Just to be clear on my earlier post....I can send MMS picture images when I am on any wifi network when I am not in my home. My wife and I cannot send a picture message with wifi on when we are in our home and connected to my Xfinity wifi. I can walk down the street out of range of my home network and send just fine. I was at the Xfinity mobile store and was able to send a picture message from there also. The nice young lady said I would not be charged while other source tell us picture messages are chargeable data messages. Why the mixed messages about chargeable message data. @ComcastChrisL
@JCarruth130 seems to have found the only solution which requires new hardware. Personally I rent my modem/router from Xfinity and in typical Xfinity HCS fashion (Horrible Customer Service) it's bundled so there is no line item listing on my bill that tells me how much it cost per month. I know I can find it if I worked at it but it really shouldn't be that hard to find stuff on my bill. I guess. upgrading and owning my own hardware will be a good thing and actually save in the long run. It might be best to only subscribe to Blast internet and get my TV through Apple TV and Hulu.
This problem seems to have a whole variety of flavors so I'll add my own unique one.
I have three Samsung A50s in my household, all bought at the same time and all udpated to the same level of Android and apps. My wife started to have MMS issues a couple of months ago so I dug into the problem through online searching with no definitive answers. Here's my situation. All phones normally use Textra.
1. My A50 has no problem in sending or receiving MMS, either at home or anywhere else that I have cellular service. On my phone WIFI is always on and data is always turned off.
2. My wife's A50 cannot send MMS unless WiFi is turned off. We haven't tried to send MMS with WiFi on but connected to a non-home network or someplace where WiFi is not available. Data is always off on her phone. This behavior started a few months ago.
3. Our third A50 exhibits the same behavior as my wife's phone.
So I am puzzled. Three idential (as far as I can discern) phones using the same app. One phone can send MMS reliably with data on or off, with WiFi on or off. Two phones can't send (but can receive) MMS unless WiFi is turned off. Data on or off doesn't matter. I have also tried the stock Samsung messaging app and the Verizon messaging app with no difference in behavior on any of the three phones.
So the question is whether if your connected to wifi and mobile data if you will be able to send photos via MMS. Still do not understand how this is not an issue for Verizon users and how a Samsung update will resolve what appears to be a Xfinity issue. Heading over to the local Xfinity store in the morning to see what they have to say.
This bug has been coming and going for year(s) on my Samsung S8 on xfinity mobile, sometimes getting worse, sometimes getting better, from time to time, update to update. It is a software problem with root-cause(s) that reside both inside "MMS gateways" as well as the phones OS & native apps & third-party apps. The "MMS gateway software" has to be smart enough to handle every possible customer phones, on every possible software version, each acting a bit differently with regard to this "MMS-over-wifi" stuff both at the phone OS and app level. As we customers have seen, it is very difficult. These software problems are faced universally across all carriers - so changing carriers is a like a dice game and you will inevitably see occasional similar problems on every cellular carrier & MVNO as they update software.
Possible workarounds include: toggling wifi on and off and on, toggling airplane mode on and off, toggling cellular radio on and off and on, and putting phone into airplane mode with wifi on - and then reboot the phone.
iPhones are subject to similar bugs but one reason they are not as observable is that most iPhone people enable iMessage. iMessage software has much more functionality than MMS & SMS while also supporting MMS & SMS. So iMessage using its own smarts and this tends to "mask" the unreliable-by-design behavior of cellular's SMS & MMS. All of the underlying unreliability and bizarreness of MMS & SMS can affect iPhones too - especially if you disable iMessage.
I'm sooo not a Comcast employee. But I am a Level-2 network troubleshooting/support specialist. A CCIE for those who know what a CCIE is. If not, no biggie, just an FYI.
Personally, I believe (at least my problem) is the Android OS push update (to Android 10) that was done by Samsung in Feb of 2020 (Feb of 2020 for me. Your timeframe may vary). I'm hoping the next OS update will fix the problem.
Problem Description (for me): Phone will not send, or receive, MMS over WiFi. With mobile data OFF - no sending/receiving of MMS at all. With mobile data ON and connected to WiFi - phone uses cell network to send the data (so uses data from a pay-by-the-gig data plan). Yes it benefits Xfinity financially since pay-by-the-gig customers will likely use more moble-data. But it does not "feel" like the problem/situation has been induced intentially by Comcast
I have two phones
Samsung s9+:
Samsung s8:
I have the same problem description and status posted in Samsung support. If "home" for samsung support is in China, with the coronavirus being what it is, I expect a new OS that might fix the problem could take a while. I have changed my S9+ to Unlimited date and turned mobile date ON until there is an OS push or some other thing to try (a Google Messaging update, etc (??)) that might fix the problem.
@Comcast_Support : PLEASE keep people updated on the status (I'd personally recommend email updates to customers, not just updates here). Doing away with the Gen-1 pay-by-the-gig plans was one thing (I did actually expect that to happen, but only drives the cost from ~$5.xx/month to ~$20.xx/month-guessing on the taxes and fees that will be over & above the $12). But people HAVING to keep mobile-data turned ON (incoming MMS is lost with mobile-data turned OFF, even if you can deal with turning it on for a moment when sending MMS) will result in customers moving to other vendors.
The MVNOs who do fancy stuff like gatewaying MMS over wifi are responsible for building or subcontracting all the functionality into their own backend MMS-gateways plus every supported android handset OS & every integrated app. With Apple handsets there is just one OS for all the phones. MVNO can write IOS apps but is not allowed near the IOS source except via API/APN/profile such as you see used for the xfinity-hotspot-app. With android handsets the MVNO is required to own the source and support and proprietary programming for every handset's different android OS and the OS-integrated apps. Android third-party apps "should" work it is hit or miss. So many different android handsets - so many android OS versions - so many source code trees. The result is many more bugs on android phones especially for MVNOs with arbitrary proprietary functionalities like MMS over wifi. Not trying to make excuses, because bugs are bugs!
ps - The customers here in this forum are ALL OVER THE BALL technically. Please do continue all the great investigations & detailed problem reports - they are awesome.
bashcli-ish person, your point about the previous "free 100M" vs the current "you are going to use 1G and pay for it" is especially well-taken.
Possibly consider that a result of this change are that there are now up to 1G of discrepant-bytes allowed before the most observant customers SCREAM whereas previously there were only 100M of discrepant-bytes allowed before the observant customer will notice the problem and SCREAM.
I've had the same issues, my husband and I both just switched from AT&T. He doesn't seem to be having any issues. So far I have reset my network settings, didn't work, and then went to the store and they installed a new SIM card, and I thought it worked because I was getting texts from the certain individuals I wasn't before, but now I just realized, there are still issues obviously, because somene else can't respond to my texts. Frustrating. I guess will have to go and install the 3rd party app Textra.
I have been unable to receive any MMS at all today, it was working as recently as yesterday. Phone restart, turning airplane mode on/off, wifi on/off, nothing seems to help. I have the option to tap to download on the appropriate contacts, but messages never download and eventually time out.
@commodore_dude wrote:
I have been unable to receive any MMS at all today, it was working as recently as yesterday. Phone restart, turning airplane mode on/off, wifi on/off, nothing seems to help. I have the option to tap to download on the appropriate contacts, but messages never download and eventually time out.
What phone, android version and texting app are you experiencing the problem with? It is odd that it just started today as the Android 10 OS, that seems to be "known bad" for this issue, was pushed out back in Feb of 2020. But the phone, android version and texting app you're using will be of interest/use to a number of folks that are following the thread I would think.
@bshclh wrote:
@commodore_dude wrote:
I have been unable to receive any MMS at all today, it was working as recently as yesterday. Phone restart, turning airplane mode on/off, wifi on/off, nothing seems to help. I have the option to tap to download on the appropriate contacts, but messages never download and eventually time out.
What phone, android version and texting app are you experiencing the problem with? It is odd that it just started today as the Android 10 OS, that seems to be "known bad" for this issue, was pushed out back in Feb of 2020. But the phone, android version and texting app you're using will be of interest/use to a number of folks that are following the thread I would think.
In my case I suspect it was a network issue, as it is resolved today. For reference I have a Pixel 2 on the latest Android version with regular Messages app.
Received the latest samsun patch the other day and still cannot send MMS while connected to Internet when connected to the Xfinity/Comast Interet. At my vacation home which has Spectrum as the Internet provider it works just fine. I use the same modem and router at both locations.
@bob-mmk wrote:
Received the latest samsun patch the other day and still cannot send MMS while connected to Internet when connected to the Xfinity/Comast Interet. At my vacation home which has Spectrum as the Internet provider it works just fine. I use the same modem and router at both locations.
That is odd. Should have nothing to do with what cable-modem and/or router you're connected to. What rev of Android are you on now (after the patch)?
It is an issue that is tied to your home network. I cannot send picture text messages from in my home when wifi is turned on, but I can when wifi is off and mobile data is on. If I walk outside and go down the street I can send messages with wifi on.
With limited information, and not actually troubleshooting, it could be a big assumption that it's the WiFi, or underlying network infrastructure supporting the WiFi, that is "the" (implying only one), or "a" (implying one of multiple) problem causing the issue.
Based on my read-though of a number of the instances of MMS over WiFi not working when mobile-data is OFF, some could be WiFi-A.P./network-infrastructure caused and a great number more point to within the device (interaction between the OS and texting app(s) ).
@ComcastChrisL wrote:
Hello everyone,
I wanted to provide an important update to this issue.
Samsung is currently working on a software update to address this issue; this is anticipated to be available beginning in March. More details will be provided by Samsung in the coming weeks.
The issue stems from the operating systems themselves, Android 9 and 10.
Please be on the look out for the incoming update that should bring resolution to this issue. Thank you again for your continued time, and support.
Chris
Hi @ComcastChrisL ,
I just found your post. I just got off the chat with someone from support and they stated: "Very well, I checked and it seems like there is not a way in which MMS can be set to be sent using a wifi connection."
Is there or is there not going to be a resolution to this and how will we be notified. As you you can tell from this (any many other forums), you have some pretty angry customers, especially since this has been going on for two years.
@Roheid wrote:
Well, it's now the 22nd of MARCH. A full month since this post and I see no resolution for this. I am STILL limited to sending only text and racking up nice hefty fees to increase Xfinity's income. Sadly I'm stuck with a 2 year contract or I'd be gone already.
One thing I did, that a prefious poster mentioned, was go in and disabled mobile-date (Allow background data usage) for every...single..app (yea, there are a LOT) accept my texting app (I personally use Verizon Message+) and JUST a couple of others I want alerts from, so apps are not using mobile-data unless I actually OPEN/RUN them. It's tedious to go through every app and do that. But, I'll know in a month how much data I actually use with most of the apps set that way.
@bshclh wrote:
@bob-mmk wrote:
Received the latest samsun patch the other day and still cannot send MMS while connected to Internet when connected to the Xfinity/Comast Interet. At my vacation home which has Spectrum as the Internet provider it works just fine. I use the same modem and router at both locations.
That is odd. Should have nothing to do with what cable-modem and/or router you're connected to. What rev of Android are you on now (after the patch)?
Android Security Patch March 1, 2020
Build QP1A.190711.020.G973USQS3CTB5
@bob-mmk wrote:
@bshclh wrote:
@bob-mmk wrote:
Received the latest samsun patch the other day and still cannot send MMS while connected to Internet when connected to the Xfinity/Comast Interet. At my vacation home which has Spectrum as the Internet provider it works just fine. I use the same modem and router at both locations.
That is odd. Should have nothing to do with what cable-modem and/or router you're connected to. What rev of Android are you on now (after the patch)?
Android Security Patch March 1, 2020
Build QP1A.190711.020.G973USQS3CTB5
Thanks much for passing on the patch. That is the first I've heard of that patch.
What's the Android Version? That's under Abount Phone -> Software Information (on current phones this is typically "8", "9" or "10").
Okay... after reading through this...
My girlfriend has an S8 running Android 9.0. She was able to send pictures via wifi until about 3 months ago. Took it to an Xfinity store. They said to reset network settings, which fixed it for about 2 days. Resetting network settings would sometimes fix if after that, but this wasn't a reliable fix. So... talked to a Customer Service rep today who stated she had to be using Cellular data and not on wifi to send pictures via MMS which confused me, since she and I are on the same wifi network and I could send pictures just fine...
Well, my phone is a Motorola moto e5 play running Android 8.0, which probably explains why mine works when sending photos via MMS and wifi and hers does not. So... what happened in the Android updates after 8.0 (Oreo) that messed this up specifically with the Xfinity Mobile service?
@theohall wrote:
Okay... after reading through this...
My girlfriend has an S8 running Android 9.0. She was able to send pictures via wifi until about 3 months ago. Took it to an Xfinity store. They said to reset network settings, which fixed it for about 2 days. Resetting network settings would sometimes fix if after that, but this wasn't a reliable fix. So... talked to a Customer Service rep today who stated she had to be using Cellular data and not on wifi to send pictures via MMS which confused me, since she and I are on the same wifi network and I could send pictures just fine...
Well, my phone is a Motorola moto e5 play running Android 8.0, which probably explains why mine works when sending photos via MMS and wifi and hers does not. So... what happened in the Android updates after 8.0 (Oreo) that messed this up specifically with the Xfinity Mobile service?
Trying to add some helpful data below. I'm soooo not an employee of Comcast. But I am Level-2 network (LAN/WAN not Cellular) support for a different company. Apologies for the length.
Having followed this thread for a while, I'm completely convinced that depending on the support rep you're talking to, you'll get different recommendations on how to be able to send MMS (I.E.-Pictures and group text messages) over WiFi, if it's not working what might fix it (including but not limited to the "there is a patch and/or new rev of Android in the works that will fix it", or "you have to send MMS over the cellular network-I.E.-mobile-data <- this is B.S. by the way since it works find on one of my phones that is on Xfinity-mobile too). So be very careful trusting what a support rep tells you as Gospel.
@theohall For your situation I'd recommend using Verizon Message+ as your text messaging App (if you have not tried that already). I have an S8 on Android 9 and some time ago, that's what I needed to do to be able to send MMS over WiFi (which is still working). I also have an S9 on Android 10 that will NOT sent MMS over WiFi (even with Verizon Message+ as the texting App).
On my S8 (Android 9), I just allowed the March 1, 2020 Andoid Security Patch update to be installed and I'm still able to send MMS over WiFi with mobile-date off!
On my S9: MMS over WiFi had been working for over a year (but it came with Verizon Message+ as the text messaging App...hummm), until an update from Android 9 to Android 10 this Feb of 2020.
In my situation, there is enough evidence for me to be "comfy" with some version of Android 9 requiring Verison Message+ to send MMS over WiFi. But have yet to find a way to send MMS over WiFi on Android 10 (on my S9). "Some people" LOL...are hopful that a new rev of Android (a patch or a update to Android 11, don't know) will fix the problem (yes, hands-down this is a "problem", something "broken", not a "feature" or "limitation" to me).
Net-net -
Additional Data for Reference on MMS over WiFi not working
I have two phones
Samsung s9+:
Samsung s8:
I have been dealing with this problem off and on for a month now.
Here's what I got, Samsung Note 8 running Android 9.
I loaded google messages and it works perfect with WiFi on.
Not sure if this will help, but it can't hurt.
Be safe people..........
@Finallygot1 wrote:
I have been dealing with this problem off and on for a month now.
Here's what I got, Samsung Note 8 running Android 9.
I loaded google messages and it works perfect with WiFi on.
Not sure if this will help, but it can't hurt.
Be safe people..........
Thank you much! I have Google Messages downloaded but not installed yet because, so far, Verizon Message+ has been working since I change to it. I've heard Google Messages is NICE, but since everything is working right now, don't want to change to using it.
I've had a resurgence of this issue over the last few days, MMS coming in hours or days later or coming in as not downloaded... not sure what's going on but restarting the phone doesn't help so I presume it's a network issue given the inconsistent nature.
Retry this morning if possible, be sure handset is updated to latest OS & whatever messaging app you use, and read latest in every recent related thread for cool new handset-specific suggestions for settings?
I am seeing solid evidence of huge improvements with MMS over wifi , as of today April 1, not joking, not april fooling.
Hi All -
I have a Note 10+. I came over to Xfinity from Verizon about seven months ago. Would occasionally have issues with MMS here and there, but nothing too serious.
Over the last three or four days, I noticed messages coming in batches hours after people had sent them. And then, I was unable to send any MMS out. Over the last couple of days, none of my messages were going out, SMS or MMS. They would just time out.
I had been using Textra, so I emailed them for help because I thought it might be a problem with the App. They said it was an Xfinity issue with the Wifi. However, I started using Google Messages and things have been fine. For what it's worth, it's been working for me. I prefer Textra, but not if it's non-functional.
So, I'm hoping I don't jinx myself, but Google Messages has been working for me. Both on wifi and off. I'm at work right now and I'm not having any issues with MMS, just sent a few messages a bit ago. Whereas with Textra, the messages time out.
Maybe it'll work for some of you too. Good luck!
I ended up reaching out to Xfinity Mobile support via SMS this morning, and per their suggestion performed a network reset in my phone settings which immediately fixed my issue. Before that I was still unable to download all my old MMSes this morning.
Cool. What version of Android are you running and Is the network reset something that you could easily list the steps for?
It's been my experience all previously-send MMS's are lost. As opposed to SMS that is queued up until you receive them. Just my experience though.
Sure! I'm on Android 10 with a Pixel 2, so your mileage may vary. Also note that these steps will lose you every stored wifi network and bluetooth pairing. My wifi calling setting also reset to off, I realized a couple of days later.
Settings > System > Advanced > Reset Options > Reset Wi-Fi-, mobile & Bluetooth... you may then need to enter your PIN etc to confirm
Thank you much! Adroid 10 seems to be the, consistent, "sick puppy".
I'll give that a try on my S9+ that's on Android 10 that's using Verizon Message+ as the texting app
FIXED ???
Just tried again to send an MMS while connected to wifi at home (Comcast/Xfinity ISP) and Mobile data and it work on both of my phones! Last update was on March 17th and I tried it on March 19 and back then I still had the issue. So guessing something changed on the Xfinity network to make this work again.
It's been working on our phones (Samsung A50s) for the past couple of weeks. Works with WiFi on and Data off, WiFi off and Data on, WiFi on and Data On. Works at home and other places where WiFi is available. We use Textra. Something has definitely changed recently.
Agreed. I am trying to keep summaries current (so folks don't have to read 2 full pages of posts here, and under another message thread as well). So you device just started working recently too? If so, can you pass on the Android version and device-type? Also, has MMS over WiFi with mobile-data OFF been not working regardless of the WiFi AP you are connected to?
Thanks much!
Thanks. Well, text sort of started working. We updated to Google text and it appears to be better than messages+. We still have to disable wifi to send and recieve texts.
On various help interactions with Xfininity, Samsung, Google search, etc, we've been told a number of times and in various ways to clear cashe, clear data, restart the phone, reset the phone, run in safe mode, turn off wifi, go outside closer to a cell tower, etc, etc. All of which did not permantly fix the issue of texts not receiving or sending and getting stuck in download or sending.
The most relible way I've found so far is to disable wifi and turn it back on when I need it which is an inconvient pain.
Phones are both S9 with V10 android, wifi is xfinity with our owned Motorolla modem, cell cervice is close and stable, and we always install the latest updates.
We just wish all the players would get together, quit finger pointing, figure it out, and fix texts not sending or recieving.
Thanks for all the help.
It's still "broke" (can't send or receive MMS over WiFi when mobile-data is OFF) for me on my S9+, Andriod 10, using Verizon Message+ as the texting app.
It's also still not "broke" on my S8, Andoid 9 and using Verizon Message+ at the texting app.
My gut, and a good-bit of the reports, say it will take a patch to Andoid 10 or full update to Andoid 11 to fix this.
Have learned something interesting through testing though. On my S9+, that's "broke", I:
Net-net:
I didn't use over 1 Gig of data. So I'm still on the shared, buy the gig, 1-gig plan with Xfinity. Saving a boatload of $$ over most other plans out there. It was a small adjustment to "think about" when I choose to run an app that uses data. But is no big deal now.
This could be huge. Just to we have this....
My current setting under Settings>connections>mobile networks >network mode>LTE/CDMA is GLOBAL. Are you saying change from GLOBAL to LTE/CDMA ?
Also, with that setting changed, are you saying MMS works over WiFi (when connected to a WiFi AP) works consistently with mobile-date OFF , and what version of Android is your device on?
Thanks much!