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olmie75's profile

Teacher

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4 Messages

Friday, February 10th, 2017 10:18 PM

No way to backup & restore text messages with AT&T "advanced" messages?

My Samsung S7 was defective, and AT&T sent me a replacement. In the process of transfering all of my content over from my old device to the replacement device (another S7, initally using SmartSwitch), I noticed that very few of my outgoing texts had transferred over. I also tried MyBackup, Carbonite, Helium, AT&T Mobile Setup, MobileTrans ... and kept getting the same result. Upon further investigation, it turns out that the message that would not transfer wer "advanced" messages - a new format that AT&T has started migrating to (but can be disabled). None of the backup softwares on the market work with this format, and the new format has very limited value (with very few users, I see message receipts - that's all I 've noticed different). However, not being able to backup and restore my texts is a major problem for me. I frequently reference past texts, and I've worked hard to keep my full archive through backups and transfers for years. AT&T makes this change, doesn't inform us of the implications, now I'm stuck about to lost important data. I've spent hours with AT&T support in chats, on the phone, in the store, and nobody can help me. This feels completely unacceptable.

Accepted Solution

Official Solution

ACE - Sage

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116.6K Messages

6 years ago

@term525  If you used the built in message app on an ATT Samsung, you are using ATT messages, with advanced messaging (not Samsung).  Yes, enabled by default.  

I had no problem transferring from ATT device to ATT device.   Intact.  

On an unlocked device you are using Samsung stock app.  

They are two different programs

ACE - Sage

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116.6K Messages

7 years ago

ADvanced messaging can be disabled.  It is disabled on my Samsung GS7 because it doesn't work well between other Samsung devices with advanced messaging.    

ATT provides ATT messages backup and sync for this purpose. 

https://www.att.com/esupport/article.html#!/wireless/KM1009388

 

 

 

Teacher

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4 Messages

7 years ago

I know that advanced messaging can be disabled, but that doesn't help me in backing up ~1 year worth of texts when it was enabled (and I had no knowledge of the consequences related to backup). Regarding AT&T backup & sync, it did not backup any of the advanced messages on my account (perhaps it was not enabled previously because I relied on other software); also, it only backs up 90 days worth of texts. Again, AT&T swithed over to this format without informing anyone of the critical implication of not being able to back & up restore texts by standard means (e.g. SmartSwitch). they owe me a resolution on this.

Teacher

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4 Messages

7 years ago

So ... I still have the old phone with the texts I want, and they don't appear in the AT&T backup. Is there some way I can back them up now and restore them to the new phone using AT&T backup? (I've tried this already with AT&T rep without success)

ACE - Sage

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116.6K Messages

7 years ago

@olmie75  Wrote:

".....I know that advanced messaging can be disabled, but that doesn't help me in backing up ~1 year worth of texts when it was enabled (and I had no knowledge of the consequences related to backup). Regarding AT&T backup & sync, it did not backup any of the advanced messages on my account (perhaps it was not enabled previously because I relied on other software); also, it only backs up 90 days worth of texts. Again, AT&T swithed over to this format without informing anyone of the critical implication of not being able to back & up restore texts by standard means (e.g. SmartSwitch). they owe me a resolution on this.

 

Your GS7 came with a dongle to transfer device to device.  Why not use that?

Advanced messaging was not forced on you.  It has never worked well, which is why I turned it off.   While some features don't work with advanced messaging, ATT backup and sync is not listed as excluded.    Still, a full year of messages require the dongle.

https://www.att.com/esupport/article.html#!/wireless/KM1062086

 

 

 

Teacher

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4 Messages

7 years ago

I did use the dongle (via SmartSwitch) and it did not transfer any advanced messages. I know I can disable advanced messages (which I did), however, it doesn't help me with the years' worth of messages that were already sent as "advanced" messages. And AT&T switched over to this as default without notifying me of this disasterous incompatability, so yes, they should provide some resolution on how to backup these text conversations.

Teacher

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13 Messages

7 years ago

The sad truth is that AT&T has no idea that this is a problem. I talked to a tech 2 days ago and all she said is that she would pass it along. They were not aware of the issue. Completely unacceptable. Text are used in many courts throughout the US. I need to print text for a 3 month period and this tech suggested I take screen shots. Some tech. 

 

Something of this magnitude should have been default to off. I consider it a down grade to my text. I will turn it off today. That will not help my situation at this point.

Contributor

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2 Messages

7 years ago

I know this doesn't help too much, I have the same issue trying to backup my advanced texts, however as you stated in the last post, you need them for a court hearing. There is an App Called Legal Text Collector. This app Creates a PDF file of all messages, advanced or otherwise. The only issue i have seen with it so far, aside from no restore option, is that emojis do not come through properly, but other than that, it is something to get you by for the court at least since ATT is absolutely no help in this matter.

Teacher

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8 Messages

7 years ago

This is disappointing and needs to be solved. We did get advanced messaging forced on us. I never turned it on and now a year's worth of text messages from my s6 to my new non-att s8 are non-transferable and will be lost forever. What a joke.

Contributor

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1 Message

6 years ago

Has this problem with restoring messages been resolved?

We are having the same issue with restoring sent messages using Smart Switch. Received messages restore with no problem.

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