Samsung Galaxy s4 - Text message Fail

[windyhill28]

I just got my s4, and at least once a day i have troubles with it sending texts.  They will fail I will reboot and then they go with no issues.  What could be causing this.  I see lot of reports about the update being the issue.  Would like this resolved it is a real pain when sending a text to have to do a Restart to get it to go.

[crazybob007]

Im having the same issue but I go toggle airplane mode to reset the cell radio and it works again rather than waiting to reboot phone.

[vzw_customer_support]

Hello windyhill28, let's get to the bottom of this together! Are you using the stock messaging app or 3rd party application to send messages? Any issues with calls or data? Please test in Safe mode: http://vz.to/1lHEexI Keep us posted!

WiltonA_VZW
VZW Support
Follow us on twitter @VZWSupport

[mmerc2]

I'm having same issue and it's getting exceedingly annoying!  Text messages fail half the time and now messages that I send in Facebook also fail most of the time.  All of my friends with S4's have the same issue and they're all banging their heads against the wall.  It's very frustrating.  I don't know if the issue is with Verizon or Samsung so I'm not pointing any fingers but would like some direction to find a resolution.

[vzw_customer_support]

I know how important it is to use your text functionality mmerc2. I'm sorry your still having issues. Have you tried a hard reset? Have you tried removing the Facebook application and redownloading it? The app may need an update of its own. I also would always recommend deleting ole/long text threads to give yourself memory on your device. Keep us posted.

KinquanaH_VZW
Follow us on Twitter @vzwsupport

[windyhill28]

I am using the standard app.  My new thing rather than having to reboot I read some one said to put it in and out of airplane mode, then the text goes.  It just happened to me I received a text replied back and the received 2nd text and when I tried to send the next text it failed.   Put it in and out of airplane mode and then clicked on it and then it went.  Very frustrating.

[zenker]

Can't send pictures with my galaxy s4 with my texts

[windyhill28]

I have no issues with calls or data.

[vzw_customer_support]

@windyhill28,

Thanks for the additional info!

Did you get a chance to place the phone in safe mode http://vz.to/Uu56GG and test? We want to make sure it's not a 3rd party app causing the issue. Please run in safe mode for 24 hours and see if the text messaging issues stop. If they stop then you will need to uninstall all 3rd party apps and re-install them one at a time to determine which one is causing the issue.

JohnB_VZW

Follow us on Twitter @VZWSupport

[mmerc2]

I've ran mine in safe mode since yesterday and just had a message fail. 

[vzw_customer_support]

@mmerc2,

Thanks for trying that and keeping us posted! Have you had the sim card replaced since this started? You can visit a VZW store http://bit.ly/3SdsA and get a new sim card at no cost. Test it all for a few days and keep us posted.

JohnB_VZW

Follow us on Twitter @VZWSupport

[ExcessiveIdling]

Just wanted to put in my two cents.  I have a galaxy s4 on the latest android os update.  Prior to the update (nc5) I had no issues what so ever.  I've tried everything from the following:  New sim card, factory reset, safe mode, third party app(chomp sms), default messaging app, clearing app data and cache, disabling wifi, changed my network mode from global to cdma/lte, even formatting my sd card incase any app incompatibilities.  Supposed I have a ticket open on my account and its being investigated...I'm not holding my breath.  I do have another warranty phone coming in the mail however I have a strong feeling (unless its on an older version/modem even)I will suffer the same issues with that as well.  I have not modified/rooted or anything of that sort this phone.  I'm getting upset and frustrated that I'm paying for a service...that my phone is preventing me from completely having.  Now before verizon mentions it...no...I will not do your verizon edge program.  I have a phone..it worked before...an update was pushed out and yes the phone runs smoother...but...if I can't do a basic feature of the phone, then I should receieve some sort of compensation or better yet....A FIX.  I can still make phone calls both send and receive, I can receive text messages, I can receive picture messages, my data works (aka I can view web pages) however at times....more frequent that not...I can not send text messages.  I don't want to put the entire blame on verizon, however, as my provider..for services....if some of my services are not working...why should I pay the same price for someone who is working completely well?

[mmerc2]

Yes!!! Thank you! We'll said!

Sent from my Verizon Wireless 4G LTE smartphone

[henryaroberts]

I'm having the same issue. txt messages fail and sometime I do not get calls.  They ask how often do you not get txt or miss calls.  told them that is hard to tell if you miss a call or don't get a message, since you don't know.  I hope they get this issue corrected.  It does look like it's not just Verizon.

Thanks,

Henry

[Rgriffus]

In the past month or so my sms messages keep failing on my Galaxy S4.  I only use the standard sms app that came with the phone.  It seems like I have to reboot the phone to get them working again.  Also my service keep dropping from 4G to 3G or even lower.  Phoenix AZ area.

[runinthewoods]

I have the exact same problem.  Airplane mode is a nice tip becuase I've been rebooting my phone at least 10 times a day.  The best part is that every once in a while someone will respond to a text that it said failed...but typically not.  It's horribly inconvenient to say the least.  I've had Verizon since 1997 & have had smartphones for years.  I've never had texts fail in an area where my phone and data worked just fine.  Like the other poster said, I can receive messages, i even think I can send SMS messages, I just can't send regular texts on way too frequent of a basis. 

I also agree that it happened after a recent upgrade.  I've got a bunch of screen shots and am going to go complain at the Verizon store tomorrow.  I've spent hours making sure my phone is clean and backed up to get a new phone that I also believe will probably have the same problem.  Very frustrating. 

[ExcessiveIdling]

I wouldn't waste your time going to your local verizon corporate (NOT premium retailer either) store.  The people in the store are simply sales people with minimal background to do the same troubleshooting that tier 1 can do when you call 611(usually they actually can't even do as much as that).  Like any retail store, you could find someone that knows a little more of what their talking about...but quite honestly your best bet IMHO is to escalate the issue at least tier 2.  I now since having done so have a case number (that supposedly is still being looked into) also I have not been walked through the same script that tier 1 does...even when I tell them I've already done abc and xyz and have been shipped out a warranty replacement phone.  Thankful for the attempts, however I came to the realization that if I were to use the warranty phone which DOES have an older version of software(mk2 aka android 4.3) which I'm 99.9% certain will solve the text messaging problems...I at some point will be nagged to death about the update..that in time would auto update.  I even went to as far as explaining what I just said to a tier 1 and was told I could keep hitting update later or of course change phones using verizon edge(ripoff) or wait till an updgrade is avail(contract extension of doom) or pay full price (because I can't use verizon service like I have been).  My next step will be contacting samsung themselves, which I'm sure will in turn result in them telling me you have to deal with your provider (verizon) as its my sms service that is not working. 

To sum it all up:

New sim card, nope

New phone, yup...but only if you get one with older software on it, and keep hitting later and hope it doesn't auto update

factory reset, nope

clearing app data, nope

doing whatever network reset/reassociation verizon can do on their side, nope

safe mode, nope

third party app(I've tried handcent and chomp sms), nope

safe mode, nope

disabling wifi, nope

changing network mode from global>cdma/lte, nope

formatting my sd card, nope

I have a phone that I love, except now I am lacking the reliability of services.  I'm sure that somewhere in my contract theres a clause that if xx amount of my service doesn't work there could be compensation...or...be considered a breach of contract by verizon.  The analogy I would use at this point is I have a porche with keys and all, been driving it around for awhile, my dealer says hey lets drop a new engine in it, I say no but the dealer says I have to, I do it and now my car sputters and even occasionally stalls out.  Now who is at fault in that scenario..me? No, the dealer.  Good businesses (and again it may or may not be verizon, it could also be samsung) would acknowledge the problem, do a recall and fix the problem.  I have not seen verizon acknowledge anything, and certaintly have not heard nor seen of any up and coming fix. 

Why should I pay the same cost for service with a 50% reliability as those who have 95% reliability? 

/end rant aka informative post

[runinthewoods]

I love your rant. That's exactly what I've ran though line by line except

actually replacing the phone.

I don't think it's all S4's though, and definitely not all Samsung's

because I've been bitching about it for weeks, and most everyone just looks

at me sideways. I have this feeling certain revs of hardware have issues

with that firmware rev or something.

Luckily I actually have a best buy contract... Probably not any better, but

at least the geek squad there kind of listens...and I don't think they

follow as strict of a protocol for replacing phones. It's absolutely

unacceptable though. This phone has been flawless for almost a year, and

now it's making me more upset than my misguide BlackBerry Storm purchase

when the original iPhone came out.

I'm actually going to use your well worded rant when I have my own polite,

yet firm mini-rant when I go in today. Thanks again! We definitely have

the same issue.

On Jun 15, 2014 7:05 AM, "ExcessiveIdling" <forums@verizonwireless.com>

[ExcessiveIdling]

Contacted Samsung technical support (via live chat) and gave them a lot of information...(they were reading their script) and I was informed that "Stark: As of there are no reported issue with the device you are referring." This is a little disconcerting.  They are doing the same as verizon, having me send my phone in (which I will then be without a phone while they look at it) and if they deem its not physical damage (which its not) they will warranty fix it.  When I again reiterated that I believe it to be the software/baseband of the phone I was again almost robot like replied with "

Josh: if the warranty phone does not fix the issue (as I believe it is an issue with the current version of the baseband/software on the phone) then what do I do?

Stark: Our technician will examine the device and fix the issue.""

Just a heads up to anyone that was thinking of contacting samsung.....at least with verizon they send you out a warranty replacement phone first...so you're not left without a phone(requiring you to send back the 'defective' phone in 5 days..else be charged full retail).

[mmerc2]

Everybody that I know who has an S4 with Verizon is having this problem. I also am not at the point that can say the fault lies with Verizon or Samsung....I just don't know. But SOMEBODY SOMEWHERE who can actually FIX THIS has to be aware of the issue. What I'm getting annoyed with is all the "have you tried THIS or tried THAT" when there are tons of discussion threads and responses to threads about this same issue and everyone reports that NONE of the solutions work! I was on the phone with Verizon a couple weeks ago about an unrelated issue and just asked about the texting problem on a side note and the actual PERSON on the other end of the line said that they are very aware of it and that they think it's being worked on because a lot of people have reported the issue. Yet, on these discussion boards it's like it's a new problem.

I will also add that over the weekend a ran into one of my buddies that has an S4 and I asked if he's having this problem and he said no. I asked who his carrier was because he is the first person I knew with an S4 that wasn't having this issue. He said he has a different provider than Verizon.

[rckrz6]

This is so rediculous everytime i tell the tech person thats there 10000 posts on this issue they ignore me and keep telling me it must be a network issue when its clearly a problem with the update.  Ive had my phone replaced, sim card replaced, now they opened network ticket... i wish they would stop wasting there time and get me into a different model that works properly.  They also brought up the edge program.. are you serious how about you solve my issue the proper way instead of trying to sell me a different phone