Question about TXT messages?

[Mikecintel]

Hi Everyone,

I have a question last week I called CS (customer service) and I told them that I don't want Internet and txt messaging on my cell and the rep said OK I am going to take off IP Basic and he did and he tells me that I shouldn't get Internet or txt messaging again. I said OK UNTIL today at 4:05PM I got a txt from Sprint saying that "Welcome to Sprint! As a referred customer, a 25 dollar Sprint Referral Reward Card will mailed to you at your Sprint Billing Address in 6-8 weeks. 4:05 Mon Jan15." I thought it was a friend of mine calling me and so I opened my cell phone and then the txt message popped up and now I am going to get charged .15 per message. I don't even have txt message service because I did not want it. Now I am going to get charged again but it is not my fault. Does anyone know how you can take off the Internet and txt messaging off your cell phone. I appreciate with any help. Also I have a Samsung A640 phone. How do I take off the NAI and what is the NAI and what is it for? The CS took off the NAI on his side but put back the IP Basic. If someone would explain to me what is the IP Basic and NAI is I apperciate it.

Thanks

Mike

[Sting23ray]

I cant say for sprint... but when T-mobile used to send me a TXT i was never charged.

[Mikecintel]

Hi Sting23ray,

OK I see. I wonder if someone can help me out. I apperciate your answering my question.

Mike

[PrincessPixie]

To have txt msgs permanantly blocked, you call Sprint. However, you are not charged by Sprint sending you a message. It's their way of contacting you, so they pay for it.

I did have all text and internet blocked on one of my phones, all I did was call Sprint at *2.

[Mikecintel]

HI Pixiedrea,

OK I see yes but they charged me two times and when I first activate it I got charged 2 times and it was from Sprint. Sprint gave me credit back so that is good but I am afraid they are going to charge me again. Thank you for the reply. Does anyone know what is the NAI and the IP Basic and I read somewere you can disable on the hidden feature on the phone where you press Settings then Display and then 0 and then you have to enter the service code to disable it. Does anyone have the code to disable the NAI and if you do you can PM me thanks.

Mike

[RevBJ]

To disable both the web and text messaging, on your phone select Settings, then 4 PCS Vision. Push 1 Disable Vision, read the little notice and push the left soft key to continue, then select Disable Vision and push the Menu OK button. To hardcore lock them out completely, go to Security under Settings, enter your lock code, then go to 2 Lock Service. Push 2 PCS Vision and select Lock. By doing this, you will be unable to access the web or text messaging.

[Mikecintel]

Hi RevBJ,

Thanks for the info but how do I get my lock code and what is a NAI?

Thanks

Mike

[Mikecintel]

Hi RevBJ,

I forgot to say this but when I got to Settings 4 and then PCS vision and there is NO Disable on my phone. It ONLY says Enable Vision. I do not have a setting for Disable Vision. Why is that happening? Also I do not have my unlock code how do I get my unlock code? I went to Security under settings but i do not have a lock code. When I went to Settings and then Display and I press 0 it tells me to enter service code and I do not have the service code. How do I get the Service code?

Thanks
Mike

[INTERNET2000]

Your lock code for your security menu is usually the last four digits of your phone number or the account holder social security number. If there is only an option to enable vision that indicates that the vision services have already been disabled.

You can use the parental control features on some phones to lock vision services, but it is not necessary to make any adjustments on your phone to block vision services or text messaging.

Call Sprint back and ask to speak to technical support and request that they block all Vision and text message services. Removing the IP Basic only takes care of blocking the Vision services. The tech support representative needs to manually block text messages in the "Network Settings" for your account. Make sure you ask to speak to technical support instead of a regular customer service representative as most of the time their way of blocking the text messages does not seem to be effective.

[Mikecintel]

Hi Internet2000,

OK thank you so much for your help. I have found code and it is the MSID. OK now I want to turn off the NAI and what does the NAI do? Does it disable the modem from connecting to the Internet and txt messages? Hmmm I wonder when the PM will be fixed? I will not touch anything else when I go to Setting Display and press 0 and enter the code and I will just turn off the NAI that is all. If I do not know what other things do I will not press it. But I can just press each button to see what is it and then just cancel it. OK yes thanks I see about the security code. I enter it and it did unlock it and I used my last 4 digit of my phone number.

Thanks for your help again

Mike

[INTERNET2000]

No Problem! :)

I probably should leave it to someone else to explain NAI (since I don't know much about it), but what will it hurt to give it a shot?!? ;)

NAI is your user identification on the network for data services. If a user plans on tethering their vision-enabled phone to their computer for internet access they will disable the NAI (Network Access Identifier). By disabling the NAI, the user then can tether their computer to their phone using their basic vision pack to surf the internet on their computer as opposed to subscribing to a PAM (phone-as-modem) plan.

In short, disabling NAI is a loophole that allows the user to tether with a phone and a normal vision plan with no additonal charges; otherwise, the user would have to subscribe to a PAM plan or pay the steep casual usage charges associated with using the phone as a modem. Newer phones on the market remove the ability to disable the NAI and thus if one is going to use their phone as a modem they will have to purchase a plan or pay the price.

[Mikecintel]

HI Internet 2000,

OK thank for explaining and you are explaining very well and I understand it. What does tethering mean? So let me see if I understand this. If I disable the NAI on my cell phone I can use my computer and hook it up to my cell phone and I can go on the Internet on my cell phone for FREE? Then Sprint will not know that I can go on the Internet from my cell phone to my computer? Then Sprint will not charge me because I am not going on the Internet from my cell phone and that I turned off the NAI? So basically what NAI is a username and if you go on to the Internet using your cellphone Sprint will know who is going on the Internet on thier cell phone right?

Thanks

Mike

[INTERNET2000]

Tethering means connecting your phone to your computer via USB cable and using your phone as a modem. About a year ago, any Sprint customer could add a Sprint PCS Vision Pack to their account, disable NAI on their phone, connect the phone to their computer (via USB) and browse the internet free of charge other than the monthly service charge for the Sprint PCS Vision Plan. This was a loophole that existed at the time as tethering your phone without an appropriate PAM (Phone-As-Modem) plan is prohibited by the Terms of Service.

On newer handsets, they removed the ability to disable the NAI and consequently the user can no longer use their phone with a standard vision pack to browse the internet on their computer. The customer must add a PAM plan to allow tethering their phone which runs $49.99 per month for unlimited data as opposed to just $15.00 per month for a basic vision pack.

Does that make sense?

[Mikecintel]

Hi Internet 2000,

Yes now it all makes sense to me thank you again. So if I disable the NAI on my cell phone and connect to the USB and I access my Internet using my cell phone to the computer would Sprint know or not because I do not have a Vision Plan. I am just asking this question but I don't want to go on the Internet from my cell phone because the screen is so tiny and it is very difficult for me to see websites.

Mike

[INTERNET2000]

Sprint would definately know and they would charge you casual usage charges (which really add up in a hurry). You would need a much older phone and a Sprint PCS Vision Plan to have a remote chance of it working.

[Mikecintel]

Hi Internet 2000,

OK yes I see thank you for your reply. You are so helpful.

Mike

[INTERNET2000]

No Problem Mike...Glad I could help! :)

[Mikecintel]

Hi Internet 2000,

Thanks again.

Mike

[INTERNET2000]

Your Welcome! :)

[Mikecintel]

Hi Internet 2000

OK :)

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