Verizon no longer allows Facebook text updates on the DX?

[carlz28]

Just wondering if anyone else has run into this issue.

I had my mobile alerts set up on Facebook to send me a text/sms whenever I got status updates from certain people, or messages to my inbox...etc.
They just stopped working late last week. Other friends of mine on different carriers still get them. Even my son and sister (on Verizon) who don't have smartphones are still getting them. And yet another friend who has the D1 still gets them. I asked two people I know who have the X to try to activate the alerts by texting the letter F to 32665 (FBOOK) to get the confirmation code required to activate them with Facebook. No response.
I checked to make sure there were no changes to my plan, especially messaging block...i.e..premium text, etc. I have no restrictions whatsoever, so I know that's not the issue. I get updates from other premium text services like The History Channel...etc.
I'm curious, if since the newest release of the Facebook app has "push" capabilities that Verizon has blocked these text alerts as they may see it redundant.
But that would affect people on the D1 also, since they have 2.2 and push ability with the FB app.

Anybody else experiencing this? Or heard of whats going on? Or should I just call customer service and see whats up?

Of course, I sent a message to facebook, but you just get one of those generic responses/emails saying if you follow their steps and it still doesn't work, then it must be a carrier issue. Weird how the other two phone on my plan still work :-/

 

[csimo]

I just tried it and got my confirmation code within seconds. Droid X on Verizon.

 

[carlz28]

Just an update to this situation.
I called Verizon on Tuesday about this issue. I spoke to a customer service rep who just couldn't understand my problem. Like literally, she couldn't comprehend what my problem was. So she switched me over to Motorola customer service. I spoke to a level 1 tech at Motorola who basically said I need to sign-in with my Facebook account under "My Accounts". I blatantly told him that that was NOT the issue. That is a blur-related feature of the phone. I told him I don't even know why they transferred me to Motorola because it's not an issue with the phone. It's a network problem between Verizon and Facebook. So then he got his superior involved. Again I re-explained the whole issue to her and said I know it isn't a Moto problem.
So then she sent me back to Verizon customer service.
WHAT A RUNAROUND!!!!

I finally got connected to a technical support rep. He fully understood my issue. But had no clue how to resolve the matter. He connected me to somebody higher up with more access to logs of my account, etc.

So while talking to this upper-level tech, he asked me to go ahead and send the letter "F" to 32665 and wait for a response. He was able to see my text come from my phone and into their network, go out of their network and off to Facebook. He actually told me that there is some kind of "middle man" between Verizon and Facebook that does the work of handling the text messages. He then said that Facebook gave a response back, but this "middle man" wasn't sending back to Verizon and then to my phone.
I have no reason to doubt what he was telling me. He asked me to send some random text message to Facebook and he told me what I sent, so I believe he wasn't trying to BS me.
Unfortunately, he couldn't figure out what the problem was, because it appeared to be an issue with this 'middle man'. He said he has a contact that he would call who knows more about this "middle man" and would look into the issue. Some analyst or something.
He, the tech rep, was supposed to get back to me today but hasn't yet. So I may call back tomorrow and see what the status of this is.
He did tell me however, that a few people have called in with the exact same problem. Some people get it, and some people don't....(the confirmation code)

If the blur-accounts were more instantaneous or if the FB app itself was quicker/more reliable at pushing the updates to the phone, then I wouldn't even need to have these text messages set up. Unfortunately, that isn't possible quite yet.

So if anyone else is having this issue, please call in and talk to a rep from technical support. Ask for somebody higher up.

 

[VZ4G3NT]

Did he put in a trouble ticket?

Sent from my DROIDX using DroidForums App

 

[carlz28]

Did he put in a trouble ticket?

Sent from my DROIDX using DroidForums App

Not sure. He did send me a a text msg. with a case number to prove the conversation had taken place and to use as a reference for any future interaction. Case # 2074781342
I'll probably call back later today during business hours and ask to speak/be transferred to him to see if any progress has been made.

 

[bran-bran]

ive had the same problem... i cannot receive any texts from facebook like my conformation code or anything but i can send status updates and things its really making me mad ive had this problem for over a week now and im getting tired of it to the point where im just going to get a different phone..

 

[csimo]

I think I know the problem. If you have the latest Facebook app installed from the market it essentially disables any other kinds of notifications. It keeps you logged into Facebook anytime your phone is turned on.

Remove the Facebook app and things will probably work for you. There is an app called "Facebook for Android" that doesn't have this problem, but the latest 'official' Facebook app is the problem.

 

[bran-bran]

i have "facebook for android" and it still doesnt work ive never had the other one..

 

[freaksnail]

Same issue

My notifications are working fine. The problem I am having is with my sms notifications. I use the DROID 2 with Verizon. I had set up my notifications where you "activate" facebook mobile by texting "F" to 32665 and it sends you a code. So I decided to delete my number from the mobile site and resend the text. Well that was a mistake because before I could update my status through sms, I was just not receiving my top friends status updates....now totally nothing....I found this thread in FB help...doesn't really help though. Any suggestions?


cant get sms to my phone | Facebook

 

[freaksnail]

I think I know the problem. If you have the latest Facebook app installed from the market it essentially disables any other kinds of notifications. It keeps you logged into Facebook anytime your phone is turned on.

Remove the Facebook app and things will probably work for you. There is an app called "Facebook for Android" that doesn't have this problem, but the latest 'official' Facebook app is the problem.

That app sucks. Adds...slows phone down....

 

[csimo]

I think I know the problem. If you have the latest Facebook app installed from the market it essentially disables any other kinds of notifications. It keeps you logged into Facebook anytime your phone is turned on.

Remove the Facebook app and things will probably work for you. There is an app called "Facebook for Android" that doesn't have this problem, but the latest 'official' Facebook app is the problem.

That app sucks. Adds...slows phone down....

No ads in mine, but it may be due to AdFree.

I agree it sucks, but if you use the 'official' app it breaks all notifications including SMS.

 

[carlz28]

I think I know the problem. If you have the latest Facebook app installed from the market it essentially disables any other kinds of notifications. It keeps you logged into Facebook anytime your phone is turned on.

Remove the Facebook app and things will probably work for you. There is an app called "Facebook for Android" that doesn't have this problem, but the latest 'official' Facebook app is the problem.

That app sucks. Adds...slows phone down....

No ads in mine, but it may be due to AdFree.

I agree it sucks, but if you use the 'official' app it breaks all notifications including SMS.

I don't believe this to be the problem. I had the official app and was still getting the text notifications. I even uninstalled the app and removed Facebook as an account on the phone, and still got nothing. No code, no ability to text an update, etc.
It's a technical issue with the sms service between Facebook and Verizon.

 

[knathdrak]

plus if it was the application, it would not block this 'middle man' from sending it to his phone. It would just block his phone from seeing it.

I have a Motorola Droid and this is happening to me too (for a while now). Any response from them about this "middle man" and what can be done about it?

 

[freaksnail]

That app sucks. Adds...slows phone down....

No ads in mine, but it may be due to AdFree.

I agree it sucks, but if you use the 'official' app it breaks all notifications including SMS.

I don't believe this to be the problem. I had the official app and was still getting the text notifications. I even uninstalled the app and removed Facebook as an account on the phone, and still got nothing. No code, no ability to text an update, etc.
It's a technical issue with the sms service between Facebook and Verizon.

I did the same thing. Uninstalled, reinstalled, nothing. All my notifications are working, even via email. I just would like my friends status updates pushed. Why can't they just add that to the app. Problem solved.

 

[carlz28]

Any response from them about this "middle man" and what can be done about it?

I talked to the same tech. rep again earlier today. I guess now a bunch of people have called and complained about it. It's purely a Facebook issue. During the last couple days I've been asking other friends on other carriers and they are starting to have the issue as well. So it looks like it's out of our hands.
Probably the worst part about it is that there is no real way for us to contact Facebook about the issue. A bunch of people have posted questions on the FB forums and nobody seems to have an answer on how to get ahold of whoever needs to be contacted about the issue. All you have is some generic response from FB.
So I guess unless somebody knows a personal contact at FB...this won't get resolved any time soon.