Group Text Limitation - Mint Mobile...

[stevetaz]

Two months ago I changed from TMobile to Mint Mobile (owned by TMo) and am saving $40 a month with no noticible change in connection quality, speed, etc.. I was uising a Galaxy S21 5G. A family text group includes 11 individuals and worked fine after the network change. Using the Samsung Messages app as I have been for years.

Almost a month ago I upgraded to a Galaxy S24 Plus and it has been great, except for one issue. I tried sending a message to the family text group and was unable. A message pops up stating I am limited to 10 recipients per group. A search of the web revealed a number of instances of limitations on Mint stating 10 is the max. Verizon, AT&T, Visible seem to limit to 20 and TMobile was said to limit to 100.

I had a chat with a Mint rep and they confirmed there is a limit of 10 recipients and she could not explain why it was working when I was using the S21 5G. The limit of 10 recipients sure seems to be a giant step backward and had me wondering if I would have to find yet another carrier not stuck in the eighties.

Well, I just tried the Google Messages app and magically it is working with 11 recipients. I was also surprised when the Google app brought over all of my on-going texts without any effort on my part***. This was what I was dreading to have to start over with setting up groups and losing all the previous text threads. Now I just have to get used to the different look and maybe it is a non-issue now.

***One weirdness I just noticed is that if a thread has more than one recipient, the app has created new "groups" for many of threads I had going previously by adding my Voicemail (phone number) as a recipient. The new group that includes the VM actually has all of the responses from the others in the thread, but not mine. The original thread only includes my posts in the thread. This is not helping, but looks like when I send a new message to the recipients in my original thread the new replies are coming in with that thread, not the newly created one so I suppose it isn't the end of the world.

Anyone have experience with the Google Messages app and might have some insight into the weirdness detailed above?

Sorry for my wordiness, but it is one of my best features...LOL

 

[Golfdriver97]

This is not helping, but looks like when I send a new message to the recipients in my original thread the new replies are coming in with that thread, not the newly created one so I suppose it isn't the end of the world.

The only thing I can think of is perhaps deleting the threads that you don't need? Hopefully, they don't get recreated.

I found a setting in Google Messenger that might be helpful. Open the app and be on the home screen for Messenger (your list of conversations), and click you profile icon. Click Settings>Profile Discovery>Manage All Phone Number Settings. If your other number is there, you can try removing it.

 

[stevetaz]

The only thing I can think of is perhaps deleting the threads that you don't need? Hopefully, they don't get recreated.

I found a setting in Google Messenger that might be helpful. Open the app and be on the home screen for Messenger (your list of conversations), and click you profile icon. Click Settings>Profile Discovery>Manage All Phone Number Settings. If your other number is there, you can try removing it.

Hi Golfdriver97:
Thanks for taking the time to reply. I am keeping most of the "new" threads for now, only because they include the replies of the other recipients, in case I need to refer back. I have deleted a few and no sign of any returning.

I tried looking for that "Profile Discovery>Manage All Phone Number Settings", but I do not see it in my settings list. If it means anything, I am on version: android_20240708_03_RC05.phone_samsung_dynamic
Does seem to be the latest version for my device.

Thanks again

 

[stevetaz]

UPDATE...I was messing around with the Google Messages app and thought I might delete it and reinstall to see what effect that might have. Of course it is an app that can't be deleted, so I disabled it, removed updates and rebooted. reenabled, set it as the default text app and magically, all the additional split threads are gone!

I will also say that Golfdriver97 was probably on to something with the mention of the phone number. When I looked before, I finally did find "Phone Number" under the Messages Advanced Settings, but it was grayed out with "Unknown" shown. I was unable to edit it at all. Now it is showing my phone number and all appears good.

 

[mustang7757]

Google been updating their app pretty well whereas Samsung messages are not often and looks like newer Samsung only coming with Google messages pre installed like my Fold 6.

I hear Google group chat supposedly getting an update as well as picture quality so stay tuned for this.

 

[Golfdriver97]

UPDATE...I was messing around with the Google Messages app and thought I might delete it and reinstall to see what effect that might have. Of course it is an app that can't be deleted, so I disabled it, removed updates and rebooted. reenabled, set it as the default text app and magically, all the additional split threads are gone!

I will also say that Golfdriver97 was probably on to something with the mention of the phone number. When I looked before, I finally did find "Phone Number" under the Messages Advanced Settings, but it was grayed out with "Unknown" shown. I was unable to edit it at all. Now it is showing my phone number and all appears good.

Thanks for the update. Did that also fix the group limit as well?

 

[stevetaz]

Thanks for the update. Did that also fix the group limit as well?

Sorry for the delayed response. Yes, the group I had with 11 members is working fine now. I don't have any other groups with more than 10 so I can't give a wide viewpoint, but it seems to have resolved. I am also holding my breath to make sure the network doesn't take some time to recognize and start restricting.

So far, so good!