BlackBerry Forums Support Community

tuck · 07-17-2008, 03:28 PM

I realize that this has been an issue for Sprint customers and that apparently Sprint has disabled this feature. I just signed up for a Sprint plan and the advertised phone had this description (the most important part is bolded):

Quote:

BlackBerry® Pearl™ 8130 (Sprint)

Item Description

With the BlackBerry® Pearl™ 8130 smartphone, you can do all the things you have to do so you can do more of the things you want to do. Surf the internet, view email attachments, text message, and stay on track and on time with the organizer. You can even take pictures and video with the built-in camera and then instantly send them to your family and friends. It is like having the whole world in your hand.

Stay Connected

Wireless E-mail: Send, receive, forward, and reply to messages, and view attachments in popular file formats. Add up to 10 supported personal and work email addresses to your BlackBerry® smartphone. Each mailbox is automatically updated whenever you send, delete, file or read messages on your smartphone.

Instant Messaging: You can use Instant Messaging to connect with your IM contacts using popular applications like BlackBerry® Messenger, Yahoo!® Messenger, Google Talk, AOL® Instant Messenger for Blackberry® Smartphones, and many more. Instant messaging (IM) applications on BlackBerry® smartphones keep you in touch with your IM contacts—no matter where you are or what you’re doing. Enjoy many of the instant messaging features you already enjoy on your computer on your BlackBerry® Pearl™ 8130, including: a familiar user interface, availability status, contact access and management, notifications to tell you when you receive a new message, and emoticons that help you express yourself.

SMS and MMS: Short Message Service (SMS) and Multi-Media Messaging Service (MMS) allow you to send text messages and images to your friends quickly and easily. Use the SMS feature whenever you can’t pick up the phone to call someone. You can also take pictures with the BlackBerry® Pearl™ 8130 and send them right away to any of the contacts in your phone.

Advanced phone features: The speakerphone is perfect for hands-free calls and convenient conference calls. Voice Activated Dialing (vad) allows for you to just say the word to initiate a call with anyone in your contact list. Plus, you can use VAD along with the built-in speakerphone or with a stereo Bluetooth® headset for hands-free dialing. User-definable convenience keys and dedicated Send, End and Mute keys make the phone more user-friendly. Personalize your device with downloadable ringtones, or create your own from songs stored on your smartphone. Conference calling lets you easily initiate a call with multiple people at once. The BlackBerry® Pearl™ 8130 is also stereo Bluetooth® enabled allowing you to enjoy hands-free dialogue via headsets and car kits.

Questions:
1. Is this still a problem for 8130 users with Sprint as the provider?
2. If it is still a problem, are there any possible remedies?
3. If there are no remedies, is this not false advertising?

It certainly appears as if they want the reader to believe that using this phone with Sprint as the carrier will allow you to use MMS. Thanks in advance.

jjgjr75 · 07-17-2008, 03:46 PM

I am a little annoyed at this as well. I called Sprint and they said to call Blackberry when I know Blackberry has no control over whether MMS is allowed especially when it works on other carriers. I also noticed that inside the plan details for my account it states that I get "Unlimited Picture Mail" which is bogus if I cannot send MMS. It is not a dealbreaker for me as I can email the pics and other features like GPS/Sprint Nav are more important. Let us know if you hear any updates because I know there are a few others on this board with the same problem.

johnnyrichter · 07-17-2008, 09:34 PM

I am having this same issue with Alltel. The phone description claims I'm able to use MMS, and I'm paying for unlimited MMS...but I don't actually have MMS.

Another member posted on my thread about this topic with some great info regarding the issue with Alltel customers...not sure if it pertains to you Sprint guys too.

Anyways, to sum it up...Alltel's MMS system is not compatible with the RIM software for sending MMS. RIM has been trying to release fixes for this, but so far they've failed Alltel's testing.

Again, I'm not sure if this is the same for you guys...so hopefully someone else on here can offer a for-sure answer for Sprint users.

kennethmurrell · 07-17-2008, 10:57 PM

Yeah. As of now it is still an issue. I know that sometime soon sprint is working on a service book push of some sort to enable MMS on the Sprint blackberries. That is what our sprint contact has told us anyway. Since they usually tell us stuff before its released, I will let you all know. Sprint loses a lot of business because of this. And sprint didn't disable it, from what I understand is that we don't have an MMS server on the sprint CDMA network. Hope this helps!

Also, picturemail with sprint and other sprint flip phones is different from MMS. A lot of people think its the same and they don't know why it's not. I just heard that its going to be in August, so we'll see!

jjgjr75 · 07-18-2008, 12:33 PM

Thanks alot for that info Kenny. At least there is something to look forward to if it's true.

kennethmurrell · 07-18-2008, 01:59 PM

yeah no problem, I will be sure to post the definate date when I find out the exact date. As well as anything else that you'll need to know.

thackstonns · 07-21-2008, 03:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by johnnyrichter

I am having this same issue with Alltel. The phone description claims I'm able to use MMS, and I'm paying for unlimited MMS...but I don't actually have MMS.

Another member posted on my thread about this topic with some great info regarding the issue with Alltel customers...not sure if it pertains to you Sprint guys too.

Anyways, to sum it up...Alltel's MMS system is not compatible with the RIM software for sending MMS. RIM has been trying to release fixes for this, but so far they've failed Alltel's testing.

Again, I'm not sure if this is the same for you guys...so hopefully someone else on here can offer a for-sure answer for Sprint users.

You are right on. I sell for Alltel, and believe me I hope it happens soon, BB are the best phones we sell, The funny thing is the pearl and the curve are the first bb phones we have had with a camera. Everyone was fine with the no mms messaging without the camera, But now everyone is screaming. Not on this post, but i get people "this phone is complete junk."
Whats it doing?
"it wont MMS" Oh well hows your reception, oh good, well hows that email working, oh perfect, hows that not having to restart it every 2 hours, Oh you like that. So its not junk you are just really mad, ok i understand. We are trying to fix that. Unfortunately for everyone involved Alltel is doing it as slow as humanly possible. Believe me as a sales rep If I knew how to code I would donate 3 or 4 hours a day just so I never here it again. This post was great, and thanks for letting me rant. Alot of people think that we (the sales reps) are trying to screw them. Maybe some are, but most arent.

rugarcia123 · 07-25-2008, 02:24 PM

I too have the same issue with Sprint. I jsut bought 3 BB 8330 Curves and they don't support MMS messaging. I hope that they support this feature in the foreseeable future.

tuck · 07-25-2008, 04:41 PM

I guess you could always email pics as attachements instead of MMS. MMS is easier of course but only a little. Unless the person you are sending it to doesn't have email on their phone....then they'll just have to get it off a computer.

In the grand scheme of things Im not that disappointed. In fact, I love this phone. and the Sprint data plan is very very very very...did I say very? cool! Sprint TV, Radio and Navigation come with the plan and I couldnt believe the channel selection. The Pearl itself was also fantastic. I'm loving this phone so much and the service plan is perfect for it. I seriously forgot all about MMS.

doyphoto · 07-30-2008, 02:55 AM

You know, I flipped out about that too, now I could care less; CSM's last release strips picturemail off any account who's device "doesn't support" it. I loggied into picturemail, was informed that I no longer had it, and I could subscribe (which wouldn't have worked) or download all my pics now (one huge conenient zip). I chose the latter.

Honestly I've always found picturemail to be a bit cluttered, and I don't wanna have to click the link to view something. I also don't want my perfect photos that my BB takes to be sized down, or advertising attached to it!

With email I can send as long of a video as I want... PM was like 30 sec, or 512K. I'm much happier just emailing them. Just download all your PM pics uploaded to your pc, throw them on your memory card, and do a backup once in a while.

If you really have to send picturemail, get their PM email address (like xxxsh @ pm.sprint.com (can be found/assigned once logging into the PM account).

Hope this helps.

Thank You,

Thank You,

Randy Vanderveer, IT Consultant
Medias Corporation

Quote:

Originally Posted by jjgjr75

I am a little annoyed at this as well. I called Sprint and they said to call Blackberry when I know Blackberry has no control over whether MMS is allowed especially when it works on other carriers. I also noticed that inside the plan details for my account it states that I get "Unlimited Picture Mail" which is bogus if I cannot send MMS. It is not a dealbreaker for me as I can email the pics and other features like GPS/Sprint Nav are more important. Let us know if you hear any updates because I know there are a few others on this board with the same problem.

techra · 12-28-2008, 09:02 PM

With th blackberry its different from sending picture mail in a text. You really have to send it in email format. For example: to send it to a sprint customer you need to send the "SMS" message to 1(234)457-4569@PM.SPRINT.COM
and t-mobile to 1(234)457-4569@tmomail.net and verizon is 1#@vzwpix.com and at&t is 1#@MMS.att.net (the MMS must be capitalized.)

bigdaadio · 01-20-2009, 06:25 PM

Wirelessly posted (7290/7100t)

Quote:

Originally Posted by techra

With th blackberry its different from sending picture mail in a text. You really have to send it in email format. For example: to send it to a sprint customer you need to send the "SMS" message to 1(234)457-4569@PM.SPRINT.COM
and t-mobile to 1(234)457-4569@tmomail.net and verizon is 1#@vzwpix.com and at&t is 1#@MMS.att.net (the MMS must be capitalized.)

I send pix to the vzwpix address to my friend on verizon- he is unable to open "attachment" I have SEP with sprint- wished I would have stuck with my flip fone...is there a "workaround" this?

kevinwska · 01-20-2009, 06:45 PM

All the current info known about Sprint MMS:

It only works on a few of their phone, and only a few others have picture mail

It was been rumored both inside the company and outside that with a official 4.5 release MMS service books would be pushed

Service representatives both preach that there will never be MMS on Sprint and that it is coming soon

CSRs also say both that MMS is still unavailable from Sprint and that it is RIMs fault.

People have had hit and miss luck using other companies service books, and currently one is in the works again.

The Sprint official 4.5 OS was just leaked and thus it is rumored to be coming soon still with MMS service books

BlackBerry Forums Support Community

Concerned about Sprint, the Pearl 8130 and MMS