How do I block Public Mobile announcement SMS's

[samiam123]

I don't want to get any unsolicted SMS messages, including messages from Public Mobile.  The send me messages about consumer rights and misc. other things that I do not want to receive.  They also send me billing messages that I would also like to block.  How do I do that?

[samiam123]

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@Anonymous wrote:

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@samiam123 wrote:

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 Yes it 100% is that.  Actually it's not called Emergency notifications it's called Emergency Alerts which means Amber Alerts.  You can google it.

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About the ringtones: do you have a + (plus) in the upper right when you select ringtone? You can then pick up a file. That file could be a silent sound.

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I ended up downloading an app called Zedge which had the ringtone I was looking for.  It's a very annoying app though with lots of obtrusive ads constantly spamming.  I would have preferred to just download the 2 ring tone files I needed. I don't think they are stored on the phone in a location that is accessible without a jailbroken phone with root access which I don't have. 

Maybe there is an easier way but that App seems to have gotten me there.  It was way more trouble than it should have been though.  I didn't plan to spend 2 hours just trying to get ringtones set up.  Contacts ringtones not being exactly the same as Settings > Sounds seems kind of silly.  Also, it seems that "silent" or "no sound" is not a standard ringtone because that was also not available in contact ringtones. Go figure.

[Anonymous]

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@samiam123 wrote:

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 Yes it 100% is that.  Actually it's not called Emergency notifications it's called Emergency Alerts which means Amber Alerts.  You can google it.

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He caught himself up afterwards. It's that you had used the term emergency for your business alerts. Thus the bit of confusion.

But it's not just Amber alerts. I was in Hawaii when the incoming missiles alert happened. Then the false alarm alert.

About the ringtones: do you have a + (plus) in the upper right when you select ringtone? You can then pick up a file. That file could be a silent sound.

[samiam123]

Well turns out that setting ringtones by contact is not an ideal solution.  For whatever reason, some ringtones that are available under Settings > Sounds >Notification sounds  are not available under Contacts > Ringtones including the very distinctive one I use for my alerts.  Perhaps because I have added some addon ringtones.  So now I need to try find a way to add those ringtones to contact ringtones.

[samiam123]

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@kb_mv wrote:

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@samiam123 wrote:I think emergency notifications are for Amber alerts which is something else entirely.

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@samiam123 I don't think so.

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 Yes it 100% is that.  Actually it's not called Emergency notifications it's called Emergency Alerts which means Amber Alerts.  You can google it.

[Jb456]

@samiam123  So next time you receive a text from PM..then do that setting? Then maybe just archive the text? Or do setting then delete text and if it does not keep the silence then next time throw it in archives?

[samiam123]

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@Jb456 wrote:

@samiam123  or maybe this??

If you long press on a target conversation, however, a mute notification button in will appear on the lower-left corner on the bottom of the screen. From there, simply select the chats that you want to mute, then hit the mute "Notification" button. Once done, all muted threads will contain a crossed out bell denoting their silenced status.

https://android.gadgethacks.com/how-to/mute-conversations-samsung-messages-without-blocking-contacts....

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That appears to only be for existing chat threads.  I regularly clear those out so that won't work for me.

[kb_mv]

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@Anonymous wrote:

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@samiam123 wrote:

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I think emergency notifications are for Amber alerts which is something else entirely.

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I think he was referring to your _business_ emergency texts.

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@Anonymous I missed completely the "business" part of emergency texts. 

[kb_mv]

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@samiam123 wrote:I think emergency notifications are for Amber alerts which is something else entirely.

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@samiam123 I don't think so.

"Since April 6, 2018, the CRTC requires that all wireless service providers participate in the NPAS and begin distribution of wireless public emergency alerts on their long-term evolution (LTE) networks.

Emergency alert messages are issued by public officialsFootnote2 who are designated by the federal government or your province or territory to warn the public of imminent or unfolding hazards to life and property (e.g., fire, natural disasters, biological threats, hazardous materials, environmental disasters, civil emergencies). These officials are also responsible for issuing scheduled test messages.

Each year, during Emergency Preparedness Week in May, wireless service providers and broadcasters will distribute a test alert."

[Anonymous]

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@samiam123 wrote:

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I think emergency notifications are for Amber alerts which is something else entirely.

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I think he was referring to your _business_ emergency texts.

Edit: oh...maybe not

 @kb_mv : I just thought you were doing a little shorthand. I almost said something but thought meh that works too.

[Jb456]

@samiam123  or maybe this??

If you long press on a target conversation, however, a mute notification button in will appear on the lower-left corner on the bottom of the screen. From there, simply select the chats that you want to mute, then hit the mute "Notification" button. Once done, all muted threads will contain a crossed out bell denoting their silenced status.

https://android.gadgethacks.com/how-to/mute-conversations-samsung-messages-without-blocking-contacts....

[samiam123]

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@kb_mv wrote:

@samiam123 On my S9 in the Messaging app settings, under notifications, I can turn off New Message notifications. I can't turn off the emergency alerts. As you have said you only use SMS to get emergency alerts why not turn off notifications for everything else? You will still get the messages (which you also state aren't the issue) but not get any indication (which you say is the issue) unless you look for them.

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I think emergency notifications are for Amber alerts which is something else entirely.  I have a particular number I get my emergency messages.  Now that I know I can set ringtone by number I can set that to my emergency ringtone and put everything else to default silent ringtone. I did not need to do this with my other provider because they never sent me anything.  I think because I was able to disable all notifications on their end, not on the phone.  With public mobile sending me their unimportant messages semi-regularly and no way to disable it on their end I now need a more fine grained solution on the phone.

[Jb456]

@samiam123  found this for Samsung Galaxy S8.....

Setting Individual Contact Notification Sound. So add the numbers currently you have as a contact. Maybe PM1, PM2, etc.

Open the “Contacts” app.

Select the person you wish to set the ringtone for.

Tap “Edit“.

Select “View more“.

Scroll down and select “Message tone“.

Choose the desired ringtone.

From this website.

https://www.technipages.com/galaxy-note-8-s8-set-text-message-ringtone

[samiam123]

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@Jb456 wrote:

@samiam123  Do you have an Android phone?

If so open the text message of whatever one you got. I'll use PM 5129 text that's on my phone as an example.

In the message you should have 3 dots on right top, middle or bottle. Click it.

Click 3 dots

Go to details

Go to notifications.

In this section you can choose to change the sound or even silent the sound all together and turn off vibration. For that specific number that texts.

 

This way you won't get any sounds but you will still at least get the text to read it at a later time when you see fit.

I'm sure iPhones have options like this as well.

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That only changes notifications globally.  I need more fine grained settings to change by number.  Turns out I can do that in 2 places.  Either in a contact where I can add multiple numbers, or in a contact group where I can add multiple individual contacts.  I can't disable notification on the contact or contact group as far as I can tell, but I can change the ringtone and vibration pattern which should be adequate.

[kb_mv]

@samiam123 On my S9 in the Messaging app settings, under notifications, I can turn off New Message notifications. I can't turn off the emergency alerts. As you have said you only use SMS to get emergency alerts why not turn off notifications for everything else? You will still get the messages (which you also state aren't the issue) but not get any indication (which you say is the issue) unless you look for them.

[Jb456]

@samiam123  here's picture instructions to help you look for what I am talking about.

Step 1

 

Step 2

 

Step 3

 

Step 4 change your settings for that number.

 

[Jb456]

@samiam123  can you try the instructions I just gave above?

Open the message.

Click 3 dots

Go to details

Go to notifications

Change sound or make silent per text number.

 

[samiam123]

I use a Samsung Galaxy S8 which uses Android 9.

Getting unwanted messages is not a phone issue.  Trying to find a workaround to prevent the annoyance is.

I think the problem is that they use different numbers.  Not sure if they keep changing them or what.  I have 2 public service announcements on different numbers.  5129 and 5132.  I think I get all billing notifications on 611 so I should be able to change the ringtone on that.

If I long press the message I get a block notification option but I think that is only for that message thread.  I regularly clear out messages threads.  I don't see an option to disable notifications by number.  I use the standard Android 9 messaging app which is just called "Messages".  Maybe there is another app that can do that.

[Jb456]

@samiam123  Do you have an Android phone?

If so open the text message of whatever one you got. I'll use PM 5129 text that's on my phone as an example.

In the message you should have 3 dots on right top, middle or bottle. Click it.

Click 3 dots

Go to details

Go to notifications.

In this section you can choose to change the sound or even silent the sound all together and turn off vibration. For that specific number that texts.

 

This way you won't get any sounds but you will still at least get the text to read it at a later time when you see fit.

I'm sure iPhones have options like this as well.

[Anonymous · Accepted solution]

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@samiam123 wrote:

Actually, I don't mind getting the messages.  It's the ringtone I would like to change so I know when it's one of these and not an emergency.  I would prefer no ringtone when it is one of these messages.  I think I looked into doing that before but I could not do that the way I wanted to for some reason.  Maybe because of the numbers they use.  I can't remember why I was not able to do that.

I use a Samsung Galaxy S8 which uses Android 9.

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You can group them into a contact and then set the ringtone for that contact. It's what I do for the spouse. 🙂

[kb_mv]

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@samiam123 wrote:

Actually, I don't mind getting the messages.  It's the ringtone I would like to change so I know when it's one of these and not an emergency.  I would prefer no ringtone when it is one of these messages.  I think I looked into doing that before but I could not do that the way I wanted to for some reason.  Maybe because of the numbers they use.  I can't remember why I was not able to do that.

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@samiam123 That would be a phone issue. What phone are you using?

[samiam123]

Actually, I don't mind getting the messages.  It's the ringtone I would like to change so I know when it's one of these and not an emergency.  I would prefer no ringtone when it is one of these messages.  I think I looked into doing that before but I could not do that the way I wanted to for some reason.  Maybe because of the numbers they use.  I can't remember why I was not able to do that.

I use a Samsung Galaxy S8 which uses Android 9.

[kb_mv]

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@samiam123 wrote:

Yes they are a problem for me.  I only use SMS for getting emergency automated messages related to my business.  So every time I get one of these unwelcome messages I think I have an emergency.  

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@samiam123 At the end of each of those messages are instructions to unsubscribe.

[samiam123]

Yes they are a problem for me.  I only use SMS for getting emergency automated messages related to my business.  So every time I get one of these unwelcome messages I think I have an emergency.  

[Anonymous]

Another one of these. Are those informative provider texts really that harmful to receive? Are they such a clutter and distraction that you just can't stand to get them?

Ah well. To each their own I guess.

[Jb456]

Remember if you block public mobile message's then you will not receive notifications if your payment failed or if (hope it never happens) a scammer is trying to port your number out. They also been known to send texts for promotions. Like free holiday gifts last year, migration promotions, one time extra referral credit bonus, etc ,etc.

It's up to you though. Just block them as you'd block every other number.

Just hold the text down with your finger and you should get option to block.

[JoyLuck]

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@samiam123 wrote:

How do I add those numbers to the reject list?  Do those numbers ever change?  I don't care about missing promos.

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What phone do you have? There are multiple numbers.

[samiam123]

How do I add those numbers to the reject list?  Do those numbers ever change?  I don't care about missing promos.

[JoyLuck]

@samiam123 

Add the numbers to your reject list. By blocking some of these you maybe missing out on free promos like free data, etc

Recently I received a text from PM number 5179 for free minutes and data.