Half my text message has been swapped/altered at end of message

Forums › Spark New Zealand › Half my text message has been swapped/altered at end of message - Anyone else found this?

IndiannaB

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Topic # 107651 15-Aug-2012 23:36

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Reply # 673083 15-Aug-2012 23:45

It would help if you provided some more background information. People can't help you if you don't put a but of time yourself into posting something to work with.

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IndiannaB

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Reply # 673104 16-Aug-2012 07:18

Background for half texts swapped. Over the last 18 months, about once a month I have my friend asking me what is happening, I have texted, and the first half of the text is correct and the last half of the text has been substituted with part of an old text I sent him, often from as far back as 6 months ago. Now it gets more bizarre, as I dont keep any of my sent texts, so these are not saved in my phone's memory at all. Seems they are being saved in on of Telecom's databases for some official reasons, and now it is getting embarrassing with the content of my messages being false. It is also a business phone, so should my clients get inappropriate substituted content not meant for them I'd be beside myself. I have sent an email to telecom to see if they can delete any saved emails they have stored in their system, and if they can do that, possibly my problem should be sorted. I also re-booted my phone and re-set all the factory settings last night, dont think that will fix it, but I had to do something to eliminate the issue from my end.
Hopefully someone out there in Geekzone will come up with an interesting answer. thanks people.

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Reply # 673109 16-Aug-2012 07:41

What handset is this?
Have you changed handsets in the last 18 months, the problem happens even on a new handset?
Have you tried using a different handset?
Do you use a smarphone? By any chance are you using an app to manage your SMS instead?
Have you tried a full reset of your handset?
Does this happens in all SMS, and if yes in all networks?

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johnr

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Reply # 673115 16-Aug-2012 08:02

Has the handset got the latest software / firmware update?

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Reply # 673116 16-Aug-2012 08:04

Has this just happened with one friend? If so, the problem could be with their phone. Ask whether they keep all messages you send them.

Also, you say you emailed Telecom to ask them to delete any EMAILS they have stored. Does this also affect emails?

Keep calm, and carry on posting.

plambrechtsen

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Reply # 673263 16-Aug-2012 12:39

Other important questions to ask (similar to MF's ones)

- Are the sending and receiving handset a Telecom sourced handsets?
- Are you sending messages above or below 160 characters (the length of a single SMS message)
- Are you including any special characters or doing a :) smiley face as sometimes the phone can convert the SMS into a MMS (Picture Message) if it detects any special character sequences.
- Are both of the handsets upgraded to their latest firmware?

To me it sounds a lot like a imported phone that isn't set to the right character set or something similar, and would probably occur when sending a longer sms (over 160 chars) since it may not be correctly splitting the SMS up.

Last but most importantly. Have you logged a call with the mobile support team on 0800 800 163, and what investigation did they do?

jaidevp

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Reply # 673383 16-Aug-2012 16:44

I can't even see the main post, has it been edited? And is the issue email or SMS?

johnr

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Reply # 673384 16-Aug-2012 16:45

jaidevp: I can't even see the main post, has it been edited?

OP thinks everyone on Geekzone has a crystal ball

ubergeeknz

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Reply # 673391 16-Aug-2012 16:56

That happens sometimes when ECHELON intercept your text messages. Just don your tinfoil hat and carry on as normal.

oxnsox

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Reply # 673406 16-Aug-2012 17:43

jaidevp: I can't even see the main post, has it been edited? And is the issue email or SMS?

The clue is in the post tittle....
..and it's probably symptomatic of the issue.
If the OP can work out why that happened, well.....

jaidevp

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Reply # 673612 17-Aug-2012 10:03

All the relevant q's have been asked just waiting for answers from the OP. IndiannaB you can reply via PM if you want, can look into it.

smarsden

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Reply # 677067 26-Aug-2012 11:54

As odd as the original post sounds, my wife and I experience this problem relatively regularly.

I suspect it's something with the handsets themselves that's playing up - we're both using the basic Telecom R100 model phones, and it only occurs when a text is longer than one standard SMS text message long. We know it happens when texting between us, but am unsure about when sending to others (receiving using other model phones). Since most texts are shorter than 160 characters, we don't see it that often, but whenever it does it makes for rather confusing messages!

We've kind of accepted it as being a 'feature' of the phones, and the problem will disappear when we eventually replace them with something a bit smarter. Having said that, if there was something that could be done to resolve it, like the OP, I'd be interested in getting it fixed!

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Reply # 677094 26-Aug-2012 12:45

jaidevp: I can't even see the main post, has it been edited? And is the issue email or SMS?

I think this was the OP's first post on Geekzone and mistakenly put their message into the message title.

Do Telecom really bother storing SMS's? If so why? It must take up a lot a of server space.

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Reply # 677112 26-Aug-2012 13:55

This has been happening fairly regularly for my partner and I for the last four years. What's more, just about every common factor has changed over that period, yet the jumbled texts continued.

It first started when I got a Nokia E51 (Vodafone) and sent messages to her Samsung feature phone (Vodafone).

She then switched to a Samsung Galaxy (Vodafone), jumbled texts continued. We assumed it was something weird on my Nokia's end.

I switched to a Galaxy Nexus (Vodafone). Jumbled texts continued. I assumed it was just a Vodafone thing, or possibly a problem with my sim card.

Then I switched to 2degrees. Jumbled texts still happen. At this point I've concluded that this is just some weird GSM bug that you can't really get away from. The messages certainly aren't coming from the phones themselves, as I've had old messages tacked on that were sent from my previous handset.

Although, I just realised that she only ever gets jumbled texts from me. I've never received one from her. Maybe it's a problem with HER sim card, seeing it's the only factor that hasn't changed...

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Reply # 677140 26-Aug-2012 15:36

Technofreak:
Do Telecom really bother storing SMS's? If so why? It must take up a lot a of server space.

All carriers are required to store SMS's. They have absolutely no need to store these and are really only interested in the CDR for rating purposes, but the Police e-crime unit driven by Martin Kleintjes put a lot of pressure on carriers to store these, solely for the fact that once a crime occurs they can obtain a court order and then view all your messages. The sole reasoning is that it "helps solve crimes".

This whole thing slipped by essentially without any mention of it in the media, and I see no difference to the Police forcing carriers to record every voice call, something that I'm sure would have much of the population up in arms. Recording phone calls would also "help solve crimes".

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