Home › News ›

Public Interest Groups Petition FCC Over Short Code Policies

Dec 11, 2007, 5:08 PM by Eric M. Zeman

A number of groups have formally complained to the Federal Communications Commission about carriers' interference with short codes. The organizations claim text messages serve as a legitimate means of communication for many and that the carriers should not be allowed to block or interfere with text message-based services. Rebtel, in particular, offers low-cost international VoIP services and Verizon Wireless has blocked its short codes from transiting the network. Verizon has said that it won't allow short codes from competitors. The groups are pushing to have the practice of blocking short codes outlawed.

RCR News »

Related

iPhone 14 Plus Offers a Big Screen For Less

Sep 7, 2022
Apple has revealed the iPhone 14 series, with new features, improved specs, and new size options. In place of a Mini option, the iPhone 14 will come in the same 6.1-inch and 6.7-inch screen size options as the Pro models.

Major Update to Google Messages Brings iPhone-Compatible Emoji Reactions

Mar 10, 2022
Google today started rolling out a major update to its Messages app, the default SMS and RCS messaging app on most new Android phones. It includes several major new features, but the biggest for most people may be automatic conversion and tidier display of emoji reactions from iPhone users .

Google Messages Gains 2-Way Reactions with iPhones

Oct 21, 2022
Google has announced a variety of new features for Messages, its messaging app for Android based on the RCS industry standard. In addition to correctly displaying certain emoji reactions from iPhone users over SMS, Messages will now let you send reactions to SMS messages sent by iPhone users, and display them correctly on the Android side.

Verizon Turns to Messages by Google for Enhanced Messaging

Jul 20, 2021
Messages by Google will come pre-loaded and be the default messaging app on all Verizon Android devices starting next year. T-Mobile made a similar announcement in March, as did AT&T earlier this month.

C-Band 5G Launches Delayed until Next Year

Nov 4, 2021
AT&T and Verizon have agreed to an FAA request to delay the launch of 5G in new C-Band radio frequencies by one month, while potential interference issues are addressed, reports the Wall Street Journal. Both companies were planning to launch the highly-anticipated mid-band 5G service on or around December 5th, but will now launch the service no sooner than January 5th, 2022.

Comments

This forum is closed.

This forum is closed.

hindukid8

Dec 13, 2007, 10:32 AM

this is terrible for so many reasons

is this a familiar site to you???
TEXT 44458 to get the latest Rhianna RingTones...... do these folks realize that there are abusive short codes that flash on TV and the Internet 24/7 charging the unsuspecting customer 9.99/month for just one ringtone? and that customer specifically request this service to be blocked? these people petitioning the FCC have obviously never worked for a cell phone customer care call center before...the consumer requests this, we (sprint) don't do this automatically.

snang

Dec 12, 2007, 2:30 AM

Yay!

That way more people can call and complain that carriers SHOULD block these types of messages. Brilliant.

spazebar

No kidding I get several calls about this each day. Then I've found frequently the customer is calling about something else on the bill and and never even noticed for the last several months they had been paying 9.99 for "Ringtones" on Grandma's line ...
(continues)

vz_wireless

Dec 11, 2007, 9:24 PM

Short Codes and Carriers

VZW or any carrier reserves the right to block access to any short or premium messaging service.

Every short code provider/company that's approved, has to be tested to make sure when a customer replys with: stop, end, quit etc. to opt out of the services, that they are no longer billed.

The short code providers that over bill or fail to opt the customer out, will have their access taken from the network as they allow customers to buy content from outside the network, but have the charges appear on the VZW bill. It's not like the customers getting a bill from a third party, so the carrier must have control over it's access.

pfs2009

Dec 11, 2007, 5:18 PM

"Open Network"

We block what we want. We know what's best for you. 👿

nickwright

lmao

...

MuToiD_MaN

Dec 11, 2007, 6:34 PM

Yes, save shortcodes ... or not

By all means, we should fight for the success of shortcode-operated businesses that plague our TV with crazy frog ads 🙄

I realize that this comment is short-sighted as not all of them are bad ... just remember the words "Premium text message rates apply"

SpectreBlofeld

Dec 11, 2007, 6:32 PM

Summary should be edited...

The summary unfairly makes it seem like Verizon is the only U.S. carrier that does this; the full article names several carriers but goes on to say that Verizon is the only carrier that offered an explanation for its practice.

dublea

Dec 11, 2007, 6:15 PM

Verizon block huh?

I've always wondered this due to the fact that I have friends on Verizon that I can not txt or pictxt and VZW always tells them its my network's fault. So if my network uses "short code" they will block it and its my networks fault? ATM, I do not have access to whole article, can so one tell me if there is a reason behind this block?

krum303

Could be but it depends. What carrier are you with?

Page 1 of 1