SMS/Picture Mail updates

[Deval]

Just wanted to let everyone know, you can now send and receive SMS messages while roaming in most parts of the country, and now officially Sprint works with all the other major carriers with picture/video sharing.

[Dragonman]

Wirelessly posted (Treo 650: Mozilla/4.0 (compatible; MSIE 6.0; Windows 98; PalmSource/hspr-H102; Blazer/4.0) 16;320x320)

Deval, are there any additional charges for SMS or pic mail while roaming?

TIA

[freeza]

too bad myusername@pm.sprintpcs.com or myusername@sprintpcs.com still don't work, and haven't for the past month lol

[winger]

Just wanted to let everyone know, you can now send and receive SMS messages while roaming in most parts of the country, and now officially Sprint works with all the other major carriers with picture/video sharing.Whooo hooo. Trying it tomorrow - got a SPCS dead zone at work.

[Deval]

too bad myusername@pm.sprintpcs.com or myusername@sprintpcs.com still don't work, and haven't for the past month lol

they stopped working?? Gonna have to do some tests

[Deval]

Wirelessly posted (Treo 650: Mozilla/4.0 (compatible; MSIE 6.0; Windows 98; PalmSource/hspr-H102; Blazer/4.0) 16;320x320)

Deval, are there any additional charges for SMS or pic mail while roaming?

TIA


remember, picturemail requires vision access, so that wont work in roaming, but SMS should now

[Dragonman]

Wirelessly posted (Treo 650: Mozilla/4.0 (compatible; MSIE 6.0; Windows 98; PalmSource/hspr-H102; Blazer/4.0) 16;320x320)

Will there be any additional charges for sending and/or receiving SMS while roaming or will it simply be deducted from the amout allowed by my plan?

[reemusk]

Just wanted to let everyone know, you can now send and receive SMS messages while roaming in most parts of the country, and now officially Sprint works with all the other major carriers with picture/video sharing.


Are you aware of Alltel specifcally?

[bluecoyote]

Deval, this is not true. I'm roaming on Alltel and Verizon right now and neither will allow me to send my text messages.

[CSWORKER]

Just wanted to let everyone know, you can now send and receive SMS messages while roaming in most parts of the country, and now officially Sprint works with all the other major carriers with picture/video sharing.


Deval you forgot to mention that soon sprint customers are going to be charged TM, picture mail , video mail , to send to other carriers. It was in wizard/kms as well. It will be free for sprint customers to get messages but it will cost you to respond non sprint cusomters.

[CSWORKER]

Deval, this is not true. I'm roaming on Alltel and Verizon right now and neither will allow me to send my text messages.


He meant international roaming as well..

[tuolumne]

Yeah can't send an SMS while Digital roaming on Verizon...

Failed message: Code 00034

[CSWORKER]

Wirelessly posted (Treo 650: Mozilla/4.0 (compatible; MSIE 6.0; Windows 98; PalmSource/hspr-H102; Blazer/4.0) 16;320x320)

Will there be any additional charges for sending and/or receiving SMS while roaming or will it simply be deducted from the amout allowed by my plan?



no additional charges it will come from your tm plan

[remydagreat]

Wirelessly posted (Sanyo VM4500: Mozilla/4.0 (MobilePhone SCP-5500/US/1.0) NetFront/3.0 MMP/2.0)

Whats Tm Stand For And Can I Send Pics 2 Nextel

[CSWORKER]

Wirelessly posted (Sanyo VM4500: Mozilla/4.0 (MobilePhone SCP-5500/US/1.0) NetFront/3.0 MMP/2.0)

Whats Tm Stand For And Can I Send Pics 2 Nextel


Text messages and you should be able to do it, I know that they did let us know that a customer can send pics to other providers but its going to be additional charges for you.

[remydagreat]

Wirelessly posted (Sanyo VM4500: Mozilla/4.0 (MobilePhone SCP-5500/US/1.0) NetFront/3.0 MMP/2.0)

Whats Tm Stand For And Can I Send Pics 2 Nextel

[ill]

too bad myusername@pm.sprintpcs.com or myusername@sprintpcs.com still don't work, and haven't for the past month lol

hmm.. isnt it username@pm.sprint.com not sprintpcs.

[Repro]

I know Verizon is charging for sms and pictures after a certain amount to other carriers. What is currently great about Sprint is that they are not doing that...their unlimited is truly unlimited even to other carriers.

I hope the conversations of there being an additional charge in the future are inaccurate?

[Jaggrey]

Charges are for pic/vid mail to other carriers and not regular text messages correct? When do those charges go into affect?

[winger]

moaning and groaning so, where is the freaking notification from SPCS - I am looking for a flyer with my next invoice and/or email explaining these NEW types of charges. Hey, a company cannot just start charging for things for which they have not made you aware of, correct???

[Repro]

Our friends on Verizon get charged after so many text messages outside of Verizon.

[ill]

nows a good time for them to leave verizon as i believe some can get out without paying ETF. i read somewhere they are charing some new fee in october and those who wish have like 60 days to cancel service

[Repro]

I have been telling them that, even using the unlimited sms and pictures to other carriers without charge, they need to switch to Sprint. However, if Sprint does start charing for sending to other carriers, that would ruin my sales pitch to them. :(

Since I have not heard anything official, I still can't believe Sprint will start charging to other carriers.

[Jmyeosf]

He meant international roaming as well..

Only domestic roaming

[freeza]

hmm.. isnt it username@pm.sprint.com not sprintpcs.



quite true, i'll try that.


THANKS, that worked........BUT

myusername@sprintpcs.com WONT work....

it sends it to my inbox but i never get a notification on my phone that i got a message.

it used to notify me all the time

[Dale]

Our friends on Verizon get charged after so many text messages outside of Verizon.

If you don't have a text plan with Verizon, you get charged immediately. No such thing as so many messages, then you get charged. It's charge your wallet as soon as you send anything!

[Repro]

Verizon has three plans for text messaging ($5, $10, and $15). Each one adds more messages to other carriers. The descriptions are:

http://www.verizonwireless.com/b2c/store/featurePopup?item=planFirst&featureType=phone&featureId=2108

http://www.verizonwireless.com/b2c/store/featurePopup?item=planFirst&featureType=phone&featureId=2109

http://www.verizonwireless.com/b2c/store/featurePopup?item=planFirst&featureType=phone&featureId=21010

In my opinion, they are way over priced!

[Repro]

The last link in my previous post was incorrect. It is corrected as:

http://www.verizonwireless.com/b2c/store/featurePopup?item=planFirst&featureType=phone&featureId=2110

[CSWORKER]

I know Verizon is charging for sms and pictures after a certain amount to other carriers. What is currently great about Sprint is that they are not doing that...their unlimited is truly unlimited even to other carriers.

I hope the conversations of there being an additional charge in the future are inaccurate?


It used to be unlimited but that is changing, they are going to be charging for tm, vid and pic mail as well now. You can get them free from others but it will cost you to respond to them if they are not with sprint.

[CSWORKER]

If you don't have a text plan with Verizon, you get charged immediately. No such thing as so many messages, then you get charged. It's charge your wallet as soon as you send anything!


I have the 5.00 plan unlimited in pix and txt to verizon and 50 messages to send to other providers.

[CSWORKER]

I have been telling them that, even using the unlimited sms and pictures to other carriers without charge, they need to switch to Sprint. However, if Sprint does start charing for sending to other carriers, that would ruin my sales pitch to them. :(

Since I have not heard anything official, I still can't believe Sprint will start charging to other carriers.


If you work for sprint its in wizard/kms if you dont then you wil eventually hear it or will be notified about it.

[CSWORKER]

moaning and groaning so, where is the freaking notification from SPCS - I am looking for a flyer with my next invoice and/or email explaining these NEW types of charges. Hey, a company cannot just start charging for things for which they have not made you aware of, correct???


It should be in the bills soon , I know verizon post their info on the site when you look under news. I hope sprint sends it in the bills now.

[Repro]

Do you know if the wizard references any plans where it will still be truly unlimited to anyone?

[CSWORKER]

Do you know if the wizard references any plans where it will still be truly unlimited to anyone?


They havent quoted any prices for plan changes as of yet, i bet that its going to change on 9-1 as well. Along with everything else. I thought that was good unlimited no matter to who, I was reading to my friend what it had said in our system about the tm plan not being truly unlimited anymore and he was so pissed. He texts to a lot of non sprint customers.

[CSWORKER]

Do you know if the wizard references any plans where it will still be truly unlimited to anyone?

No it states that if a sprint customer, respond or send messages to another provider its an additional plan. Thats why they probably took the text messages out of the vision plans now and there is a seperate fee for it.

[Repro]

If that does happen, it will be disappointing. That is one thing Sprint had going for them...truly unlimited. Especially if I go back and tell my Verizon buddies about it. :(

Worse case, I hope they don't charge per incident. They should make a truly unlimited plan (and grandfather the existing ones into it). :)

[fl00d_pr0z]

I can't seem to get it to work either, I'm roaming on US Cellular.

[jctim]

That would suck. I use SMS alot to my friends on other carriers. It would be cool if they let those that were grandfathered in the old vision plan (the one that says "unlimited wireless web messages") to stay truly unlimited. But I'm sure that won't happen.

[Masterloc]

how do you SMS while roaming? my MM535 won't let me send. (i've tried it.. just puts it in queue until it gets a PCS signal, this was with analog roam tho)

[ctnchrisw]

Are you sure its not gonna be like verizon's "IN" thing and then an unlimited?

[ill]

quite true, i'll try that.


THANKS, that worked........BUT

myusername@sprintpcs.com WONT work....

it sends it to my inbox but i never get a notification on my phone that i got a message.

it used to notify me all the time


i'm never notified either, kinda glad.. it's always spam anyway. also, i'm pretty sure if you send a picture from an e-mail that is user@aol.com or user@yahoo.com send it as an attachment, don't just insert in the body of the e-mail and you can receive it fine in your picturemail. i know this works from user@aol.com to user@pm.sprint.com

[jh101_7]

quite true, i'll try that.


THANKS, that worked........BUT

myusername@sprintpcs.com WONT work....

it sends it to my inbox but i never get a notification on my phone that i got a message.

it used to notify me all the time

did you set it up in your prefs to notify your phone?

[jh101_7]

Do you need an update before you can send sms while roaming? I cannot send sms while on US Cell or Verizon.

[Deval]

No it states that if a sprint customer, respond or send messages to another provider its an additional plan. Thats why they probably took the text messages out of the vision plans now and there is a seperate fee for it.


hmm...when I read wizard, I didnt notice that they would CHARGE for replying...time to eRAS in

[Deval]

Deval, this is not true. I'm roaming on Alltel and Verizon right now and neither will allow me to send my text messages.

Thats what the notice said for us...perhaps its one of those "will work soon" things

[Deval]

btw...I just checked....it doesnt specify that we will have to PAY to send the pictures...I bet it will just come out of the # of messages or something

[CSWORKER]

Do you need an update before you can send sms while roaming? I cannot send sms while on US Cell or Verizon.


its there i had to re read it 4x times , i was a little shocked. It was there yestreday on the front home pae either the first or 2nd link on the page. It was the article where they were talking about how they now text, send pics and vid mail to other providers.

[ctnchrisw]

The handbook was leaked on hofo, it mentions different tiers of messages. This bites.

[Repro]

Do you have any more details about it that can be shared at this time?

[KevC84]

Are you ****ing serious?!?!? We are going to have to pay to send SMS, PM and VM to other carriers?!? That is bs! I hope this isn't true as I use SMS all the time, mostly to other carriers. Are they allowed to make such change out of nowhere? I have unlimited SMS so I hope this doesn't change.

[jctim]

Are you ****ing serious?!?!? We are going to have to pay to send SMS, PM and VM to other carriers?!? That is bs! I hope this isn't true as I use SMS all the time, mostly to other carriers. Are they allowed to make such change out of nowhere? I have unlimited SMS so I hope this doesn't change.

If they are going to make a change then they should do it when your contract expires. That would be unfair if they just changed during your contract term.

[Repro]

Like you, I find it hard to believe they would change it for any existing customers. Since we have yet to see any official writings, I am going to ignore it since it is only speculation.

[donblay]

agreed...i don't think they can change it during a contract. also sprint seems to have a history of grandfathering in older customers. like now i'm already grandfathered to unlimited SMS because to have shortmail (unlimited). i would think the same would apply here.
like you i'll wait and see what happens

[KevC84]

I agree. I was also grandfathered and Sprint has a history of doing that but the only thing you have to watch out for with being grandfathered is that sometimes the slightest change to your plan or account can make you loose any gradfathered service. Bad for people who want to change plans and things like that.

[jaminmc]

Works on Verizon in Charlotte, NC.

[Merlyn_3D]

w00t...worked while forcing my phone to roam on verizon in the bay area. Voice Mail indicator worked too! Now if only sprint didn't hard-code their phones to not even try to get on the wireless web when roaming...

[Devoss]

My phone doesn't even want to try sending SMS when roaming. Do I need to wait for an upgrade or is there some setting I need to change to make this work?

I'd love to have this work as my desk is in a Sprint dead spot at work.

[Merlyn_3D]

My phone doesn't even want to try sending SMS when roaming. Do I need to wait for an upgrade or is there some setting I need to change to make this work?

I'd love to have this work as my desk is in a Sprint dead spot at work.

It is hard coded into some of the phones, so I would imagine the software would need to be modified to accomidate this new feature.

[Jmyeosf]

My phone doesn't even want to try sending SMS when roaming. Do I need to wait for an upgrade or is there some setting I need to change to make this work?

I'd love to have this work as my desk is in a Sprint dead spot at work.

I think it has to be in digital roaming area

[Jmyeosf]

w00t...worked while forcing my phone to roam on verizon in the bay area. Voice Mail indicator worked too! Now if only sprint didn't hard-code their phones to not even try to get on the wireless web when roaming...

I was able to send, but are you able to receive?

[Devoss]

I am digital roaming at my desk and can't seem to send or receive. :(

I've V19 on my phone and took the PRL update last night so I'm up to date on all the upgrades.

[Merlyn_3D]

I was able to send, but are you able to receive?

I was able to send an SMS and receive a VM indicator (which I believe uses SMS or similar). I'll test out an actual SMS in a little bit.

[donblay]

so for sending SMS in a digital roaming area, i have a problem. my 7400 will not even attempt to send an SMS if i'm in digital roam; it just tells me i'm in roam and tells me it will send when i'm a PCS area.. my friend has a 4050 and i know in the past it would try. so it seems like the software for the 7400 is designed to not send unless it's in PCS; even though now it can send in a roaming area. is there a software update to that forces it to try to send even when in a digtal roam area?

[Merlyn_3D]

so for sending SMS in a digital roaming area, i have a problem. my 7400 will not even attempt to send an SMS if i'm in digital roam; it just tells me i'm in roam and tells me it will send when i'm a PCS area.. my friend has a 4050 and i know in the past it would try. so it seems like the software for the 7400 is designed to not send unless it's in PCS; even though now it can send in a roaming area. is there a software update to that forces it to try to send even when in a digtal roam area?

It might be a good idea to compile a list of phones that will try to send while roaming....for future reference.

[testing1707]

I currently have unlimited SMS for $5. Are you serious that Sprint is going to charge us to send SMS, PIC, and Video to different carriers? Can anyone provide all the SU members where you found this information?

[Moogle]

That would suck. I use SMS alot to my friends on other carriers. It would be cool if they let those that were grandfathered in the old vision plan (the one that says "unlimited wireless web messages") to stay truly unlimited. But I'm sure that won't happen.

Well, if they don't... It'll give me more incentive to switch.

One of the reasons I've put up with Sprint's BS (and lack of bluetooth phones) is because I have a great plan that works for me (the coverage can be spotty at times... )

If they remove my unlimited vision or unlimited sms, it will give me a very large incentive to investigate other carriers (ala Verizon.) Anyway, most people I know are on Verizon... So I would be able to text them for free anyway.

[PCSGuyMD]

so for sending SMS in a digital roaming area, i have a problem. my 7400 will not even attempt to send an SMS if i'm in digital roam; it just tells me i'm in roam and tells me it will send when i'm a PCS area.. my friend has a 4050 and i know in the past it would try. so it seems like the software for the 7400 is designed to not send unless it's in PCS; even though now it can send in a roaming area. is there a software update to that forces it to try to send even when in a digtal roam area?

I'm near Phoenix, AZ area right now, roaming on Verizon Wireless. I can receive SMS messages fine while in digital roam on Verizon using my Sanyo VM4500/SCP-5500, but as soon as I try to send an SMS, the phone immediately says the service is not available. Possibly an issue with Sanyo phones?

[Masterloc]

I've just checked my account via web and have an additional usage on wireless web messages. . .i guess we get charged for using roaming sms?

[Donovan]

I'll be more than slightly pissed if Sprint decided that sending SMS and PM to other carriers will be an extra charge and/or you have to have a separate package to do so. When I read "unlimited SMS" and "unlimited PM" that means to me unlimited with no restrictions. Most the people I send SMS or PM to are on other carriers and I will not pay extra to send to them, instead I'll find another carrier. I'm becoming less and less loyal to carriers as they pull this nickel and diming the hell out of their customers BS.

[jctim]

I gotta admit as well that the unlimited SMS is one of the main reasons that I've stayed with Sprint. Although I have a retention AT minute plan, I'd seriously consider leaving if they were to start charging SMS to other carriers. I don't use my AT minutes very much anyway and a majority of my friends are on Cingular. Hopefully things will turn out OK and they won't charge people who have been with Sprint for a long time.

[cliffr39]

I'll be more than slightly pissed if Sprint decided that sending SMS and PM to other carriers will be an extra charge and/or you have to have a separate package to do so. When I read "unlimited SMS" and "unlimited PM" that means to me unlimited with no restrictions. Most the people I send SMS or PM to are on other carriers and I will not pay extra to send to them, instead I'll find another carrier. I'm becoming less and less loyal to carriers as they pull this nickel and diming the hell out of their customers BS.

I agree, wouldn't that be a change of contract (its wrote on my contract for unlimited SMS, not unlimited to SPCS) ? I would switch to another provider also (local provider, less nickle and diming)

[landale]

I think people are overreacting a bit here. Yes it does look like Sprint is going to change their text messaging packages next month but as we have seen time and time again with sprint these sort of changes do not effect customers who have older plans. Meaning anyone with unlimited texts now should still have unlimited texts after September 2nd.

What this thread was originally about was that Sprint is starting to negotiate roaming deals with other carriers to let us use SMS and MMS while roaming on other networks. This is something in that past we were not able to do and I wonder how sprint will handle this as you cannot control on phones whether or not to accept text messages when you are roaming. I certainly would not want to be charged 10 cents or whatever to receive a text message while roaming when in most cases I would be back on the Sprint network in 10 minutes where it wouldn't cost me anything.

[cliffr39]

I think people are overreacting a bit here. Yes it does look like Sprint is going to change their text messaging packages next month but as we have seen time and time again with sprint these sort of changes do not effect customers who have older plans. Meaning anyone with unlimited texts now should still have unlimited texts after September 2nd.

What this thread was originally about was that Sprint is starting to negotiate roaming deals with other carriers to let us use SMS and MMS while roaming on other networks. This is something in that past we were not able to do and I wonder how sprint will handle this as you cannot control on phones whether or not to accept text messages when you are roaming. I certainly would not want to be charged 10 cents or whatever to receive a text message while roaming when in most cases I would be back on the Sprint network in 10 minutes where it wouldn't cost me anything.

*Should* is the key word here, they should allow you to keep your current plan as is without change...but we all know all carriers change many things in the terms of service.

I wonder though how they will work with the phones that do not allow SMS while roaming (new Sanyo's I know, I'm sure more). Sometimes I can receive while roaming but can't at all send, it just queues it for later when back in Sprint coverage.

[mjohns2]

Ok, I have a stupid question, only because I never (rarely) roam.

A. Would we be charged 10 cents or whatever to send a text message while roaming to someone on a different carrier?
or
B. Everyone would be charged 10 cents or whatever to send a text message to another carrier?

[landale]

Ok, I have a stupid question, only because I never (rarely) roam.

A. Would we be charged 10 cents or whatever to send a text message while roaming to someone on a different carrier?
or
B. Everyone would be charged 10 cents or whatever to send a text message to another carrier?

A: If you are roaming and sening a text it us unknown if you will be charged and how much it will be regardless of which carrier you send it to Sprint, Cingular, etc..

B: What is for certain is that if you are on the Sprint network and have a text package you will use what is in your text package when sending a text regardless of what carrier they have. You would only be charged extra if you go over your included texts.

Everyone here seems to be mixing things up as there are really two different discussions on here. One is getting charged for sending/receiving texts while roaming and the other is getting charged extra for sending/receiving texts to another carrier while on the sprint network. While the answer to the first part is unknown as this is a new feature, the second part will probably only effect customers with the new text packages starting September 2nd as it seems the new packages will go the Verizon route with free sprint to sprint texts and then a small bundle to use for other carriers. However at this point as far as we know if you have unlimited texts now to everyone you should still have unlimited texts to everyone after this date and there will be no extra charges while doing this on the sprint network. Hope this clears things up.

[Deval]

A: If you are roaming and sening a text it us unknown if you will be charged and how much it will be regardless of which carrier you send it to Sprint, Cingular, etc..

B: What is for certain is that if you are on the Sprint network and have a text package you will use what is in your text package when sending a text regardless of what carrier they have. You would only be charged extra if you go over your included texts.

Everyone here seems to be mixing things up as there are really two different discussions on here. One is getting charged for sending/receiving texts while roaming and the other is getting charged extra for sending/receiving texts to another carrier while on the sprint network. While the answer to the first part is unknown as this is a new feature, the second part will probably only effect customers with the new text packages starting September 2nd as it seems the new packages will go the Verizon route with free sprint to sprint texts and then a small bundle to use for other carriers. However at this point as far as we know if you have unlimited texts now to everyone you should still have unlimited texts to everyone after this date and there will be no extra charges while doing this on the sprint network. Hope this clears things up.

I wonder exactly how this will work out

[donblay]

It might be a good idea to compile a list of phones that will try to send while roaming....for future reference.
i agree. so for the record:
Sanyo 7400 - Will NOT attempt to send in digital roam.
Thoshiba 4050 - Will attempt to send in digital roam.


lets add to this.

[donblay]

I'm near Phoenix, AZ area right now, roaming on Verizon Wireless. I can receive SMS messages fine while in digital roam on Verizon using my Sanyo VM4500/SCP-5500, but as soon as I try to send an SMS, the phone immediately says the service is not available. Possibly an issue with Sanyo phones?
yeah, it looks like the sanyo's are programmed to not even try; possibly a "user-friendly" feature, they probably thought it would be less confusing to the user than "failing"

[ready4URlink]

Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/4.0 (MobilePhone SCP-5500/US/1.0) NetFront/3.0 MMP/2.0)

There's One Of Sanyo's Clumsy Moments Again. So, Will There Be A Software/firmware Upgrade Available?

[landale]

i agree. so for the record:
Sanyo 7400 - Will NOT attempt to send in digital roam.
Thoshiba 4050 - Will attempt to send in digital roam.


lets add to this.

Well if Sprint charges extra to send/receive texts while roaming I have to say I am quite happy with my sanyo doing that as I got unlimited texts so I wouldn't have any extra text charges. Now if they have no extra fee then sprint better get me an update to my phone so I can take advantage. ;)

[ready4URlink]

I called SPCS today inquiring about some things...and they're up to something....something sneaky, I cant even check my usage of anykind (txt msg, anytime min, bla bla) and the lady says that she "thinks" those who have the existing txt messages attached with the unlimited vision plan (10bucks) should be grandfathered in. She mentioned that Nextel and Sprint will officially merge that day (09-01-05)...so I don't know what's going on...but it can't be too good for the existing long-term hard-core suscribers like ourselves... holla

[hotnspicychic03]

I called SPCS today inquiring about some things...and they're up to something....something sneaky, I cant even check my usage of anykind (txt msg, anytime min, bla bla) and the lady says that she "thinks" those who have the existing txt messages attached with the unlimited vision plan (10bucks) should be grandfathered in. She mentioned that Nextel and Sprint will officially merge that day (09-01-05)...so I don't know what's going on...but it can't be too good for the existing long-term hard-core suscribers like ourselves... holla

Well that kinda sucks, but its all about the money nowadays, so they may try to match up with these other nationwide carriers... Ill hold on 2 my vision pics+untld text and nights at 5 for dear life...

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