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SMS Text Message Issues / Challenges

Sometimes, text messaging restrictions or limits placed on your account can result in problems replying to legitimate Text Messages sent by 1-800 Notify on the behalf of our customers.

Person says they are not receiving a Text Message

There could be a few reasons for the person not receiving our text messages.

1. Verify that the phone number in our system is the correct one for the person.

2. Make sure the phone number supplied to us to send the text is a valid mobile phone that can receive a text message.

3. Make sure the person has not blocked or disabled receiving texts from toll free numbers, short codes or any text from a number not in their address book (sometimes this is possible).

Our texts are sent out under two numbers:

- primarily this toll free number: 888-885-1695

- sometimes from this short code: 85760 (if the toll free text is blocked or fails - this is the backup sending method.)

4. Maybe the person's cellular account has some other block set on it by the person who setup and manages their account.  Ask the person to check with their phone company and ask if text might be blocked from either of these 2 phone numbers:

888-885-1695 or this short code 85760

 

 

Unable to Reply to a Text Message / "Charges May Apply" Message

Some wireless carriers add a "third party charge block" to the mobile phone account if the subscriber account holder requested such a block. The purpose of this block is to prevent unscrupulous spam/advertising companies from sending short code text messages and auto-charging their service to the wireless account.  Our short code does not charge any extra, nor do we sign people up for any thing.

The other reason a patient may see a "Charges May Apply" message is if they have a limited type texting plan that has run out of monthly texts, or (less likely) may charge a premium to reply to short code messages.

How to fix this problem?

Have your patient call the mobile phone provider and ask them to remove any charge blocks or short code blocks on their account.  The other possibility is to ask the wireless carrier to allow the specific short code we use: 85760, if this is allowed.

 

Text Messages Not Received

If you have verified that the mobile phone number used to send a text to your patient is correct, then there may be a block on your patients wireless account.

Since we send messages out and request replies on our short code (87560), all messages your patients receive from 1-800 Notify will show up under this code, which may appear as "857-60" in the text caller ID.

If your patients are not receiving our texts, then there may be a blanket block of all text messages from short codes going to your patient's mobile phone number.

This kind of block is generally used in an attempt to stop all text message spammers.  

How to fix this problem?

Have your patient call the mobile phone provider and ask them to remove any charge blocks or short code blocks on their account.  The other possibility is to ask the wireless carrier to allow the specific short code we use: 85760, if this is allowed.

Martin Trautschold

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