Is there a way for my texts not to be deleted if I'm unable to reach service for more than 10 days?

[NickSmolinske]

This is a common problem for me - I go into the backcountry for extended periods a couple times a year.  This month my phone will be off for approximately 20 days while I'm in the Grand Canyon on a river trip and I'd like to not have my texts deleted.  At the very least it would be good to know who texted me.

[Snn5]

What phone are you using and can you set the number of messages allowed before deletion from the phone to a higher amount or later date?  Messages stay on Verizon for up to 90 days, but it's a matter of your phone allowing a large enough message thread option.

[rcschnoor]

From the OP, that is not the problem. The problem is the phone not getting service for 20 days and the messages staying on Verizon's servers for that long before being retrieved.

[rcschnoor]

Snn5 wrote:

Messages stay on Verizon for up to 90 days

I assume you mean Verizon's servers, but I don't think Verizon holds those messages on their servers for that long. More like 10 or so days before deletion UNLESS they are synced via Verizon Messages+.

[tikibar1 · Accepted solution]

It's five days, i.e.,

"If a message is sent to you while your device is off, or while you're traveling outside of the Verizon Wireless coverage area, your message will be stored for later delivery. Your device must be turned back on and have coverage for the message to be delivered to you. The network will attempt to deliver the message for five days (120 hours) from the date of receipt. Messages not delivered within five days will be deleted."

Text Messaging FAQs | Verizon Wireless

[rcschnoor]

I knew I had read that somewhere but couldn't remember the exact number of days.

[Snn5]

rcschnoor wrote:

Snn5 wrote:

Messages stay on Verizon for up to 90 days

I assume you mean Verizon's servers, but I don't think Verizon holds those messages on their servers for that long. More like 10 or so days before deletion UNLESS they are synced via Verizon Messages+.

Yes, I should have clarified "When using Verizon Messages app" however I think I refrained from that info due to basic phones not using apps.  My mistake.

[NickSmolinske]

5 Days!  Well that's good to know, this probably affects me 3-4 times a year then, I just didn't realize how many texts I was losing.  I wish there was just a way to ask Verizon to hold my texts for me indefinitely, it's not like they take up any meaningful amount of space.  There are a lot of trips where I have no option to leave a device at home plugged into the wall.

I think the Message+ app is the best option for *this* trip, if I can get it to work.  I should make another post in the correct forum for the issues I'm having getting that to work - My android device is an old phone with no service plan (I just use it with wifi like a tablet).  I don't think it likes that it's being run on a phone that's not being used as a phone.

[rcschnoor]

NickSmolinske wrote:

5 Days!  Well that's good to know, this probably affects me 3-4 times a year then, I just didn't realize how many texts I was losing.  I wish there was just a way to ask Verizon to hold my texts for me indefinitely, it's not like they take up any meaningful amount of space.  There are a lot of trips where I have no option to leave a device at home plugged into the wall.

I think the Message+ app is the best option for *this* trip, if I can get it to work.  I should make another post in the correct forum for the issues I'm having getting that to work - My android device is an old phone with no service plan (I just use it with wifi like a tablet).  I don't think it likes that it's being run on a phone that's not being used as a phone.

You are correct that YOUR texts don't take up any meaningful amount of space, but if you add up the space taken up for 100+ million customers it is a different story. Offering it to you would mean Verizon offers it to everyone. They are not in the text storage business. They are in the text delivery business.

Even if you leave a desktop on with the desktop Verizon Messages app running, your texts will download to that while you are out of reach and then sync to your phone when you are again available.

[rcschnoor]

Do you have another device which you could leave in range of service, such as a tablet, etc...

I have Verizon Messages+ installed on my phone and a couple of tablets. As long as the messages are downloaded to one of the devices(i.e. tablet), they would be synced to my phone even after being OFF for 20 days.

[Snn5]

Given phones must be on to get the messages, is there any way to leave the phone on and charging at home or perhaps there is signal at a base camp or some other stationary location for which you can retrieve the phone at the end of the trip?