Even though short texts have redefined how we communicate on the go, issues such as not communicating on the platform can be frustrating. Fortunately, there are workarounds in case you experience the bug.

So, what does “message blocking is active” mean? This error means your carrier cannot deliver the text message to the intended recipient. It may be because your phone is roaming in a foreign country or the recipient has blocked you.

If message blocking is active on T-mobile, it means the shortcode is either inactive or incorrect.

How to fix the “Free msg: unable to send message – message blocking is active” error

Even though the messaging blocking error is frustrating, there are possible ways to solve the problem. The most responsive ways to unblock message blocking include:

1. Remove the sim card and restart your phone

If the message blocking is active on android or iOS, you should remove the sim card and restart the device. The process solves two problems.

First, it debugs your phone, and second, restarts the connection. If the problem was the signal on your phone, the process makes it possible to send messages without the error.

2. For international messages, change the country code

If you send a text message to a person overseas, you need to add their country code. Failure to include the code may automatically block the message from being sent.

If you are uncertain about your recipient’s country’s code, do a Google search for it then format their number correctly.

3. Request the receiver to unblock you

You may be getting the error message because the recipient has blocked you. Whether it was intentional or by mistake, you can only send the message if they unblock you. Fortunately, the blacklisting may not affect voice calls.

If they have not blocked you, you should check if you have blacklisted them on your side. In case you have blocked the recipient, remove the number on the blacklist and try resending the message.

4. Remove attachments from your messages

Even though most carriers allow users to attach pictures and documents in messages, they may trigger the error. Text messages, by design, are light, and any additional elements may make it harder to send them.

Therefore, avoid sending pictures, voice notes, videos, and documents via messages. If it is possible, use alternative means such as emails and social media.

5. If you are roaming, talk to your carrier

The ability to use your phone in a foreign country is one of the best advances in communication. However, your phone carrier may restrict data and text services to shield you from expensive rates.

Unfortunately, you may not get communication from your phone service provider. If you talk to the representative of your phone company, they may reset your services to accommodate your new needs as a user.

However, sending messages from a foreign country may attract new charges, affecting your phone bill.

6. Change your GSM plan

Your GSM plan may affect your messaging experience, especially if you send messages more frequently than calling.

For example, if you send more than 5000 messages in a month, you are more likely to get the error. The primary goal of restricting messages is to avoid creating a huge phone bill under your plan.

Changing your plan helps in bypassing the limitation caused by sending more text messages in a given period. If you are uncertain about which plan you should change to, talk to your carrier’s representative, informing them of your intention to change GSM plans.

In case you are using iMessage, ensure the recipient is on iOS if you want to send messages without incurring any cost. If they are on an Android device, change your plan to accommodate premium texts across the two platforms.

Conclusion

While most phone carriers use block messaging features to protect users from overcharging and other related dangers, it is not pleasant.

Fortunately, the above steps are effective in solving the error. However, when traveling to a different country, you should talk to your carrier’s representative and reconfigure your phone to match the new messaging needs.

Messaging tips and guides

• What is a text mail subscriber? Is it a scam?
• What does TFW mean on an iPhone?
• Why did I get a random text with a Google verification code?
• How to send a text without showing your number
• Fix: Unfortunately, messaging has stopped

The post What does “message blocking is active” mean and the fix appeared first on AppDrum.

Before we show you how to send someone a message without your number showing up, here is a list of ethical reasons for hiding your privacy.

Reasons to hide your number while texting

Anonymous text messaging can come in handy in several situations. Below is a look at some of the reasons to send anonymous texts:

• Online dating: nowadays, people are venturing more and more into online dating in search of their soulmates. Unfortunately, the platforms are also filled with creeps who can become stalkers. Anonymous texting can protect you from the dangers that lurk in this world.
• To convey private information that you don’t want to be traced back to you. For example, leaking information about something to a family member, friend, your bosses, or even authorities, while protecting your identity.
• To provide negative feedback without opening yourself up to retaliation.
• Confessing uncomfortable or awkward information to someone
• Prank messaging: it can be hilarious teasing your loved ones with anonymous messages. Just don’t take it too far, or else you will land in trouble.

While anonymous texting can be beneficial, it can also be dangerous if used in the wrong way. For example, it can be used to bully people, threaten, or even harass them.

Never do any of these as they are spiteful and inhumane. On top of that, you can land yourself in legal trouble, and possibly even face criminal charges.

Top 3 ways to send anonymous texts from your iPhone or Android smartphone

If you are looking to message someone while hiding your number, use any of these three methods to send anonymous text for free:

1. Through email

Email to texting is one of the best ways to send an anonymous message. Some carriers around the world support the sending of the SMS directly from an email to their subscribers.

The method is free and is an excellent way to protect your privacy as you can use a fake email address. It can also come in handy when you don’t have a phone but want to communicate with your contacts.

So how does anonymous email to texting work? It is quite simple! Simply include the recipient’s number in the delivery address, followed by the carrier’s email extension. For example, number@carrier.net.

Below are some of the top mobile phone carriers that support email to text service:

• AT&T – number@txt.att.net
• Boost Mobile – number@myboostmobile.com
• Metro PCS – number@mymetropcs.com
• Sprint – number@messaging.sprintpcs.com
• Ting – number@message.ting.com
• T-Mobile – number@tmomail.net
• Tracfone – number@mmst5.tracfone.com
• S. Cellular – number@email.uscc.net
• Verizon – number@vtext.com
• Virgin Mobile – number@vmobl.com

For example, if sending a message to a Verizon subscriber, simply enter the recipient address as 10digitphonenumber@tvext.com. Then type your message (without a subject) and send it. It will be delivered like an ordinary text, but with no sender information.

2. Through incognito texting apps

Nowadays, you can find mobile apps for nearly everything, including incognito texting. With these apps, you can text someone anonymously from an iPhone or Android device, without worrying about your privacy.

Here are some of the free apps for anonymous texting:

• Phoner Burner texting and Calling App – Available for iOS
• Phone 2^nd Phone Number – Available for Android
• Text Free – both Android and iOS
• Burner – both Android and iOS
• Text Me – Android and iOS

These apps are free, only requiring data connectivity to send the messages. To use them, simply download one from the app store, launch it, create an account, and start sending free texts.

3. Through anonymous texting websites

Aside from phone apps, you can also use online texting tools (websites). You can find lots of free ones, which are also easy to use.

The best thing is that with most of them, you can send an anonymous SMS without registration. Therefore, as long as you mask your online activity, you can maintain complete anonymity.

The best anonymous texting websites are:

• Free SMS Online
• Phone Web Messenger
• TextFree Web
• OpenTextingOnline
• TextSendr
• Globofone

To use the tools, simply open each URL on your PC browser. With some websites, you must sign up before you can use the severance.

However, with others, there is no registration required. Simply enter the recipient’s phone number and start sending messages.

Ready to send anonymous texts?

Anonymous calling has been around for a while, whether using USSD code, phone settings, or a calling app.

Now, with the above tools and techniques, you can start sending anonymous messages today. The best part is, not only can you protect your privacy, but you can also send texts for free.

Related

• What does a text mail subscriber mean?
• What is the National Do Not Call Registry?
• How to fix unfortunately messaging has stopped

The post How to send anonymous texts from your phone appeared first on AppDrum.

In other cases, you get a voice tone with no answer. What does that mean, and what is a text mail subscriber?

A text mail subscriber is someone who makes phone calls via the internet. In this case, instead of the calls originating from a regular mobile or landline network, they come from the internet.

Most of these individuals use internet phone services, such as Google Voice. When you text the person, they will get a notification via email.

You cannot call back either. But if you call back the text mail phone number, you will get a voicemail.

What is a text mail subscriber voicemail?

Text mail subscriber voicemail refers to a service allowing users to read emails sent to them in plain text. Since you cannot call back a text mail number or get your calls through to the person, you will have to leave a voicemail.

Your message will generate an email in plain text and notify the user that you tried to reach them.

So, which texting app has a voicemail that says the text mail subscriber is not available?

Many internet phone services have developed apps that will get you a real phone number and start texting or calling anybody for free.

But since some of the calls you will make will not go through, you will receive a voicemail suggesting the text mail subscriber is not available. The two examples of apps that leave such messages are:

• TextNow
• Google Voice

Google Voice, for example, offers an advanced voicemail transcription service. That means the service will transcribe a voicemail and send it to a recipient as a plain text to their email.

Can you look up a text mail subscriber number?

A lookup is possible depending on the service that provided the number. But the process is not straightforward because these services assign numbers to users at random.

So, at their very nature, the text mail subscriber numbers are anonymous. So, what can you do to look them up?

How to track a text mail subscriber

You have several options for performing a lookup to track down or identify the person behind it. Some of the methods you can use include:

• Use any search engine and enter the number to determine whether it has links to social media platforms, forums, or any other online account with a name.
• Text the person and ask them to reveal their identity.
• Use mobile number tracking apps. These are applications that store thousands of phone numbers in their databases. If the number in question is in their database, the app will help you to identify the user.
• Do an online reverse phone lookup: This method can work based on how the person uses the number. For example, you can get them if they made the number public or used it to register for some publicly available services.

In an extreme situation, you may have to obtain a court order that will compel the text mail service to give you the identity of the user.

Wrapping up

If you call back a number and you get a voice tone that says the text mail subscriber you are trying to reach is not available, you may be dealing with an internet phone number.

In that case, you cannot get your calls through. But if you leave a voice message, the person will receive it as an email in the form of plain text.

Related Articles

• 10 best caller ID apps for Android
• Fix “Sprint Voicemail app not working”
• Does the National Do Not Call list work?
• How to send a text without showing your number
• TextNow number lookup: Can you trace caller ID and location?

The post What is a text mail subscriber? Everything you should know appeared first on AppDrum.

There are reasons why the messaging app keeps crashing. Fortunately, there are ways to fix this problem, regardless of your Android version.

Reasons why the messaging app keeps stopping on Android

Some of the reasons why message apps keep stopping on Android include the following.

• The messaging app is full.
• You are on an older Android version.
• Your phone software is outdated, especially if the phone is more than five years old.

You should first start by deleting messages that you no longer need. This should free up space on your device, and the error will disappear. If it doesn’t, then use any of the following steps.

Solution #1: Restart your Android phone

To fix the ‘unfortunately, messaging has stopped on Android’ error, you just have to restart your Android device. This fix works regardless of your phone’s manufacturer.

Here is a step-by-step guide for restarting your device:

• Unlock your device. For newer models, you can skip this step.
• Long press the power button.
• You will get three or four options.
• Select the restart option.
• Tap restart and wait for your phone to restart.

Restarting your Android phone solves the RAM usage problem, which directly connects to app performance. However, the trick does not work all the time.

Solution #2: Update your messaging app on Google Play

If you are trying to send a text and get the message “Unfortunately, Messenger has stopped,” in most cases, message apps keep stopping on Android because of outdated apps.

You can solve the problem by updating your messaging app on Google Play.

• Open the Google Play app.
• Select the ‘My apps’ option on the platform.
• Select the messaging up.
• Tap ‘More’ and start updating.

After updating the Message app, if you still get the ‘Android messaging has stopped working’ notification, proceed to the next steps below.

Solution #3: Clear all cache on your messaging app

If restarting the phone did not solve the problem, you must clear the cache. In the Android ecosystem, different phones have different approaches to clearing cache.

However, the following is a standardized approach to clearing messaging app cache.

• On your phone, go to Settings.
• Select the ‘Storage’ option on your Android phone.
• Select the’ App Manager’ option if you are on an earlier Android version.
• For a newer Android version, go to the Message app.
• Clear cache on the app.
• Exit and restart your Android phone.

Solution #4: Update your Android software

If you have tried the above options and, unfortunately, messaging has stopped again, it’s time to update your Android software.

In addition to better security features, software updates are unmatched when it comes to better app performance.

To update your Android software, you must do the following.

• Connect your phone to stable WIFI.
• Go to your phone’s Settings.
• On the ‘About Phone’ section, check updates availability.
• If updates are available, ensure your phone is at least 80% charged.
• Click on ‘update Android version’ and wait.

The four solutions should help you fix the issue. Let us know which of these solutions worked for you. Your comment could help many others who are experiencing the same issue.

Related Articles

• How to send a text with a private number
• Package conflicts with an existing package on Android

The post Fix “Unfortunately messaging has stopped” on Android appeared first on AppDrum.

It also downloads the messages, allowing you to easily listen to them. There is also an auto-forwarding option, which allows you to send a message transcription to your email, or as an MMS or SMS message.

Unfortunately, sometimes, you might find that your Sprint Voicemail app is not working, causing you to miss out on important messages.

Below, we have compiled some of the top issues affecting the app, their causes, and top fixes that will get your application working again

Why is the Sprint Voicemail app not working?

There are several reasons why the Sprint Visual application might not be working on your phone. Below is a look at some of the common ones, and top solutions to fix the issues.

1. Visual Voicemail feature is not set up on your phone

One of the reasons why you might be experiencing problems with your app is if you have not set up the voicemail feature on your phone.

This is usually the case if you have changed your phone, or are using a new sim card. You can easily fix the problem by activating the voicemail service on your app.

To turn on turn on visual voicemail on Sprint, simply follow the following steps:

• Go to settings then apps on your phone
• Open the Sprint Voicemail app and tap on the “Voicemail” tab
• Select the “Set Up Now” option to activate the feature
• Create a password
• Select the default greeting, or create your own custom greeting.
• Save the settings and exit

With the feature now activated on the app, you can be able to receive notifications and retrieve messages from your carrier.

2. A glitch with the application

Like many other phone apps, the Sprint Voicemail application can experience glitches, causing it not to work properly.

These glitches can cause a number of problems, the most common one being no voicemail notifications on Sprint – which can cause you to miss some important messages.

The glitches can be caused by a number of issues, including:

• Outdated application
• Bug problem
• Corrupted application files

Luckily, there are a number of solutions that can help to fix the glitch. They include:

• Restarting the application – most minor glitches can be fixed by restarting your application. To restart the app, simply close it and then open it again. Alternatively, you can reboot your phone, which will also reboot all its apps, including the Sprint Visual application.
• Clearing the app’s cache – you can also be able to fix a glitch by clearing the cache file for your application.
• Updating the application – updating your app can get rid of bugs causing glitches. It will also replace any corrupted files, which could be causing your app not to work

3. Problems downloading voicemails from the carrier

Another reason why the Sprint Voicemail app is not working is if it is experiencing problems when downloading messages from the carrier. This can be brought about by a number of issues such as:

• Network (internet problems)
• Connection problem – between your phone and your carrier’s server. This is especially common if you have a new phone

You can fix the issue by:

1. Choosing a reliable network

Network problems can be caused by a poor internet connection – which is not fast enough to connect with the carrier’s server and download the message.

Switching to a faster network can help to fix the issue.

2. Resetting your phone’s network settings

Your phone’s network settings might also be corrupted, causing the application to experience connection problems.

Resetting the settings will refresh the network connection, fixing the glitch.

3. Changing your voicemail password (on the carrier’s end)

Some carriers require you to change your password when you change your phone as a security precaution. Therefore, if you are using a new phone, the app might not be able to download your messages until you change your password.

To change the password on Sprint, simply log into your Sprint account, go to preferences, and select the “Change voicemail passcode option”.

Is your Sprint voicemail app not working? There are several issues that can affect your app’s functionality, causing you to miss out on important messages.

However, with the above solution, you can fix these issues, allowing you to retrieve Sprint voicemail messages without any problems.

With your phone’s voicemail function fixed, you no longer have to worry about missing important calls when in meetings, out of network reach, or in any other situation.

More Guides

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• How to fix Yahoo Mail problems

The post Sprint Voicemail app not working? How to fix appeared first on AppDrum.