Problems sending and receiving SMS (T-Mobile)

[leannelizabeth1]

I have gone to the T-Mobile store 3 times to try to fix this issue and keep getting the runaround. Nexus 5, not rooted, using 8SMS messenger app. Disabled Hangouts. Periodically I will have trouble sending and receiving texts. First time I called customer service. They had me do some stuff (nothing I hadn't already tried, like clearing cache, rebooting, etc.) and that didn't help the problem. Then I go to the T-Mobile store. They called tech support and took the SIM card out of the phone (which I had already done) and put it back in and sent me on my way. I went back to the store a few weeks later complaining of the same issue. They gave me a new SIM card. Things seemed to be okay until a few days ago. Now I'm having the same trouble. I send texts and people don't receive them. Or they send them to me and I don't get them. I've done every troubleshooting step I can think of. I went back to the T-Mobile store today (the nearest store is about 20 minutes away, so it's a little bit of an effort to get there) and they told me I need to quit using a third party SMS app and use Hangouts. They said it's probably the third party app. I call b.s. I asked for a replacement phone. They said no. They said first we'd need to try factory reset. I told them I tried that already. I ended up leaving the store because it was getting later in the afternoon and I had to beat traffic, which is horrible where I live. Anyway, I am not happy. Plus they have screwed up my EIP, and now owe me over $400 for their mistake. I am beyond upset with T-Mobile. I really don't need this because my husband has been dealing with cancer and this T-Mobile stuff is a silly problem that should have been fixed ages ago. Does anyone have any suggestions as far as the SMS issue goes? I appreciate any help. Thank you.

 

[B. Diddy]

Welcome to Android Central! Sorry to hear about your trouble. If you use a 3rd party SMS app, it can be a bit difficult for the T-Mobile representative to troubleshoot for you effectively, because the rep doesn't have any intimate knowledge of that app. It may be the app itself that is flawed--I strongly suggest emailing the developer and asking them: support@8s.ms. In the meantime, if SMS messaging is important to you, I also suggest using the stock messaging app for now--and in the Nexus 5's case, that's Hangouts.

 

[B. Diddy]

By the way, did you perchance recently move from iPhone to Android? Just wondering if there might be an iMessage issue there.

 

[leannelizabeth1]

Thank you for your advice. Right after I posted this I thought about how I need to contact the developer, as it is the only thing I haven't done (and I don't know why I didn't think of it myself). I did switch from iPhone, but that was in February, and before doing so I double checked to make sure iMessage was turned off.

Posted via Android Central App

 

[B. Diddy]

Do you have any other iOS devices, like an iPad? If you didn't deactive iMessage on that device, then it might still cause some problems. You could also go to supportprofile.apple.com and see if you have any devices still listed--see this article: How to disable iMessage when switching to an Android phone

 

[Shilohcane]

I got the fix and now MMS works great. I had the same issue with MMS on T-Mobile last week and stumbled on the issue and fix. T-Mobile is adding something like VLTE that is the issue and it just hit me is South Florida.

I am using Textra and last week I couldn't get any MMS pictures via SMS/MMS app "Textra". I opened up Textra's setting and their is a option of "Go Here if you have MMS issues". There I clicked the Textra temporary fix that turns off my Wi-Fi on T-Mobile when I am getting MMS.

Here is Textra message. MMS not working on T-Mobile WiFi – Textra SMS


Regrettably, T-Mobile does not grant any third-party messaging apps access to the T-Mobile WiFi Calling feature for MMS. T-Mobile use something called GBA authentication which only system apps or apps digitally signed by T-Mobile can use (so not Textra).

However you can still use Textra to send and receive MMS with T-Mobile, just not via WiFi Calling.

See Textra > Settings > MMS Settings > T-Mobile WiFi Calling Fix

 

[leannelizabeth1]

B. Diddy, I did have an iPad, but disabled iMessage on it, and removed the iPhone and iPad from my product profile before selling both devices. Thank you for the suggestions! You've been very helpful.