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Penny7's profile

Tutor

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5 Messages

Tuesday, August 20th, 2019 8:34 PM

Can you use AT&T Messages Backup & Sync with Iphone XS

I recently moved from Verizon to At&t.  I also recently got and Iphone.  I previously had a Samsung.  On Verizon with my Samsung I could text from my computer desktop and text and make calls from my Samsung tablet.  I do not want to buy an Apple computer or tablet just to be able to do that.  I thought (before we moved) that I would be able to use At&t Messages on my desktop and tablet but can't seem to get them to work.  I did turn off IMessage.

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Official Solution

Master

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3.2K Messages

5 years ago

Apple doesn't have a way to read messages off the phone unless you have an iPad or a Mac that can sign into iMessage.

 

AT&T's Messages doesn't work with iPhones. That must be an old article. But AT&T is going to shut down the web portal to AT&T Messages on October 31 so that will be gone, too. I've never tried Google's Messages, I need to try that.

Master

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3.5K Messages

5 years ago

@Penny7 You can use "messages.att.net", or my fave, "messages.google.com".

 

They function slightly differently, and can be used (mostly) interchangeably.  

The "att.net" version goes directly to the ATT messaging servers, and most of your messages sent here will be reflected back onto your phone (but not all).

The "google.com" version uses your phone, connected on the same WiFi network (technically the same WLAN/SSID), to send/receive all the messages, sort of as a "relay device".

 

Both work fairly well/reliably, I've used the att version for some years now (because it's been around longer), and the past couple of years I've really "gravitated" to the google-relay page, because it's more "consistent".


There's also an AT&T messaging Android app, that effectively "mirrors" the site mentioned above (I haven't used this in a long time).

Tutor

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5 Messages

5 years ago

These work with an iPhone? That is what I have. I think if I had an Android it would be easy. Thanks

Master

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3.5K Messages

5 years ago

@Penny7 Yep.  
Here's the AT&T "messages.att.net" walk-through, for iPhone 7, but it should be pretty much the same, across most models.

 

There's a similar support article on Google's site, that details how to set this on on Android/Chrome (tablet/laptop), with an iPhone.

Tutor

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5 Messages

5 years ago

Their is no Iphone listed as devices that will work with messages.  I have called At&t.  

Master

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3.5K Messages

5 years ago

@Penny7 I'm not really an "iOS guy", I mostly deal with Android and (before they more or less went "extinct"), WinPhones (I'm an old Windows s/w engineer).

 

I'm pretty sure Apple has their own "version" of the "backup/restore/web-interface" for messaging, that ties to their messaging model. 

AT&T has some verbiage about this, on the messaging backup/restore site for this reason, and I suspect you'll have much better success by simply using the Apple integration.

 

@Gary L You're really solid on iOS stuff, do you use this, any chance you could lend a hand, on the "iOS side of things" here? Tag, you're it, thanks! ;-]

ACE - Expert

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16.5K Messages

5 years ago

Sorry, I played with the AT&T web site to check it out a few times, but it was more of a curiosity and it hasn't worked the last bunch of times I tried (includes my attempt just seconds ago). As I've got Messages on my iPhone, Apple Watch, MacBook (main computer), and iPad, there hasn't been any reason to explore more since I've got native apps on all the devices.

 

They were supposed to add Messages to iCloud.com but I'm not sure if they ever got it working on the web site?

 

I just enabled in my Mac app but I'm not sure if that's actually going to let me use the web (I do NOT think so) or if it's just synchronizing between devices. Which in hindsight might not be a good idea since my phone is pretty low in storage (256GB on my next phone!).

 

I'll let it cook and IF it works I'll let you know...

 

Tutor

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5 Messages

5 years ago

I just miss not being able to text from my Samsung Tablet and Windows computer since getting an iPhone.

Master

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3.5K Messages

5 years ago

@Penny7 Yeah, I'm a HUGE Windows guy (worked on the OS for a lot of years as an engineer), and I also have Samsung tablets now, being that they're the only high-PPI tablet that's really available here now, and I probably do 80% of my texting that way, between those platforms, so I appreciate your situation.

I did begin programming on an Apple II, as a kid, so I was a big fan of them, at one point in my life, back when it was pretty much an "open OS", very similar to how Android is these days...

 

I'm not an iOS fan though, so I suspect I'll never have this issue, given that Google now has "messages.google.com", which works fantastically with both (ANY web-browser, pretty much, just has to be on the same network segment).  

I'm sure there has to be some app(s) that are decent, for Android, have you don't any reading, say on AndroidCentral/WindowsCentral and the like?  How about posting on iOS support forums, I bet there are solutions there, just not "carrier solutions" perhaps, more like the "Google local-web based one".

 

Edit:

Hmm, wow, Apple is just SO PROPRIETARY, and "LOCKED DOWN", these are two of the big reasons that I (just me,personally, I'm fine with it if you want it) despise the OS.  These "solutions" (if you can call them that) are pretty big security holes, unless you're very careful about how you sandbox them, what a MESS:

https://www.iphonelife.com/content/how-to-get-imessage-pc-dangerous-methods-you-shouldnt-try

After this, I didn't even bother to look for the Android side, I left that as an exercise for you, I was so disgusted with Apple, all over again, I feel like i need a shower...  Good luck, wish I'd found better news.

Master

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3.5K Messages

5 years ago

@QuarryRye The Google option (relatively new) is pretty awesome, it's WAY more reliable, than the AT&T model. 
The downside, currently, is that it has to be on the same network segment, or the packets have to be explicitly forwarded, for it to work. 

 

They could fix/change this though, but I suspect they won't, because they (Google) are going "all in" on RCS, which AT&T seems to be refusing to talk to them about...
More and more carriers in lots of countries are executing on RCS, partnering with Google, and making this happen, and people are VERY happy with the results (from my reading anyway).

Whether or not AT&T will "get on-board" here, is anyone's guess, but my money is with "not for the foreseeable future", or not until they've gotten eclipsed by the other carriers in the US, some of which are enabling and working on it currently/steadily (with Google).

Note the comment here, from a Google exec, on the "whole situation": https://www.droid-life.com/2019/07/28/google-would-love-to-bring-rcs-to-your-phone-but-us-carriers-are-bad/

Obviously, this is from "one side" of the perspective, but there are LOTS of similar articles out there, and there are MANY large carriers, in other countries, that have already enabled it, working with them...

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