Picture and Group Messaging End Date | Feb 14

[J_PM]

Hey Community, 

Starting February 14th, 2024, select customers may be required to update either their settings or upgrade their device to continue using Multimedia Messaging Service, better known as MMS without interruption. 

Who is affected by this change?
Customers may be affected if:

• The most recent software update from the manufacturer has not been installed
• Devices are no longer supported by the manufacturer’s software updates
• Devices are purchased outside Canada

You will be contacted to upgrade their device. 

For more information on how to update your settings (IOS & Android) or device recommendation to ensure compatibility, review this Help Article. 

What is MMS?
Multimedia Messaging Service is the way mobile devices send and receive pictures, videos and group conversations across networks.

MMS is supported across phone manufacturers and operating systems on nearly all phone models that have data capabilities. MMS messages are sent through your normal messaging app that sends and receives text messages. 

Note: Third-party messaging services, such as Facebook Messenger and WhatsApp, that have picture, video and group message features are not affected by this change.

What do I do if I get an email saying I need a new or replacement device?
As our network evolves, older devices (usually from 2015 or earlier) may require replacement. Rest assured, your voice, SMS, and data services will not be impacted by this change. We regularly make network updates to ensure our customers are kept up-to-date with the latest security and software updates from manufacturers. 

If you’re interested in continuing to use picture and group messaging services we have partnered with Mobile Klinik to bring you top-quality Certified Pre-Owned (CPO) phones that are tested and inspected by expert technicians to work like new at a fraction of the cost. With over 150 store locations across Canada, and an online website, Mobile Klinik offer's convenient access to a wide selection of refurbished devices that are backed by a 1 year warranty.

- The Public Mobile Team 

[Kjh875]

Thank you. Very interesting. Oneplus says there's no issue on their end. Maybe I'll try someone's SIM from another carrier to see if I can rule out carrier issue. 

[softech]

@Kjh875 

before you jump ship, just want you to aware that Koodo customers have the same issue

But it could be a phone software issue.. We had an issue with an particular iOS beta version which broke the data connection. It was no fault of PM at that incident.  Luckily it was Apple and they acknowledged it and got it fixed with 2 beta releases later.   

I am still not sure if it is an issue on PM side.  Seems like it is an issue with Android 14 on OnePlus. Also, the planned end date of the MMS server is today, but OneOkus users experienced the issue as early as end of January. So, it seems the MMS problem is unrelated to this announcement 

[Kjh875]

Before I switch carriers, just wanted to know if anyone who has had an issue after an unsuccessful APN update, has found resolution to the texting issue? PM customer support basically told me it should work after the APN update. It doesn't! I have a OnePlus Nord 30 Android 14 version. 

Thanks 

[hTideGnow]

HI @mcdougal 

i don't think a complaint is needed.   The APN does not work on some phone because providers cannot support all legacy phones.  Like you cannot do much with an old 2G only phones.   🙂

[mcdougal]

Good thinking on the CCTS, Charanth. I'd thought about that too, I'll make a point of it. For now my Oneplus 5T still works with the old APN settings, but I presume it's a matter of time. Sorry to hear that it has indeed stopped working for some.

What really bothers me is that, even going through CS and asking for help from a technician, I cannot get any technical information about what's actually different and why the new APN won't work for some phones.

[Kjh875]

Sorry about that. Thanks for your help! 

[softech]

@Kjh875

please message PM support directly using this link:

https://productioncommunity.publicmobile.ca/t5/notes/composepage/note-to-user-id/22437

**Monitor your Community inbox (envelope icon on top right) after the ticket is opened.  CS Agent will reply to you there

[Kjh875]

Did you ever hear back? I can't even reach PM support directly because of their website errors. I have a '23 Oneplus and have lost ability to reply to group texts and text attachments even after APN update. Unbelievable 

[CalvinW]

After numerous back and forth between CS Agents and then subsequently forwarded to the technical department, their conclusion is "Network doesn't support your phone, please upgrade your phone". For context, I use a OnePlus 7 Pro, a 2019 phone. If they are dropping support for 5 year old phones, what's the point of upgrading? They will just drop support for my new phone in 5 years. Better to just upgrade my carrier instead... 

[charanth1822]

I'd like to take this time to remind everyone of CCTS who PM themselves sends me a text on regularly.

"Unresolved complaint about telecom or residential TV service? CCTS may be able to help. 1-888-221-1687 or www.ccts-cprst.ca."

[charanth1822]

Sure, but i can't control how people message me. Especially clients and coworkers who like to send pictures (MMS) of issues they are having. Plus this new set up doesn't even tell them that i didn't get the message.

[charanth1822]

It does change things. As even with the new apn setting many of our devices stopped working.

[Yggy]

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@softech wrote:
 you can make a manual update, here are the old and new settings

You can update the settings, but that won't work for all devices, it didn't work for my Motorola g6. 😞

[charanth1822]

I hear Freedom supports OnePlus

[charanth1822]

I think you are about to loose a bunch of customers... 
I've lost track of how long I've been with Public Mobile, since before i was father and my son just had his 10th birthday. This move is seriously making me reconsider.

For reference my one plus was bought in Canada, is a 2020 model and OS was updated as recently as last month with some security patch.

[CalvinW]

This is ridiculous. MMS on my OnePlus 7 Pro stopped working all of a sudden. Dropping support on a 2019 device is absurd... 

[mcdougal]

Thanks @keepasa, that's super good info, even if it only adds to my confusion 🙂

I'm running Ubuntu Touch, which is fully linux, not Android or iOS, so I'm even more off-label in my use. But MMS has worked for me up til now and I can't get anything to work with the new settings. I'm sure you'll be fine if the new settings are working for you now. Thanks a lot for posting that.

[keepasa]

Hi @mcdougal  I also have the Oneplus 5 and my APN settings got auto updated to the new settings.  I'm running android 12 on it currently (3rd party sw since support ended on Android ver 10).  I guess I'll have to wait til Feb 14-15 to verify if NMS continues to work.

[mcdougal]

Thanks for passing that on, Zula. Bad news, but better to know. If your Oneplus 11 won't work I don't have a lot of hope for my Oneplus 5T. I'd love to hear from users of other modern phones from more brands that're more common in North America but which aren't on the list of approved devices. How are Pixel 3 users or Samsung S20 and S21 users faring?

I called Telus today (and learned we're not supposed to do that). While the fellow I talked to directed me toward publicmobile.ca, he was good enough to talk to me a bit. He said he's very familiar with this issue, but said he thinks it's "a crazy email" and that it won't necessarily be the case that we can't keep our existing APNs. I'm really unconvinced by this, but thought I should pass it on. The date for Telus and Koodo is Feb 7 rather than our Feb 14, I dunno why. Maybe we'll be able to learn something from those users' experience after the 7th, given it's all the same overarching company and network.

[Zula]

Here's my response from Escalation:

[Zula]

Nothing from PM CS yet. So far their only solution was to switch from my phone to one on their "supported" list so I'm not optimistic...

[mcdougal]

When you hear back from a supervisor, please let us know. There're many Oneplus users. I've had no problem on Public Mobile til now (have been thrilled to have found such good value and really pleasantly surprised with things like gifted data, indefinite rollovers, etc). But I too am gone if they cancel service for Oneplus, and the sooner I could know the better. Was hoping we might hear back from @J_PM 

[Zula]

@softech my ticket's been escalated to a supervisor, so maybe I'll get someone in CS that is more knowledgeable. 

[softech]

@Zula yes, have agent to confirm on the system.  There was another customer updated with new APN, but agent still sees the phone trying to access the old server.  Maybe they can tell what was wrkng 

[Zula]

@computergeek541 I deleted the old one in my attempts to troubleshoot, so there's no other APN settings for the phone to even accidentally look to.

[Zula]

Thanks for the suggestion @hTideGnow ...but I had already tried both a reset and also manually updating the APN settings before I contacted Public Mobile CS. From what I've been reading this appears to be a OnePlus device on the Telus network problem, which is why I think my only option is to switch to back SaskTel and simply pay more. I guess my experience with Public Mobile just proves you get what you pay for.

[computergeek541]

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@Zula wrote:

Thanks for the suggestion @softech...but I'd already done the APN settings update before I contacted Public Mobile CS.

---

After adding the new APN, did you select it as the active one?  Unless that is done, the phone could continue using the old one when there is more that one set of configurations saved.

[Zula]

Thanks for the suggestion @softech...but I'd already done the APN settings update before I contacted Public Mobile CS.

[softech]

@Zula 

 you can make a manual update, here are the old and new settings

Old settings:

APN: sp.mb.com
MMSC: http://aliasredirect.net/proxy/mb/mmsc
MMSC proxy: 74.49.0.18
MMS port: 80
MCC: 302
MNC: 220

New Settings:

APN: sp.mb.com
MMSC: http://aliasredirect.net/proxy/mb/mmsc
MMSC proxy: mmscproxy.mobility.ca
MMS port: 8799
MCC: 302
MNC: 220

[hTideGnow]

Hi @Zula one plus 11 is a new enough phone.  try to click Reset All Networks to get the latest APn settings