Sprint Denies PPC customers from sending picmail

[t3k]

couldnt we use verizon's servers?

[wldthng842]

because you can't login, only vzw customers have their logins from verizon.

[ajones7279]

Disabling didn't work, I still receive spam sometimes

[wldthng842]

There is never going to be a way to remove all spam. They are just trying to eliminate a large portion of it.

[Soundy]

Originally Posted by ajones7279

Capture high-resolution images with the digital camera and zoom. Create your own video clips and easily share them with family and friends.

IMO email isn't an easy way to share

Well I dunno about Sprint, but Telus's idea is simply to do it all through email, and lemme tell ya, it ain't easy either... IF it works. Big problem is, it isn't working 90% of the time.

Meanwhile, my wife sends and receives MMS pictures with his KRZR with nary a hiccup.

I did talk to a Telus tech yesterday who seemed to have a clue... at least he knew that Telus's MMS servers use WAP and the smartphones don't have a WAP browser... he seemed genuinely suprised when I told him I had third-party MMS software that used WAP, something that other carriers actually bundled with their phones, and he promised he'd try to get the me the server settings for it.

He also pointed out that Telus's "Snap" site for receiving MMS messages (MMS sent to my number goes into an "inbox" there instead) could be set to automatically forward messages to an email address (or multiple addresses), which seems ALMOST acceptable. Unfortunately when he tried to set it up for me, he found their system for doing so was down... When you first go to log in, you have to enter your number and click and link and it will text you your passwork (which is about 20 characters long). Well the first time I did this on my computer, it took three days to receive the text with the password. I tried it again the other day, logging in from the phone, and it still hasn't sent me the password... four days and counting. I logged in from the computer when I got home and set up the forwarding address, but so far... nothing.

[Soundy]

Originally Posted by wldthng842

There is never going to be a way to remove all spam. They are just trying to eliminate a large portion of it.

Bullshit they are... that's likely just the most plausible/sellable excuse they could come up with.

"So what are we gonna tell'em when they complain about not being able to MMS anymore?"
"Everybody hates spam... let's tell'em we did it to block the spammers. Then they'll be thankful instead of pissed off!"
"Yeah, good idea. Suckers."

[phibix]

For anyone thinking about Mbuni, I did a bit of research. I got all its dependencies compiled and built and was going over their docs, which are a bit convoluted and geared more towards mobile phone network provider.

It looks to me like you need some access to the provider's MMSC gateway on their network. And this can't be done over the internet. Using a teathered phone that can send SMS or an evdo card works supposedly but I have neither.

So that looks like a dead end, unless someone knows how to configure mbuni to send to other MMS gateways via email, but even then I can't see in Mbuni how you would tell it how to route a number to a provider's email MMS gateway.

Its a shame we can't dump the traffic on a phone that can send MMS and watch the handshake. I can't imagine they did anything complicated like encryption. Its probably just sending some sort of device id string and the MMS server is accepting or rejecting the connection based on that.

[Hoshtaylor]

I can't find the old thread anymore since all of the threads seem to be missing now...but this is what Sprint finally replied to me...maybe we are finally starting to get through to them...??? I don't know but I'm sick of dealing with this BS !!!!!!!!

Start from the bottom:

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


Dear Josh Taylor,

Thank you for contacting Sprint. We apologize for any inconvenience.

The ability to send picturemails via email has always existed on the device and the ability to receive is unaffected by the lack of an MMS application on the device.

At this time, due to the heightened attention the MMS on Pocket PCs issue has received because we blocked the workaround, several customers have escalated the issue to our upper management. The decision not to develop an MMS application for the Pocket PC platform was made by previous management. The issue is currently being reconsidered by the current CEO and current development team.

There are no existing plans to develop an MMS application for Pocket PC devices. As the issue is being re-visited by our current management, that could change. That is the most current information we have at this time.

Thank you again for contacting Sprint. We appreciate your business.

Robert H.
E-Care
Sprint


Original Message Follows:
------------------------
So back to my original email:

Lack of MMS on Sprint Touch - Sprint has disabled the use of the 3rd party software that allowed us PPC users to send pic mail. This is ABSURD !!!!!! I just got a mailing from Sprint last week about how I've been a loyal customer for 8 years...blah blah blah. I want to know a few things:
1) Why am I paying for Pic Mail when I cannot use it on my $500 phone...???? 2) Why has Sprint blocked the usage for this 3rd party application that I'm sure 95% of PPC users have downloaded...?
Please don't tell me that I need to send pics via email to 0123456789@verizon.pix.net, etc...that is BS !!!!!
I have paid over $200 per month to spring since 2000' ! Unless you have some kind of fix for this issue...this seems to be a breaking point for me. Sprint has always been last with phone design...I had a Mogul before this and Sprint claimed it had GPS...NO...it didn't !!!!!!! You need to figure out what the hell you guys are doing there because I know for a fact there aren't many more loyal customers than myself. I would appreciate a non-computer generated response to this email and would also like to know what you propose to do in order to fix this...otherwise you can forward my info on to retentions as I will be leaving Sprint and the BS that always seems to happen to keep it's customers ALWAYS ONE STEP BEHIND YOUR COMPETITION !!!!
Thank you and I look forward to hearing your HUMAN-GENERATED response !
Josh


Is Sprint planning on providing this BASIC service that we PPC customers are paying to us...?

If not, I will be leaving Sprint after 8 years...Sprint always seems to be behind in all aspect of the mobile phone industry from the phones itself to the software.

Please advise.

Josh


----- Original Message ----
From: Sprint Customer Solutions - eCare1 <ecare1@cc.sprintpcs.com>
To: Josh
Sent: Saturday, February 16, 2008 8:09:22 AM
Subject: Re: Care #20080211160225615 (Tech Support - PictureMail) (KMM46493110I80L0KM)

Dear Josh,

Thank you for contacting Sprint. We apologize for any inconvenience.

We did indeed disable the third party program you speak of. The reason for this is that the program is basically Verizon's MMS program reconfigured slightly to work on a Sprint device.

Verizon's MMS software is proprietary and they do hold a copyright on it. As far as we know, Verizon has not given ArcSoft (the maker of that third party workaround) permission to develop their MMS software to be used on a rival carrier. This means that the use of this software is software piracy and therefore illegal. And Sprint allowing customers to use it is also illegal and Verizon could take legal action against us if we did not block it.

Also, legal action could force the company to take action against the Sprint customers who used this program as the use of pirated software constitutes an illegal act, which is a terms of service violation that would be grounds for immediate termination of service with all applicable penalties. This is not an action Sprint wishes to take against customers with the challenges we face already and by proactively blocking the program, the chances of legal action forcing this to happen are much smaller.

We know now that users have been using this program for some time. Upper management was not aware of this program's existence until it was posted on the Sprint Buzz About Wireless forum recently. Given the legal issues involved, once it was realized that the workaround was based on Verizon's copyrighted work and realized what the consequences to the affected customers could be, we had little choice but to block it.

If a *legal* and legitimate third party workaround is developed, Sprint would not be against it's use. Thousands of legitimate third party applications are used on Sprint Pocket PCs every day (and we even have provided a software store, http://softwarestore.sprint.com for the sale of some of these third party additions).

Thank you again for contacting Sprint. We appreciate your business.

Robert H.
E-Care
Sprint


Original Message Follows:
------------------------
Here is the software: http://www.ppcgeeks.com/files/PPCGeeksSprintMMS.zip

It worked fine for months...also worked for me on my Q as well as my Mogul until Sprint decided to cut off access for this program to all of their PPC customers. This program also works for all other carriers too. We cannot figure out why Sprint has cut this service off to it's PPC customers. IT'S PICTURE MAIL FOR GOD'S SAKE !!!!!! It is STANDARD on the lowest end phones and not only do you not provide it on your most expensive phones, but you won't let us use a 3rd party software program !

I'd be interested to know what the reasoning is for this.

Josh


----- Original Message ----
From: Sprint Customer Solutions - eCare1 <ecare1@cc.sprintpcs.com>
To: Josh
Sent: Wednesday, February 13, 2008 12:53:22 PM
Subject: Re: Care #20080211160225615 (Tech Support - PictureMail) (KMM46319670I80L0KM)

Dear Josh,

Thank you for contacting Sprint. I apologize for the inconvenience that you have experienced with your third party software.

Please provide me what third party software you are no longer able to access by replying back to this e-mail including any errors or upgrades that have been performed at the time this software disappeared by replying back to this e-mail.

Thank you again for contacting Sprint. We appreciate your business.

Linda S.
E-Care
Sprint


Original Message Follows:
------------------------
================================================== ======================
Name: Josh
Form: Ask A Question Learn OR Feedback and Suggestions - Learn
Topic: Tech Support
Contact Number:
================================================== ======================
Original Question: no MMS
Question: No MMS on Sprint Touch !!!!!!! You've disabled the use of the 3rd party Picture Mail software !!!

Lack of MMS on Sprint Touch - Sprint has disabled the use of the 3rd party software that allowed us PPC users to send pic mail. This is ABSURD !!!!!! I just got a mailing from Sprint last week about how I've been a loyal customer for 8 years...blah blah blah. I want to know a few things:
1) Why am I paying for Pic Mail when I cannot use it on my $500 phone...???? 2) Why has Sprint blocked the usage for this 3rd party application that I'm sure 95% of PPC users have downloaded...?
Please don't tell me that I need to send pics via email to 0123456789@verizon.pix.net, etc...that is BS !!!!!
I have paid over $200 per month to spring since 2000' ! Unless you have some kind of fix for this issue...this seems to be a breaking point for me. Sprint has always been last with phone design...I had a Mogul before this and Sprint claimed it had GPS...NO...it didn't !!!!!!! You need to figure out what the hell you guys are doing there because I know for a fact there aren't many more loyal customers than myself. I would appreciate a non-computer generated response to this email and would also like to know what you propose to do in order to fix this...otherwise you can forward my info on to retentions as I will be leaving Sprint and the BS that always seems to happen to keep it's customers ALWAYS ONE STEP BEHIND YOUR COMPETITION !!!!
Thank you and I look forward to hearing your HUMAN-GENERATED response !
Josh

[mrgeoff]

Originally Posted by phibix

For anyone thinking about Mbuni, I did a bit of research. I got all its dependencies compiled and built and was going over their docs, which are a bit convoluted and geared more towards mobile phone network provider.

It looks to me like you need some access to the provider's MMSC gateway on their network. And this can't be done over the internet. Using a teathered phone that can send SMS or an evdo card works supposedly but I have neither.

So that looks like a dead end, unless someone knows how to configure mbuni to send to other MMS gateways via email, but even then I can't see in Mbuni how you would tell it how to route a number to a provider's email MMS gateway.

Its a shame we can't dump the traffic on a phone that can send MMS and watch the handshake. I can't imagine they did anything complicated like encryption. Its probably just sending some sort of device id string and the MMS server is accepting or rejecting the connection based on that.

I agree. We need to get another user agent string and see if that helps us. One could only hope the workaround would be this simple lol

[Slwitek]

Hopefully Sprint upper management will hold an emergency meeting and start giving thier customers what they want! At least they are "considering" it!