Texts sent to phones that are switched off are never received

[Lucinda123]

I have a Samsung Galaxy A3. Whenever I try to send a text messge to another mobile that is switched off at the time I send the text, it never gets there. Normally in the past the message would pop up as soon as the phone is switched on, but now it never arrives, no matter how long the other phone is left on. This is happening with different accounts and different kinds of phone, so it must be my phone, not the receiver's accounts. Texts sent to a phone that is already on are recieved instantly, and I can receive texts to my phone with no problem. But something is obviously blocking the messages that I send, and preventing them from reaching the recipients. Two of the most important people I text regularly do not like to leave their phones on constantly, for various reasons, and I depend on being able to send them messages, but if they cannot receive them it can cause a lot of worry. Please can someone advise?

[BandOfBrothers]

Hi

Im aware that a text message will hold for so long before failing but as you correctly mention once the phone is turned back on within a timeframe of the text being sent it should catch up from a holding status in the networks servers. 

As this is occurring as you say from different phones and other texts you send while the persons phone is turned on it cannot be a settings blocking facility where a person can block a call or text (handset dependant)

You could certainly speak to Vofafone Customer Services to check your accounts but it sounds like a glitch to me which from experience typically self resolve. 

[Lucinda123 · Accepted solution]

Thanks for the replies. The problem seems to have resolved itself without my taking any action, so you were right that it must have been just a glitch. It did last about a month though! I'm none the wiser as to why it happened but at least I can make contact with people by text message again.

[hrym]

One possibility is that the message validity period is too short.   I haven't looked lately, but is there an option in the message app settings to change this?  I've had it on older devices, but I'm not sure if it's still offered.