Cannot receive MMS from non-Signal users on T-Mobile (US)

cberzan commented 4 years ago

[x] I have searched open and closed issues for duplicates
[x] I am submitting a bug report for existing functionality that does not work as intended
[x] I have read https://github.com/signalapp/Signal-Android/wiki/Submitting-useful-bug-reports
[x] This isn't a feature request or a discussion topic

Bug description

After the Android 10 update, I have been unable to receive MMS messages from non-Signal users. Signal is showing "Error downloading MMS message, tap to retry". Retrying does not help. Enabling or disabling 'WiFi Calling' compatibility mode does not help. Rebooting does not help.

Similar issues: #8571 (general), #9275 (Verizon), #9173 (AT&T). Unfortunately this is still broken for T-Mobile users :(

Steps to reproduce

Send an MMS to my phone number using https://www.twilio.com/mms
See "Error downloading MMS message" on my phone
Tap to retry; still doesn't work

Actual result: Cannot download the MMS message, even with retries. Expected result: I should be able to see the MMS that was sent.

Device info

Device: HMD Global Nokia 6.1 (model TA-1045) Android version: 10 (patch level Feb 1, 2020) Signal version: 4.57.1

Link to debug log

https://debuglogs.org/12cc71592717d56311a08d7aa68042fb4c5b39628c3b7980c65bdef317178349

The debug log does show some MMS-related errors.

Thanks for looking into this!

cberzan commented 4 years ago

I've been using Signal since 2012, and recommending it to all my friends. Today I had to abandon it and switch back to the default Android SMS app. MMS has been broken since January, and I've missed important messages over and over again. What's the point of all the cool privacy features if your users can't use a basic feature like MMS? Very disappointed in the lack of response from the project.

UserX404 commented 4 years ago

I had similar issues in the past and figured out there is someting wrong with the APN usage. Have you tried to play around with the apn setting? Especially with the default flag? In my case i was notified of a pending mms but couldn't download them or couldn't send them.

cberzan commented 4 years ago

Thanks for the tip!!! It seems like my APN settings got messed up during the Android 10 update. I reset the APN settings as described here (https://www.t-mobile.com/support/devices/not-sold-by-t-mobile/byod-t-mobile-data-and-apn-settings) and now MMS appears to work again. Woohoo!

It would be great to add a note about checking APN settings on the Signal MMS troubleshooting page (https://support.signal.org/hc/en-us/articles/360007320211-MMS-Troubleshooting). What is the best way to ask for that? Should I open a separate bug on github, or submit a support request outside github?

sgreene820 commented 3 years ago

I used Ting, which uses Tmobile towers, and have had the same issue. Using Tings recommended APN strings doesn't help. Phone is a Samsung Galaxy A71, international version (SM-A715F) using stock Android 10.

seniorm0ment commented 3 years ago

Have encountered this issue on Tmobile for over a year now, APN settings are as suggested, I've posted in other threads. We have so many people with the same issue on major carriers, I don't get it. I don't want to resort to using an external app just for SMS/MMS or else quite honestly I'd probably just drop Signal and use XMPP in that case. SMS/MMS is a major feature for me. SMS always comes through fine, but I consistently have issues with MMS.

brokenalarms commented 2 years ago

I was frustrated by this same issue after switching to Android 12 (and sometimes just besides). It turns out the T-Mobile APN default settings as provided from the SIM actually miss one of the fields that they say are in the default settings here.. https://www.t-mobile.com/support/devices/not-sold-by-t-mobile/byod-t-mobile-data-and-apn-settings

Namely, the APN Type field. The settings are identical except they're missing this field! You'll have to create a new custom settings with this option also in there. Set it to : default,supl,mms for standard android or choose Internet+MMS radio button for Samsung.

MMS now works in group chats started by iOS users :)

seniorm0ment commented 2 years ago

Mine was already using default,mms,supl,xcap and I encounter the issue still. (Tmobile)

jwhendy commented 2 years ago

@brokenalarms like @seniorm0ment I also have this field (also populated with default,mms,xcap,supl) and the issue persists. This is on a Samsung S8 with Sprint.

brokenalarms commented 2 years ago

Hmm maybe it's just the fact of creating new settings that reset something stuck?

I do still experience group texts getting sent separately as an MMS, which I then have to press to download, which then get reintegrated back into the main chat after download, which is pretty annoying.

jwhendy commented 2 years ago

@brokenalarms ah, I admit I came here from the thread you linked and did not study this issue in detail. This is the behavior I experience as well, with the caveat that if I'm on wifi, I see the MMS alert in the thread for the individual, but trying to download never succeeds. If I switch to mobile data, I can press download and then the notification will pop into the group thread.

So my issue is better put as: "signal a) gets faked out by group texts, treating them like a pic from the individual, and b) cannot download/resolve these messages while on wifi, but only on mobile data."

jerryyhom commented 2 years ago

Just commenting on @brokenalarms issue above, the APN Type entry is important. A blank entry would probably mean your phone does not establish a data connection, but the hardware may have fallback cases to ensure minimum connectivity.

As for the actual entry, from my internet research and experience, seems like "default" should be the nominal entry - the other options are redundant and unnecessary - I have been using just "default" for about 6 months now. If my phone has a data connection problem, the cause is due to cellular signal strength; otherwise, it has been fine. You can test the other options for yourself. From the sparse information I found on the internet, my understanding is that the options were important on older cellular networks, but current networks assume most phones now support full functionality. Not a big deal, but one thing less to worry about.

brokenalarms commented 2 years ago

Welp, adding the new profile fixed it for me. As I say, maybe it wasn't the type field specifically but maybe the act of switching or using a new one that helped.

On Fri, Nov 5, 2021, 9:39 PM Jerry @.***> wrote:

Just commenting on @brokenalarms https://github.com/brokenalarms issue above, the APN Type entry is important. A blank entry would probably mean your phone does not establish a data connection, but the hardware may have fallback cases to ensure minimum connectivity.

As for the actual entry, from my internet research and experience, seems like "default" should be the nominal entry - the other options are redundant and unnecessary - I have been using just "default" for about 6 months now. If my phone has a data connection problem, the cause is due to cellular signal strength; otherwise, it has been fine. You can test the other options for yourself. From the sparse information I found on the internet, my understanding is that the options were important on older cellular networks, but current networks assume most phones now support full functionality. Not a big deal, but one thing less to worry about.

— You are receiving this because you were mentioned. Reply to this email directly, view it on GitHub https://github.com/signalapp/Signal-Android/issues/9490#issuecomment-962393520, or unsubscribe https://github.com/notifications/unsubscribe-auth/ABYLYCTGX4PEWQFN6VTP2ALUKS5QLANCNFSM4LQYYVZQ . Triage notifications on the go with GitHub Mobile for iOS https://apps.apple.com/app/apple-store/id1477376905?ct=notification-email&mt=8&pt=524675 or Android https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.github.android&referrer=utm_campaign%3Dnotification-email%26utm_medium%3Demail%26utm_source%3Dgithub.

seniorm0ment commented 2 years ago

I had tried adding a custom profile on multiple occasions and it did not fix it for me.

stale[bot] commented 2 years ago

Is this still relevant? If so, what is blocking it? Is there anything you can do to help move it forward?

This issue has been automatically marked as stale because it has not had recent activity. It will be closed if no further activity occurs.

seniorm0ment commented 2 years ago

relevant

psully commented 2 years ago

I also got this problem as soon as my phone upgraded to Android 12. Samsung Galaxy S10+. My carrier, however, is on Verizon. I went through a lot of troubleshooting with them, but when I disabled Signal as my default messages app, my MMS messages started showing up. So this is clearly a Signal issue and not a carrier issue.

stale[bot] commented 2 years ago

This issue has been automatically marked as stale because it has not had recent activity. It will be closed if no further activity occurs. Thank you for your contributions.

jwhendy commented 2 years ago

Waves hands. Loud noises. Demonstrates further activity.

stale[bot] commented 2 years ago

This issue has been automatically marked as stale because it has not had recent activity. It will be closed if no further activity occurs. Thank you for your contributions.

seniorm0ment commented 2 years ago

relevant

VelocityDesign commented 1 year ago

Won't this issue be irrelevant due to the removal of SMS support within signal itself?

jwhendy commented 1 year ago

@VelocityDesign yes, it would seem so. That said, I can't tell the difference between relevant vs irrelevant with respect to dev attention/progress.

VelocityDesign commented 1 year ago

@VelocityDesign yes, it would seem so. That said, I can't tell the difference between relevant vs irrelevant with respect to dev attention/progress.

I meant, rather, that it could be closed.

jwhendy commented 1 year ago

And I agree, also choosing to add that the history this bug experienced is a bummer, and it might as well have been closed even when it was relevant.

signalapp / Signal-Android