Solved Can't text one particular contact

[smiller136]

I am unable to text my niece who has a Galaxy S4 unless I use the stock messaging app. I would rather use other apps such as Textra or Handcent but when I text her, the texts don't go through. Any ideas why this might be happening?

 

[Jonny Kansas]

Do you get any kind of error message?

 

[smiller136]

Do you get any kind of error message?

Just "Failed" with a sound for the error (for Textra app). Chomp says "This message doesn't appear to have been sent, would you like to retry sending the message?" with vibration to alert me of the error. It's variations on the same theme.

 

[dezymond]

Do a battery pull and also take out the SIM card for a minute. See if that helps.

 

[FoxKat]

Do I assume that since we're in the S5 forum that yours is an S5? I've heard of incompatibilities in texting between Apple and Android but never between Android phones. Also this is doubly strange since the stock app works.

 

[Jonny Kansas]

Do those third-part messaging apps show your niece's phone number or just her name? What do they show for people that you CAN text?

It's a long shot, but there could be an issue of her number is either stored in your phone contacts and not your Google Contacts, or vice versa.

I had trouble when Hangouts first integrated SMS messaging because people who's number I thought were in my Google contacts were actually in the phone and Hangouts apparently didn't read my phone contacts. You could have a similar issue, though the fact that it's only one contact and not multiple makes me think that's probably not it, but it's a good thing to rule out before moving forward.

 

[smiller136]

Thanks for all of the replies!

I've pulled the battery and sim card but still have the problem.

Yes, my phone is an S5 and hers is an S4.

Earlier today and again just now I deleted her contact information and created another contact for her. Still nothing. My phone is displaying all contacts not just the ones in my phone or affiliated with my gmail account.

Strangely enough, if I use an app called Future SMS, the texts go through. This is so strange.

 

[Jonny Kansas]

This is very strange, because the handling of SMS once it leaves your phone is all on the carriers, so if your phone can get the message out to the tower, it's up to the network(s) to get the message to her phone where her texting app can retrieve it.

Unless Chomp or the others that won't work are creating some sort of different file type (HIGHLY doubt it), it should either work or not, no matter which app you use.

 

[cr6]

Since it hasn't been asked yet, are you using your data to msg or WiFi? Also, is it simply a message or is there a picture attached?

tap'n on my S5

 

[Jonny Kansas]

Since it hasn't been asked yet, are you using your data to msg or WiFi? Also, is it simply a message or is there a picture attached?

tap'n on my S5

That was my next train of thought.

Sent from my SCH-I545 using Tapatalk

 

[smiller136]

Great suggestions, Jonny and cr6. I just tried data only, wifi only and both without success.

 

[smiller136]

I mean, all without success.

 

[Jonny Kansas]

It's bothering me that it works in 1 or 2 apps, but not in others. That's the weirdest part.

Sent from my SCH-I545 using Tapatalk

 

[cr6]

I agree, definitely sounds like there's a setting off somewhere, I'm just not sure at this point. Messages usually go through or they don't. It typically isn't "contact" related. Hang in there smiller, we'll do what we can to help you figure this out.

tap'n on my S5

 

[smiller136]

Thank you all!