Mobile IM - Data or SMS ?
Carm
Contributor - Level 2

Alright,

I am probably going to take some flack for this but.....

I have seen people being told that SMS text messages are used to send IM through mobile IM when that is clearly NOT THE CASE; and they end up with data charges because of it. Names not be mentioned due to being mis informed themselves.

 

We all have a VZW phone so lets open it up and launch mobile IM and do the research together!

Q: What do you see at the top of the page?

A: A little phone icon that sometimes flashes with arrows pointing left and right

Q: Well what does that mean?

A:That means you are using DATA on the EV-DO side of the network

Ok, so now lets go and send a IM to someone, and what happens to those icons?

The double arrow stays there for sometime, however when you send/receive messages the little phone icon comes on during those processes which indicates DATA

So, in fact you are using DATA NOT SMS

Ok, for the non believers.

Q: Send yourself or a friend a text, and tell me what happens to the ev and 1X double bars ( if your phone is EV-DO

capable ) ?

A: It turns to 1X for a brief time to send the text message.

Q: Well why is that?

A: Because SMS text are sent and received on the voice side of the network ( 1X ). Pix/flix and mobile web use the

higher speed ( EV-DO ) side of the network.

Well, according to the below VZW website, it says you use text.

https://products.vzw.com/index.aspx?id=messaging_im#

 

Well, despite the fact, that it is clearly stated here on that page, it is wrong, and someone needs to point this out to VZW, or have them explain why people are incurring data charges not text charges.

 

 

Why did I go through this detailed example? So everyone could ' see for themselves ' and not just take someone's word.

 

 

I check my message detail, and I do not see any IM txt whatsoever, but I do see the little data icon ALL the time when using IM.

 

 

I would really be interested to hear VZW's explanation as to why I show data usage during an IM instance and NOT any SMS data on my text details?


I would like to know how IMs are sent in Mobile IM application to justify stating it on the web page?


I would like to know why some poor soul in the below post was charged data usage, and told by a CS rep that mobile IM uses data b/c of accessing the net not text?

http://forums.verizon.com/vrzn/board/message?board.id=Messaging&thread.id=1064


Maybe a moderator or Employee could answers these questions?

 

Thank You For you time

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Re: Mobile IM - Data or SMS ?
Carm
Contributor - Level 2
Well, I just think it needs to be cleared up on VZW's end to their customers as to how it works so people don't end up getting mis informed. The IM page is quite shady to me and needs to be cleared up . . . . Think that is just a way for VZW to nickel and dime their customers and get a few extra $$

View solution in original post

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Re: Mobile IM - Data or SMS ?
mossy
Enthusiast - Level 3
How about an answer to this question from all you VZW employees?  I'm finding more and more loopholes through which VZW is lining their pockets with hidden and iffy charges.  Is anyone brave enough to lay out ALL the hidden charges and money-makers that the average customer doesn't know about?
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Re: Mobile IM - Data or SMS ?
Carm
Contributor - Level 2

Administrative fee went up by 7 cents..... now multiply that out by how many customers there are 80 million customers so that's 5.7 million extra dollars a month . . Nickel and dime all the way baby! Now I read that in 2007 the administrative fee was 40 cents. .

 

 :smileymad:

Message Edited by Carm on 06-15-2009 12:24 PM
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Re: Mobile IM - Data or SMS ?
NekoSaru
Contributor - Level 3

Please recheck your data. You ARE charged texting when you use Mobile IM. I have absolutely no data usage according to My Account and I use Mobile IM.

 

Short code: 0000006245

 

This code is use whenever you use Mobile IM. Below is data from the last time I was on Mobile IM providing a friend with some information she needed. This short code also appears anytime someone sends a text from a website to your phone. Its the internet general text code from what I found on google.

 

Also, text data does not appear on My Account as frequent as Calls. There is a 24-48 hour delay, Mobile IM data is supposidly 48-72 hours.

 

06/10/2009

3:40 PM 0000006245

7579999999

Sent Domestic - Text 06/10/2009 3:41 PM 0000006245

7579999999

Sent Domestic - Text 06/10/2009 3:41 PM

7579999999

0000006245 Received Domestic - Text 06/10/2009 3:42 PM

7579999999

0000006245 Received Domestic - Text 06/10/2009 3:43 PM 0000006245

7579999999

Sent Domestic - Text 06/10/2009 3:44 PM

7579999999

0000006245 Received Domestic - Text
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Re: Mobile IM - Data or SMS ?
Carm
Contributor - Level 2
That is completely different! Did you follow through step by step or not on my example? I know exactly what you are talking about because I can do that myself. That has to do with using sms text messages to send to and from your contacts via text messages WITHOUT using the mobile IM program. We are talking about the actual Mobile IM application and using the graphical interface
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Re: Mobile IM - Data or SMS ?
NekoSaru
Contributor - Level 3

Did you read where I said I use Mobile IM?

You know, where I open up my EnV 2, hit Fn 0 to launch Mobile IM, log into Windows Live Messenger, check which buddies are online, select a buddy and send a message.

 

Yes, the data arrows appear but I have no data usage at all.

 

 

PS. I don't use the IM to text. I do not have my WL account set up that way. None of my buddies know to message me until I log into Mobile IM. I had my old AIM account set up that way but that was over 4 years ago and that account has been long deleted.

Message Edited by NekoSaru on 06-15-2009 02:16 PM
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Re: Mobile IM - Data or SMS ?
Carm
Contributor - Level 2
It apparently does use data if those icons show up. My data usage shows only .011, and I have been surfing the web and viewing pix on sites etc, but I think that that stupid counter is totally NOT accurate for some strange reason. I know for a fact that I spent at least 30 minutes surfing the web two Saturdays ago, so I know I used more than that, and my billing cycle ends friday, and my back up assistance is backing up contacts up every day.

In a link I posted in the original post it indicated that someone called CS and they said it does use the internet. I am trying to understand what in the world is the real truth behind this IM thing. I am not trying to get on anyone, but to just show what I have found through testing. I have used IM a lot lately, and can't find those numbers, or anything like it in question. The only numbers I found when someone used the text feature in LIVE, and I remember those texts.

Now as far as those numbers go I can not confirm or deny what they are. I tried to send to them to see if I would get an error or something back and have got nothing as of this post.
Message Edited by Carm on 06-15-2009 02:38 PM
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Re: Mobile IM - Data or SMS ?
nmchileman
Master - Level 3

Mobile IM screws you twice. It uses Data to login and any time you refresh your buddy list it. And it counts against your SMS when sending/receiving messages. It DOES NOT use data while sending or receiving messages.

You're correct, and quite keen, on your observation of how the little arrows change and it stays EVDO during the conversation, but this does not neccessarily mean you're getting CHARGED for that data.

 

So again, it will use small amounts of data to log in and refresh your buddy list. Only these items use Data. Sending/Receiving messages will count towards your SMS allowance if you don't have unlimited.

Hope this helps to finally clear things up.

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Re: Mobile IM - Data or SMS ?
NekoSaru
Contributor - Level 3

What Chile said makes more sense. Logging into Mobile IM may not aquire enough data usage to charge most individuals which is why I have never seen a charge. When I do log into Mobile IM, I tend to stay logged in for 3-30 days straight (depends on how often I get kicked off by the IM server). When I am kicked off I tend to not log in for a few days before I notice that through all my Twitter texts, I haven't received a "You have a new IM from user_user" get it now message.

 

So I wouldn't necessarily say it is screwing you as the data usage is low. I text 2000+ a month. At least half of those come from Mobile IM. A lot of texting online for there to be no data usage or charges.

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Re: Mobile IM - Data or SMS ?
Carm
Contributor - Level 2
Well, I just think it needs to be cleared up on VZW's end to their customers as to how it works so people don't end up getting mis informed. The IM page is quite shady to me and needs to be cleared up . . . . Think that is just a way for VZW to nickel and dime their customers and get a few extra $$
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