Why do some users still use mms when there are so many apps for the same work?

[Chintan Gohel]

I've had a hard time understanding why some users still insist on using mms with all it's issues like mms settings, apn settings, payment plans etc when there are so many others better alternatives out there like whatsapp, viber, skype etc.

I've never used mms in the 7 years I've had an internet enabled phone, never received an mms and I've never seen anyone sending or receiving it

So why the insistence on mms when it is plain to see it's an older technology compared with what is newer?

I've thought of some reasons but I would like to hear what others have to say before making my own conclusions

 

[anthonyng]

In NA, a lot of plans still do unlimited sms, mms and it doesn't affect your data cap.

 

[realwarder]

- Because it is universal
- 99.99% of people never play with APN settings as phones just coming with working MMS
- App notifications are sometimes unreliable. SMS/MMS just works

 

[sinime]

My only reason is that it's somewhat universal, it's free (or rather unlimited texts are included in my ATT plan) Everyone I know uses MMS/SMS... Of those, some have iMessage, fewer have/use Skype, and the rest only use MMS/SMS. Granted most of them are on FB and could use FB messenger, but I'm not crazy on how well it runs... Although this could be an age thing with me. All my friends are 35+, so we all started using MMS when it first came out and have just continued to use it.

 

[speccy]

Some people don't want to share all their private messages with Facebook, I don't want to either, but WhatsApp is so useful and everyone I know uses it, and therefore so do I. I'm pretty sure that although I have unlimited SMS text messages and 4GB of data allowance each month, I have to pay to receive MMS messages.

 

[Laura Knotek]

I believe MMS is popular since it works on any phone. There is no need to ask family/friends to install specific apps or to check and find out who has what app installed. As long as you know their phone numbers, you can send them MMS.

 

[Guytronic]

I use SMS/MMS quite a bit because most of the people I communicate with have a grasp on it as a basic phone feature.
Many of the alternatives just would never be understood, used or downloaded by the people in my circle.

Keep in mind that I'm in my sixties and that's a very dis-interested non geek age element.

 

[RumoredNow]

Habit?

Universal acceptance?

It's right there when I tap a photo in the gallery , then tap share...


I'm Old, dude at least I'm trying. :winktongue:

 

[Scienceguy Labs]

I use telepathy to send my messages.

 

[Guytronic]

I use telepathy to send my messages.

Lol...
Figures knowing you!
What am I thinking right now

 

[xandros9]

Also useful as a standard for group messages.

 

[Scienceguy Labs]

Lol...
Figures knowing you!
What am I thinking right now

I never said that anyone received them. Lol

 

[Chintan Gohel]

Is mms really that common worldwide? Or are most of your from the North American continent?

 

[Chintan Gohel]

Wasn't Brazil in the news some time back for blocking whatsapp because telcoms were receiving no revenue? Very few were using calls or sms because apps were taking the lion's share

 

[tgp]

Is mms really that common worldwide? Or are most of your from the North American continent?

I would imagine that most of a person's contacts/friends are from the same country. As others have said, in the United States SMS and MMS are free (included) and unlimited on most plans. It costs nothing to send and receive, and there is no limit. They do not go against your data cap, which can add up if you send MMS a lot with a messaging service using data.

Old fashioned texting seems to be mostly used in North America anymore. This is probably because we haven't looked for alternatives because this doesn't cost anything extra. We also do not deal with roaming (well, a5cent, very seldom anyway :wink: ) since our country is so large. Many carriers now include the US, Canada, and sometimes Mexico as home area on a lot of their plans.

 

[Pete]

I have no idea which of my friends/family are using what messaging solution (most of them, myself included don't use any). So me sending a Whatsapp message to my mother will only end up confusing her.

It's a lot easier to use MMS - or even easier, email.

 

[Chintan Gohel]

I would imagine that most of a person's contacts/friends are from the same country. As others have said, in the United States SMS and MMS are free (included) and unlimited on most plans. It costs nothing to send and receive, and there is no limit. They do not go against your data cap, which can add up if you send MMS a lot with a messaging service using data.

Old fashioned texting seems to be mostly used in North America anymore. This is probably because we haven't looked for alternatives because this doesn't cost anything extra. We also do not deal with roaming (well, a5cent, very seldom anyway :wink: ) since our country is so large. Many carriers now include the US, Canada, and sometimes Mexico as home area on a lot of their plans.

I have no idea which of my friends/family are using what messaging solution (most of them, myself included don't use any). So me sending a Whatsapp message to my mother will only end up confusing her.

It's a lot easier to use MMS - or even easier, email.

you're right, both of you. So it's more of a good situation that has kept mms popular - unlimited data or voice or sms plans really don't exist here - so progress is made where the situation is restricted

 

[tgp]

So it's more of a good situation that has kept mms popular - unlimited data or voice or sms plans really don't exist here - so progress is made where the situation is restricted

Pretty much this. There's a saying, "Necessity is the mother of invention." :smile:

The mobile situation is better in a lot of ways outside North America, but our system does have a couple advantages!

 

[Chintan Gohel]

I wonder which country has the best package overall - maybe we can do a research or poll :winktongue:

 

[realwarder]

I wonder which country has the best package overall - maybe we can do a research or poll :winktongue:

UK has always seemed silly cheap to me.