# Why I don't rely on Text Messaging **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [June 26, 2018, 6:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-i-dont-rely-on-text-messaging/816788 "2018-06-26T18:14:12Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2018, 6:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-i-dont-rely-on-text-messaging/816788/1 "2018-06-26T18:14:12Z")
I am on Verizon Wireless, and while the phone service is great, far too many times the messages I send and receive are slightly delayed. For instance, a message I sent My Beloved at 10am just now was delivered to her at 11 this morning. Not 10am this morning. 10 am Father’s Day, June 17th. And this isn’t the first time this has happened, though to date this is the longest delay so far. Does this happen to any of you? Tell me tales and maybe solutions(if they exist). ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2018, 6:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-i-dont-rely-on-text-messaging/816788/2 "2018-06-26T18:29:43Z")
I used to do a gig every June. One year I didn’t hear from anyone about it, so I booked myself elsewhere. On 21 June I got a text, asking about my availability for the gig. This was the day that the load in started. I called and explained that I just got the text and that I had booked myself elsewhere, and why had he waited so long to send it? He had sent it over 5 weeks earlier. It was date stamped. I called T-Mobile, explained that this wasn’t the first late text I had experienced, but that this one had cost me almost $8000 and I would no longer be needing their services. My experience with AT&T has been great. Expensive, but great. ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2018, 6:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-i-dont-rely-on-text-messaging/816788/3 "2018-06-26T18:33:50Z")
Isn’t follow-up sort of important, like in cases such as yours Bo? If you send a message any way - Messenger, text, email - it can get lost. There should be confirmation. Even if you ask someone in person to do something, you probably should get confirmation. Phone calls are probably pretty reliable as you would call someone to ask a specific question and then get your answer right there. But even then if you leave a message and don’t hear back - follow up! ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2018, 6:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-i-dont-rely-on-text-messaging/816788/4 "2018-06-26T18:37:56Z")
> [@ZipperJJ](#): > > Isn’t follow-up sort of important, like in cases such as yours Bo? If you send a message any way - Messenger, text, email - it can get lost. There should be confirmation. Even if you ask someone in person to do something, you probably should get confirmation. Phone calls are probably pretty reliable as you would call someone to ask a specific question and then get your answer right there. But even then if you leave a message and don’t hear back - follow up! Normally, yes, but things get hectic in my business sometimes: it’s not like any of us has a job or any kind of steady or even coherent schedule. We’re all out here working our asses off because we all know the truth: you’re only as good as your last gig. ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2018, 6:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-i-dont-rely-on-text-messaging/816788/5 "2018-06-26T18:39:35Z")
This happens to me, on Simple Mobile, running on T-Mobile’s network. I should go back to Straight Talk, which runs on AT&T. They recently made their $55 plan with unlimited gigs, which is only $5 a month more than I’m paying now. The texting was more reliable. ---
**Author:** ![FairyChatMom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fairychatmom/32/21906_2.png) [@FairyChatMom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FairyChatMom)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2018, 7:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-i-dont-rely-on-text-messaging/816788/6 "2018-06-26T19:22:27Z")
I’m on AT&T and while I rarely text and never message, I did have an experience when I didn’t get a friend’s voice mail till 2 days after she left it. The problem was she called on the way to my house and needed directions. My phone never rang with the call - no idea why she was dumped in voice mail. So much for modern technology. ---
**Author:** ![K2500](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/f6c823/32.png) [@K2500](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/K2500)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2018, 7:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-i-dont-rely-on-text-messaging/816788/7 "2018-06-26T19:30:44Z")
I’m on AT&T. This happens on occasion to me as well. It’s most noticeable when a text is sent while I’m without service. It could be an hour or more and several text conversations later after I regain signal before a flood of incoming messages arrive. Mostly though my biggest problems were, and still are, with group messaging. I suspect that’s a device issue though. ---
**Author:** ![Nawth\_Chucka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/c57346/32.png) [@Nawth\_Chucka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nawth_Chucka)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2018, 7:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-i-dont-rely-on-text-messaging/816788/8 "2018-06-26T19:47:37Z")
> [@cochrane](#): > > This happens to me, on Simple Mobile, running on T-Mobile’s network. I should go back to Straight Talk, which runs on AT&T. They recently made their $55 plan with unlimited gigs, which is only $5 a month more than I’m paying now. The texting was more reliable. Sounds as though Snowboarder would like unlimited gigs! I’ve been on a month-to-month w/ AT&T for over 2 years and pay over $55 for a worse plan; time to check out the one you mentioned, thanks! ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2018, 7:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-i-dont-rely-on-text-messaging/816788/9 "2018-06-26T19:52:51Z")
Group messages never load on my phone. I tell peeps all the time not to send them to me. I get a notification but no message. It’s never anything important, though. I don’t see how anyone would rely on texts, or messages for important stuff. It’s a secondary convienance and that’s all. In my world, anyway. YMMV. ---
**Author:** ![harmonicamoon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/65b543/32.png) [@harmonicamoon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/harmonicamoon)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2018, 11:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-i-dont-rely-on-text-messaging/816788/10 "2018-06-26T23:04:00Z")
This is why I like WhatsApp. You are notified (with symbols) when it is sent, received and read. Works great with fotos and videos (size doesn’t matter). ---
**Author:** ![Sunny\_Daze](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunny_daze/32/438_2.png) [@Sunny\_Daze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunny_Daze)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2018, 11:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-i-dont-rely-on-text-messaging/816788/11 "2018-06-26T23:33:00Z")
What kind of phone are you using? I had this issue several months ago with iPhone. The issue resolved with an OS update. ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2018, 12:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-i-dont-rely-on-text-messaging/816788/12 "2018-06-27T00:00:59Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > I am on Verizon Wireless, and while the phone service is great, far too many times the messages I send and receive are slightly delayed. For instance, a message I sent My Beloved at 10am just now was delivered to her at 11 this morning. > Not 10am this morning. > 10 am Father’s Day, June 17th. > And this isn’t the first time this has happened, though to date this is the longest delay so far. Does this happen to any of you? Tell me tales and maybe solutions(if they exist). Your phone is broken, take it in to the store (or call tech support) and find out what’s going on. A delayed message happens from time to time (few times a year maybe), but it shouldn’t happen ‘far too many times’. It really shouldn’t happen any more often then, say, someone calling you and your phone never ringing. It happens, but it’s not a regular thing. ---
**Author:** ![blondebear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blondebear/32/1022_2.png) [@blondebear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blondebear)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2018, 12:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-i-dont-rely-on-text-messaging/816788/13 "2018-06-27T00:24:01Z")
At work we have ATT iPhones to get ticket alerts via texts. One of our metrics is that we have to acknowledge the alert within 15 minutes of the ticket being opened in the system. Unfortunately,for no reason that anyone has been able to figure out, the text alerts are routinely delayed by 2 hours or more. Its almost like they’re held in a buffer somewhere. The boss tellls us to open a case with support, but those guys have never found anything. The crew’s attitude now is, if the boss wants to hit that metric, it’s up to him to fix it. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2018, 12:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-i-dont-rely-on-text-messaging/816788/14 "2018-06-27T00:49:55Z")
> [@Sunny\_Daze](#): > > What kind of phone are you using? I had this issue several months ago with iPhone. The issue resolved with an OS update. I have a Galaxy S6 Edge, fully updated. ---
**Author:** ![CelticKnot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/celticknot/32/3392_2.png) [@CelticKnot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CelticKnot)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2018, 2:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-i-dont-rely-on-text-messaging/816788/15 "2018-06-27T02:30:34Z")
We had that problem all the time with AT&T, but as no-contract customers. We have it sometimes with StraightTalk, but not often enough to find a different provider. ---
**Author:** ![JpnDude](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/838e76/32.png) [@JpnDude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JpnDude)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2018, 4:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-i-dont-rely-on-text-messaging/816788/16 "2018-06-27T04:08:04Z")
> [@harmonicamoon](#): > > This is why I like WhatsApp. You are notified (with symbols) when it is sent, received and read. > > Works great with fotos and videos (size doesn’t matter). I second this. I used to use SMS and regular texting until messenger apps like Line, Viber, Messenger, WhatsApp came around. Now I use these apps almost exclusively. ---
**Author:** ![Pleonast](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pleonast/32/1183_2.png) [@Pleonast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pleonast)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2018, 2:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-i-dont-rely-on-text-messaging/816788/17 "2018-06-27T14:39:52Z")
The most delayed messages I get are text messages between different carriers. Verizon vs AT&T are often delayed by minutes. I assume it’s one or both of them slow-walking the text message. I mostly use iMessage and KakaoTalk, and they work without delay unless my cell and WiFi signals are low. My greatest problem is lack of notifications. It seems like my iPhone sometimes resets its notification settings. ---
**Author:** ![xizor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/xizor/32/102_2.png) [@xizor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/xizor)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2018, 7:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-i-dont-rely-on-text-messaging/816788/18 "2018-06-27T19:14:38Z")
I have Verizon and a Galaxy S8. Numerous times when I am connected to my work’s WiFi, texts do not get sent, they sit with the “sending” status until I disconnect from WiFi, then they all get sent at once. And sometimes I get double copies of the same incoming text from people on pay-as-you-go phones, sometimes delayed by 24 hours. ---
**Author:** ![enipla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/54ee81/32.png) [@enipla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/enipla)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2018, 12:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-i-dont-rely-on-text-messaging/816788/19 "2018-06-28T00:36:41Z")
I don’t really text very often. But sometimes it’s a few times a day. Say if my wife is out of town, or, like now, my contractor and I are just keeping each other up to date. Verizon has been fine, except the last few days. Can’t send or receive a quick picture. Just now, my Wife sended me a few pictures. Each one a on a different text. Doesn’t work. The text is asking me to download it. Doesn’t work. My Wife ended up emailing it to me (from her Verizon phone), and I picked it up off my computer. :sigh: I suppose I need to make some phone calls to Verizon. ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2018, 12:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-i-dont-rely-on-text-messaging/816788/20 "2018-06-28T00:45:43Z")
I use Messenger on a Galaxy S5 on Verizon, and have never had any problems. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-i-dont-rely-on-text-messaging/816788.md?page=2)