Text Message (Groups) Delays

Hello @dnjester

We understand how keeping updated with important group message can be, allow us to offer a helping hand!

Are the recipients of the group messages have similar issues after a message was sent from your device? Have you checked to see if your device has been updated with the latest software?

Have you enabled the MMS messaging on your iOS device?

To help get your cellphone up to speed, you can follow these steps:

Step 1

Tap Settings > Scroll down and tap Messages > Scroll down to SMS/ MMS

and disable the feature.

Step 2

Go back to Settings > Tap on General > Scroll down and tap Reset > Select Reset Network Settings > Enter your pass-code > Tap Restart Network Settings

Step 3

Turn Messaging back on by performing the step in step 1, go back the messages. You will see MMS Messaging. Enable text messaging by sliding the button to the right. You may need to turn your phone off and back on to restore text functionality.

If you have an Android, please verify that the settings allow you to group message. Make sure they are enabled by:

Open Messages > Tap on the 3 dots > Settings > More Settings > Multimedia Messages > Verify group conversations is enabled. In some instances, you need to perform a combination of the above and a Network Reset. If you are using a 3rd party app to troubleshoot, disable it and test from the default messaging app. this will help determine where the issue lies.

If the group messaging features still persists, you can also use our Troubleshoot & Resolve/ iPhone 8,8+ by selecting (Messaging) and use the how-to steps to get your mobile phone fully operational.

We hope this helps and have a good day!

Dwight, AT&T Community Specialist

Thank you, Dwight.  

• For clarification, this isn't a problem with sending to a group, but receiving messages on my iPhone in groups.  
• I always update my phone to the latest software the same day I'm notified of an update's availability.  
• Yes, I've always had MMS turned on.  

I found the steps you outlined above in another string after I posted my original message.  Once I followed the steps, a bunch of old messages immediately came to my phone.  I am hopeful that maybe it corrected the problem, but won't know for a while until I am confident I'm receiving all messages in a timely fashion.  

Thank you for responding!

Dawn

Hello @dnjester,

Thank you for letting us know that the steps Dwight provided corrected the delay of messages! If you continue to experience issues, please reach back out so that we may continue troubleshooting to determine the root cause. 

Thanks again!

Bobbie, AT&T Community Specialist 

Good luck Dawn!   I have spent countless hours on the phone with AT&T as well as Apple over the last 3 days on this issue.   Rebooting / resetting will result in my receiving all the messages but then they stop again.   Both companies blame the other.   I’m on a 6 week old iPhone XR.    I’m convinced this is an AT&T issue as no one I know on Verizon is having it

Thanks.  I've actually been having the problem for almost a year, but it got markedly worse in the last 2 months or so.  I also believe the problem to be with AT&T, as many of the people in my group messages (both business and personal groups) have other providers, and the only other people with issues are those who have service from AT&T (including those on iPhones and Androids).  I hate the finger-pointing that goes on between two service providers (i.e. AT&T and Apple), but this time I'm 99% sure it's AT&T's issue.

These days, we all rely on text messages!  I rely on them for emergency business needs and am growing concerned that I may not timely receive an emergency message.  That could be devastating!

Dawn

I did all of the above steps and I still have not received any of the group texts that I am in since Tuesday, February 26th. It is very frustrating when you are missing important information that is coming through those text messages. At & t needs to get it together or I am going to start looking for another carrier.

Traci

i have the same issue with Iphone X. At&t is lying to us. I just got off the phone with CS and they have been absolutely rude.

AT&T does not give a (Edited per community guidelines) about Customer service. They have a monopoly. They are rude and abnoxious.

The problem is definitely ATT. I bought a brand new iphone just because the problem with receiving group texts delayed was so bad. Thought it might be the phone. But nope, I get the exact same problems on my brand new iphone XS. So ATT has had this issue for years if you google it and they just respond with the same useless crap about resetting the phone. Done that a thousand times and it still does not fix the issue. It is beyond annoying and doesn't look like there is any fix other than dropping ATT.