No longer receiving picture messages
hwnprnssss
Newbie

My mom got this phone in July. She had no problem sending or receiving picture messages before. Recently, instead of being able to view the pictures, it just says "downloading" and never fully loads the picture. 

I've tried looking for solutions but I can't find any that have worked.

 

 

Help ?

0 Likes
Re: No longer receiving picture messages
Wildman
Legend

Sounds like she is experiancing a data issue, by chance is she located in any of the upcoming 4g areas because the data is unstable at times due to the upgrade process/

 

Can she browser the web on the device or is she having issues there also?

0 Likes
Re: No longer receiving picture messages
NuDroidUsrr
Specialist - Level 3

hwnprnssss wrote:

My mom got this phone in July. She had no problem sending or receiving picture messages before. Recently, instead of being able to view the pictures, it just says "downloading" and never fully loads the picture. 

I've tried looking for solutions but I can't find any that have worked.

 

 

Help ?


  I have that problem from time to time. I notice it more when the phone has not been restarted for a while. Simply shutting the phone off and back on may fix it, or pulling the battery for a few moments should fix the issue.

0 Likes
Re: No longer receiving picture messages
mmhmmm
Newbie

I also got this phone in July. I also get the box that says "downloading" when a picture message/forward comes in. The phone I had before had no problems sending/receiving pic messages. I called tech support. They had me do a factory reset...still didn't work. I called tech support again, long story short-they sent a new fascinate. Same story-still can't download pic messages :smileysad:

0 Likes
Re: No longer receiving picture messages
pinkpoloshirt
Newbie

I'm having this same problem... It's like my phone gets stuck in a "downloading picture" loop. I would love a suggestion on how to fix this once it gets stuck.

Thanks!

0 Likes
Re: No longer receiving picture messages
knully
Enthusiast - Level 3

I used to have this issues but my problem was that I had the app Juice Defender installed. Juice Defender turns off data when your phone is locked. When I was getting text messages with pics and my phone was locked I got the same "downloading" error. I removed juice defender and have not had the problem since.

0 Likes
Re: No longer receiving picture messages
AnthonyTa_VZW
Verizon Employee

mmhmmm wrote:

I also got this phone in July. I also get the box that says "downloading" when a picture message/forward comes in. The phone I had before had no problems sending/receiving pic messages. I called tech support. They had me do a factory reset...still didn't work. I called tech support again, long story short-they sent a new fascinate. Same story-still can't download pic messages :smileysad:


Thanks for posting mmhmmm!

 

Looks like you went through a great deal of troubleshooting already!  I am happy to assist.

 

Are you using any other 3rd party messaging applications, if so uninstall.  First, I'd like you to ensure your phone is running the most current software, the most current Build number is SCH-I500.ED05.  If not, check for updates.  Next I would suggest resetting the "Messaging" application in Settings.

 

Please let me know how this works out for you.

0 Likes
Re: No longer receiving picture messages
AudeKhatru
Newbie

I am glad to see a Verizon employee finally responding to this thread.

 

From what I can tell, this is an Android problem, but it appears to have been around since at least 2009.  This needs to get fixed.  I have yet to see anyone offer a solution, on any of the forums I have visited.

 

My wife's phone is a Samsung Fascinate and some pictures just say downloading forever.  All the text/picture messages I have sent my wife have been from my phone.  Some go through, and some don't.  Those that don't ever download do not have any text along with the picture.  As far as I can tell, all the pictures with text added go through.  But, some of the pictures with no text also go through.  Right now, I am trying to update the phone as suggested, it is only on ED04, and I will report back after I get it to update.

 

This needs to be fixed.

 

0 Likes
Re: No longer receiving picture messages
AudeKhatru
Newbie

Okay, reporting back.

 

  1. The phone is now updated to ED05.
  2. The problem continues, though I have learned the following.
  3. Receiving text/picture messages requires that mobile data be turned on.  Turned off, no pictures, turned on, pictures.

This is unacceptable.  My wife turns off the mobile data to save battery life, as well as to not use up her very limited data plan. 

 

So, I have some questions.

 

Do picture/text messages use up data plan?

 

If the answer is no...

 

Then, why is having mobile data on required?

 

And then, whether the answer is yes or no...

 

Then when will this be fixed?

 

I was able to send pictures to and from a dumb phone without having a data plan.  Picture/text messages should not require or use data plan, since they are a feature that can be added to dumb phones.

 

I expect to hear back from someone at Verizon on this issue, and saying that it is a problem with Android is not an answer, nor is saying that it is Samsung problem.  You sell these phones and advertise certain features.  You are not delivering those features.  No matter who the solution comes from, this is a VERIZON problem.

 

 

 

 

0 Likes
Re: No longer receiving picture messages
vanessas_vzw
Verizon Employee

Good morning and thank you for all of your responses!

 

AudeKhatru, as you mentioned, the mobile data must be turned on in order to send or receive picture/video messages on a Smartphone.  There is no charge to send/ receive these messages; however, the data network is required because pictures are saved in megabytes, which is a unit of measurement for data.  Due to the method of picture messages being saved, it travels over the data network.  Our network is designed to differentiate data transmission from picture messages and mobile web usage, (downloads/ uploads), which is why there is no data charge for picture/ video messages.  Therefore, the data portal has to be open on all devices, in order to send/ receive picture messages.  (If there was a data block on basic phones, you would not be able to send/ receive picture/ video messages either, even if you had unlimited messaging.)

 

If your wife continues to have the mobile data turned off and receives a picture/ video message, she can turn it on while the message is completed, and then turn back off.

 

I trust this information is helpful!

 

Thank you,

0 Likes