This dog wont text.

[CoyoteChris]

About 3 years ago, when I set up my new BYOP LG G3 ATT on TF, wonderful forum members helped me set it up as far as the APN string.
Suddenly, my fone refuses to text or to recieve texts. The one excepting in the last three days was a MMS text.
It LOOKS like the texts go out, but no one gets anything, and I dont receive theirs.
Though I dont have much signal out here in the boondocks, it looks like my data works.
The phone does wifi and calling just fine.

I took notes 3 years ago and it seems like my APN string was scrambled at this time.
I made another one (I now have four). No workie.

Here are my notes. Maybe I need to start from scratch or am I looking at the wrong place in the phone?
During updates, the APN codes might get compromised…this is how you get the info to change them.

First, you have to get to the codes…they are not exactly like the below procedure says.
Settings>tethering and network>mobile network>access point names
Use menu button to create new one
(alternate code just below)
Should try using the tfdata APN. add this APN rather than edit your current one.

Name
Tracfone
APN
tfdata
MMSC
http://mms-tf.net
MMS Proxy
mms3.tracfone.com
MCC
310
MNC
410
APN Type
default,supl,mms
APN Protocol
IPv4

Make sure to tap menu and save.
I originally had the re seller APN and I would get intermittent LTE and this APN fixed my issue. Some have reported needing to do an APN reset to defaults (deleting all APN that are not grayed out) before adding the new one and then doing a restart. On my phone, I just type in the new one, save and select it, and cycle "Airplane" mode off/on.
Over the web APN reset?
My BYOP LG G3 wont receive MMS texts. I checked the APNs and they dont seem correct so I got out my cheat sheet and made a new APN and put in what I think are the right codes according to someone's post. I only have one bar if that out here on
ATT so I will wait to get to town to try it. BUT, meanwhile I went to tracfone, put in my telco number and "LG generic" and lo and behold they sent me over wifi yet another APN set called "ATT Nextgenphone".

Sone high lights are:
MMSC http://mmsc.mobile.att.net
MMS proxy proxy.mobile.att.net
MMS Port 80
MCC 310
MNC 410
APN type default,mms,supl,hipri,fota

I will go to town later and check it out where I have signal. My TF Rebel 3 on Verizon seems to work normally.
QUESTION: Do these over the wifi reprograms work and does anyone jump off a cliff over APN codes?
Went to TF and put in my telco number and clicked on APN, got sent new APN but they told me to change the last of the string to what is now here. 8-1-18
Name Reseller
APN Reseller
MMSC http://mmsc.mobile.att.net
MMS Proxy proxy.mobile.att.net
MMS port 80
MCC 310
MNC 410
Authentication type PAP
APN Type default,mms,supl
HP ham says The APN name "Reseller" is not important, you can call it BOBSUNCLE if you want, but it must be the same on both lines. The MMSC, MMS proxy, port numbers must be exact. The APN Type varies, default is the most important one, the additional parameters like mms, supl, hipri, fota are just there in case default doesn't work.

 

[Boz1]

This dog wont text.

Well, I was GOING to say that I text my dog every day at lunch, and HE doesn't text back...but I see now that this isn't relevant...

[Lisme]

I have BYOP AT&T and this is what I have:

[CoyoteChris]

Well, I was GOING to say that I text my dog every day at lunch, and HE doesn't text back...but I see now that this isn't relevant...

Yeah, well, that is what I do but she wants a video conference.

[CoyoteChris]

I have BYOP AT&T and this is what I have:

Thanks! I will try it.

[CoyoteChris]

OK, Lisme, I tried it and so far no luck. I can change my settings as far down as "APN" type but I dont have anyplace to enter the rest. I saved it, turned on airplane mode off and on, rebooted fone and the setting are as you gave me but no joy.

[Lisme]

I am wondering if the APN has anything to do with SMS texting anyway. The APN is needed for data things such as MMS. Unless I am mistaken.

So the SMS texting issue is something else. I believe that SMS uses the phone call system, not the data system. If your phone calls are working, the SMS should work. There are phone plans that are calls and text only, no data.

Make sure you are sending SMS and not MMS.

No clue.

[cv91913]

I experienced the same issue with a Samsung Galaxy S4 with a TF/AT&T sim about a year ago. Calls worked fine, data and mms worked as well. The problem seemed to be only sms and it worked for years and just stopped.

I did some searching at the time and found that the problem was the S4. It was an unlocked Verizon model and, because of some changes that AT&T made, my phone did not have the correct bands required for sms. Never did get a good answer. If I put a TF/VERIZON sim in the phone, sms worked fine. I just got a new phone.

[Lisme]

Makes sense.

[CoyoteChris]

I experienced the same issue with a Samsung Galaxy S4 with a TF/AT&T sim about a year ago. Calls worked fine, data and mms worked as well. The problem seemed to be only sms and it worked for years and just stopped.

I did some searching at the time and found that the problem was the S4. It was an unlocked Verizon model and, because of some changes that AT&T made, my phone did not have the correct bands required for sms. Never did get a good answer. If I put a TF/VERIZON sim in the phone, sms worked fine. I just got a new phone.

Thank you and thanks to Lisme. I believe you are correct in that the APNs have to do more with data, which would explain why when things went dead, I still got a MMS test. It isnt like I am married to this phone. My TF Moto e5 works great on Verizon. My issue is signal coverage in the rural west. Sometimes ATT works and sometimes Verizon works, including at my house.

If you are correct, then it would seem that all the BYOP LG G3 ATT phones would stop working at once for want of a critical band? Was an update done unknown to me that changed something?

If TF forum or TF itself has no ideas, then I think I will go to HSN and get a Moto G6 and say the heck with it.

Does Tracfone even make a phone now for ATT that is anywhere near the specs of an LG G3?

(I just looked through my stock of new TFs and I have a new in box LG Sunset LGL33G in stock I could use till I made up my mind)

[Boz1]

I guess, if all else fails, you could back everything up and do a factory reset.

Then try texting before making any other changes/additions to the phone to see if it works.

[cv91913]

I guess, if all else fails, you could back everything up and do a factory reset.

Then try texting before making any other changes/additions to the phone to see if it works.

A less nuclear option would be to boot into recovery and wipe the cache. I would try that first, it does not blow everything away. If that doesn't help, then go nuclear.

[CoyoteChris]

I guess, if all else fails, you could back everything up and do a factory reset.

Then try texting before making any other changes/additions to the phone to see if it works.

Thanks, but I fixed my problem, or at least identified it.
Senility.
I use pinzoo which keeps track of my "cards" I buy so I can prove this.

I normally buy 90 day cards for my TMFL BYOP sim, right? I am not a guy who uses the phone much anyway....everything just keeps getting bigger every 90 days. Well, I took a trip (I take 9 a year) and ended up using lots of texts...No problem, I thought, before my next 2 trips, I will try one of those new fangled 30 day 500 min, 500 text, 500 meg cards! What could possibly go wrong? So I went on the two trips, came home, and ran out of texts! That cant be! But there it is...a big fat red 0 in the text bucket....how could that be?
The problem is that I would have sworn on a stack of bibles that I added that 500 texts, but Pinzoo shows I never did...
I have never run out of anything and didnt know that TF wouldnt send me an email or something.
So thanks to all for their efforts but the problem was an ancient man with false memories. My appologies.

[Tracfancier]

Sometimes ATT works and sometimes Verizon works, including at my house.
My TF Moto e5 works great on Verizon.
I think I will go to HSN and get a Moto G6 and say the heck with it.

Although you solved your text problem...
Both the E5 and the G6 are DL models and have the radios for inserting an activated TF BYOP AT&T Nano SIM (or T-Mobile) in the pop-out SIM tray. The L33 uses a Micro AT&T SIM, limiting the ability to swap with your E5.
No idea the size of your G3 SIM, for swapping the SIM into either the L33 or E5.
All new Tracfone releases appear to be DL models.

[hpham]

No idea the size of your G3 SIM, for swapping the SIM into either the L33 or E5.

The LG G3 uses a micro SIM.