Pictures sometimes either delayed or not showing up in imessages. Phone or carrier?

[t76turbo]

I noticed the issue a few months ago. Was in a group chat and people started reacting to a photo that was sent but I never got it. Some photos do come through. Some dont. At first I thought it was only in that group text that has maybe 10 people with iphones and android.

But today a buddy text me and a pic popped up and immediately 2 text bubbles. The pic was applicable to a conversation we had a week ago so I asked if he had just sent the pic and he said he sent it on the 3rd of Feb. He has an iphone. I am on tmobile. I think he is on verizon but not sure. Who knows what carrier all the people I mentioned above are on.

Can anyone help at all???? I am lost.

I am on a Iphone 12 Pro Max on the latest ios.

 

[t76turbo]

Something else that just happened 1 minute ago. I saw my phone screen light up. Picked it up and all of a sudden 8 messages came through. At 8:04pm. I seriously doubt all 8 responses were all written at the same time by all 3 people within 1 minute.

Just in case it could add to the diagnosis.