at home, or only when you're away from home?