International text messages..

[Mikenz]

Trying to text my mom in Europe.. she never gets any SMS, but all the other family members do. Phone number is setup right, but only her phone does not get messages. I get hers funny enough.. Anything wrong at my end?

[BlueB]

Glad you got it working @Mikenz!  I suppose we found the source of the problem, being the App you were using.  If all works, Accept a Solution from a post(s) so that you'll clear this off the radar.  Glad you're able to reach your mother now!  🙂

[Mikenz]

Update:

I changed the app from Message to Textra. Now works perfect... Thanks for all the help!!

[Mikenz]

good idea.. I will give it a go! Thanks a lot!!

[BlueB]

Have you tried to put your SIM card into your Wife's phone, @Mikenz?  This would quickly tell us if there's an issue with your phone, or your account?

In other words - if your SIM is in her phone, and texts work, then the problem lies within your phone.  If not, then the problem likely lies beyond your phone (eg. your account).

[Mikenz]

My wife uses the same brand phone, the same provider Public, $15.00 with international texts.

Correct, I am NOT using whatsapp

My wife and I both use the standard google Message app.

I rang mom this morning to tell her to text me. I got her text fine, so I replied and...nothing.

[BlueB]

@Mikenz - What is different between you and your wife?  For example, are you using the same phone, on the same Public Mobile plan, etc? 

Do you have International Text Messages as a feature on your phone plan?  Some phone plans (especially older ones) may not have international text messages, so any attempts to send network-driven SMS messages to a non-Canadian carrier would fail.  However, international data-driven messages (like Whatsapp) would still work.

Just to confirm, you're not trying to send a Whatsapp message to your mother who isn't using Whatsapp, correct?

What "app" do you use when reading messages from your mother?  If you hit REPLY to her message, she does not get the reply, is this correct?

[Mikenz]

Thanks for all the suggestions.. All other family members are in Europe, they ALL get my texts. Even my wife can send texts to my mother. I am the only one that can't get through to her. 

I am using an Android LG.

I am usually only using Whatsapp, but my mom is 75, technology is not her thing and I guess her phone is just a step up the old Nokia brick style phone (hahaha)

[computergeek541]

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@Mikenz wrote:

Trying to text my mom in Europe.. she never gets any SMS, but all the other family members do. Phone number is setup right, but only her phone does not get messages. I get hers funny enough.. Anything wrong at my end?

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Is your mom using a different carrier than other people? When a text message goes from one company to another, there is a third-party company involved when it comes to the delivery of SMS.  If you know someone else who use Public Mobile, I suggest have a text mesage sent from that phone to your mom to see if it the issue could possibly be with the other carrier or if it could be an issue specific only to your account. 

[BlueB]

@Mikenz... just to add a little more context into some of the questions asked here:

What phone?  Although all phones work the same, accessing different features/functions is a bit different, so knowing what phone you're using will help us give more specific advice to help you out!

Where are other family members?  Domestic text messages are a little different than international ones, so if other family members are also in Europe, it helps us to troubleshoot the "international" side of things.  @esjliv has made a good suggestion about asking other people to text them.

When you say SMS messages, are you certain that you're sending an SMS instead of another Text message?  iMessage and Whatsapp, for example, can send text messages as "data" to their app.  This is different than SMS, which is a "network" driven service that's very different than other data-messaging apps.

I have to ask... have you triple-checked the number you're sending to?  Sometimes small typos will make us feeling silly and is an easy solution!  I've totally mistyped before... 🙂

[esjliv]

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@Mikenz wrote:

Trying to text my mom in Europe.. she never gets any SMS, but all the other family members do. Phone number is setup right, but only her phone does not get messages. I get hers funny enough.. Anything wrong at my end?

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@Mikenz 

So you said other family members receive SMS from you, are these family members also in Europe?

If so, this tells me it is an issue on your mom's end. Is there someone that can help her trouble shoot?

Can you have someone else try and text her from Canada to ensure she can receive international texts?

[mimmo]

Some extra info is needed what phone do you and her use, which provider is she using .  Not sure the case now but some providers do not have agreements between each other which stopped sms from bring received

Most people in Europe use WhatsApp  not sms.  Maybe that is the way to go and solve issue

[HALIMACS]

@Mikenz 

If Android, try adjusting Chat messages options.

1. tap Messaging app, 
2. tap 3 little dots top right, 
3. select Settings, 
4. under Chat settings, scroll to "Select default messaging type", 
5. toggle it to Automatic or Text/multimedia msg

For Apple, adjust the iMessage settings:

1. tap the Settings app,
2. tap Messages,
3. turn  iMessage off by toggling the switch to grey from green.