Cannot receive SMS/MMS

rik

@captainzer0 SMS is now 100% reliable. See this update from @fredldotme :

https://forums.ubports.com/topic/6039/bounty-for-pixel-3a-halium-9-stability/18?_=1630188659271

MMS photos are reliable in / out with wifi OFF. Wifi ON and it is a problem, but broader than the P3a. MMS group messages can be sent but receiving they get "lost" (this is with wifi OFF again, with wifi ON, MMS group messages fail like MMS photos).

esoteric

Pixel 3a XL here on development channel. Cricket wireless. After mixing and matching multiple apn solutions to get mms working, I figured I'd share my fix. Hopefully it'll save someone the heartache I just went through, haha.

WIFI off

2g/3g/4g connection type

APN stuff. Modify existing two and save

-Cricket Internet-
Used for
Internet
Name
Cricket Internet
APN
Endo (think this was the main fix from default ndo)

-Cricket MMS-
Used for
MMS
Name
Cricket MMS
APN
ndo
MMSC
http://mmsc.aiowireless.net
Proxy
192.168.196.78

I believe changing the Cricket Internet to Endo helped with a conflict of both mms and internet being stock set to ndo? Not sure, but that was the last thing I tried before giving up, and it started working.
Hope that helps

rik

I believe changing the Cricket Internet to Endo helped with a conflict of both mms and internet being stock set to ndo? Not sure, but that was the last thing I tried before giving up, and it started working.

I think you are right: in other testing we had similar issues when there were 2 entries with the same APN (one for "Internet" and another for "MMS"). Eventually the best answer will be the ability to set "Internet and MMS" as the APN type, but that is not sticking or working right now.

esoteric

Update. Everything worked. Everything. Now it appears to be denied access. Sigh.

esoteric

Apparently the verizon access point cell booster in the faraday cage-like place I work kicked me. Walked outside and got it back.

So the fix works so far! Just not the darn access point here. Will play more with it.

esoteric

Further update. With no changes, the access point now accepts me. I guess I was initially kicked for being a suspicious new device? Idk how those devices work. Stable now, though.

So with further testing, it seems you can swap ndo and Endo interchangeably between Cricket Internet and Cricket MMS, as long as they're one or the other, and not both the same.

Initial testing sees slightly faster speeds with ndo on Internet, but the ip address location isn't accurate. Which is actually kind of a good thing imo

Also, I changed the MMS entry to mirror the cricket website apn settings.

So my current loadout on Release Candidate branch is this

-Cricket Internet-
Used for
Internet
Name
Cricket Internet
APN
ndo

-Cricket MMS-
Used for
MMS
Name
Cricket MMS
APN
Endo
MMSC
http://mmsc.aiowireless.net
Proxy
proxy.aiowireless.net
Proxy port
80

Sorry if this is all total common knowledge, but I couldn't find a straight answer for my particular situation. Here are my findings. Hope they help someone

Albator

Installed UT OTA-19 yesterday on my pixel 3a xl.
SMS/MMS are ok. I can send and receive SMS using 4g on telus network.

David

Keneda

@albator
For now it's not OTA 19, as it's RC, it can change untill final release ^^

Joadri

@albator Hi David. Are you in Canada or USA? I am in USA and I'm having problems receiving MMS. I can send/receive SMS. I can send but not receive MMS. My network is H2O (AT&T). The fields for APN are not enough to place all the settings information I get from H2O's website. Those field are practically the same for Telus, so I am confused since you could not possibly feed all that info in UT but MMS is working for you. It's weird.

ezze

Hi, guys!

Could you clarify a little bit more for me? Is this issue related to mobile provider settings or is something wrong with UT image for this device?

I am condsidering to purchase Pixel 3a as a replacement of my Nexus 5 used on a daily basis, and want to be sure it's stable enough for that. I'm afraid to be left alone here in Russia struggling with core issues like this.

rocket2nfinity

@ezze These problems don't apply to Russia. It is a specifically US problem.

mw4jet

I just flashed OTA 20 on my Pixel 3A, sms/mms are working after a whole day.

I also got an unlocked 3A from Ebay, but it would not work with Patriot mobile which I believe was actually t-Mobile. It worked with AT&T but not for long. that was at the most on OTA17.

I got a prepaid SIM from AT&T and it work quite well now. I tried group texts they all received the text but I got individual replies. They were all on IOS if that has any bearing.

lsitongia

Just want to add that I got a G020G from a 3rd party and it didn't work with my Google Fi SIM, which works in everything else I put it in. From the suggestion from another thread here, I'm switching to RedPocket GSMA. SMS, MMS, group text, all work.

GeekBone

Has anyone had any recent luck with TMO? I have a 3a that is working beautifully but I can't get the MMS to work. I have read all the threads here but most of the suggestions are for previous OTAs, My 3a is currently running OTA 21 and I have tried legacy and current APN settings. I have a 3a with TMO and Android and I copied the MMS settings from there and still nothing.

I am concerned it is related to the whole VoLTE/5G situation but regardless, I am not sure what to do at this point.

rik

@geekbone said in Cannot receive SMS/MMS:

Has anyone had any recent luck with TMO?

If you mean T-Mobile (or a re-seller such as US Mobile) for USA, these settings work and are used by several people successfully (with either T-Mobile or US Mobile as their carrier):

You need 2 APNs (1 for Internet, a second for MMS) and they can't have the same APN value. So set up 2 like this:

Used For: Internet
Name: T-Mobile Internet
APN: epc.tmobile.com
<User Name and Password BLANK>

Used For: MMS
Name: US Mobile MMS
APN: pwg
MMSC: http://pwg.mmsmvno.com/mms/wapenc
<Proxy, Proxy Port, User Name, Password ALL BLANK>

Please confirm, but it should work.

GeekBone

@rik Holy crap! It worked!

Thank you!

GeekBone

@rik One more thing.. the images I attach rotate -90 degrees. They look normal in the gallery but when I attach them they rotate. Any suggestions?

AppLee

@geekbone said in Cannot receive SMS/MMS:

@rik One more thing.. the images I attach rotate -90 degrees. They look normal in the gallery but when I attach them they rotate. Any suggestions?

This is normal.
The orientation information is read and understood by the gallery app but not by the messaging app.

Also MMS pictures are often resized to fit the data length limitation, in this case I bet the messaging app do not check the orientation metadata and it is send either vertically or horizontally depending on the default.
Check if an issue is open for the messaging app and if not you can file a feature request.

As a workaround you might want to edit and resize the picture yourself giving it the proper orientation.

rik

@geekbone said in Cannot receive SMS/MMS:

@rik Holy crap! It worked!

Thank you!

In the future a "combined APN" (Internet + MMS) will make this more intuitive: for now we struggle with counter-intuitive tinkering.... but YES it works! Here is the "not quite ready may need re-worked" PR that will provide a combined APN, so you can follow if you are interested: https://github.com/ubports/ofono/pull/28

GeekBone

@applee I don't have this problem with my N5, but I will play around with it some more.

I still think the N5 has the best UT integration out there. It is such a great little phone. Too bad it won't be able to handle VoLTE so I am trying to switch to the 3a.

Regardless, thanks for the tips. I appreciate it!