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Getting blank texts on my Samsung Renown

With increasing frequently, I'm receiving more blank text messages from my friends. Sometimes it happens when they use an emoticon on their smartphone, but sometimes it's unclear what is causing the problem. Clearly it's a sort of smartphone to flip phone "translation" problem, but it's becoming a big pain in the neck to constantly have to tell people their texts aren't coming through.

Is there some sort of software upgrade that can fix the problem on my Samsung Renown? If not, are there any other Verizon flip phones that DON'T have this glitch?

Thanks!

Comments

Verizon_Support

samsungrenown79,

You should recieve all of your text messages from family and friends. I know it is important to me when I get messages from my friends. How long have you had this issue? Does this occur with all numbers or specific numbers?

JasperMMMMM_VZW
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samsungrenown79

It's been happening for about a year or two. Initially it was only a couple of people that I would occasionally get the blank messages from, and it appeared to be specifically in messages where they had used emoticons. But lately it's happening with more people.

As I said, usually it seems to be because of emoticons, but I have one friend where that isn't exclusively the case (he's an iPhone user) and it's very unpredictable. I'll be getting messages from him without any problem for a few days, then there will be a day that anything he sends me arrives blank.

pherson

That phone is pretty old. There would be no software updates for it and with the newer stuff out there like emoticons can be an issue. It's time for a new phone.

samsungrenown79

It's a great phone so I hate to get rid of it, but I realize that might be the only way to deal with the problem. The thing I'm wondering then is whether or not Verizon's newer flip phones have the same trouble. I hate to upgrade and get locked into a new contract only to find they haven't dealt with the issue.

samsungrenown79

Just an update for anyone else who has maybe had this same issue:

I went to the Verizon store today and spoke to a rep about the issue. He said he was very familiar with it, and that basic phones can't read emoji. He told me their newer basic phones have the same problem, too, so it wouldn't help me to just get a newer phone. He didn't seem to think this was an issue that was ever going to get resolved, largely because Verizon (and I'm sure other carriers) essentially want to phase out basic phones anyway.

If this is the case I may finally have to upgrade to a smartphone, but I can't afford a data plan through Verizon, so I may end up switching to a different carrier.

Verizon_Support

We would hate to see you go, samsungrenown79. We have some amazing new deals that would help you get a Smartphone. Have you looked at any phones yet? There are some great deals starting right now, check them out here, http://vz.to/1yEKOdb. Let me know what you think.

DanielK_VZW
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If my response answered your question please click the "Correct Answer" button under my response. This ensures others can benefit from our conversation. Thanks in advance for your help with this!

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samsungrenown79

Thank you for the link, but getting the phone is not really the issue. I just can't afford to be paying for a Verizon data plan every month, nor do I even want a data plan. I just want a phone that can play nicely with others.

pherson

Sounds like you are in a catch 22. Limbo. Not much you can really do unless you do get a smartphone to avoid the issue. You could switch to a prepaid smartphone which may be cheaper. What plan are you on now? Details may allow us to help.

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