Republic Wireless drops a new bombshell - No MMS to be implemented

[bizeemere]

Long story short, they are not going to implement MMS (being able to send pictures you take with your phone) for the rest of 2012.

They gave this long-winded reponse that they are 're-prioritizing' and MMS got shoved to the bottom of the list.

This may be a deal-breaker for many as MMS is pretty much a standard feature nowadays on any cellphone and any cellphone service provider.


RW is a sinking ship?? Maybe...

[ortsc]

It's not a deal breaker for me. $19 for unlimited everything else is a great value.

[awang44]

It's not a deal breaker for me. $19 for unlimited everything else is a great value.

I don't really care. Never use it before and will not after.

[bizeemere]

Everybody has different needs. For you, it may not be important, but it IS a standard feature with all service providers. And with 53+ billion MMS's being sent in 2011, it is a very relevant feature that needs to be a part of any service plan.

[lisaco1]

Long story short, they are not going to implement MMS (being able to send pictures you take with your phone) for the rest of 2012.

You mean (being able to send and receive pictures with your phone) using phone numbers... Since you can do it over email addresses to both dumb and smartphones.. Right?
They gave this long-winded reponse that they are 're-prioritizing' and MMS got shoved to the bottom of the list.

This may be a deal-breaker for many as MMS is pretty much a standard feature nowadays on any cellphone and any cellphone service provider.


RW is a sinking ship?? Maybe...

Sent from my LG-P509 using HowardForums

[lisaco1]

You can send MMS via email addresses to both dumb and smartphones

Sent from my LG-P509 using HowardForums

[bikerrich]

Too bad. I'm looking forward to trying out the service. I'm in "J". but then again, mms stuff can be sent via email. btw, that phone, Defy, should be great for my s/o who basically destroys a phone every three or four months. Current phone was backed over in the driveway; looks like something out of that 'your brain on drugs' psa. but works. I was thinking of getting a defy in any case, but the gsm models only have the older version of android, yes?

[AndroidFoneFan]

RW is working on MMS, they don't have it worked out but they are working on it. This issue is being covered at the RW Facebook page.

[bizeemere]

With all due respect, they have been telling customers since November 2011 that they have been "working" on this issue. RW has made their position well-known on their public forums that MMS is NOT a priority to them. Even their forum ambassadors advise people to not count on having MMS anytime soon. And with RW's track record of over-promising, the best approach to dealing with MMS is - they will get it, when they get it...but don't be looking for it anytime soon. While there are helpful people on their forums to offer workarounds to MMS, they are cumbersome and not fluid. The entire premise of MMS is the convenience and ease of receiving and viewing the picture right on your phone; and when you have to employ other steps to see it, the importance of MMS becomes obvious - especially for those that use it religiously.

[spekkio]

If it makes you feel any better Google can't seem to get MMS going on Google Voice either. Not sure why it is so difficult for them or for RW to figure it out.

[mchasal]

It's been stated on the Republic forum that the problem is that Republic (and Google Voice) are not considered cellular providers. Republic is a VOIP provider with a cellular backup. This causes the other cell carriers to treat it like a land line and they do not forward the MMS message on. As the staff has stated the message "doesn't reach the Republic network". They'll have to get the other providers to play ball before they can do anything about it.

[randamin]

That is the most accurate statement about why MMS does not and possibly never will work with republic or google voice.

[AndroidFoneFan]

Ah, so the problem does not reside with RW or Google but with the services they run through.
That being the case, should it not be possible to write and app or add on to their software that enables MMS to happen through any Internet connection be it wifi or 3/4g?
I don't know anything about how that all works so I'm asking, it may not be possible.
Maybe a app that people can install from the play store that makes it possible so long as the receiving person has the same app on their phone or something?

[mchasal]

There are apps that do what you describe, Handcent MMS+ for one. But, as you say, the problem is that the sender needs to do "something special" to send you an MMS. Either they have to use the matching app, or use a special number, they have to be aware of your situation. While that's fine for someone like your spouse or close friends, I wouldn't ask many people to jump through a bunch of hoops to send me images. Especially when it's much easier to just have them email you instead.

[AndroidFoneFan]

There are apps that do what you describe, Handcent MMS+ for one. But, as you say, the problem is that the sender needs to do "something special" to send you an MMS. Either they have to use the matching app, or use a special number, they have to be aware of your situation. While that's fine for someone like your spouse or close friends, I wouldn't ask many people to jump through a bunch of hoops to send me images. Especially when it's much easier to just have them email you instead.

Well you would think Handsent would work but she don't.
I have removed GoogleVoice from my phone and tried sending a MMS to my brothers phone and it does not work. It seems there is something in the RW system or part of the system that RW works through that prevents MMS of any kind.
You would think that if it works on a tablet over wifi that it should work on this over wifi as well but she don't.
Be that as it may,it would be nice to have MMS but it is no deal breaker for me. I'm happy with the service and the price and I'm keeping it.