Contributor
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45 Messages
MMS & Verizon Message +
I know some of you may not believe this, but up until a few months ago I was able to send/receive MMS (photos and group conversations) using my native text app on Galaxy S9 WITHOUT using either wifi or mobile data. Something changed then (I think a Samsung update) and the native text app no longer allowed this. I switched to Verizon Message + and, bingo, I could return to MMS usage WITHOUT using either wifi or mobile data. This worked until a couple of days ago when another Samsung update occurred (I think Android 10). Now Verizon Message + won't work, so I have to use either wifi or mobile data for MMS usage. Can anyone shed some light on this issue?
DaveO3
Problem Solver
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772 Messages
5 years ago
UPDATE: Since my original post XM changed how they handle MMS and it now requires cellular data to be toggled ON, and it now charges for the data used.
SMS/MMS texting uses your cellular connection (or WiFi Calling if it is working properly), never WiFi alone, and like phone calls, does not require that cellular data be toggled on. On XM you are not charged for SMS or MMS.
However most carriers have size limits which are generally either 600kb or 1.2 MB. Some carriers will attempt to compress a photo if necessary to send as an MMS, but if the receiving carrier does not support the compressed photo or the size of the MMS, it may not go through. Also, on the receiving end, you will not recieve any SMS/MMS texts unless you have a cellular connection or a working WiFi Calling connection, never on WiFi alone.
So what we all want to know is what is the problem? Here are some potential things that could cause problems:
1.) WiFi Calling - If having WiFi on seems to be causing problems it could be that your phone might be trying to use WiFi Calling which is not working properly and is causing the problem. XM has known issues with WiFi Calling.
2.) Your phones stock texting/message software - You need to update your phones software to the latest version.
3.) You are trying to use Verizon Message+ (or other app) which is being phased out, and only worked between Verizon users logged in on both ends. REMOVE IT
4.) Your MMS is too large.
Google has been rolling out Its latest Messages app for Android phones in the US. Messages works similar to iMessage for iPhones and is now available for almost all US carriers and most Android phones. Look up Google Messages to check out its texting and chat features, it is very impressive. Your phone may prompt you as to whether you want to set up RCS which is the advanced messaging component of Messages. If not go to your settings and see if it available for your phone.
Just to be clear, if you go with RCS you may incur data charges when you are not on WiFi. Check out the link below for more information.
https://lifehacker.com/how-to-manually-enable-rcs-on-android-right-now-update-1839416118
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pbr1912
Contributor
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45 Messages
5 years ago
My S9 just updated so that is not the issue. All I want is to be able to send/receive MMS (and that includes group conversations) WITHOUT using either wifi or mobile data. I used to be able to do that until a couple of days ago (using Verizon Message +). I guess now that is not possible.
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DaveO3
Problem Solver
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772 Messages
5 years ago
Calls, SMS, and MMS use your carriers cellular service and servers. MMS requires your cellular data be turned on (see exceptions below), though on XM you do not get charged for MMS data usage.
So why the confusion?
Wifi Calling if activated, and when it's being used when your cellular connection to a tower is weak, connects to your carriers Call/SMS/MMS server as if you were connected through a cell tower. When this happens the server does not know whether you have your cellular data turned on or off, and will send MMS.
Verizon Message+ if activated may have also taken the indirect connection over WiFi to Verizon's Call/SMS/MMS server. Apparently this has gone away for XM users and maybe for all Verizon users also. The advanced features were hosted on Verizon servers.
Google/Android has finally rolled out its advanced messaging Chat/RCS software which is part of the latest Message software for all android phones. All US carriers and most EU carriers have adopted the advanced Chat/RCS software which will be hosted on Google servers, similar to how Apple hosts the advance chat and messaging features for iPhone users who activate it.
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smitty0721
Frequent Visitor
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11 Messages
5 years ago
"XM you do not get charged for MMS data usage. "
is this true? on 3/27/20 this was posted (here) "However, if you send a message with pictures or videos, it will count as data on both iOS and Android devices."
I had to switch from messages to verizon+ after the pie update...but this last security patch (8/3/20) now does not let me send MMS without wifi or mobile data.
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smitty0721
Frequent Visitor
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11 Messages
5 years ago
any progess? i've been able to use Verizon plus until this last update (8/3/20)...now that doesn't work for sending out mms without wifi and mobile data off....it seems xfinity closed the one last looph-hole. i can use the stock message app to send MMs over wifi
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Spacely
New Poster
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1 Message
4 years ago
Welp. I finally got it fixed on my own. Tried working with everyone at Xfinity and Samsung, but they were pretty useless, each blaming each other. Backstory; I was the only one in my family who could not send high quality videos via text messaging. My wife and son have S20s and I have the Note 10+. They could send me original quality videos and I sent them barely recognizable thumbnail size, pixalated jokes. I assumed that my phone was the issue, when in fact it is a setting for the default Samsung Messaging App. It is very simple to perform:
Go to the Messages app. Click the triple dots, top right. Select Settings. Go to Chat settings. (I know this doesn't make sense, since we are texting, but it works.) Go to Select default messaging type, select Chat messages, not Text. Go to Shared Video Quality, select Original or Always Ask. This Video Quality preference only works with Chat. It is ignored by Text. Exit app and try to send a video.
Voila! It should now work.
Now, Xfinity to Xfinity (and most likely Verizon) are original quality. You will get some degradation between providers and iphones, but this should drastically improve the quality either way. I resent a video to a Boost Mobile friend and it went from the thumbnail size to about 10 times the size but still grainy.
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