Text message to Google SMS 466-453 does not work
finneous
Newbie

I am trying to use the Google SMS service ( http://www.google.com/mobile/products/sms.html#p=default ) that gives you free SMS replies to your text queries.  For example "pizza 53074" will return a list of pizza joints in my home town via a series of short text messages.

 

When I try to use this service from my KIN OneM I do not get an answer.  Three feet away from me a buddy of mine on a much older phone and Verizon has no problems at all.

 

Must be some kind of block on my side, right?  Well, I called Mr. Verizon and they could not find anything blocking such activity.  I only have a data block on the account.  We even tried removing the data block (*228, 2) and I still could not recieve the replies from Mr. Google.

 

Any ideas?  Can you get this service to work with your KIN OneM?  Try simply to text "help" to 466-453.

 

KIN OneM.  Unlimited texting plan.  I have data blocked on this account.

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Re: Text message to Google SMS 466-453 does not work
fisharefriends
Contributor - Level 3

I text google all the time, mainly for sports scores. I will verify that it does work. Texting google is nothing different than texting any other number, it is just a text message sent to another service that provides replies. I own a Kin twom, but i highly doubt this is a phone issue (and it has nothing to do with data/data blocking, it is just a text message). Have you been able to text other people just fine? Have you checked, that the number you are texting is indeed correct? I know these are dumb questions, but often times it could be something simple that was accidentally mistaken.

 

It could've just been google was temporarily down when you tried it..i doubt it..but other issues like that; i don't think it is a phone-related issue. Give it a try again. (on a random note, i love google, because their replies are near-instant!)

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Re: Text message to Google SMS 466-453 does not work
finneous
Newbie

Fish,

 

Thanks for the quick reply and thoughts. 

 

Yes, I can happily send and receive text messages with friends and family.  No problems.  I am even sending and recieving photos and videos which seems much more complex than what I am trying.

 

As to the number... 466453... I have checked it many times.  And, just for you, once again.

 

I have sent simple queries to that number many times over the past three days (maybe 30 queries).  None have received a single reply from Mr. Google.

 

I called Mr. Verizon.  The tech support person checked my plan, blocks, etc... and then ended by blaming it on Mr. Google.

 

Might their be another similar service from somebody else that I could test to?  That is, a free SMS server that will bounce a text message back to me?  If I can get this to work with other servers... or if I cannot get it to work with any could help debug the problem.

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Re: Text message to Google SMS 466-453 does not work
fredl11
Newbie

I just tried it on my Kin Onem and it worked 7:06 pm EST 1/14/11

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Re: Text message to Google SMS 466-453 does not work
fisharefriends
Contributor - Level 3

Google works on my phone, i tested it right before i posted the last reply just to make sure it wasn't temporarily down on Google's side. This is a very weird situation, because it isn't a Kin issue, it isn't a Google issue, and it isn't a verizon issue, which are the only things i could possibly think it would be. Another random but unlikely possibility, could you possibly have a number block on 466453 (accidentally, or placed by Verizon on accident somehow)? Double check your My Verizon online account, and see that you don't have a number block on it.

 

Other than that, i have no idea what it could be. I don't think google blocks numbers, but it wouldn't hurt to double-check that (which it appears you've already contacted them). Good luck on finding a solution.

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Re: Text message to Google SMS 466-453 does not work
Kinkin
Newbie

Another service you could check is Cha-Cha (242-242).

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Re: Text message to Google SMS 466-453 does not work
MojaveMoon_
Specialist - Level 1

finneous wrote:

Might their be another similar service from somebody else that I could test to?  That is, a free SMS server that will bounce a text message back to me?


 

- 411SMS (87411)
    http://www.411sms.com/

- 411INFO (44636)
    http://www.4info.com/browse/search/yellow-pages/

- YAHOO (94266)

 

I haven't used the first two; but I've used YAHOO (94266) a few times and found the experience comparable to using google's text message service.

 

BUT I haven't used the YAHOO service for awhile; I'm not sure if it's still operating.

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Re: Text message to Google SMS 466-453 does not work
MojaveMoon_
Specialist - Level 1

Two more free 411 options:

 

- 1 (800) BING-411 / 1 (800) 246-4411
    http://www.discoverbing.com/mobile/411/

- 1 (800) FREE-411 / 1 (800) 373-3411
    http://free411.com/

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Re: Text message to Google SMS 466-453 does not work
finneous
Newbie

Well, I called Verizon tech support.  Level 1 was not too helpful.  But, got to level 2 after some time.  There, very capable.  Put a trace on my account and removed all blocks from the Verizon network.  They could see my text messages going to Mr. Google... but absolutely nothing coming back.

 

Hmmm... must be at Mr. Google.  Odd. 

 

I have started to use chacha - works as advertised.  Someday I might try to bother Mr. Google... but I suspect they are not spending too much money on keeping a free service working for all.

 

Thanks all.

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Re: Text message to Google SMS 466-453 does not work
fisharefriends
Contributor - Level 3

Indeed, it is very weird that Google isn't working for you, because it is for me, your friend, and others that have confirmed it in this thread. Glad to hear verizon customer support was very helpful, though. Verizon's customer support gets a lot of heat, but in my opinion, they are very, very helpful, among one of the best customer supports i've dealt with (and this is including business relations and customer support).

 

However, many times when the customer doesn't hear what he wants to hear, they blame them, even when oftentimes its as simple as reading the contract you signed..before you sign it, or stuff like that. The best way of staying informed, is informing yourself with what is placed right in front of you. It's a shame that many people reporting problems to customer support are often enraged and don't do their research to properly communicate their problems to the support. True, it's customer support and it is their job to help the customer, no matter the claim, but I think it is just as valuable and important as a customer to put in your part of the work too. any contract or purchase is a 2-way deal. You get back what you invest...time, money, and knowledge.

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