Text Messaging Problems: PATCH IS OUT NOW, SEE STICKY

[Malatesta]

This is a currently known bug in the 700wx that causes SMS not to work for Verizon and T-Mobile.

Please read below and do not create other threads on this issue!

It's been happening since about October 2nd (it worked fine until that point).

Update 11/16 from Palm (thanks to kaiguy for getting this):

Thank you for contacting Palm Technical Support.

I understand that you are trying to follow-up on the SMS issue with the Treo 700w. I will also be answering your questions below:

1. Is there an estimated time frame to have a fix?
We really don't know when the patch will be released. We advise all the customer to check out our website but it will be out soon. The development team is still testing it and making some modifications.

2. Is this in fact a Sprint problem or a Palm software problem?
This is a Sprint and Palm software problem. So I would say both.

3. Why is it taking so long for a problem that is affecting 100% of all 700wx users?
As what I have mentioned to you earlier, we are working on the issue. The patch will be out soon.

4. Is it normal for a fix to take this long (and counting)?
It would basically depend on the issue. It's taking long coz' we are also testing the fix for the said issue. We want to release it that it will be bug-free.

For the meantime, I have a work around for the SMS issue if you want to try it for the meantime. You can use the email gateway for the wireless carriers to send SMS. Here is also the catch, you will be sending the SMS thru messaging but the recepient will receive it as an email. But once they reply, you will receive it as SMS.

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Here is the closest thing to an official explanation (10/25):

"I do apologize for the problem with the sms messaging on the Treo 700 wx. Sprint and Palm are actively working on a software update to correct this problem. The issue is that the sms message was not being encoded in a universal format that is recognized by all Carriers. Standard SMS messages are sent using ASCII encoding, not binary. The 700w is sending the message in binary format. Many carriers, such as Sprint, can interpret a message send in either Binary or ASCII, although ASCII is the supported format. Verizon & T-Mobile doesn?t recognize a Binary message as a SMS message.
We don?t have an estimated date of the software release as of yet. I do suggest that you reply to the initial response from our customer care group to get the compensation that you deserve for this issue."

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From Shadowmite/Shadowmite.com

I saw there was a glitch in the treo 700wx's texts which could sometimes lead to a message being left in a encoded base64 state when it shouldn't be, or encoded sometimes when it shouldn't be. Sprint had a minor part of that, they fixed it around the time this new bug began. The problem is palm's side has a equal mistake... It'll require a palm update to fix correctly, though sprint could patch their systems "incorrectly" again to fix it also... It's a matter of perspective.

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What YOU can do

Write to EngadgetMobile to post a story:
http://www.engadgetmobile.com/tips/

Call Palm directly and complain:

813-313-4913

408-617-7000

Talk to Sprint Advanced Tech Support.