Author Topic: Moto E problems -- Anyone else have this issue?  (Read 6138 times)

FIREdancer

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Moto E problems -- Anyone else have this issue?
« on: May 31, 2016, 07:44:01 AM »
I need help from the technologically inclined Mustachians, and I'm guessing many here probably have the Moto E, so hopefully you all will have some insight.

I have AT&T and I got a new Moto E about two months ago.  I had trouble sending and receiving MMS messages (so picture and group messaging).  I did all kinds of troubleshooting, making sure data is on, restarting phone, deleting messages, clearing cache, changing settings, etc, and nothing worked.  So I called AT&T and they couldn't figure it out either, so they sent me a brand new Moto E.  I just got it all set up, and I still can't send or receive MMS messages consistently with this new phone.

Usually what happens is someone sends me a picture, I don't get it, but later I will send an MMS message, which will trigger the pictures or group texts to come through at that time (sometimes days after it was actually sent).

So at this point, I'm thinking this is just a weird bug with the Moto E since it has happened with two phones.  Anyone else have similar issues?  Anyone have a solution?

A quick Google search indicates that others have this problem with both Moto E and Moto G, but I can't seem to find solutions anywhere.  Thought I'd check with this group, and then I guess I'll try contacting AT&T again or contacting Motorola.

Otherwise, it might be back to a feature phone for me.

GueroKC

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Re: Moto E problems -- Anyone else have this issue?
« Reply #1 on: May 31, 2016, 07:57:13 AM »
I've had similar issues in the past with the Moto G. I believe the underlying issue is with the APN settings. A google search should get you headed in the right direction. Unfortunately, this sort of thing is outside of what you can expect your typical AT&T store employee to know about, and the internet doesn't have much of a consensus.

Depending on your version of Android:
Settings -> More -> Cellular networks -> Access Point Names

My current APN settings that appear to work for MMS:
Name: AT&T Phone
APN: phone
Proxy: Not set
Port: Not set
Username: Not set
Password: Not set
Server: Not set
MMSC: http://mmsc.mobile.att.net
MMS proxy: proxy.mobile.att.net
MMS port: 80
MCC: 310
MNC: 410
Authentication type: Not set
APN type: default, mms, supl, hipri, fota (Note, that's SUPL)
APN protocol: IPv4
APN roaming protocol: IPv4
Bearer: Unspecified
MVNO type: None

I recommend deleting all other APN settings and leaving only this one. Then restarting the phone.

alsoknownasDean

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Re: Moto E problems -- Anyone else have this issue?
« Reply #2 on: May 31, 2016, 07:58:00 AM »
Have you tried another SMS app?

I've had the instance previously where MMS messages wouldn't work with one messaging app, but it'd work fine with another.

FIREdancer

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Re: Moto E problems -- Anyone else have this issue?
« Reply #3 on: May 31, 2016, 08:08:31 AM »
Thanks, GueroKC.  It looks like I can't change the APN settings because everything is grayed out and I don't see a way to edit.  But my APN settings match what you've listed.

FIREdancer

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Re: Moto E problems -- Anyone else have this issue?
« Reply #4 on: May 31, 2016, 08:12:07 AM »
Have you tried another SMS app?

I've had the instance previously where MMS messages wouldn't work with one messaging app, but it'd work fine with another.

Hi alsoknownasDean.  I've just been using the messaging app that came on the phone.  It also came with the option for using Google Hangouts for texting, but that will charge me for data use, whereas the other app does not use up my data.

This is my first smartphone, so I am not very savvy.  Are there other messaging apps you can download for free?  And do you know if using them uses up data or not?  Do you have any recommendations for which apps to try?

alsoknownasDean

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Re: Moto E problems -- Anyone else have this issue?
« Reply #5 on: May 31, 2016, 08:20:43 AM »
I used Textra (which has advertisements unless you pay), and tried Google's own Messenger (which had the MMS issues), and then went to Hangouts. There's quite a few other SMS apps available on the Play store.

It might even be worth testing one of them to see if that helps at all :)

NOTE: I'm not using AT&T or a Moto E :)

Daley

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Re: Moto E problems -- Anyone else have this issue?
« Reply #6 on: May 31, 2016, 08:44:09 AM »
It also came with the option for using Google Hangouts for texting, but that will charge me for data use, whereas the other app does not use up my data.

This is my first smartphone, so I am not very savvy.

Are you aware that unlike SMS messaging, MMS (multimedia messaging) requires data access and usage? If your mobile data settings are set too restrictively (such as disabling mobile data), that would cause the same issues.

Spork

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Re: Moto E problems -- Anyone else have this issue?
« Reply #7 on: May 31, 2016, 08:48:26 AM »
I have a Moto E 2nd gen on Consumer Cellular.

YES!  This is definitely a problem with this phone.  In my case: I could not send (but could receive) MMS messages (picture/group messages) while on wifi.  My wife has the same phone... and the same issue.

First, as stated: make sure your APN settings are okay.  This must be in place.

Second, try turning off your wifi.  If suddenly you can send/receive messages, then you have my issue.  For a while, I just had a work around that turned off wifi automatically with Tasker when I opened the sms app.  I finally just got fed up and ditched the built in sms app.

I use ChompSMS.  It works fine.  I think it costs $2 or so... but it was worth it for me.  (You can try it for free for a couple of weeks to see if it works for you.)

FIREdancer

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Re: Moto E problems -- Anyone else have this issue?
« Reply #8 on: May 31, 2016, 08:53:10 AM »

NOTE: I'm not using AT&T or a Moto E :)

Haha, thanks for the disclaimer...I always take everything with a grain of salt anyway.

I think the Google Messenger app is what came on my phone, so I  might try another.

But...stupid, newbie smartphone user question:  if I download one of these other messaging apps, when I use it does that use wifi, data, or either one depending on what I have turned on and available?

I'm just still not totally sure what's using what when I'm using apps.  I have unlimited texting, but I've been told if I use Google Hangouts, it will use up my data, but if I use the messaging app, it does not use up data.  So if I download a different app, I just don't want to suddenly realize I've used a ton of data and get charged a bunch just for texting.

FIREdancer

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Re: Moto E problems -- Anyone else have this issue?
« Reply #9 on: May 31, 2016, 08:57:04 AM »
It also came with the option for using Google Hangouts for texting, but that will charge me for data use, whereas the other app does not use up my data.

This is my first smartphone, so I am not very savvy.

Are you aware that unlike SMS messaging, MMS (multimedia messaging) requires data access and usage? If your mobile data settings are set too restrictively (such as disabling mobile data), that would cause the same issues.

Hi I.P. Daley.  Thanks for the tip.  I do know that the MMS messages require the use of data.  However, since I have unlimited texting through AT&T this data use does not count against my monthly amount of data...in other words, it uses data, but I'm not charged for that data as long as I'm using the messenger app that came on the phone.  What I'm not sure of is if I download another app, if it will eat up my data allotment, or if it will also fall under the unlimited texting.  I supposed that's a question for AT&T.

FIREdancer

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Re: Moto E problems -- Anyone else have this issue?
« Reply #10 on: May 31, 2016, 09:05:43 AM »
I have a Moto E 2nd gen on Consumer Cellular.

YES!  This is definitely a problem with this phone.

Thank you, Spork, for the confirmation of my suspicion.  Glad to know I'm not the only one!  I have noticed that when my wifi is off, it seems to do better, but it is still hit or miss.  So I think I will try another messaging app.

Spork

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Re: Moto E problems -- Anyone else have this issue?
« Reply #11 on: May 31, 2016, 09:12:45 AM »

But...stupid, newbie smartphone user question:  if I download one of these other messaging apps, when I use it does that use wifi, data, or either one depending on what I have turned on and available?



The billing on SMS/MMS doesn't know what app you are using.  They just see X megabytes used for messaging and take that off the total.  You will definitely use data with MMS.... but that's just how it works.  I think someone said it up thread, but also if you're trying to police your data usage inside the settings by restricting cellular usage by various apps -- you'll trip over some MMS breakage. 

Daley

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Re: Moto E problems -- Anyone else have this issue?
« Reply #12 on: May 31, 2016, 10:02:31 AM »
Hi I.P. Daley.  Thanks for the tip.  I do know that the MMS messages require the use of data.  However, since I have unlimited texting through AT&T this data use does not count against my monthly amount of data...in other words, it uses data, but I'm not charged for that data as long as I'm using the messenger app that came on the phone.  What I'm not sure of is if I download another app, if it will eat up my data allotment, or if it will also fall under the unlimited texting.  I supposed that's a question for AT&T.

It shouldn't matter what MMS/messaging app you use, so long as MMS data for your phone number goes through a different APN than regular internet data. That's how that is billed (or not billed) in your case. If you use Google Messenger or Chomp SMS, it should use the MMS APN of your carrier. If you use something like Google Hangouts with your primary mobile number ported away from AT&T and to Google, it would use the internet APN as the phone number that is sending and receiving MMS messages is not managed by AT&T but a third party. Make sense?

Anyway, what I was trying to articulate (poorly, apparently) was that your phone is indiscriminate about which APN your mobile data usage goes through if you're toggling mobile data access (on or off) on the system level. If you disable mobile data access on your phone, it disables both internet access and MMS access. It's something to keep in mind with troubleshooting and general operation.
« Last Edit: May 31, 2016, 10:04:59 AM by I.P. Daley »

FIREdancer

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Re: Moto E problems -- Anyone else have this issue?
« Reply #13 on: May 31, 2016, 10:54:58 AM »

It shouldn't matter what MMS/messaging app you use, so long as MMS data for your phone number goes through a different APN than regular internet data. That's how that is billed (or not billed) in your case. If you use Google Messenger or Chomp SMS, it should use the MMS APN of your carrier. If you use something like Google Hangouts with your primary mobile number ported away from AT&T and to Google, it would use the internet APN as the phone number that is sending and receiving MMS messages is not managed by AT&T but a third party. Make sense?

Anyway, what I was trying to articulate (poorly, apparently) was that your phone is indiscriminate about which APN your mobile data usage goes through if you're toggling mobile data access (on or off) on the system level. If you disable mobile data access on your phone, it disables both internet access and MMS access. It's something to keep in mind with troubleshooting and general operation.

Awesome!  Thank you so much for the explanation about APN and billing, yes this makes total sense!

As for data access on my phone, since having this problem, I have left my data on all the time, though I have restricted background data for specific apps.

Spork

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Re: Moto E problems -- Anyone else have this issue?
« Reply #14 on: May 31, 2016, 12:23:23 PM »

It shouldn't matter what MMS/messaging app you use, so long as MMS data for your phone number goes through a different APN than regular internet data. That's how that is billed (or not billed) in your case. If you use Google Messenger or Chomp SMS, it should use the MMS APN of your carrier. If you use something like Google Hangouts with your primary mobile number ported away from AT&T and to Google, it would use the internet APN as the phone number that is sending and receiving MMS messages is not managed by AT&T but a third party. Make sense?

Anyway, what I was trying to articulate (poorly, apparently) was that your phone is indiscriminate about which APN your mobile data usage goes through if you're toggling mobile data access (on or off) on the system level. If you disable mobile data access on your phone, it disables both internet access and MMS access. It's something to keep in mind with troubleshooting and general operation.

Awesome!  Thank you so much for the explanation about APN and billing, yes this makes total sense!

As for data access on my phone, since having this problem, I have left my data on all the time, though I have restricted background data for specific apps.

So...  check very carefully the background data for specific apps.  And don't expect that the app necessarily has to be something obvious like "messenger app". 

Note what you've restricted.  Remove the restrictions.  Reboot.  Try again. 

I totally screwed myself a couple of times restricting background data for the wrong app.  You may have more than one problem.  In other words:
* can't send MMS might be due to the "connected to wifi bug"
* can't receive MMS might be due to restricting background data.

My experience with this phone:  It has a lot of bugs. (This is the only Android I've had.  I don't know if this is true of all of them or just Moto.)  The frustrating part is that the bug gets fixed, then 3 months later it returns.  If you google, you'll see people complaining about that same bug coming and going for years.  (Configuration management issues in software development?)

FIREdancer

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Re: Moto E problems -- Anyone else have this issue?
« Reply #15 on: July 08, 2016, 09:01:48 PM »
Update:  Finding the balance between frugal and cheap AKA you get what you pay for AKA stupid f*@$ing piece of s&@t phone

So I got a replacement moto e from AT&T because we couldn't fix the issues I was having with MMS texts.  The new phone doesn't seem to have that problem, so that's nice, and I've been using the new phone for about a month or so with no issues.  Then all of a sudden the speaker just stopped working for no apparent reason.

A quick Google search shows that this is a common problem for the moto e (I'm finding that it's becoming a little too common to be having so many common problems, I don't like it).  So I tried all the suggested fixes...rebooting in recovery mode to wipe the cache partition, rebooting in safe mode to rule out third party app issues, plugging in and unplugging headphones to "trick" the phone into making the external speaker work, and apparently the most successful solution...slapping the phone in just the right spot, and I guess I couldn't find the sweet spot.

Oh and to top it off, when I removed the edge cover, the power button just fell right off...nice construction.

Moral of the story, it's good to shop around and find a good deal on a phone instead of buying the most expensive gadget, but it's probably not so good to get the cheapest smartphone out there.  I had gotten good recommendations for moto e, so I thought it would be fine, but it seems that in this case, I got what I paid for.  I'm missing my feature phone right about now.

Looks like I need to go reload my optimism gun, I'm way too negative right now.  End of rant, thanks for listening.

madmax

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Re: Moto E problems -- Anyone else have this issue?
« Reply #16 on: July 09, 2016, 11:58:04 AM »
Have you tried a third party ROM like Cyanogen? Could it just be a buggy version of Android shipped by Motorola?

FIREdancer

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Re: Moto E problems -- Anyone else have this issue?
« Reply #17 on: July 11, 2016, 08:22:39 AM »
Have you tried a third party ROM like Cyanogen? Could it just be a buggy version of Android shipped by Motorola?

I know next to nothing about smartphones, so I wouldn't even know how to try that.  I know just about enough to turn the thing on and send texts and make calls (often by accident).

I'm gonna try a factory reset after I back everything up and hope that fixes it.  If that doesn't work, I'll look into Cyanogen.  Thanks.

FIREdancer

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Re: Moto E problems -- Anyone else have this issue?
« Reply #18 on: July 13, 2016, 12:51:00 PM »
So in case anyone's curious, I got the sound working again.  Apparently the Moto E speaker does not have a wired connection, rather plates that press against one another, which seems to be a bad design as the connection is easily knocked out of place.  The solution?  Twisting the phone.  So I have sound again, for how long, who knows?