Odd MMS issue

[stephenasmith]

Hi folks, 

I have a weird problem I’m wondering if someone can help me with. Just a couple days ago I started being unable to receive MMS from some people. Anytime I get a picture sent to me from certain contacts I get an “unable to download MMS” error. It knows there is an MMS message but cannot get it. But it only happens for some of my contacts, as there are some people I can get MMS from just fine and with no errors, and others that simply do not come through. 

This is a very recent development, and for the life of me I cannot figure out why. I haven’t made any changes to my settings, and I reviewed the MMS settings in the APN, and everything checks out there. I also don’t think it's the messaging app itself, since I tried using two different apps on my phone and had the same problem. I didn’t do a complete reset or anything drastic, but I’ve checked what I would consider the obvious problems (including making sure my data is on).There are two possibilities I can think of. 

This first one is pretty speculative, but could there be some sort of cross-network messaging issue? Here is why I am wondering about that. I can get MMS from some contacts who are also on Public Mobile, as well as Koodo, both of which are owned by Telus (and I assume use the same network). However, MMS messages do not come through from a contact on Fido (owned by Rogers), as well as my work phone which runs on Bell. I can still get regular SMS messages from other carriers. 

I also cannot rule out that there is something weird going on with my phone itself, but I don't know if you can even tell your phone to accept MMS from only some people and not others, and everything else is working fine. For what it's worth, I’m using a Motorola phone with Android 8.1. 

Has anyone ever experienced or heard of this issue? I tried searching the forum here since I’ve seen other people saying they were having MMS issues, but not quite like this (I’ll apologize in advance if I missed this one somewhere). Thanks for any help or advice you can provide.

[Srhughes]

Hi Stephen, I am still in the same situation. I tried an uninstall and reinstall of the Android Messages app and again double checked my settings. Only switching access points and back periodically helps.

I do get my wife's replies to group texts and she is a PM user. But everyone else's doesn't come in. 

Did you ever factory reset?

[stephenasmith]

Hi there, just a short update from my end. Somehow this issue has at least partially resolved itself. I am now getting MMS from the people I couldn't before, at least some of the time now. 

Unfortunately I don't have any solution to suggest, as it wasn't anything I did to fix it. Not sure if others are seeing an improvement in service but for me it's certainly better than it was before. 

[Korth]

"Access points" probably means you're connecting across WiFi.

Not across cellular. If you were connecting across cellular - text, data - then you wouldn't need to worry about any "access points" anywhere your phone gets signal bars.

Text is usually carried across cellular. If it's using Wifi then it's some other kind of app - Whatsapp, Textra, ? - it's not standard SMS/MMS. Instead of sorting your texting problem out, you're mixing two other problems in.

[Srhughes]

A mix of Android and iPhone users. Oddly enough, the one PM user had no problems.

Configuration is as you described so not that. Never had this issue in the past until today.

So far so good after switching access points.

[Korth]

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@Srhughes wrote:

Most of the people I am in contact with are using Rogers.

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It could be a network-to-network issue. Even a major one. Not impossible.

After all, the entire Canada-wide Rogers network did go down for a day not too long ago.

But it's far more likely an issue with software. On your phone and/or on the other phones. Are your failed-MMS Rogers-subscribing friends all using iMessage on iPhones, perhaps? Is your phone configured with "APN Type= default,mms"?

[Srhughes]

Hi everyone,

I am in the same boat as of this morning. My outgoing MMS is received (Android user) but I cannot receive from non-PM subscribers. Their messages go to separate threads then cannot be downloaded. I have cleared cache and storage, reinstalled the Messages app, all to no avail.

Most of the people I am in contact with are using Rogers.

Update: swapping access points as suggested earlier seems to have worked... For now.

[stephenasmith]

For what it's worth I tried logging a ticket and I had some back and forth with some of the customer service reps, but we were not able to come up with a solution. Although if anyone else is able to come up with a fix for this I would very much appreciate hearing about it. 

Given that it's impacting several of us and it started around the same time I don't think this is a coincidence, but as to how to fix it, or even understanding what caused it in the first place, I just don’t know.

[stephenasmith]

@jasonroza - Still nothing yet. I'm also trying the ticket approach so we will see if that brings more success.

[dumpst3r]

Thanks for this it has helped a bunch, although painful it helps for sure

[jasonroza]

Thanks! I'll log a ticket.

I'm using a Pixel 6. @stephenasmith was using a Motorola. Are you having any luck with MMS now?

[esjliv]

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@jasonroza wrote:

Quick update: I switched my messaging app to Textra and a couple MMS messages came through and then it stopped again. I see other posts about this issue on here and there's one on Reddit as well. All recent occurrences. How do we get the attention of technical support to look into this?

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@jasonroza  - 

Public Mobile Representatives customer support agents (CSA) can be contacted by either two methods, found here:

https://www.publicmobile.ca/en/on/get-help/articles/contact-an-agent

Have you also reached out to Motorola support, by any chance? I'd be curious to see what they say also.

[jasonroza]

Quick update: I switched my messaging app to Textra and a couple MMS messages came through and then it stopped again. I see other posts about this issue on here and there's one on Reddit as well. All recent occurrences. How do we get the attention of technical support to look into this?

[KCM]

I also encountered this issue with two separate phones in the household starting last week. I have not been able to figure out a permanent solution to the problem, but through testing I found that if I switch to the Telus APN, attempt to download the photo, then switch back to the PC Mobile APN, and go back to the message the photo(s) will download. It does not appear to be able to get the photos from last week, but I have been able to get ones sent today. When further photos are sent I have to repeat the process to get the newly sent photos so it is a bit of a pain although it works. If I figure out something permanent I will post it. 

[dumpst3r]

@stephenasmith @esjliv @ Yes I beleive the last time a group message worked was last wednesday

@jasonroza sorry to hear you are having the same problem but hopefully we can find a resolution i have been on multiple forms and tried almost everything with no success 

[stephenasmith]

No worries. I'm pretty sure it's the same problem.

[dabr]

@stephenasmith   Lol...you're right, @dumpst3r mentions group messaging issues.  Sorry to hear that nothing has, so far, worked. 

[stephenasmith]

@dabr - Thanks, I tried removing one of them from my contacts then adding them back in but it didn't make any difference. Although on my end it's not a group messaging issue (I think it’s @dumpst3r who is having the problem with group chat messages), I've been having problems getting any kind of imageto come through MMS (although they are all MMS messages). 

@jasonroza - My issue started last Thursday too. I’ll be curious to hear if you have any success with changing which messaging app program you are using (or any other testing). I tried switching apps as well but didn't have any success. 

@dumpst3r - I think you mentioned it started a couple days ago for you. Did your issue start up on Thursday as well? 

Also I’ve been checking out some of the community support forums for other providers but haven’t found anything similar to what is going on here. Will let people know if I see anything.

[jasonroza]

Same issue here on a Pixel 6. The issue started on Thursday I believe. MMS (groups that have worked forever) messages not working correctly. They come up with that download message and that spins for a long time and sometimes works. I've triple checked APN settings. Restarted the phone multiple times. The plan just renewed on the 21st I believe so plenty of mobile data left. Mobile data turned on. RCS turned off. Tried receiving one-off MMS messages from a Rogers phone but no luck. SMS works fine though.

I'll try using a third-party messaging app soon. Perhaps it was a Google Messages update that has messed something up.

[dabr]

@stephenasmith    Perhaps also try removing the problem contact names and reboot the phone and add them back and reboot?    But I'd agree with @esjliv that it seems something has gone awry with your group messaging settings.

[esjliv]

@dumpst3r hopefully, some of this trouble shooting eventually works. OR, it just starts working on its own again..🙂

Have you tried asking Motorola support? Maybe they have similar reported cases, that may help.

https://www.motorolasolutions.com/en_ca/contact-us.html

[dumpst3r]

@esjliv Thanks for the quick reply, I have just booted into safe mode and no luck.

Yes I can SMS back and fourth with the individuals and yes they are also saved contacts. I have been in a group chat with these people for years and this just started happening

[esjliv]

@dumpst3r - still ongoing..oh, this is Group Messaging you have an issue with.

Is your group messaging enabled in the 'advanced settings' under your messages app? I am thinking yes it is since you are receiving from some but not others.

Are these other numbers you are not receiving from saved as contacts on your device?

Can you receive individual SMS texts from these person(s) otherwise? Ensure these callers are not blocked; or your settings on your device is not set up to receive those from people in your contact list only.

Maybe try putting your phone is safe mode to see if the group message receives.

" If your phone can send/receive a group message while in safe mode, the problem could be caused by a third-party app. "

1. Press the Power key until Power off comes up on the screen.
2. Touch and HOLD Power off ON THE SCREEN until another menu pops up.
3. Touch OK when Reboot to safe mode appears.
4. Phone will reboot and Safe Mode will appear in bottom left corner.

[dumpst3r]

Update: I have clicked on a couple of the MMS messages that were unable to download and two of about twenty actually downloaded. Which adds to the confusion

My MMS messages that are not downloading are not pictures or emojis they are simply group chat messages that come through as MMS instead of SMS.

@esjliv I have also tried options 1-5 with no luck 

I have gotten pictures, emojis, likes and whatever else for years.

[stephenasmith]

@esjliv - Thanks for the list of suggestions. Most of these I have attempted, such as trying a third party app. I'll review again but I don't think that there is anything there that I haven't tried some variation of. 

@softech - Thankfully I've been able to do some testing with the iPhone, but the problem still persists with just plain images, including large and small pictures with no characters. It's certainly possible there was an update in the other phones in question that has caused this, even when emojis or special characters are not used, but I have no way to definitively confirm that. 

[esjliv]

@stephenasmith - it is puzzling with the 'recently' occurrences if nothing else has really changed on your end.

A Motorola agent posted this on a forum I just found. I know you probably already tried some of these, but will put them all out there as this was from Motorola support.

This solution in this forum was # 4 below, they downloaded "Textra" from the play store. 

1. Uninstall and re-install Google Messages app (if you're using the stock messaging app). Go to Play Store and search the app > Uninstall, check and see if you can see if you can receive MMS while the app is not in the latest version. Then try updating the app again. 

2. Turn off RCS on Messages app. Head over to Settings > Chat features. Next, toggle the “Enable chat features” to off.

3. Turn off Wi-Fi calling (if there's an option in the Settings > Network & internet > Mobile network > Wi-Fi calling). 

4. Try using a third-party messaging app in Play Store (can't guarantee any apps, but at least try one with a good reviews in Play Store).

5. Make sure the phone's date and time is correct.

[softech]

@stephenasmith  I think @Korth explanation about the character format is the reason for the problem. 

Although you have one iPhone and one Google Pixel user, the Google Pixel user could have used some incompatible format as well as Android could use RCS (Rich Communication system)  instead of traditional MMS.  RCS is basically the Android version of iMessage and could have some non-compatible format as well

Yes, it just happen lately, because your friends could have just started using some incompatible emojis or other iMessage/RCS specific contents in their recent MMS 

Can you work with each of those two friends first, ask them to text by sending you a MMS with a very small picture (small in terms or file size)  and do not add any text at all and see how it goes

[stephenasmith]

Thanks again for all the suggestions and perspectives. Here are a few more replies:

@dumpst3r – Glad to hear (sort of) that its not only me having these issues

@softech – In terms of who I am having problems receiving MMS from it’s a mix. I can confirm that there is one iPhone and one Google Pixel in the mix on my end I cannot receive MMS from.

@Korth – I wouldn’t be surprised if its incompatible software, but the fact that it only started recently would suggest to me that it has to be some sort of update that changed something, and I don’t know what it would be. And its not just with iPhone that I am having these issues.

@esjliv – I’ve been on Android 8.1 for years, so I don’t think that’s the issue, and I don’t think I could easily go back. Also, I don’t think its any other kind of software update on my phone since I usually only run updates on the weekend and it started before that (of course, my phone could have snuck something in without me knowing about it, which is annoying).

I have to admit I am having a bit of a hard time coming up with an explanation that doesn’t have some sort “but what about this…” counterargument.  

[Korth]

@softech 

I don't use an iPhone. Though some of the people around me use them a lot.

iMessage texts support extended/foreign alphabets, "extended unicode pages", extensive emote/symbol libraries, character formatting and colouring, etc. iMessage also supports images, photos, animations (in gif, swf, and many other formats). It can also send audio. It sends things like photos and recordings which allow two-way or conditional interactions. It even supports a sort of executable script and batch language which can make the recipient's iMessage do many exciting things when the message is opened. And iMessage appends all sorts of invisible/hidden "envelope" information onto each message, some is readable and some is not.

Apple has released a variety of iMessage SDKs and framework tools over the years but these never reveal the actual workings of iMessage in useful tasty technical detail. They basically allow cosmetic and UI changes, limited functionality changes, no operational changes. Many people have disassembled and examined iMessage over the years but their significant findings are generally rendered obsolete in the next update. It's constantly changing with background updates. Apple guards its money-making secrets (and iCloud datamining) aggressively.

So all I can say with certainty is that if you use iMessage and you only click on the touch keyboard buttons then it'll likely send plaintext SMS which anyone can read. But if you click on anything else then it becomes increasingly unlikely that a non-iMessage target will be able to receive or be able to read what you sent.

iMessage is a great app. Much prettier, more exciting, and more engaging than stodgy old SMS/MMS. No argument there. It's unfortunate that it's not fully compatible with non-iMessage since the whole point of communication is intercompatibility.

Imagine a world where iPhone users could dial or answer calls with other iPhone users but couldn't do reliable calling with non-Apple phones - just replace "calling" with "texting" and you'd find yourself in our real world.

I don't blame people for buying iPhones. I don't blame people for not buying iPhones. I don't blame Apple for creating and maintaining (and "securing") their own proprietary standard.

But I do blame Apple for being deceptive about it. They don't really lie, not outright, but they misrepresent and misdirect and misinform just enough to make people believe they're being truthful, forthright, and transparent when they're not. iMessage-vs-SMS/MMS incompatibilities are a major issue which many people don't know about until they're affected - and still refuse to believe even after being informed or instructed about.

It's worth noting that only about 14% of all smartphones run iMessage. A market share which has fallen a few points over recent years and is expected to fall a few more points in coming years.

iMessage users should be aware that over 86% of the world (almost 95% of the world outside Canada and USA) uses smartphones which don't (which can't) run iMessage and therefore can't read much of what iMessage sends by default. Including almost all 2FA authenticators (like financial and government institutions) because these tend to prefer "opensource" standards which avoid dependency on a single corporation. This is the truth Apple doesn't advertise.

https://www.mobileapps.com/blog/android-vs-ios-market-share

[softech]

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@Korth wrote:

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You cannot receive iMessages if they contain any of Apple's character formatting, emotes, or iMessage (attachment) content.

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@Korth 

thanks for the explanation

I understand Apple could have its different set of emoji.  But what are other "iMessage (attachment) content"  that are not compatible on non iPhone.  ?.  

[dumpst3r]

I am Miui 13 and updated to it late last year or early this year. And i have also done a factory reset that has not changed anything