Carrier Busy Signal, Delayed Texts - T Mobile

[JWreck]

We switched from AT&T to T Mobile about 1 year ago. Ever since the switch, I will randomly have people text me that they tried to call me and get a fast busy signal. My team, co-workers and business partners have all experienced this. I’ve called T Mobile, and they’ve just blamed it on spam protection and other numbers not being properly whitelisted between carriers.

We’ve (both my wife and I) also started experiencing delayed group texts. It’s becoming a frequent occurrence now where some texts come through and some are severely delayed.

This is incredibly frustrating. We never had these problems when on AT&T - their cellular service was generally very good, but their customer service was awful. I refuse to go back, but I’m now eyeing Verizon...which is actually where I have my corporate account too.

Has anyone else experienced issues like this lately with T Mobile or really any other carrier? I’m on an iPhone 11 Pro Max and my wife is on a X, both on latest iOS but it was happening well before iOS 13.

 

[Super Spartan]

I am on Virgin Mobile in Dubai and I am getting delayed SMS as well, I think it's a bug in iOS 13.2.3

 

[JWreck]

I am on Virgin Mobile in Dubai and I am getting delayed SMS as well, I think it's a bug in iOS 13.2.3

Interesting. I had a group message between some coworkers Thanksgiving Day. One particular message was sent and I receivedat 2:20am Friday morning. Another person received it 4:50pm thanksgiving day and another on a different carrier received it at the same 2:20am Friday morning as I did.

 

[Super Spartan]

Interesting. I had a group message between some coworkers Thanksgiving Day. One particular message was sent and I receivedat 2:20am Friday morning. Another person received it 4:50pm thanksgiving day and another on a different carrier received it at the same 2:20am Friday morning as I did.

I made a few purchases using my debit card, I usually get an SMS notification instantly but the messages arrived next day.

 

[maj71303]

This is a well known issue on T-Mobile of delayed text messaging. Even happens on android phones as well. This is one of many reasons I left T-Mobile as a carrier.

 

[eyoungren]

This is a well known issue on T-Mobile of delayed text messaging. Even happens on android phones as well. This is one of many reasons I left T-Mobile as a carrier.

I have T-Mobile and this is not happening to me.

 

[Wide opeN]

I have T-Mobile and this is not happening to me.

I have T-Mobile as well and am not experiencing any of these issues. Have you tried a hard reset!? There also was a carrier update that accompanied 13.2.3... Are you on 13.2.3!?

 

[JWreck]

I have T-Mobile as well and am not experiencing any of these issues. Have you tried a hard reset!? There also was a carrier update that accompanied 13.2.3... Are you on 13.2.3!?

I’ve done a hard reset, reset network settings, made sure I was on the latest versions...nothing. In response to another poster I loaded up 13.3 beta today to see if that has any impact.

 

[eyoungren]

I have T-Mobile as well and am not experiencing any of these issues. Have you tried a hard reset!? There also was a carrier update that accompanied 13.2.3... Are you on 13.2.3!?

I'm going to guess you are speaking to OP?

As I said, delayed texts are not happening with my phone. In otherwords, my phone is working just fine.

My primary phone is a Pixel 3a XL though, so what you mention won't apply here. My secondary phone is a 6s+ on iOS 9.0.2 and it's jailbroken. Even if I had issues with delayed texts on that phone (which I don't) I wouldnt upgrade. I'm sitting on a valuable jailbreak with a certain amount of tweaks that don't exist anymore and that cannot be reactivated.

 

[chscag]

I have T-Mobile and have never experienced a problem with delayed texts or busy signal calls as you describe. It may be a local thing in your area.

 

[Wide opeN]

@ OP I'm curious... Can you post a speed test from a location where you're experiencing these issues.

 

[JWreck]

@ OP I'm curious... Can you post a speed test from a location where you're experiencing these issues.

 

[jeyf]

we have t-mo issues around the house too. I was told the emphasis is not extending 4g service anymore.

 

[Wide opeN]

That looks like Wi-Fi. I was basically wanting to see if you were suffering from congestion.

 

[JWreck]

That looks like Wi-Fi. I was basically wanting to see if you were suffering from congestion.

Whoops, if I had been actually thinking it through that would have made more sense huh?

So here’s my cellular speeds at my house, which is in a “hill country” type area of Austin TX. Shouldn’t be congestion here, but certainly limited signal. However, this happens when I get into the city too. T Mobiles speeds have always sucked for me no matter where I go around the greater Austin area.

I also have WiFi calling enabled on everything.

 

[Wide opeN]

Hmmm... This is definitely seeming more and more like a local issue.

Have you tried calling 611 and report your issues and/or also see if any issues are currently open in the area!?

 

[jeyf]

generally; t-moble service in denver urban areas is low -> moderate.
need to move to the suburbs.

 

[JWreck]

Hmmm... This is definitely seeming more and more like a local issue.

Have you tried calling 611 and report your issues and/or also see if any issues are currently open in the area!?

Yep, multiple times. Even had a ticket opened for their engineers and they simply blame it on other carriers.

 

[jeyf]

flogging a dead horse
the OP might ask his neighbors which carriers and what phones they use.

the OP could also enable to wifi calling on his iPhone. 4me; even tho wifi calling is enabled i could swear it does not improve quality that much

The 5g towers are invading my hood from the north. I just dont anticipate lots of maintenance is being done on the old 4g equipment.

 

[Wide opeN]

Yep, multiple times. Even had a ticket opened for their engineers and they simply blame it on other carriers.

Is the behavior happening randomly (with all carriers) or is there a pattern (only happens with specific carriers)?

 

[JWreck]

flogging a dead horse
the OP might ask his neighbors which carriers and what phones they use.

the OP could also enable to wifi calling on his iPhone. 4me; even tho wifi calling is enabled i could swear it does not improve quality that much

The 5g towers are invading my hood from the north. I just dont anticipate lots of maintenance is being done on the old 4g equipment.

Neighbors and friends report inconsistencies as well but not this specific issue of a fast busy.

i have always had WiFi calling enabled.
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Is the behavior happening randomly (with all carriers) or is there a pattern (only happens with specific carriers)?

Randomly across multiple carriers including land lines from businesses (likely provided by Spectrum or Charter).
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Just had a vendor email me that they tried to call from their ATT phone and got a fast busy signal. I’m on WiFi in the building in the Austin metro area.

I’m calling T Mobile again today and if they can’t figure it out, I’m switching.

 

[JWreck]

Stopping by to get another new SIM. Also opened a case with Apple to discuss in case it’s hardware related.

 

[steelhauler34]

T mobile sucks. By my user name you can guess I travel a lot. Another co worker who I talk to has t mobile and he drops constantly. Verizon almost never drops anywhere I go.

 

[JWreck]

Update: I emailed John Legere. He blasts that email all over so I figured I’d see what happens. Got a call from someone claiming to be in the executive offices. When I called back, it was actually a direct dial system that said “thank you for calling the t mobile executive offices, please dial your parties extension”. So maybe it was worth it.

So anyway, after a few days of research based on some examples I gave them with specific information, they told me that these numbers were being identified as scam numbers and were being blocked by the scam block feature on my account.

The thing is, I had one of the people who recently received a busy signal try to call me again and it went through just fine with scam block enabled. So it’s intermittent at best.

I have a follow up on Tuesday and plan on letting her know my results. We turned off scam block temporarily on my account for testing stattinf this afternoon.

 

[Five_Oh]

Whoops, if I had been actually thinking it through that would have made more sense huh?

So here’s my cellular speeds at my house, which is in a “hill country” type area of Austin TX. Shouldn’t be congestion here, but certainly limited signal. However, this happens when I get into the city too. T Mobiles speeds have always sucked for me no matter where I go around the greater Austin area.

I also have WiFi calling enabled on everything.

This is strange to me. I visited Austin for a week and a half last month. No issues with delayed notifications at all. In fact, speeds were very fast my entire stay. My experience was mostly downtown, UT campus, and some areas just south of downtown across the river.

T-Mo phone.