I don't want to use TMo's app. I'm sure it'll just have ads or do data collection or just otherwise be bad -- it only has 3.5 stars in the play store and looks to be filled with bugs. You guys suck for dropping support of the built in android voicemail feature which worked just fine.
Ugh. Stuff like this, my terrible reception at home, and the sprint merger make me think more and more about switching -- and I've been a t-mo customer for 15 years!
+12
magenta2449296 wrote:
T-Mobile is migrating Android users to the T-Mobile VVM app for reasons that only T-Mobile understands. Native voicemail will work until you install the app, then it won't work. You will get a text message from T-Mobile telling you to upgrade the Visual Voicemail app to continue using voicemail. Ignore the text message and native voicemail will continue to work.
It's also not clear who, when or why they are sending the "upgrade" email - it seems to be rolling conversion from native voicemail to the app that has been taking place for most of 2019. I've already switched my phone to another carrier (google fi - which has other major problems - will switch again), but am leaving the iPhone accounts I have with T-Mobile. The iOS devices have not been affected and likely won't be, either due to Apple or the overwhelming negative reaction that would create.
I am using the one on my phone and I have an unlocked device. It's been well known VVM doesn't work for prepaid accounts, but still today it works, and I have yet to see any emails about VVM not working. IF such an email existed surely a lot of Android publications would have articles about it and I would have seen it at least,
What device are you using?
+12
I currently use the Pixel 3, Also my OnePlus 6T, and OnePlus 7 Pro. None of these I got from T-Mobile. They have never stopped working for me since Google introduce VVM in their dialer with my other devices.
Hmmm...those are all phones sold by T-Mobile though. I have no idea why other phones are not working and I haven't heard of the Pixel 3 or the 6T and 7 Pro being ones that people are complaining about. As I stated previously, my theory, is that they are kicking phones that they do not sell, to the voicemail curb. This is purely speculation on my part, I wished I new for sure, but nobody seems to know. All I know is that the unlocked phones that used to work now don't and that is not something I would expect to see from T-Mobile. Here's my list:
Pixel 3 (works)
Pixel 3a (works)
OnePlus 6T T-Mobile branded (works)
These all used to work
(2) Moto X4's (don't work)
Moto G5 Plus (doesn't work)
Essential (doesn't work)
Pixel 2 XL (didn't work)
I stand corrected. It looks like there are some unlocked OnePlus 7 pro users with the issue.
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magenta6790580 wrote:
I stand corrected. It looks like there are some unlocked OnePlus 7 pro users with the issue.
All the pixels worked for me. I owned them all. I have a rather extensive list of devices that'll trip most people out. I used to work for the DoD and we do extensive testing for security purposes. The stock VVM has always worked for me when introduced. The pixel 3 wasn't sold on T-Mobile until this year a couple months ago. I bought mine last year as an early adopter to replace my Pixel 2.
This problem seems to have started around April of this year. That is when I noticed it on my Pixel 2XL. All the Pixels used to work for me. I am sort of a "collector" of cell phones and have an extensive list of devices also.
Anyone have any updates to this problem? I'm using the Essential Phone and I never had a problem with the native visual voicemail until a few months ago, the same as other people on here it seems. I use my phone for work so I need voicemail and I strongly prefer to use the native solution as opposed to some poorly designed, outdated app that barely works as is. Not to mention it's an ugly app. I really don't like the idea of having to take the four lines on my account and move to a new carrier but if that's what I have to do then so be it.
I switched my phone to a new carrier to get voicemail back and left the other lines (iPhones) with TMobile. Went to googlefi, but may switch again due to severe battery drain and slow wifi.
What phone did you take to Google Fi?
Moto G6. Battery went from last a day to lasting 2-3 hours. Major drain due to Googlefi app - known issue apparently.
That had issues with native VVM on T-mobile? The native VVM now works on Google Fi?
Moto G6 on T-Mobile. Native voicemail worked fine until I got the "upgrade your vm app" text message. I didn't think I had a VM app, I just used the native version, but I said hey T-Mobile usually knows what they're talking about. So I installed the app. Native VM disappeared and the app would launch but couldn't connect to server. So now no VVM at all...have to dial in to get messages. So uninstall the app. No change. Native VM does not return. So I factory reset and wipe my phone. Install the app. Native VM does not return, but the app does work now and happily notifies of new voicemails 8-10 hours after they are left for me. So farewell magenta. GoogleFi transfer is fast and smooth and native VM returns! So my native VM works again on my phone on another carrier.
Clearly TMobile is changing voicemail providers and the new vendor cannot/will not integrate with the native app (security, cost, code who knows why). But once you've installed and activated the app (or once T-mobile has switched you over to their new system) native VVM will no longer work.
Dang, what a pain. Also strange because Google Fi uses T-mobile. The day native VVM stops working on my Pixel 3 or 3a is the day I leave the Un-carrier. It would be nice if they would or could let people know what is really going on.
My family has three Moto G6s. Native VVM has always worked on the first 2. Has never worked on the third. Spent an hour working with a rep. Only solution was to use T-Mo's app.
Now my functioning G6 updated to Android Pie, and the native VVM stopped working. Not happy.
Unlocked Essential PH-1. Android Pie/9 - latest build (because Essential rocks!)
Same as others on the list: native VMM worked until I followed what T-Mob told me to do (install *their* app), then uninstalled it when I realized I had to pay for VMM after the trial, and native voicemail has been broken ever since giving the "Visual voicemail isn't working. Call voicemail to finish setting it up". But of course TMob's voicemail doesn't have any options to "finish setting it up".
In general T-Mob has been great - but this *REALLY* rubs me the wrong way. Sloppy development (with an inability to listen to feedback) or a greedy corporation - either/both are bad.
So what's the conclusion here? It seems that if you receive the text message to install T-mobile's fancy 1990's interface voicemail app, then you're doomed to never get native VVM working. I'm stumped as to why T-Mobile would take this approach and also why we can't get a definitive answer as to what is really happening.
Tried out Google Fi with my Essential PH-1 phone and native VVM works like a champ, with an added bonus of RCS support. So, it's not the phone that is the problem.
My Android native visual voicemail has stopped working as well. I guess I'll be giving GoogleFi another shot.
Why hasn't anybody from T-Mobile said anything in this thread? I would seriously like to know what is going on with native VVM on phones that support it. Are we or are we not being forced into using the app? Why does it work on some devices and not others?
Kind of disappointed that T-Mobile has been rather silent about this.
This is the response I received from T-Mobile via Twitter DM right before I ported my number to Google Fi. I'm not paying $4 per month for voicemail transcription, that's ridiculous.
Looks like we are doing a Voicemail Migration and we are moving you to a new voicemail platform with more function and stability. I am not seeing any way to stop it or reverse it which I apologize about and understand where you are coming from with not wanting to use it. But it looks like we did it to have it be a better experience with the visual voicemail feature.
If that's true, then
1) They're knowingly taking away an android feature in an effort to sell us their alternative
and
2) they haven't communicated it appropriately, even to much of their own support staff. Which has led me personally to waste hours searching the internet and spend over an hour of aggravation on the phone with a clueless rep trying a dozen pointless fixes.
T-mob response = "whoops - sorry, not sorry".
Has anybody done a factory reset and restore to see if the native VVM comes back?
I haven't yet, but am thinking that if the TM VVM app messes things up, then a full reset should work.
Easyish to do - just need a few hours with blinders on - will report back if somebody else hasn't already tried it.
I did a factory reset, and native VVM did not return. Once you install the T-Mobile app it takes a few minutes to "activate" the app. I assume that activation changes where your voicemail recordings are routed and once they have switched over to the app servers there's no way back to native android vvm service (since this migration is the point of the switch).
.
I can confirm that changing carriers does bring native VVM back, so it's not the handsets.
Moto G6.
Trying to milk more money from it's customers.
Thanks for the response and shedding some sort of light on the issue. This is about as non Un-carrier as it gets and is something I would expect from Verizon or AT&T. A better experience through a separate app? Sorry, but I prefer the native VVM on my phones, it's the perfect experience actually.
Simplicity and convenience, nope, we don't believe in that here at T-Mobile, we like to force people to use our software and charge extra for features that are built into android.
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