Alternatives to Group Messaging on Verizon

[toddro6]

Alright, so I have been scanning this forum for a while, and it seems everyone has different opinions on how to work around the issue of not having group texting on the 8x Verizon phones. I am coming from using a Blackberry, so I never had to think about it before now.

Here is my problem: My friends don't want to come to my Room. Basically, I don't want to inconvenience someone by inviting them to use an app when their iPhones have a legit group messaging service. Is there an app that uses my current phone number? I have seen a couple options like GroupMe and a couple others, but I think I would have had to send them a new phone number to use only for texting. Is this right or am I reading the app wrong? How do I make this easy?

 

[inteller]

yes, get rid of Verizon.

 

[toddro6]

not going to happen since I upped my contract when I upgraded my phone.

 

[SomethingSomethingDarkSide]

We're stuck for now I'm afraid, beyond badgering tech sites to follow up with vzw

 

[willied]

Use GroupMe.

 

[philpeeps]

Use GroupMe.

but then, doesn't everyone else need to use it as well, forcing friends with working services to switch just for you?

 

[gapost]

Let me ask this because I keep seeing this issue of group texting. When my family group texts me on an iphone, it sends the text or picture to everyone, and then when they reply, the reply comes back to everyone in the group. (I hate that, btw.) Is that what people want, or are people just wanting to send a text to a bunch of people and then get individual replies? Because you can just set up a group and then send an email or text to the whole group. Of course, when someone replies, it won't go to all the recipients.

 

[philpeeps]

They want the replies to stay grouped, so replies go to all receipients. Think of it as "reply all" in email. It is great for coordinating via SMS.

 

[toddro6]

Let me ask this because I keep seeing this issue of group texting. When my family group texts me on an iphone, it sends the text or picture to everyone, and then when they reply, the reply comes back to everyone in the group. (I hate that, btw.) Is that what people want, or are people just wanting to send a text to a bunch of people and then get individual replies? Because you can just set up a group and then send an email or text to the whole group. Of course, when someone replies, it won't go to all the recipients.

the former.

Like I said, I have looked at these other apps, but they all ask that my friends go out of their way, which not everyone is comfortable with. Is there an app that relates to my own phone number, but routes it through a MMS system?

Reason I am really asking is because of an article written on Gizmodo that makes it sound like nothing is ever going to be fixed...and Rooms are no bueno.

The Future of Texting Is a Mess

 

[willied]

As far as I can tell, you're out of luck. Maybe Verizon will change their minds in an update if enough people complain.

 

[toddro6]

Seems that way for the time being. I hope Verizon sees the error in the way and makes the correction if enough people complain. I think I will be able to get by without it for the time being.

 

[jdballard]

What I don't get is that WP7 had this...I don't get the reasoning for removing it in WP8. Do their Android phones not support this either? Or is it something specific to MS?

 

[Daniel Ratcliffe]

Unfortunately your only option is to pick up a trophy and use that from what I can tell. Either change phones or change carriers. If you can't do either, you're SOL.