Verizon Iphone cannot send or receive group text messages with Android users

[tah4934]

First of all, HELP!!!  Anyone, I am desperate for a fix to this problem!

Problem Summary:

8 phones lines on my plan and just upgraded all of them from an old legacy plan to Unlimited Plus.  After the upgrade, one of the iPhone cannot send or receive text messages properly and consistently to/from Android users in a group chat.  The iPhone can text with a single android users, no problem.  However, if there is a group chat and at least one android user in it, there is a problem.  It is not that the messages fail, they are simply not delivered to ALL recipients on the text thread.  I feel this has something to do with RCS vs SMS, but when I turn RCS off, they receive the messages but when they respond to me, I do not receive them back.  When I turn RCS back on, then those response text messages all get delivered.  Strange and screwed up!  

Keep in mind, this is only impacted one iPhone line on the account.  Not seeing the problem with the others.  Read on for steps that have been taken so far.

Troubleshooting so far:

First call to Verizon (30 min):  Ran some basic tests on the iPhone with the problem (SE 2nd Generation iOS 18.1.1) and saw no problems.  Reset network settings, restart phone, toggle RCS off and on....blah blah blah.  Said it was a device problem and sent me to Apple support.

Call to apple support (2 hours):  Ran a bunch of diagnostics on my phone and found no problems.  Captured logs and created a ticket.  Said it is likely a Verizon issue.

Second call to Verizon (3 hours):  Ran same test as first call and insisted on my doing Reset all Settings.  Did that and nothing worked.  Had me restart my phone about 10 times.  Told me sorry this was the highest level of support they could give (don't think so), and told me my phone is too old so I need to upgrade it.

Trip to the Verizon store to upgrade to iPhone 16 (3 hours):  Purchased the iPhone 16 and activated it, transferred everything over.  Did not fix the problem.  Did a factory reset on the iPhone 16 and reactivated it without transferring settings and apps from the old phone.  Still did not work.  Verizon store rep said this action proved it is a Version backend issue with configuration/provisioning/setup of that line.  We then deactivated and reactivated the line with Verizon two times.  It is not an apple issue, device or setting problem on the device because we switched to a brand new device (iOS 18.1.1).  Verizon tech support with the store rep created and "NRB" (?) ticket.

Third call to Verizon tech support (2 hours):  Nothing new, just some unqualified rep having me restart the phone, check settings, and reset things.  Nothing worked.

At this point the store rep and I are convinced it is a Verizon backend issue with this line, but we cannot reach anyone at Verizon tech support who is capable or fixing this.  Now I know Verizon has some smart Engineers, and this problem has to be fixable.  I know people have reported some issues with iPhone to android texting, but if this was a prevalent problem, it would make national news!!!!  Keep in mind when you respond that these android texts are not an issue with the other 5 iPhone on my account, nor are my friends with iPhone having problems texting the same android users.

I am going to have to take my account with 8 lines to T-Mobile if this does not get fixed.  Anyone technical out there that might know what action Verizon needs to take to fix this?  How can I get Verizon to put some knowledgeable Engineer on the problem to fix it? 

[tah4934]

short version of my problem...  I can receive RCS text messages from android users in a group chat, but I cannot send RCS messages and have them delivered to the android users.  I can send SMS text messages to android users in a group chat, but I cannot receive SMS text messages back.  So, I am screwed either way.  When I do send the RCS message, so android users are reporting they receive a message that I have created a new group.  See I would gladly toggle off RCS and just use SMS, but as you can tell that is not working either.  Again, please remember this does NOT happen to other iphones on my account or iphones that friends and other family members have.  It is just my line.  So, it cannot be a problem on the android side or a general apple problem.  It has to be something with my line configuration/settings in the Verizon system.  I want to tell them, set my phone up exactly like you have my wife's line setup, because her's is working.

[vzw_customer_support]

We never want our customers to have problems with messaging, and we'd like the chance to get everything worked out with you. We see that you've already tried to troubleshoot, and even have a ticket with our network team. We want to gather more details and get to the root cause. Please expect a Private Message from us so we can continue.

~Jesse

[tah4934]

radio silence.  Is Verizon monitoring this thread and preventing anyone from responding to me?

[SynthpopAddict]

No, it's probably more that the Verizon CS reps who hang out at the forums aren't here on Sundays, which is when you started the thread.  Also, most of us are simply customers like yourself.  I would agree with the store employee who told you it must be a backend issue with Verizon regarding the one phone with the texting issues and that a tech support person needs to run their texting diagnostic software or whatever it is to figure out what the problem is, or to reprovision your account.

I wish I knew of a surefire way to reach someone in Tech Support who is knowledgeable, but I don't have that answer.  From what I've read in the forums, this seems more a matter of luck with wrangling with Verizon enough until you happen to come across the right person.  Verizon has definitely not been helped by outsourcing the bulk of CS overseas in recent years.

As for potentially porting to Pink Logo Place, be warned that since you purchased at least 1 new phone, if that phone is under some kind of contract where either you are getting credits for 36 months or maybe you're paying off the phone over a period of time - if you port out, Verizon will likely make you pay the entire balance on the phone immediately.  Plus, because the new phone is locked to Verizon, it won't work elsewhere.

P.S. - Have you tried calling to ask on the status of the ticket?

[tah4934]

The warning about porting to another carrier and a Verizon contract seems more than just unfair, it is a breach on contract on their end.  See, they told me I needed to upgrade my phone to address this issue, which I did and it did not solve the problem.  Besides, if they don't provide me with the level of service promised to all customers (like sending/receiving text messages), then they are not holding up their end and any agreement is null and void.  You see what I am saying.  

Bottom line is they need to fix the problem, because I cannot stay with them without having reliable texting services.  If they don't fix the problem then I give the phone back, agreement is over, and I port 8 lines over to the Pink Logo Place.  I don't want to do that, but anyone else would do the same with the problem I am having.

[varkgirl]

• I am having the EXACT same problem!!! It is so buggy, and it used to work before!! And I also feel it is SMS/RMS related. Another iphone friend in the same group thread showed me her messages settings and she didn't even have SMS/RMS options at all - what the heck? I am soooo confused and I don't know what to do! I turned on RMS and received 20+ messages from the past week from the one android user in our group thread. But when I have RMS on, I feel like not everyone is getting MY messages.
•  
• Everyone else (all iphone) are seeing her messages no problem. And I could too, before. This very frustrating!

[vzw_customer_support]

Hello, varkgirl. Thanks so much for reaching out. Receiving all of your messages is a must and help is here. Before we proceed, I do want to ensure we are on the same page. I see you are stating RMS messaging. Are you referencing RCS Messaging (Rich Communication Services)? Are there any pending software updates on your iPhone? 

-Natasha

[tah4934]

Mine seems to be working now but I wish I could tell you that they did something to fix it.  I got no explanation.  I just think something re-synced in the backend systems.  My only advice is to keep pushing on the Tech support team and have them create a ticket for the engineers.  One thing I did is toggle RMS off and on and then do a hard restart of the phone.  After doing this over the course of 3 days it started working.  

[Kymany]

I have spend several hours with Verizon support and also apple support to try and get my issue resolved. Over the past 3 days I have spend probably 10+ hours working with them and I can't get a single answer. It all started when I upgraded my phone and plan. I have tried to escalate it but get told they can't do that yet. So I have gone thorough the same 10 steps a dozen times and still can't get an answer. I will get a handful of group texts but not all. And it is very random. I will get some from android and apple, but not pattern on which message will come through to me and what one wont. I am beyond frustrated with it. I am missing important messages and there is nothing they have done about it.

[vzw_customer_support]

Hello Kymany, that is definitely frustrating! To better assist, I will send you a private message. 

-Dee

[Kymany]

All I got was a message that told me I was banned for spam...so that wasn't helpful.

[vzw_customer_support]

Good evening, we wanted to follow up and see if we could assist further?

-Anthony