iOS 6 Sending MMS instead of SMS

psp83 · Jan 16, 2013, 07:56:32

Just a warning to anyone running iOS 6 with Facebook..

If you have Facebook set to merge your contacts via the settings, when you send a SMS it will send as a MMS and you may get charged for this by your network.

I've only just noticed that when sending an SMS via messaging it came up "New MMS" at the top when selecting a contact, but if you go into contacts first, select the person then "send message" and choose the phone number, it would send an SMS.

The only fix I've found so far is to disable Facebook contacts via Settings > Facebook > Contacts [off]

Technical Ben · Jan 16, 2013, 09:50:13

On Andriod my mother had to disable the facebook app altogether. I'll give her credit, she only uses it for business (adds and contacts are now done a lot through is sadly and the old sites have lost the customers/advertising space :/ ). But the app was eating data and messing up the address book no end even when not in use.

Simon · Jan 16, 2013, 11:33:46

Thanks for the tip, Paul. Facebook doesn't connect to anything on my iPhone.

Gary · Jan 16, 2013, 11:40:03

Quote from: psp83 on Jan 16, 2013, 07:56:32
Just a warning to anyone running iOS 6 with Facebook..

If you have Facebook set to merge your contacts via the settings, when you send a SMS it will send as a MMS and you may get charged for this by your network.

I've only just noticed that when sending an SMS via messaging it came up "New MMS" at the top when selecting a contact, but if you go into contacts first, select the person then "send message" and choose the phone number, it would send an SMS.

The only fix I've found so far is to disable Facebook contacts via Settings > Facebook > Contacts [off]

Facebook does not need to be connected that deeply with ios6 you have the option for native integration, but you dont need to use it or set it up. I just let twitter have that on y iPad and keep facebook separate. I just have it set up to allow posting from Safari and my photos and nothing else on both iPad and iPhone.

psp83 · Jan 16, 2013, 11:42:11

No problem, it's quite a bad bug that could cost people a lot of money if they don't notice.

It seems if you have the "sync contacts" option enabled in the Facebook settings, every time you try to send a normal SMS to a person that has been synced it would choose the @facebook.com email address it syncs to send the message to, which will be a MMS and ignores that you have a mobile number set for them...

Apple needs to fix this or give an option what it gets sent to..

psp83 · Jan 16, 2013, 11:43:11

Quote from: Gary on Jan 16, 2013, 11:40:03
Facebook does not need to be connected that deeply with ios6 you have the option for native integration, but you dont need to use it or set it up. I just let twitter have that on y iPad and keep facebook separate. I just have it set up to allow posting from Safari and my photos and nothing else on both iPad and iPhone.

But as I just stated, Apple still need to fix it as it could be costing people money.

Simon · Jan 16, 2013, 12:11:52

The biggest challenge seems to be getting them to first acknowledge issues such as this. They'll probably just say that the user shouldn't sync their contacts with Facebook.

Gary · Jan 16, 2013, 15:00:21

Quote from: psp83 on Jan 16, 2013, 11:43:11
But as I just stated, Apple still need to fix it as it could be costing people money.

If you are ~~stupid~~ brave enough to allow Facebook access to your your contacts I guess it does need fixing. There is a bug reporting system on the Apple site, that's the best place to try and get something done...

Gary · Jan 16, 2013, 15:04:11

Quote from: Simon on Jan 16, 2013, 12:11:52
The biggest challenge seems to be getting them to first acknowledge issues such as this. They'll probably just say that the user shouldn't sync their contacts with Facebook.

Apple wont say anything but they do fix bugs eventually. However unless people report it nothing will get sorted. Personally I think if you are allow Facebook into your contacts you are asking for trouble. Facebook and privacy are not the best of friends

psp83 · Jan 16, 2013, 16:39:18

Quote from: Gary on Jan 16, 2013, 15:00:21
If you are ~~stupid~~ brave enough to allow Facebook access to your your contacts I guess it does need fixing. There is a bug reporting system on the Apple site, that's the best place to try and get something done...

Still not the point though, it's a feature they put in the phone for people to use, at the end of the day, if they fail to test it correctly they should be held responsible for it.

According to a few post I've read online, it was reported before Apple did the 6.0.1 update for some phones.

It just seems that a lot of bugs are slipping in the final builds lately with Apple.

I would think bugs that can cost people a lot of money would get priority and fixed quickly.

Found out today that my cousin was hit with this bug and was charged nearly £30 extra for sending MMS messages.. luckily the network he is on dropped the charge after testing the bug.