no group text/sms option on htc 8x verizon, any info on this?

[jkelek]

this is something I use on a day to day and am not seeing the option there that was in wp7 under messaging/text options. I saw post where someone had a screenshot of their 920 and the option is there. was wondering if anyone had any insight on this as to why the htc 8x or wp8 may not have this setting this time around...

 

[markk132]

this would be a deal breaker if this is true. i set up my mom's lumia 822 yesterday and can't remember if i saw this option. i did test this very feature on a lumia 920 in an AT&T store and can confirm that group chats definitely work perfectly on that phone.

 

[fwaits]

Yeah there is another thread going around on this and it's not a WP8 issue, like you said, my Lumia 920 (and others) have it. Not sure why Verizon would not since my previous Trophy had it on WP7.x.

 

[markk132]

this is something I use on a day to day and am not seeing the option there that was in wp7 under messaging/text options. I saw post where someone had a screenshot of their 920 and the option is there. was wondering if anyone had any insight on this as to why the htc 8x or wp8 may not have this setting this time around...

did you actually test it out to see if it works? maybe group texts work normally but you just have no option to turn it off...

 

[anjan84]

Hey I just bought the htc 8x yesterday on Verizon and can confirm it does not have group text. This is a big deal for me and didn't think would be an issue bc I figured since my almost 2 year old trophy had it, why wouldn't the htc 8x. Does anyone know of any apps that allow group texting for wp?

Thanks

 

[corn_chowder]

If you create a group in the people hub I believe you can text/email all members of that group simultaneously provided they have a number.

 

[anjan84]

That's true but when they text back its not threaded and they come in as individual text

 

[slick5150]

Yeah, there's a thread here about it:
http://forums.windowscentral.com/wi...what-happened-group-messaging-mms-option.html

This is a deal breaker for me too if this isn't fixed. Does anybody know if the AT&T 8X has the option, or the Verizon Lumia 822 for that matter? I'd like to know whether this is a Verizon or an HTC screwup. But I'll be returning the phone if this isn't something that can be addressed.

 

[jkelek]

this is a true statement, 8x Verizon.

 

[Coolknight1968]

Now there are groups and rooms. I think you create a room and invite people in it, I have not tested this feature.
Has anyone played with rooms?

 

[slick5150]

Now there are groups and rooms. I think you create a room and invite people in it, I have not tested this feature.
Has anyone played with rooms?

You can send multiple texts that way, but the replies you'll get will come individually since there's no group MMS feature enabled on the phone.

 

[Coolknight1968]

That on Verizon?

 

[Agpe17]

I also have an 8x, got it yesterday, and I'm REAL disappointed in this. How could Verizon lock this out?

If anyone is on Twitter (I'm not), shoot @joebelfiore a tweet about this. He answers customer questions about features all the time. (Joe Belfiore is the head of OS at Windows Phone)

 

[markk132]

I also have an 8x, got it yesterday, and I'm REAL disappointed in this. How could Verizon lock this out?

If anyone is on Twitter (I'm not), shoot @joebelfiore a tweet about this. He answers customer questions about features all the time. (Joe Belfiore is the head of OS at Windows Phone)

i just tweeted at him. we all should, the more the better.

 

[Agpe17]

Post back for his reply!

 

[markk132]

i will if i get one. this is exactly what i said...

"no group messaging on Verizon WP8 phones?!?! Gotta be kidding me, tell me its a mistake! Deal breaker for sure if not fixable"

made sure i included the words deal breaker, surely MS doesn't want to miss out on any sales

 

[cckgz4]

Oh Verizon sucks


Sent from something uhmayzing using my pinkie

 

[slick5150]

i will if i get one. this is exactly what i said...

"no group messaging on Verizon WP8 phones?!?! Gotta be kidding me, tell me its a mistake! Deal breaker for sure if not fixable"

made sure i included the words deal breaker, surely MS doesn't want to miss out on any sales

In addition to tweeting Joe Bellifore, you can also tweet @benthepcguy - He's the Windows Phone ambassador that does all the Windows Phone challenge commercials. He's fairly responsive on Twitter as well so is worth including in the tweet efforts.

 

[slick5150]

I talked to a Tier 2 rep from Verizon today. She thought it must be a decision by HTC to remove the feature (despite the fact that it's missing from the Lumia as well). So we got an HTC support person on the line and he tried to tell me how to turn group messaging on, and I told him that's the problem, the option is missing. He sounded confused, then put both of us on hold, then came back and said that the software team said that Verizon had flagged group messaging as a "feature block" for them which means they are told to block it from the firmware when submitting it to Verizon.

The Verizon rep seemed surprised by this and couldn't understand why Verizon would have done that. She said she'd try to find out more and call me back in a few days, though she didn't sound very confident of getting an answer.

So, we're still in this weird situation in which Verizon has clearly told both HTC and Nokia to block the feature, though nobody seems to have any clue as to why.

I'll still be returning my phone within the 14 day window unless we get a clear explanation from Verizon as to why this happened and that it'll be remedied soon.

 

[slick5150]

Well, another update. Tech support did call me back and the "official response" from Verizon is that "Windows Phone does not support the group messaging feature and isn't something Verizon can offer."

Obviously, that's complete BS since the feature DOES exist in WP7 & WP8 on every other carrier, and also exists on Verizon's own WP7 device the HTC Trophy.

I really wish the WPCentral staff would keep following up on this. This is a major carrier intentionally crippling a feature on their WP lineup and is refusing to acknowledge a real reason as to why. Tech support is obviously clueless about it so it'd be nice to get their PR department involved.

As it stands though, I'll be taking my 8X back this week and switching to something else as it's simply not a function I can do without.