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Unable to receive pictures in picture messages

Renolover
I'm helpful level 2
I'm helpful level 2

I have had a Samsung Galaxy S4 now since June 2013 and am unable to download pictures in picture messages from certain people. Instead i get a message providing the size and an expiry date with a Downlink link.

Whenever I click on the download link the download never completes, and nothing shows up in the downloads folder.

 I am able to receive text messages from the same person, and send messages.

The person sending me the messages has the same phone model as myself and is a Rogers subscriber.

 

 

 

 

16 REPLIES 16

FidoFaiza
Moderator
Moderator

Hi 

 



Renolover
I'm helpful level 2
I'm helpful level 2

To FidoFaiza: I turn on data from time to time but not always. Are you saying that data should be on when the person sends ME the picture message? Doesn't make sense as I can't know when she will send me a picture message. If I turn on the data later after I  see something was sent to me, the "download" link doesn't change to a picture. This means that once I receive a download link, it never changes to an actual photo regardless of when I turn data on.

 

Other recipients of this sender have no problem with receiving picture messages and I can receive picture messages from other senders. It's only one or 2 senders that send me messages that I never can view.


@Renolover wrote:

To FidoFaiza: I turn on data from time to time but not always. Are you saying that data should be on when the person sends ME the picture message? Doesn't make sense as I can't know when she will send me a picture message. If I turn on the data later after I  see something was sent to me, the "download" link doesn't change to a picture. This means that once I receive a download link, it never changes to an actual photo regardless of when I turn data on.

 

Other recipients of this sender have no problem with receiving picture messages and I can receive picture messages from other senders. It's only one or 2 senders that send me messages that I never can view.


 Hello Renolover,

 

  I'm not sure if this is relevent to your situation because it seems like your issue is only regarding receiving picure messages from certain people. But yes, it has been established on here (and many othe forums) that data needs to be turned on in order to receive pictures. If I remember correctly, however, the 'data' used to receive text pictures does not count against your data limit. Hopefully, someone can verify that for you.

 

  Depending on your phone, I think there should be an 'automatically download attachment' option in messages. If you choose that option, then you won't get the MMS if your data is off, until you turn data back on. On the other hand, if you do not automatically download the attachments, then you will receive the text with the 'download link' regardless of whether you have data on or off. After receiving a download link, you can then turn on data to receive the picture. In most cases, you will have to actually 'click' on the download link before it will download.

 

  I used to get my MMS automatically downloaded, but after receiving a couple of delayed pictures because my data had been off, I now do it manually. For me at least, downloading them manually has worked brilliantly. I get the notification that there is a picture pending and then I turn on data to download.

 

  Hope this helps!

 

Cheers


FidoStephen
Community Manager (Retired)
Community Manager (Retired)

If I remember correctly, however, the 'data' used to receive text pictures does not count against your data limit. Hopefully, someone can verify that for you.

 


I can confirm this Smiley



Interesting because I could have sworn I can get some messages when data is off and wifi is on for example, in my home. Many thanks for that info.

 

Just wondering why, if I receive a Download link, I cannot use it?? Is a 73 KB photo sent to me the other day, too large, perhaps?


@Renolover wrote:

Interesting because I could have sworn I can get some messages when data is off and wifi is on for example, in my home. Many thanks for that info.

 

Just wondering why, if I receive a Download link, I cannot use it?? Is a 73 KB photo sent to me the other day, too large, perhaps?


Hello Renolover,

 

  Curious indeed. Firstly, are you sure it was a 73 Kb photo and not Mb? 73 Kb sounds rather small to be a photo. Perhaps it was an emoticon? Some of the 'cut and paste' emoticions show up as attachments in android rather than the 'usual' emoticons.

  I can't imagine why a MMS would be too large to download. That is, unless your data was too slow ie EDGE. Even then, it should start to try to download but 'fail' because the connection was too slow. I think there is a maximum size photo that can be sent via MMS because of text/MMS protocols. Any photo sent via MMS would be automatically 'resized' to fit within those protocols.

 

  Secondly, I think that MMS are only available on the server to download for a limited time. I wouldn't be able to specify for how long, though. I had texted my brother-in-law a photo and he asked me if I sent him an 'attachment' because he wasn't familiar with MMS. After I told him what the photo was regarding, he decided not to 'download' it because it wasn't relevant anymore. After a couple of days, I received a text stating the MMS I sent him 'timed out'. I know he got the 'download link' because he asked me about it, so I assume the 'timed out' text I got back was referring to him not downloading the photo. Maybe something similar has happened to you?

 

Cheers


Renolover
I'm helpful level 2
I'm helpful level 2

Yes it definitely was a 73 KB link not MB.

 

Interestingly I just decided turn on my data and attempt to click the download link again.  Lo and behold, the photo downloaded! This is odd because:

 

- I've done the exact same thing before without success, and

- I always have wifi on in my home and workplace and receive photos from others using wifi but not from 2 people.

 

That being said, perhaps in the past when I turned on data, I didn't also click the download link (?).

 

Thanks to all for your suggestions and help. SO MUCH appreciated. What a nice bunch of Fido users! Happy


@Renolover wrote:

Yes it definitely was a 73 KB link not MB.

 

Interestingly I just decided turn on my data and attempt to click the download link again.  Lo and behold, the photo downloaded! This is odd because:

 

- I've done the exact same thing before without success, and

- I always have wifi on in my home and workplace and receive photos from others using wifi but not from 2 people.

 

That being said, perhaps in the past when I turned on data, I didn't also click the download link (?).

 

Thanks to all for your suggestions and help. SO MUCH appreciated. What a nice bunch of Fido users! Happy


Hello Renolover,

 

  Glad it works for you!!

 

  I just checked all of my MMS and they are also in the 'Kb' range. I'm not sure what I was thinking re: Mb! Haha!

 

Cheers


tiinak
I'm a participant level 2
I'm a participant level 2

I have a fido account and my plan says it includes text pics but when people send them to me it bounces back to them and I don't recieve the message.

 I use to always get the pictures in text messages why don't I anymore. I have never had or paid for internet on my phone. I use my home and work internet.


@tiinak wrote:

I have a fido account and my plan says it includes text pics but when people send them to me it bounces back to them and I don't recieve the message.

 I use to always get the pictures in text messages why don't I anymore. I have never had or paid for internet on my phone. I use my home and work internet.


 

Hello Tiinak,

 

  Welcome to the forums!

 

  Have you turned your data on? MMS, including pictures sent as text, require data to be turned on. You do not need to have a data plan, but data does need to be available. If you do have a data plan, any data used within a text does not count against any data allotment. MMS will not be delivered via WiFi.

 

  Are you using a different phone from before? Have you verified that the phone has the correct APN? You can verify the setting(s) here.

 

  Hope this helps! Smiley

 

Cheers


tiinak
I'm a participant level 2
I'm a participant level 2

I have a iphone. Do I have to pay extra for data? I turned it on and it sent me a link that suggests I pay extra for data.


@tiinak wrote:

I have a iphone. Do I have to pay extra for data? I turned it on and it sent me a link that suggests I pay extra for data.


 

Hello again,

 

  While I'm not as familiar with iPhones, I imagine MMS data usage would be similar. Without Wifi, you will likely have to pay for data used by the iPhone itself and by any other apps. However, the data within a MMS would not be charged.

 

  Your best option might be to connect to Wifi and have data on. That way, any data used by the iPhone and apps would use Wifi and the MMS would still be able to be received (or sent, if you're trying to send one).

 

  Hope this helps Smiley

 

Cheers


Hey tiinak!

 

Welcome to the Community!

 

Data needs to be enabled in your network settings in your phone in order to be able to send an MMS but, as Cawtau mentioned, you won't be charged for the data used to send the MMS and you don't need to have data included in your plan to be able to send.

 

If you don't have a data plan, you will automatically receive a text message notification letting you know that your phone has attempted to access data and suggesting that you add data to your plan with a link where you can take a look at your options for doing so.

 

Don't worry though, unless you have a data plan, you won't be able to access data for any other functions like browsing, email, or, apps that use data, so there is no way that you will be accidentally charged for data.

 

Hope this helps!



Muriel5
I'm a participant level 1
I'm a participant level 1

I"m having the same issues.  The same thing happened with the prior version of the G6 that I had.  I traded it in to get the G6 after staff convinced me I wouldn't have the same issue and yet, here I am.  I should also mention it cost me $150 to trade up to the G6!  The new version immediately did not work for picture texts.  I tried to return it but the staff tinkered with it for 2 hours and got it working.  They said it has something to do with the settings.  They mentioned every time there is a system update, it's going to reset everything and it did exactly that.  So there is definitely a way to fix this but I have no idea what they did.  Please let us know.  Obviously this is a HUGE issue seeing there are over 11k people viewing these questions.  I'm beyond irritated and frustrated with this situation.  I'm ready to switch to a completely different android and get as far away from the G series as possible!

Hello Muriel5,

 

  Welcome to the community!

 

  Firstly, are you referring to the LG G6 or the Moto G6 (or other)?

 

  I'll assume your phone's data is enabled. Have you verified that the APN used by the phone has the proper MMS settings? You can verify those settings here.

 

  If those settings are correct and it's still not working, I'm not aware of any MMS issues specific to the G6. You might consider trying to find that staff member again to have them re-tinker with the phone. This time, however, you should ask them for instructions on what they did with the settings to fix the problem.

 

Hope this helps 😀

 

Cheers

 


Hello @Muriel5 and welcome to the Community.

 

Like mentioned in the solution here, as long as you have data activated, you should be able to use your MMS.


Did you get a chance to restore the device to see if you get the same result?