I am using a Samsung Intensity II phone. From time to time I am unable to read text messages sent to me from my friends who are using smart phones. Most of the time, it is because they have included emoticons and once they re-send the message without the emoticon, I can read it just fine. However...
Last week, the problem became much worse! Suddenly, I can't read messages from two of my friends (who already know not to use the emoticons). They both tell me that they aren't doing anything different, but it is now impossible for us to communicate via text. Any messages I receive from them look like they are written with foreign language characters (like Chinese or Japanese kanji).
Can someone help? Any suggestions would be appreciated!
Oh, wow! That would certainly make it hard to read, ROBABR61! Let's see what could be causing this. When you go to send them a text, does everything look normal on your side sending? Do your messages come in normal when they receive them?
NicoleB_VZW
Follow us on TWITTER @VZWSupport
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!!
I have this same issue with my wife's Samsung Gusto II. Unfortunately everyone she communicates with is on an iPhone. Just hoping there is a solution soon.
Hello Verizon Customer Support. When I send a text from my Samsung Intensity II, everything looks normal. And YES, my text messages sent to others are normal, and getting to them without any problems. My old phone still works great for sending texts. It's the receiving texts from others that has become such a pain.
Is there going to be a software update to solve this issue? Or is this how customers are being pushed into smart phones and data plans? This is very frustrating for your customers so it needs a resolution. Customers should not have to create a "work around" to get their text messages. This happens to me many times and I need to get my messages. I have been with Verizon for over 20 years but I may need to switch carriers if I can't get my texts. Please contact your customers - do not leave them hanging with a major issue. Thank you.
AdamsLL, we understand how important it is that your text messages are not messed up. We're on the case. What basic phone are you using? Does this happen with all text messages from smartphones or just from a specific type of smartphone? Have you recently dialed *228 to update your phone?
JosephT_VZW
Follow us on Twitter @VZWSupport
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!
Does this work on the Gusto as well?
SusieInNV, we want to make sure we’re on the same page with you regarding your inquiry about your Samsung Gusto. Are you inquiring about updating your phone’s roaming capabilities by pressing*228 and choosing Option2 from your phone's key pad to update your device’s roaming capabilities with our cell towers (While in the USA) or something else? - RobertC_VZW
Follow us on Twitter @VZWSupport
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!
I had the garbled-text problem since about 2015. I finally gave in to Verizon's push to get a smart phone.
I got a Samsung S8+ but now regret the decision. Since the last OS update, I've been getting internet ads pushed into my face, even though I've deactivated Google and some other "features."
I've been checking back to this forum to see if ANYONE has offered a fix or hack to the "garbled text" problem. Sadly, Verizon still pretends it's an isolated problem and makes customers jump through imaginary troubleshooting hoops.
What garbage!
The problem is one of design. Apparently the smartphones use EMS messages, which the older , MMS-based phones have trouble decoding. This would be a quick OS fix for the older phones... IF Verizon wanted to fix it.
Sadly, I suspect my old Brightside or older flip phone can't be updated. However, I think there are newer basic phones out there which can do the job.
If Verizon doesn't have a fix for this long-time problem, I'm sure there's a company which takes customers more seriously. If there is, that's where I'm going.
I do hope that after all these years, Verizon can take care of this problem. I will be changing companies in the future if I do not get some help. Covid has made this an even more serious issue.
cookieladydozen120, we're here to help in the best way we can. Has there been any update to this?
Once in awhile the return message is garbled/scrambled. With everything being done by phones these days it is imperative that I can read the text. Case in point: confirmation of a COVID Vaccination appointment. Even getting a text from an merchant that my order is ready to pick up can be hard to read. I do use email as a back up but when I can travel once more, I won't be able to do that with a flip phone. It sounds as if upgrading phones will not solve the problem. I have been to a Verizon store three times about this issue.
I have another thread in this forum about the same issue with a different "dumb" phone. Maybe this solution would work for you too.
My tests have shown emojis from either Android or iPhone corrupt the message. And a quote or apostrophe from iPhones do the same. This seems to affect only the people who text with proper grammar by using quotes or apostrophes.
Until this gets resolved, try telling all your friends to text like an illiterate without quotes and apostrophes. i.e cant instead of can't. Works for me.
Thank you for your comments and ideas. I've known for several years that my older phone did not like emoticons, but I'm just learning about quotation marks and apostrophes being an issue. Will pass that information on to my "smart phone "friends.
I'm having the same issue with my Gusto 3. In fact, it's been getting much worse in the past couple weeks; it doesn't matter who sends the text, what type of phone or carrier, or content, it will scamble about half my incoming text messages. I have yet to find a solution online, despite the fact there are numerous forums dicussing it...and they date back to 2010 (i.e. this problem's been around a LONG time!)
Same here with my Gusto phone. Makes life more challenging that it already is. I don't see where a new model would help. I rely on texting to confirm appointments and get alerts. Not cool when I can't read them.
AN INTERESTING OBSERVATION: I typed in "scrambled text messages" in the forum Search function field. The long list of hits indicates how many customers are having this problem - IT IS WIDE SPREAD, obviously! And it appears to be effecting users with both "smart" and "dumb" phones. And here's the frustrating part: not one of the ongoing discussions has a solution from Verizon! Not one!
My mom has this same phone. After sending quite a few test messages, we have found that the phone is not able to handle messages over approx 120 characters (not much at all!) and there is no way to split incoming messages on this particular phone. Now that so many people have smart phones and could text a three page essay if they wanted, this problem will continue to get worse.
I am having the same issue. Not that often but often enough. On top of that I received a text yesterday and it was blank, I opened it and it went to the Verizon Wireless screen ( the one you see when you turn your phone on). I have opened it numerous times but it still shows on my phone as unopened.
We want you to be able to receive your text, TARODW17. I'm sorry to hear that you are having issue and I want to look into this. When did this start? Is this happening to all numbers or a specific number? Have you tried to delete the message and have them resend the message? What is the available storage on the phone? Here's how to check https://www.verizonwireless.com/support/knowledge-base-34080/.
ZangY_VZW
Follow us on Twitter @VZWSupport
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!!
I had the garbled-text problem since about 2015. I finally gave in to Verizon's push to get a smart phone.
I got a Samsung S8+ but now regret the decision. Since the last OS update, I've been getting internet ads pushed into my face, even though I've deactivated Google and some other "features."
I've been checking back to this forum to see if ANYONE has offered a fix or hack to the "garbled text" problem. Sadly, Verizon still pretends it's an isolated problem and makes customers jump through imaginary troubleshooting hoops.
What garbage!
The problem is one of design. Apparently the smartphones use EMS messages, which the older , MMS-based phones have trouble decoding. This would be a quick OS fix for the older phones... IF Verizon wanted to fix it.
Sadly, I suspect my old Brightside or older flip phone can't be updated. However, I think there are newer basic phones out there which can do the job.
If Verizon doesn't have a fix for this long-time problem, I'm sure there's a company which takes customers more seriously. If there is, that's where I'm going.
Start a new topic or ask questions in the open forum.
