Phone not receiving texts

[TechNut79]

Hello everyone,

My sister is having an issue with her phone that we can't figure out and two phone carriers can't help with either. We're hoping that maybe you all have some ideas. Her phone is the s21 Ultra, unlocked on At&t. Between me, a friend of hers and her boyfriends co-worker, all 3 of us can't send her text messages. Weirdly, we all have Verizon. Actually the boyfriends co-worker can't send him text messages. He's also on At&t using an s22. At&t told them to reset network settings. Verizon told me that it's At&ts fault. So now we're stuck. Any idea what to do in this situation? This all started only a few days ago. Thanks in advance.

 

[SpookDroid]

Are any of the numbers that can't text her iPhone users or ex-iPhone users? They may still have that registered for iCloud/iMessage (especially if the move was recent). Have you checked for any blocked numbers or if the texts are going into the Spam folder? Have you tried turning RCS on/off (this is especially helpful if the phones that cannot text her are also using RCS)? And lastly, have you tried using the SIM card in a different phone (to rule out a specific device being the issue)?

 

[TechNut79]

She checked for blocked numbers. She can't find any. I don't think any of the people who that can't send her messages had iPhones. I'm positive I've never had one. None of us are using RCS. As far as the putting the SIM card into another phone, we don't really have extra phones laying around to test with. It's just so weird that all of this just started within the past 2 or 3 days. Like someone flipped a switch.

 

[B. Diddy]

When you say that none of you are using RCS, that includes your sister, right? And she knows that RCS means the "Chat Features" option in the messaging app?

 

[SpookDroid]

Any ad-blocking/spam-detecting apps that may be blocking suspected spam texts erroneously? Does she have any previous conversations with those numbers that she can reply to? Also, sorry if I missed that somewhere, but can SHE text YOU or is it both ways? Also, like B.Diddy mentioned, are you using the stock messaging app or a 3rd party one (for Samsung phones Google Messages is still considered a 3rd party app).

 

[TechNut79]

Her messages all started to flood in just a short time ago. It must have been a system issue somewhere.

 

[jlost]

I had the same issue with my wife and mother in-law. I changed to Google Messages. This solved the issue.

 

[SpookDroid]

I had the same issue with my wife and mother in-law. I changed to Google Messages. This solved the issue.

If this solved the issue, most likely the problem was with RCS and how Google implements those connections. Glad the OP has it working now though!

 

[TechNut79]

It just did it again a few days ago and then started working again. No messages flooding in this time. Not sure what to think.

 

[jlost]

It just did it again a few days ago and then started working again. No messages flooding in this time. Not sure what to think.

I would recommend switching to Google Messages.

 

[TechNut79]

I would recommend switching to Google Messages.

Unfortunately she can't as she has text messages from our deceased parents that aren't carrying over to Google Messages.

 

[SpookDroid]

Sorry for your loss... You can still use Google Messages as your default messaging app while being able to view the messages that aren't carrying over (I'm assuming RCS ones, as these should be the only ones that don't 'port') in the stock Messages app (you just won't receive/send new ones from there).

 

[jesfl]

Re: Samsung A53 5G stopped receiving text messages 2 days ago. My text messages send, recipient replies are not received.

This is the closest-to-my-problem thread I've been able to find here on the forum, so I am posting a follow-up question about my similar problem.

First some facts:

-- I first learned of my problem when I could not receive 2fa messages from my bank (which had been working fine forever both on my old phone and this new-to-me phone. I then sent text messages to family and they received but their replies never arrived.
-- When message receiving suddenly stopped, I was using Google Messages. As a test, when I could not receive text messages, I switched back to Samsung Messages (yes, reset it as default). Neither will receive.
-- This is a 2-month old phone, there are absolutely zero phone or messages blocked, I triple checked.
-- Because RCS was mentioned above I checked and all RCS/multi-media settings are off on the phone. I don't use that stuff.
-- I have followed two online lists of 11 and 13 things to do to "fix" this problem, everything from simplistic "rebooting" to removing the SIM card, plus checking other settings. (I do not have a different phone to put the SIM in and test, as one list suggested.)

I've exhausted everything I know and can find online to do to try to fix text message receiving.

I will appreciate any suggestions anyone on this forum has for me.

Thank you.

jesfl45

 

[SpookDroid]

I would reach out to your carrier and have them check your line. For 2FA and business texts, most of the time those need to be allowed on your line by the carrier first (don't know why, but sometimes they de-activate that when switching phones/lines). If you use the SIM on another phone, do you still have the same issue?