topic S8 send failures (texts / SMS) in Android

S8 send failures (texts / SMS)

gazzawazza — Mon, 16 Jul 2018 12:10:53 GMT

Hi all

having gone from basically never getting send failures, I've had a few over the last month or so (at a guess - could be a bit longer e.g. last couple of months but mostly recently).

I've an S8 with latest official O2 Oreo patch.

Obviously it could be:

- software

- hardware

- network

Samsung updated their messaging app recently and that i think co-incides with the spike in failures.

Interestingly, i was trying to review when there have been app version changes (to match against failure incidences) and have seen that we're on version 5.x apparently (according to APKmirror).

However, my current version is messages 4.4.30.5 and message service is 4.4.00.26.

Quick research would suggest this is the correct version for the S8 and Oreo - seems that version 5.x works on S9 and S7 but not S8 (though this is based on a reddit post from a few months ago).

Anyway, has anyone else had send issues with 4.4.30.5?

Also, is there any way of finding out WHY a text send has failed? e.g. any kind of log or error code?

thanks,

Gary

Re: S8 send failures (texts / SMS)

MI5 — Mon, 16 Jul 2018 12:25:07 GMT

I’d be surprised if it was firmware related as sms is the most basic of messaging apps.
Not sure but could be coincidence and might be worth you trying a new SIM card?
Otherwise it could be a network issue if it’s only happening in one location?
https://status.o2.co.uk/

Re: S8 send failures (texts / SMS)

gazzawazza — Mon, 16 Jul 2018 12:40:29 GMT

@MI5 wrote:
I’d be surprised if it was firmware related as sms is the most basic of messaging apps.
Not sure but could be coincidence and might be worth you trying a new SIM card?
Otherwise it could be a network issue if it’s only happening in one location?
https://status.o2.co.uk/

thanks very much for super quick reply.

I'd be surprised if it was firmware (e.g. radio) but we know that the samsung oreo updates have not been trouble-free.

Then there's the consideration as to whether it's down to the app or the app service (which presumably manages the send process).

Interesting that you mention co-incidence. I checked on the o2 service/network status for my location today and there was initially a message that one of the masts in my location was down but it's now up again. That could easily explain today.

However, other send failures that i recall have been in other locations.

Could be bad luck / mast down / conceivably excess load (but it wasn't like i was at a gig or anything) but I'd expect load to be more 'visible' with slow 4G.

Personally, when i'm troubleshooting, I look for recent changes, which is why I was considering the app update.

Good call on the SIM. Will reseat first and see if that helps.

Sending issues are not a big problem. I don't text that much but tend to send big messages i.e. total texts sent might be high but not because I'm constantly texting. Also, send failures might be, once in a week. Just a blip but it's noticeable when sends are otherwise reliable AND blips have been occurring recently.

Any way to filter (e.g. using the messaging app) on send failures (so I can work out frequency and location)?

Cheers,

Gary

Re: S8 send failures (texts / SMS)

Anonymous — Mon, 16 Jul 2018 12:44:52 GMT

I’d say it’s network related as I get them sometimes if it’s a poor area or my data signal overrides 2g which means that you would have to turn mobile data off to get a good 2g signal

Re: S8 send failures (texts / SMS)

gazzawazza — Mon, 16 Jul 2018 14:02:10 GMT

@Anonymous wrote:
I’d say it’s network related as I get them sometimes if it’s a poor area or my data signal overrides 2g which means that you would have to turn mobile data off to get a good 2g signal

thanks.

could you explain "...data signal overrides 2g..."?

Re: S8 send failures (texts / SMS)

Anonymous — Mon, 16 Jul 2018 17:05:00 GMT

@gazzawazza If you have your mobile data switched on in a poor area & sms refuse to send then it’s best to turn the data off then the signal will be 2G only & more stronger than the 3G signal would be

Re: S8 send failures (texts / SMS)

gazzawazza — Mon, 16 Jul 2018 22:37:21 GMT

@Anonymous wrote:
@gazzawazza If you have your mobile data switched on in a poor area & sms refuse to send then it’s best to turn the data off then the signal will be 2G only & more stronger than the 3G signal would be

ahhhhhhhh ty.

Re: S8 send failures (texts / SMS)

gazzawazza — Mon, 16 Jul 2018 22:40:43 GMT

@Anonymous wrote:
I’d say it’s network related as I get them sometimes if it’s a poor area or my data signal overrides 2g which means that you would have to turn mobile data off to get a good 2g signal

Something i meant to ask earlier:

Is there historical data for when there's been maintenance or mast downtime in a given area?

I'm thinking of working out where I was when my text send failed and then checking if there was a network problem.

Re: S8 send failures (texts / SMS)

MI5 — Tue, 17 Jul 2018 04:53:11 GMT

Not that I’m aware of, sorry.

Re: S8 send failures (texts / SMS)

Anonymous — Tue, 17 Jul 2018 06:41:39 GMT

I didnt think that was possible