# Problems using MMS



## p_025

Whenever I try to send an MMS message, it shows the message as "pending" for maybe a week or two before it finally decides it wants to send the damn message.

Whenever someone tries to send ME an MMS message, it says it's "downloading..." for a long time but never does anything, never receives the message. It's really starting to get aggravating.


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## daventodd

If you don't have your data on prior to getting the message sent and even after you get the message, you won't receive it. I had the same problem until I enabled data LONG before I even accepted the message. I still have problems accepting MMS messages but that ******* solution seems to work for me.


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## dwitherell

Huh - I have yet to hear my wife complain of such things and she's an avid texter. She always has data on (even though she's most often on wifi) though, so maybe that is the culprit?


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## acejavelin

dwitherell said:


> Huh - I have yet to hear my wife complain of such things and she's an avid texter. She always has data on (even though she's most often on wifi) though, so maybe that is the culprit?


MMS messages require a mobile data connection (4G/3G and sometimes 1xRTT) and will not work over WiFi, which can cause the issue you are seeing. If you wish to send or receive MMS messages you should connect to mobile data first otherwise the issue you describe can happen. The phone generally doesn't queue it up for the next time you are connected to mobile data, just just tries once then waits for you to manually resend or request a download of it again.

Some more "well behaved" phones handle this better and will automatically enable mobile data just for the message even if connected to WiFI, the Strat doesn't appear to do this at all. Also, if you use JuiceDefender (or other battery saver app) this can cause problems sending and receiving MMS messages at times too as they can turn off the mobile data service to save battery power.

Regular texting (SMS messages) are not affected by this, they use the same "network" as voice calls, which is always active. Are you saying she has mobile data AND WiFi connected simultaneously all the time?


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## dwitherell

acejavelin said:


> Regular texting (SMS messages) are not affected by this, they use the same "network" as voice calls, which is always active. Are you saying she has mobile data AND WiFi connected simultaneously all the time?


I should rephrase - she is an avid sender-of-pics-via-mms-er. As far as her connections are concerned - she always has both mobile data and wifi "on", so when at home it automatically hops on to the wifi and when leaving mobile data takes over. She has reported no issues with the sending or receiving of any pic/video (mms) messages.


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## acejavelin

So by "on" do you mean both WiFi and 3G/4G show they are actually connected simultaneously in the notification bar, not just enabled in the power widget or settings? Is her phone also a Stratosphere? I know my son's Droid Bionic always shows 3G/4G connected even when on WIFi, my Stratosphere does not but I just tested it and it does automatically enable mobile data and send and receive the MMS message as needed from the stock messaging app when connected to WiFi. My HTC Inc2 would do this as well, until I started using JuiceDefender, then it had to be manually enabled to do MMS messages well connected to WiFI, haven't tried JuiceDefender on my Stratosphere yet.

Does this happen to you all the time, or was this just a one time fluke? Is it possible that when you tried to send the message 3G/4G was unavailable for some reason (in a basement or other poor signal area) and the phone couldn't sent it, the message will sit there showing "pending" until you manually try to send it again.


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## dwitherell

acejavelin said:


> So by "on" do you mean both WiFi and 3G/4G show they are actually connected simultaneously in the notification bar, not just enabled in the power widget or settings?...


I don't want to stray too far from the OP on this, but in the sense of describing a scenario that has led to no issues w/ mms sending/receiving... yes they are both on as far as Settings/power widgets are concerned - and I would argue that the hiding of an icon on the notification bar does not necessarily mean that something is "off".


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## acejavelin

True... I am not trying to stray off the point, sorry if it appears that way. I am going down the road that possibly when an MMS message needs to be sent or received, mobile data is not automatically connecting for some reason.

Basically what I am getting at is if the OP tries to send or receive an MMS message well connected to WiFi, does the mobile data network connect appropriately? If it does (or appears to as the 3G/4G icon appears), then they should try to send/receive an MMS message well WiFi is disabled and connected to the mobile data network, then if that fails further investigation needs to be done. This could even be a VZW issue.


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