topic Re: Pixel on Oreo tries to send Int'l SMS every restart - thoughts? in Get Support

Pixel on Oreo tries to send Int'l SMS every restart - thoughts?

youbme — Tue, 04 Jan 2022 19:47:05 GMT

Alright folks,

This is a weird one. Ever since I upgrade to Android Oreo, my Google Pixel tries to send out int'l SMS everytime I restart the phone. I only know this because I'm on an older plan that has Canada-wide SMS, so I get a bunch of messages from PM telling me "Sorry, we do not offer text messaging outside of Canada at this time" - usually 5 messages.

I've tried searching online to see if anyone has encountered a similar issue - but haven't found anything. It isn't a huge issue (only happens when I restart the phone), but I'm concerned something is going on in the background that shouldn't be...

Re: Pixel on Oreo tries to send Int'l SMS every restart - thoughts?

passiveegg — Wed, 18 Oct 2017 19:30:24 GMT

From what I read, it just seems to be a hardware issue with your google pixel because my pixel is in oreo right now and i have not come accross this problem. try restarting your phone and taking your sim card out. you can always ask the @CS_Agent for help if nothing is helping.

Re: Pixel on Oreo tries to send Int'l SMS every restart - thoughts?

youbme — Wed, 18 Oct 2017 19:34:33 GMT

@passiveegg

Very likely you have a more recent PM plan (?) that includes international text messaging - so you would not notice this issue (the SMS would go through normally). The only reason I am aware of it is because I do not have international messaging, so I receive a text from 611 (Public Mobile) saying that my SMS did not go through.

Re: Pixel on Oreo tries to send Int'l SMS every restart - thoughts?

computergeek541 — Wed, 18 Oct 2017 19:38:36 GMT

Honestly, it's possible that the manufactuer or Google is doing something shady here, whether it's collecting information about your phone number, name, e-mail addresses, operating system version, app usage, etc. The shady part is doing it wihtout the user knowing about it.

Do you actually only have Canada-wide text messaging? If that's the case, it would explain the message. I suspect that if you had a global texting plan, you wouldn't see that error message. However, that doesn't change the fact that your phone is still sending that message out.

I once had a Nokia N8 phone that did that after every factory reset. It would send some random text message that appeared to be some type of Nokia server. To add the sneakiness, there would be no trace of the message in the outbox. At the time, I was Wind, and thought it might have been a billing glitch, but then I was able to reproduce it and was billed for an international text message each and every time I wiped the device. I researched the short code that I was being charged for sending a message to, and it was really in fact a Nokia number.

The message itself isn't really the issue, but the potential charges and the sending of the message without consent (or supposed consent that is burried through legal agreements that almost no one ever readds), is. I suspect Google is doing something similar to what Nokia was.

Re: Pixel on Oreo tries to send Int'l SMS every restart - thoughts?

passiveegg — Wed, 18 Oct 2017 19:36:52 GMT

as i said before, best option is to messsage the moderators and see what they say.

Re: Pixel on Oreo tries to send Int'l SMS every restart - thoughts?

youbme — Wed, 18 Oct 2017 19:38:56 GMT

@computergeek541, this is exactly what concerns me! Especially since this was not happening on Nougat - only now with Oreo.

Re: Pixel on Oreo tries to send Int'l SMS every restart - thoughts?

youbme — Wed, 18 Oct 2017 19:41:23 GMT

@passiveegg, I don't think this warrants immediate attention from the Community Moderators, but if they have some input about it - I'm sure they'll chime in. Thanks!

Re: Pixel on Oreo tries to send Int'l SMS every restart - thoughts?

computergeek541 — Wed, 18 Oct 2017 19:43:32 GMT

@passiveegg wrote:
as i said before, best option is to messsage the moderators and see what they say.

A moderator wouldn't be able to do anything about a phone sending a message out on its own. That's a phone software issue.

As for the error message, I suspect the OP only has Canada-wide texting. The phone probably is trying to send a message that is considered international. Unless the subscriber really does have global text messaging, this isn't an account related issue.

Re: Pixel on Oreo tries to send Int'l SMS every restart - thoughts?

youbme — Wed, 18 Oct 2017 19:47:53 GMT

Yes, as I stated in in my original post - I have Canada-wide SMS, no international.

I'm curious if there are others with older plans like mine that have noticed a similar issue.

@computergeek541, do you have any idea how to uncover hidden processes on Android, such as sending an SMS? I've tried a bit, but didn't get very far.

Re: Pixel on Oreo tries to send Int'l SMS every restart - thoughts?

computergeek541 — Wed, 18 Oct 2017 19:53:51 GMT

@youbme wrote:
Yes, as I stated in in my original post - I have Canada-wide SMS, no international.

I'm curious if there are others with older plans like mine that have noticed a similar issue.

@computergeek541, do you have any idea how to uncover hidden processes on Android, such as sending an SMS? I've tried a bit, but didn't get very far.

I wouldn't know how to figure out exactly what's happening because so many apps have permissions set to allow making phone calls, sending text messages, using GPS, and the like.

I would say that ask a friend or some other Public Mobile customer here who has the same phone as you to check the usage history. Any outgoing message would show up there. The number or short-code may give you some clues if you were to search for that number in a Google search.

Re: Pixel on Oreo tries to send Int'l SMS every restart - thoughts?

srlawren — Wed, 18 Oct 2017 20:27:34 GMT

@youbme if I had to guess, I'd say it's a rogue app doing that, rather than Android Oreo itself. If you have the time and patience, try a factory reset and then when powered back up, don't have it restore all your previous apps. Try it with just the factory apps installed, reboot a few times, and see if it still does it. Then try reinstalling your apps one at a time (yikes) and reboot after each one to see when the behaviour recommences.

Re: Pixel on Oreo tries to send Int'l SMS every restart - thoughts?

youbme — Wed, 18 Oct 2017 20:40:32 GMT

This is good suggestion @srlawren, though I was hoping to avoid that...

I only got this phone in June, coming from a OP2 that stopped working on me suddenly, and I tried to be extremely minimal about the apps I installed. However, it wouldn't be a bad idea to just start over and see if that resolves the issue.

Re: Pixel on Oreo tries to send Int'l SMS every restart - thoughts?

will13am — Wed, 18 Oct 2017 21:01:55 GMT

The moderator's role is not to troubleshoot customer's hardware. Public Mobile does not sell hardware and should not be asked to provide technical support. If the network is root cause of the problem, they should be involved.

Re: Pixel on Oreo tries to send Int'l SMS every restart - thoughts?

ShawnC13 — Wed, 18 Oct 2017 21:49:01 GMT

@passiveegg wrote:
as i said before, best option is to messsage the moderators and see what they say.

@passiveegg, moderators won't have any trouble shooting tips for hardware issues as I am sure this is. With it being a Google product I wouldn't be at all surprised if it is transmitting the OP's info (Google's number one product) somewhere behind the scenes

Re: Pixel on Oreo tries to send Int'l SMS every restart - thoughts?

youbme — Wed, 18 Oct 2017 22:21:04 GMT

Quick update: I have uninstalled Google Allo (never used it, automatically came with Oreo), updated CarrierServicesApp, and reviewed app permissions for SMS.... still getting messages.

Will do some more troubleshooting later and update you. Though it is looking like Google is doing what it does best....

Re: Pixel on Oreo tries to send Int'l SMS every restart - thoughts?

Luddite — Thu, 19 Oct 2017 00:34:26 GMT

@youbme It's not only an Android issue. Like you I have an old plan with Canada wide messaging and get that error now and then on my iPhone. AND always after a reboot! In my case I am quite certain it is Apple trying to set up iMessage.

Problem will be gone on next renewal as I'm "downgrading" to the 90 day $90 3G plan; losing LTE, gaining 1/2 GB data, and global texting. Great trade off as I never used 1 GB in 30 days anyway.

Re: Pixel on Oreo tries to send Int'l SMS every restart - thoughts?

youbme — Thu, 19 Oct 2017 02:20:16 GMT

Well, I've given up. I've decreed to go the same direction as you @Luddite, I'm upgrading to the $90/3g/1.5gb plan, same price as what I have now with more data, intl messaging and slower data (I'm in rural Ontario, so I've already been getting slower speed most of the time anyway).

That resolves the issue for now, but I'm still suspicious of Google's prying eye...

Re: Pixel on Oreo tries to send Int'l SMS every restart - thoughts?

computergeek541 — Thu, 19 Oct 2017 04:19:00 GMT

I know this won't prevent you from actually receiving the message, but you could do what I do. I purposely block all text messages from Public Mobile, including all top up reminders, the thank you for your payment message, and my absolute least favourite one that I consider nothing but spam reminding me about CCTS. I wish there was an opt out but I doubt that would ever happen as these are likely considered "important" service messsages. Sorry, those message are just a pet peeve of mine. Back on topic, those text messages coming from Public Mobile will be shown as coming from some short code number, and with Android Messages, those messages can be blocked/archived. You would still receive the messages but you'll never be notified and they won't show up in your standard SMS inbox.

Re: Pixel on Oreo tries to send Int'l SMS every restart - thoughts?

youbme — Sat, 21 Oct 2017 16:51:00 GMT

Another update...

Thanks to @Luddite, I reviewed the plans and just switched to a 3G plan with 1.5GB and Int'l Messaging - SO, I can now see messages being sent by my phone to 7723, but they count as 'minutes' rather than 'sms' even when it shows as an 'Outgoing Text'.

I did a quick search online and didn't find anything for 7723 ...I doubt I'll get to the bottom of this, but if anyone has further thoughts, I'm all ears!

Re: Pixel on Oreo tries to send Int'l SMS every restart - thoughts?

specialK — Tue, 24 Apr 2018 05:32:41 GMT

Same issue here, getting outgoing texts to 7723 that say "Minutes" for usage type. On the $10 plan, so I'm kinda worried about running out out texts because of this.

Using the Essential Phone, on Oreo 8.1 and the April 5 security patch.

Edit: ok, I think I have it figured out. @youbme, if you dont give the phone app sms permissions, does this still happen? I think that fixed it for me, after wasting a bunch of texts though -.-