Delayed text messages on Straight Talk

[Kushina]

Anyone else notice delayed sending and receiving of text messages on Straight Talk?

I've had a few people comment that they didn't receive my text messages until quite a while later sometimes up to a day later. I've also noticed that sometimes I'll suddenly get texts from a whole bunch of people. I'm normally in 3-5 bar areas when this happens. I'll also suddenly receive texts right after I get a call.

 

[ImpulsE69]

Anyone else notice delayed sending and receiving of text messages on Straight Talk?

I've had a few people comment that they didn't receive my text messages until quite a while later sometimes up to a day later. I've also noticed that sometimes I'll suddenly get texts from a whole bunch of people. I'm normally in 3-5 bar areas when this happens. I'll also suddenly receive texts right after I get a call.

It happens on occasion with all providers. I remember there was a time my texts weren't going through and a friend of mine that worked for Verizon said something had messed up on their network and texts were getting sent to the wrong numbers. Man was that awkward.

 

[Mixolydian]

What phone? I know several people on different carriers who experience this with the Samsung Galaxy something-or-other.

 

[waffleironhead]

One of the phones on my account was like that. Apparently the phone number was linked to two different sims.

 

[Fanatical Meat]

From a guy who has been in wireless forever ask for a new SIM card or have your OTA resent to your phone (Over The air Activation) this is a phone call to support.

 

[phucheneh]

I use ATT prepaid, which IIRC means I use the same towers as Straight Talk.

I have one particular friend who I sometimes get messages VERY late from, and they also sometimes immediately repeat themselves anywhere from 3 to 10+ times. I had chalked it up to his house somehow being in a tiny blackout area...he's in the same neighborhood as me, but is in an area that's surrounded by woods, with a big hill on one side. It's always hard to get reception there, even though it's in the middle of a dense suburban area that is otherwise fine. But then...I confirmed it happened while he was at work in a totally different area, too.

He's on ATT proper (monthly/contact). It happens to no one else that I regularly text with. Very weird.

I also have issues with MMS messages sometimes refusing to send (not limited to one person). I have just accepted all of it as a product of shitty design in the SMS/MMS system...the phones don't really 'handshake' like they do with a call. Once a message is confirmed 'sent,' its in the network's hands to make sure it actually reaches its destination.

Yet another issue I have is with the time (as 'provided by network) randomly lagging behind 5-10 minutes or more, and never syncing back up unless I force it (disable/re-enable auto time and/or restart phone). This forces me to set the time manually, which is never QUITE perfect, so rapid-fire messages end up out of order.

Blah, modern cell phones are shit. [edit: I use a Samsung Captivate Glide, which is an oddball phone on the Tegra2 platform...gotta have my damn physical keyboard, dammit]

 

[Fanatical Meat]

^^^same applies to you^^^

From a guy who has been in wireless forever ask for a new SIM card or have your OTA resent to your phone (Over The air Activation) this is a phone call to support.

Off brand virtual network operators do get lower network access, its part of the low cost thing.

 

[phucheneh]

I'll give it a shot. I'm sure I'd have to buy a SIM on my dime (they come as a prepaid 'starter kit'), but it's only like 10 bucks, I think?

Luckily, one of the reasons I switched to ATT's prepaid (versus others; used to use Virgin) was that I still get decent phone support, so getting the reset done should be fairly painless. If I was still on Virgin...god, those people are freaking atrocious.

 

[highland145]

Didn't think the consequences of the new FCC regs would hit so soon.

 

[Kushina]

Mine has been like this for two years, and I haven't used my texting enough to notice this until recently. I do have a Samsung Galaxy S4, unlocked. Used to have a Galaxy Nexus and I can't recall too well if it happened on there.

 

[RossMAN]

[ Nik ]

WRONG FORUM!

http://forums.anandtech.com/forumdisplay.php?f=37

[ /Nik ]

 

[ultimatebob]

Yeah, I noticed that Straight Talk seems to have problems sending MMS messages. Their MMS server seems to be kinda flaky.

 

[IHAVEAQUESTION]

And so is Cricket. MMS doesn't work consistently. Delay...missing...whatever have you.

Seems to happen on ATT network only.

 

[ultimatebob]

And so is Cricket. MMS doesn't work consistently. Delay...missing...whatever have you.

Seems to happen on ATT network only.

I'm on the T-Mobile network for Straight Talk, so it seems that Straight Talk's/Tracfone's MMS server is the problem.

 

[phucheneh]

I often realize that I really have no idea how cell phones work.

Is that actually a thing? SMS/MMS server operated by the company? I had assumed that it was a function of the network; i.e. if you're using ATT's towers, your messages are going through the same equipment that an ATT customer's would.

 

[ultimatebob]

I often realize that I really have no idea how cell phones work.

Is that actually a thing? SMS/MMS server operated by the company? I had assumed that it was a function of the network; i.e. if you're using ATT's towers, your messages are going through the same equipment that an ATT customer's would.

I'm pretty sure that SMS goes over the phone network, but MMS is treated more like data that is routed separately.

In this case, the server name is mms.tracfone.com.

 

[manly]

Yeah, I noticed that Straight Talk seems to have problems sending MMS messages. Their MMS server seems to be kinda flaky.

I'm switching to ST this month (from T-Mo prepaid), hope I don't regret it!

 

[Captante]

I'm switching to ST this month (from T-Mo prepaid), hope I don't regret it!

I switched from Verizon to a Verizon-tower ST phone a couple years ago and have never looked back. Never had any issue with delayed texts.