Lately I’ve been getting weird error messages when trying to text to the shortcode of a local radio station. Since my messages were trivial feedback or text requests, I wasn’t really all that concerned… and there other ways to get a hold of the DJ’s. Out of curiosity, I forwarded the error message to my phone, and then emailed it to a local radio personality… and we discovered an oddity amongst ourselves. I decided to pop it into an email or two or three to Sprint, as I have acquired many customer service email addresses over the years.
Thanks to Dave again for editing help on the email to Sprint. I get excited with this stuff, and it’s damn-near impossible to proofread your own work with any sort of clarity or efficiency.
Reads how the story unfolds below, DJ’s identity protected by request.
From: Eric Carroll me@myemailaddre.ss
To: customer.servicenet@mail.sprint.com
Sent: Thu, December 3, 2009 8:35:30 AM
Subject: Error Msg 1051 & Shortcode [shortcode] – ???Hello Old Friends at Sprint Customer Service,
I have had several interactions with Sprint customer service before, and they usually go like this or like this. So, please pardon me if I sound confoundedly abrupt, direct, or belligerent. I will try to be as direct & concise as possible in describing this error, which may have an effect on a great number of customers.
The following is an email exchange that I had with a local radio personality today after emailing him out of frustration that every time I text to the number pimped out over the air, I get some sort of error message. Full contents of that message below…
From: Me me@myemailaddre.ss
Sent: Wed 12/2/2009
To: [DJ] DJ@station.com
Subject: [shortcode]?Every time I try to text you guys from my phone at [shortcode], I keep getting this message…—– Forwarded Message —-
From: ##########@messaging.sprintpcs.comTo: me@myemailaddre.ss
Sent: Wed, December 2, 2009
Subject:Fwd:
From: 9230
Sent: Dec 2 1:24pm
Msg: The shortcode you are attempting to use has expired and is no longer a valid short code.
Msg 1051By the way, I dug the Flyleaf!
-E.
From: [DJ] DJ@station.com
To: Me me@myemailaddre.ss
Sent: Wed, December 2, 2009
Subject: RE: [shortcode]?really???? that is weird, got about a hundred txts for the pick today…[DJ]
[station]-fm Pittsburgh
http://www.station.com/pages/dj.html
From: Me me@myemailaddre.ss
Sent: Wed 12/2/2009
To: [DJ]
Subject: Re: [shortcode]?Sprint is the devil incarnate, so it comes as no surprise, must be their issue. Or I’m persistently fat-fingering the wrong number… Ha ha ha.
-E.
.seitilibasid gninrael fo nuf ekam ot ynnuf ton yllaer s’tI
From: [DJ] DJ@station.com
To: Me me@myemailaddre.ss
Sent: Wed, December 2, 2009
Subject: RE: [shortcode]?of the last 50 txts or so, not one is from Sprint..[DJ]
[station]-fm Pittsburgh
http://www.station.com/pages/dj.html
Please pardon the “devil incarnate” crack, but again, I refer you to this and this… and I only wish I had saved my correspondence about splitting my phone from another plan years & years ago that was mired with “network issues” and a lack of any real solutions until I elevated it to a level where it trickled down to a regional manager to handle.
As you can see, any and all text messages to [shortcode] for their text requests, feedback on “[show segment]”, or general harassment of the DJ’s, may not be going through on the Sprint network. I checked my phone dialing skills, and my fingers are indeed functioning properly. [DJ]’s comment “of the last 50 txts or so, not one is from Sprint” ought to concern you, or at least throw up the proverbial red flag if you will. How [DJ] comes to this conclusion, I know not, but he is a seemingly intelligent person, and who am I to question his knowledge and authority on the subject? Would you dare question him?
It seems odd to me that a shortcode would expire for one network, and not any others. Again, I know nothing of cell phone and data networks and their mysterious inter-workings… I’m just making a guess based on the evidence presented to me.
If the issue is a network problem, I felt that you might like to be notified, so this is that. If the problem is simply with my phone or plan, I’d like the issue resolved as soon as possible.
Thank you in advance for your time, I hope to hear from you soon… and I really hope it’s not an automated response. I hate automated responses with the line “please do not reply to this email”. Seriously. Who wants to read that? I would rather read… “If you don’t have a response from us within X# business days, please contact blah-blah@bowdownto.sprint.gov” or something like that. And please, please, please… do not ask me to call any automated numbers… or provide my phone number to “discuss the issue”. I don’t want to discuss the issue. This is why I took the time to construct a thoughtfully worded and calculated email.
Inquisitively,
-Eric
Heh. I really wish I had that 1st set of Sprint correspondence somewhere. It was highly entertaining. At any rate, got a few responses today already. I’m amazed at the degree of difference.
From: “McDonald, Maria [CON]” maria.mcdonald@sprint.com
To: Eric me@myemailaddre.ss
Sent: Thu, December 3, 2009 8:40:38 AM
Subject: RE: Error Msg 1051 & Shortcode [shortcode] – ???May be associated with this issue. We are currently working on this.
Thank you to all of you who helped our customers report this, and for those of you who sent these up to me. This was posted yesterday, please let your customers know Sprint is engaged with our roaming partners to resolve this issue as soon as possible. No ETR at current.
Thanks,
BB
Roaming SMS Text Messaging Issue
As of 11/24/09, Sprint CDMA customers nationwide are experiencing problems when sending and receiving SMS Text Messages on some roaming networks.Details:
· Customers may get an “error 3” message when SMS Text Messages are sent.
· Voice and data roaming is not impacted.
· Sprint is aware of the problem and working with their roaming partner to determine root cause.
· No resolution time has been determined.
· Updates will follow when available.
Actions:
If a customer contacts you about problems sending or receiving text messages while roaming:
· Apologize for the inconvenience and let them know that Sprint is aware of the problem and working as quickly as possible to resolve it, however there is no resolution at this time.
Do not enter a trouble ticket
So, basically, “It’s a network issue that technically isn’t our fault, we have no idea what we’re doing and no resolution at this time even though you pay us a ridiculous amount of money each month for service, sorry.”
From: Eric me@myemailaddre.ss
To: “McDonald, Maria [CON]” maria.mcdonald@sprint.com
Sent: Thu, December 3, 2009 8:49:21 AM
Subject: Re: Error Msg 1051 & Shortcode [shortcode] – ???
Hello Maria,
While I don’t believe that I’m in roaming when I send these texts, as I’m at work, on top of a large hill, not far from the city, and in an area where my reception & service seem to be consistently good… I can appreciate that this may be related to a larger-scale issue. Why would a roaming issue give me an error message about an expired shortcode?
Thank you for your time & almost instantaneous reply!
Impressed,
-Eric
.seitilibasid gninrael fo nuf ekam ot ynnuf ton yllaer s’tI
Reasonable enough, no? On to the secondary reply…
From: “McDonald, Maria [CON]” maria.mcdonald@sprint.com
To: Eric me@myemailaddre.ss
Sent: Thu, December 3, 2009 8:52:23 AM
Subject: RE: Error Msg 1051 & Shortcode [shortcode] – ???You’re welcome! I was online reviewing emails when I got your message. I believe it has to do with roaming partner agreements etc. While your phone will not tell you that you are roaming (it usually only alerts you while a voice call is made) it code be your location and the proximity to a roaming partner (usually Verizon) tower.
Try setting your phone to “Sprint only” in your roaming settings and see if it helps. May not change the error though but the company is aware of an issue with sms texting.
It’s Verizon’s fault? Verizon is SMS-blocking me and a local radio station? I can see by the icon on my phone that I’m not in roaming where I’m trying to text. Odd. This is a route we’re not getting anywhere with. Luckily, I have other replies…
From: “Belback, Sarah A [CON]” Sarah.Feather@sprint.com
To: Eric Carroll me@myemailaddre.ss
Sent: Thu, December 3, 2009 9:07:22 AM
Subject: RE: Error Msg 1051 & Shortcode [shortcode] – ???Eric,
Is your phone on roam when you are trying to text?
Sarah Belback
Store Manager #985
114 Trinity Point Dr
Washington, PA 15301
724-250-1700 store
404-948-0699 fax
480-221-0101 wireless
A more subtle approach, I take it? I’ll go with this then…
From: Eric me@myemailaddre.ss
Sent: Thursday, December 03, 2009 9:28 AM
To: Belback, Sarah A [CON]
Subject: Re: Error Msg 1051 & Shortcode [shortcode] – ???Hello Sarah,
Thanks for the quick reply! I don’t believe I’m in roaming… I am not too far from the city, on top of a large hill, and in an industrial park when trying to text. I never have any reception rpoblems or roaming notificatons when I’m here at work… and the icon on my phone doesn’t indicate that I’m in roaming.
Thanks,
-Eric.seitilibasid gninrael fo nuf ekam ot ynnuf ton yllaer s’tI
Regular Text
From: ” Belback, Sarah A [CON] ” Sarah.Feather@sprint.com
To: Eric me@myemailaddre.ss
Sent: Thu, December 3, 2009 9:32:31 AM
Subject: RE: Error Msg 1051 & Shortcode [shortcode] – ???Ok. When did this start? What is the address where you are at? What is your wireless #?
Sarah Belback
Store Manager #985
114 Trinity Point Dr
Washington, PA 15301
724-250-1700 store
404-948-0699 fax
480-221-0101 wireless
Well, for starters, my wireless number is in the original email if you’re paying attention. It’s the 10 digits in front of the SMS email address. Dave and Kristin (my editing friends) would have a field day with the sentence ended by “at”. Oh, look! I did it again. Oh well, I needed to keep this one going…
From: Eric me@myemailaddre.ss
Sent: Thursday, December 03, 2009
To: Belback, Sarah A [CON]
Subject: Re: Error Msg 1051 & Shortcode [shortcode] – ???Hello again Sarah,
Noticed the error last week ignored it the first few times until I conversed with [DJ] at [station]. I’m in ________________ , PA _____ … my wireless # is ###-###-####.
Thanks!
-Eric
.seitilibasid gninrael fo nuf ekam ot ynnuf ton yllaer s’tI
So, she tries to help again…
From: “Belback, Sarah A [CON]” Sarah.Feather@sprint.com
To: Eric me@myemailaddre.ss
Sent: Thu, December 3, 2009 10:48:17 AM
Subject: RE: Error Msg 1051 & Shortcode [shortcode] – ???
Ok. Thx! Can you bring your phone to the store so we can test it. If need be we may have to call tech support as well and I know I will need the phone present when we call.
Sarah Belback
Store Manager #985
114 Trinity Point Dr
Washington, PA 15301
724-250-1700 store
404-948-0699 fax
480-221-0101 wireless
Thx? Thx! OMG. WTF? BBQ!
Well, I have no idea why I have this store’s contact info, as it isn’t near me, or where I got the phone. So… I’m not about to go to that store for that reason. The other reason being that I tried to send a text to a shortcode multiple times, and got the same result multiple time. I described in details the problem I was having, and I even provided the exact text of the network error message, including a specific error code. “Error Msg 1051” is in the subject line of the email! [DJ] says that he hasn’t received any text messages from Sprint in the last 50 or so that he had received. It’s obviously not an error with just my phone.
At least Sarah accepts the fact that it may not be part of this larger blanket “Verizon text-blocking” issue.
I haven’t decided how to reply to this yet… as customer service at sprint seems to have time & time again locked me into an endless loop of email/call the #/come to the store/call the “special” #/go to the store/… Repeat ∞.
Which brings me to this gem…
From: “IDEN – Online@sprint.com” online@sprint.com
To: Eric me@myemailaddress.com
Sent: Thu, December 3, 2009 4:21:29 PM
Subject: Re: Error Msg 1051 & Shortcode [shortcode] – ??? (KMM65634876I15977L0KM)
Dear Eric,Thank you for contacting Sprint regarding message to a short code.
I understand that you are unable to send messages to the short code
[shortcode]. I apologize for the inconvenience you have experienced. To
resolve this issue, please contact a Technical Support specialist by
calling (888) 211-4727 and follow the prompts for technical support
assistance. In order to potentially test your Sprint handset, it is
important to call from another phone.Further, to protect your Sprint account from unauthorized access and
changes, it is important that we confirm your information.Please reply to this email and provide me with your:
1. First and last name
2. Email address
3. Wireless telephone number
4. Billing addressWe value your business and appreciate the opportunity to address your
concerns. Please reply to this email or visit Sprint.com/mysprint if we
can be of further assistance.Sincerely,
James P.
SprintHelpful Sprint Links:
Learn to pay & view your bill, check usage and more with our
“how to” videos: www.sprint.com/howtoReceive unprecedented value:
Analyze your plan: www.sprint.com/planfit
Try our individual, shared/family and push-to-talk plans:
www.sprint.com/simpleplansFind a Sprint store, email a question or make an appointment:
www.sprintstorelocator.comPreview cutting-edge devices that give you instant access to
what you want, fast:
Palm Pre & other Smartphones: www.sprint.com/smartphones
BlackBerry 8330i & other Push-to-Talk phones:
www.sprint.com/pushtotalkCheck out our network coverage: www.sprint.com/coverage
Live & breathe football with NFL Mobile Live: www.sprint.com/nfl
Original Message Follows:
————————
Wow, do I have several issues with this. Just wow. I think it warrants a bulleted list!
- “Thank you for contacting Sprint regarding message to a short code.”/“I understand that you are unable to send messages to the short code [shortcode].” – So, you did read my emai? Cool! Finally!
- “To resolve this issue, please contact a Technical Support specialist by calling (888) 211-4727 and follow the prompts for technical support assistance.” – So, you didn’t read my email? (Especially at the bottom where I said “And please, please, please… do not ask me to call any automated numbers… or provide my phone number to ‘discuss the issue’. I don’t want to discuss the issue. This is why I took the time to construct a thoughtfully worded and calculated email.”) Well, boo to you, my friends.
- “Further, to protect your Sprint account from unauthorized access and changes, it is important that we confirm your information.” – You goofy sons of… items 1 through 3 are all mentioned in the 1st email. It’s an email, so you have my address and first and last name… and again, the phone number was listed. So, I need to email you my billing address and call the 888 number that’s been programmed into my phone for the past 2 phones…? For what? To start the endless cycle noted above?
- “Please reply to this email or visit Sprint.com/mysprint if we can be of further assistance.” – I sent you this email for assistace in the first place. I don’t need further assistance… I need an actual occurance of assistance before I can request further assistance. In fact, I don’t even think I need assistance. I think you need the assistance with your network, and I think Verizon needs assistance in text-blocking you.
Wow. I’m not sure where to go form here… but you can see how this is a downward spiral of nonsensical steps in order to (I think) exhaust me to the point where I no longer care about the problem.
And, was that advertisement for themselves at the bottom of the tech support email? Really?
Maybe I should ask Verizon why they’re text-blocking me?
World (and Lunar) Domination 
This is awesome. I love that you’re getting different answers from different people within the same company.
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That is entertaining. With a company that large, it’s bound to happen. Sadly, it always inevitably leads to the exact same “come to the store/call the number/go back to the store/call the number” loop.
I didn’t realize until it was posted what a behemoth this post is. Ha ha ha.
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In my everyday life i am a technical support manager for VZW.. And this really sounds like sprint has just dropped the ball maintaining the servers that handle their shortcodes. Shortcodes are the devil by the way avoid at all costs…
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Well thanks for the insight! I never really understood the shortcodes, why not just have a 10 digit number?
And I just find it funny that they called out Verizon. I mean, I know everyone uses the same towers & space is rented for antennas & all that jazz… but to throw you guys under the bus? That’s COLD. Ha ha ha.
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every find a solution to the 1051 shortcode thing? I have the same Sprint problem…
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Actually, I haven’t moved any further with it. It’s obviously not a single-phone issue, and they tried to address it as such… or the other response was basically “there’s nothing we can do, it’s not our fault”.
Are you in the Pittsburgh area (if you don’t mind my asking), or is this a nation-wide type thing?
My suggestion is to try some of the email addresses above and see what they say for you. I’d love to know if you get anywhere with them!
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There’s been a spike in views for this post lately… if you’re out there & viewing… please share your problem/experience here, maybe we can direct sprint to this blog to show them how wide the problem is.
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The stats for this post are huge… it’s going up & up & up…
Anyone else out there find any solutions, or run into any walls?
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SMS Message Error 1051 Fix???
Spent more time on teh phone with Sprint Tech that I care to admit yesterday. The result, however, whas great. Finally got an answer. It appears that an “allowed list” was somehow created that would disallow any short code text not specifically listed. Having not created this disallow list, nothing was allowed. The tech support removed the allow list and now everything works great. They said you can also manage the list on your mysprint.com web login. Didn’t go there to look at it so cannot offfer any additional information. Maybe this will work for others. Let me know if it does. Makes the endless hours on the phone worth it.
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Wow, thanks for the insight! I’ll be bringing this up with Sprint tech support via email when I have a minute. I can’t go through the endless “call support/go to the store/call this special support number/go back to the store/call this other number” cycle again.
I’ve run into this error twice… once with the local radio station, and once with the scoreboard at Mellon Arena.
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The link to Text Messaging options on the Sprint user page is no longer active. You need to call Sprint tech support (not from your mobile) and ask them to “unblock premium messaging”. Sprint is waving the cost of text messages for donations to Haiti if you use one of the 5 numbers listed in this Sprint press release:
http://snipurl.com/u5ydg
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Interesting… mind if I ask how you found this blog, & how you know that we need to specifically ask them to “unblock premium messaging”?
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My problem solved — we had blocked all internet use on phones, as we have no data plan. Shortcodes were also blocked. Sprint support was able to remove the block. Works now.
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Interesting… I do have a data plan though, and the shortcodes aren’t working. Seems like there are multiple issues within the Sprint network with the same end result/error.
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I’ve been trying to donate to the Haiti relief effort per the numerous appeals on line and on television. Each time I try to text as indicated, it get the infamous message at the top of this page. After seeing one solution, I went to the my sprint page but found I had nothing in my block list and in fact, was set to “do not block any text message.” I’m not sure if this applies only to incoming messages or to outgoing messages as well. In my instance, it only seems to happen when I try to follow the instructions “…text ##### to %%%%%%” like the Haiti rescue efforts appeals. Text messages I send to my daughter seem to work fine, so….no resolution for me as yet. It’s kind of like setting your hair on fire and trying to put it out with a hammer.
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Yeah, hits on this blog post have been skyrocketing, so I can only imagine that the problem is becoming more prevalent and frustrating. As you can see, even in contacting them, they have no idea what to say or do to correct the problem. It’s at once hilarious and maddening. Thanks for posting your frustrations! Maybe we’ll get a solid answer someday…?
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Interestingly enough, a link to this was in my inbox this morning from Snopes… http://www.snopes.com/inboxer/charity/haiti.asp
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I’m on the line right now with Sprint, he is “checking” my service. He says, he thinks it was blocked or a setting I had in the past. It’s resolved, just need to call and they will unblock the account, didn’t take long to get it handled. Even got my bill reduced by 10%.
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Interesting. I’ve never blocked anything, odd why somethign would be blocked now. Thanks for sharing though! How’d you manage to get the bill reduction?
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Check out this page on the Sprint site:
http://support.sprint.com/support/article/Block_or_allow_text_messages_from_your_phone/case-ev207663-20090625-102112
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I work for bcode in the customer support division, we do sms ticketing with spr1nt and we have a few people that call in and report that our shortcode has expired, and it has taken a few attempts to work out what is going on, i talked to our engineers and they tell me that there is no code in our ticket machine that would generate that error. we have contacted spr1nt and our sms gateway provider and they report that the sms never makes it to our gateway server. by sheer luck we worked out what was going on, one of the staff at one site was suffering the same problem, so they called me and went through the motions of working out where the message was, it was on their handset not our machine, this led me to search sprints web-page and i located the page about activating/un-blocking short codes by dialing *2 and talk to the humanoid there to get the (OUR) short-code un-blocked. this user has now successfully sms’ing in the key word and all is ok… now when a customer calls in with this 1051 error we inform them that they need to get our shortcode unblocked by calling *2 from their handset to get this resolved..
http://support.sprint.com/support/article/Block_or_unblock_Premium_Text_Messages_using_My_Sprint/case-gb746811-20090618-153259?&INTNAV=SU:SP:HDIA
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Wow, excellent insight, beans. I appreciate your taking the time to not only explain the error, but to also to offer a solution.
So… bcode is what’s behind the phones, making them work?
Many people have hit this blog with searches, hopefully this will give them all a fix!
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This actually didn’t work for me. My premium texts are already unblocked and I am unable to get the auto texts from my bank nor am I able to text into them to check my bal. I’ve called sprint and they don’t know just as you’ve said. I followed the instructions on here about unblocking but there was nothing blocked and sprint told me that my premium texts were already unblocked. Is there any more advice?
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This seems close to my experience… there’s also absolutely no viable solution.
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Same here. I have nothing blocked and no one can help. How frustrating.
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Sprint = evil incarnate.
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i have the same problem texting from palm pre to radio station.
going to read the article posted by “beans” on feb 18 to see if it solves.
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Okay, I get the same problem. Up until recently I could only use Twitter’s shortcode(40404). Now that doesn’t even work…But wait, I can get texts from twitter? Yet I can’t send them. This is a ridiculous problem. Sprint needs to do something about this. In my opinion its pure laziness. Sprint has never been one to jump on a problem of mine. The only time I get what I need/want from Sprint is if I demand to talk to someone important and threaten to cancel my service, in other words, I must be a jerk in order to get what I want out of Sprint. But that’s just not me, so I usually just deal with it.
I live just north of Atlanta and I’ve gotten the same problem in Chattanooga, TN; so it isn’t just PA.
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Yeah, it’s crazy… this post is read multiple times daily, and out of all the other things I blog about, the search terms for Sprint texting problems bring people here more than any other so far.
Sprint does seem to have a flippant customer service attitude.
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Search Terms for all days ending 2010-09-22 (Summarized)
All Time
Search Views
msg 1051 121
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sprint msg 1051 62
sprint message 1051 50
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http://www.kmartfeedback.com 30
the levels of hell 30
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sonic allergens 24
star wars blu ray 24
star wars a new hope 23
willow the movie 21
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the short code you are attempting to use 16
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7 levels of hell 14
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baby secret of the lost legend 13
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the shortcode you are attempting to use 10
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Well I cleared out the setting in the web site and still not working.
I called a nd they said that I had a whole group of standard 3rd party blocked shortcodes.
They unblocked my bank, and I tested and it does now work.
But I’m going to call back and see what else is blocked and have them unblock everything.
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Goofy that it’s blocked int he 1st place.
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I just got this code this moring when I texted my bank for my available balance. I googled the code and your blogs came up at the top of the results. I am very well versed in the Sprint run around. It was nice to get a laugh reading your emails, it felt like desa vu (sp?). I’m going to choose to ignore the problem for now. I don’t have any fight in me today. Was the cause of the short message code ever discovered?
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Yeah, I believe it’s tied to each individual account. The texting gets blocked for some reason. It seems to be above the heads of some “read the screen” Sprint employees. This post gets more hits than anything else in my blog. You think they’d have the problem under control by now.
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I did end up sending an email to all of the addresses you have listed. The customer.servicenet@mail.sprint.com came back as undeliverable. I got only one response from Sarah Belbak. It just said to bring the phone to the store. I mentioned this blog and I borrowed your closing paragraph about automated responses. It was too funny & true to try and make it my own.
I still think it’s odd how it just happened out of nowhere. I text my bank and radio station everyday. The suddenly it won’t work for the bank, but the radio station short code works fine.
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Ha ha, glad you found this entertaining! It is quite a mystery. Quite an annoying mystery at that.
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I have the same issue. You’d think after 2 bloody years they’d fix the problem if people have complained about the same thing over and over. Well it is one way to stop me buying unnecessary crap I suppose.
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Indeed.
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If you text 9999 and in the message, type either “block” or “allow” then the shortcode you want to block or allow then send, things will happen.
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went to this link:
http://support.sprint.com/support/article/Block_or_allow_text_messages_from_your_phone/case-cx832318-20091103-160141&id16=shortcode
still have not got it to work, but working on it.
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Well, could not get any of it to resolve my problem. Will update as the battle rages on towards victory.
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So, the solutions posted in your other comments didn’t work out?
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OK, I’ve got it figured out. I called Sprint again to check to make sure the block was off, and the rep told me that it was put in my notes, but checked to make sure and it was not. So the rep turned it off and while he was on the phone, I tried it and it worked. The rep also told me that by default, everyone is blocked automatically, so it does not matter what you asked for and what you did not. Alos, if you do turn of the block through Sprint and it still does not work, have them check on the settings again, not the notes, because I understand that it is easy to miss something to unblock it. Once turned off you can text 9999 then in the message type either “block” or “allow” space then the number you wish to take action on. If you use your online Sprint account and go into support then type “shortcode” in the search field and click search you will see a link that you may click to get information on all the tips and tricks of texting 9999. I hope this resolves many of your issues.
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I tried not roaming.
I called sprint– now 4 times to confirm that no shortcodes are blocked.
I texted “allow ##### (shortcode)” to 9999 and got a message saying it was allowed.
still no.
called sprint back and had them specifically allow that shortcode.
turned off/on phone as requested.
still no.
sent another “allow” text, again got reply that it was allowed.
still no.
called back sprint, 2hours later, they are now closed.
frustrated.
the shortcode used to work fine last year, but hasn’t in a while.
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Ridiculous.
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ah-hah!
i think i may have figured it out, but it doesn’t help us.
it seems sprint may just be flat out blocking certain shortcodes in their system, including 97605. see this forum below towards the bottom
http://community.sprint.com/baw/message/306540
“5. Jun 28, 2011 3:39 PM (in response to BUT22ERFLY)
Unable to send premium SMS shortcode from my phone – error 1051
One of the Sprint customer service representatives (Claudia) contacted me via pm requesting my Sprint number. She sent the number to a Sprint tech to review my messaging history. It turned out that certain short code numbers are either no longer functional with Sprint (66555) or that they have been disabled across Sprint for various reasons (97605). It turned out that some of the premium SMS short codes would in fact work. ”
so this doesn’t help, but it does explain why all our dancing hasn’t worked.
the company that runs that shortcode is
http://www.nth.ch/usa
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and i just spoke with sprint myself and they confirm that shortcode is no longer being accepted
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Thanks Frustrated, this post is a few years old… and I’m not sure of the shortcode status on my account right now. Amazingly though, this page is hit more than anything else on my blog, so it must be a continuing problem.
In my case, the # that I was trying to text was working for everyone else in the city, so support for it could not have been dropped.
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My boss just came to me with the sprint msg 1051 today when he is trying to set up mobil banking with Bank of America….
So the problem is still on going…
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Ridiculous. Any resolution? Ever?
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Oct 18, 2011 12:58:03 AM
Error code 1051 still a problem. It worked on my Sanyo Zio phone, but got a Blackberry and nada!!!
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Have you tried contacting Sprint about the issue?
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I just HAD to comment on this blog since it seems no one has in a while about the issue. I was blocked from entering a contest (the same error code you have above) for what now seems to be a one day issue. I just tried now and it magically worked.
I wanted add this link since the other ones above don’t work anymore and it may be helpful for any new person who comes across it and their issue does not just magically fix itself as mine did. http://support.sprint.com/support/article/Block__restrict_or_allow_text_services_on_your_phone_online_via_My_Sprint/case-fk158645-20100930-171711
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Thanks Chelsey, this blog is hit more than any other on my site according to the stats. Sprint is still the spawn of the devil, but thank you for the link!
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Thanks AiXeLsyD13! I and my family have tried before to text shortcodes for different programs we were watching, and always ran into the perplexing Msg 1051. I’ve searched and searched and finally found your site, where I found instructions to contact Sprint via 9999. And the shortcode now works. What I don’t understand is why Sprint won’t simply tell us (it’s money-paying customers) how to use the 9999 feature, rather than being all secretive about it. I agree, Sprint = devil.
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oops, I spoke to soon. Even though I got a text from Sprint confirming that the shortcode is allowed, several attempts to text to the shortcode gets repeated “failed” messages! Ugh. I’m going to be calling Sprint because this is part of what I’m paying for.
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They’re crazy. Mine has still never been resolved. Perhaps next time I get a new phone I’ll have the mental strength to tackle this issue.
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Hmm, ran into this problem for the first time (albeit I hardly ever use shortcodes). I’m using two phones, one is mine and one is someone elses. The phones are the exact same model with the exact same plan and bought around the same time…and well, pretty much just exactly the same in every aspect phone+plan+usage (they just have different area codes). Using the same shortcode for a promotion, on one phone it goes through fine and the other gets the 1051 error message immediately in response.
Tried the “block text” link above and both accounts have the same settings which allow all texts. Trying 9999 – allow didn’t work.
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Called *2 and they said it was blocked. I asked them to unblock it and now it works. They couldn’t give me a reason why it was blocked.
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Very strange. I find it humorous that this is regularly my most-viewed blog post. I must be pretty high in the Google order. Ha ha.
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Wow – I searched “error message 1051” and found this post within the top few results and after reading all of this I’m comforted in my choice to leave sprint a couple years ago. Get a clue, Sprint! Tried a shortcode promo in a small company where I work and it worked fine for me (AT&T) and a sprint co-worker, but not my boss who is a sprint user, too. Tried the 9999 “allow” step, still not working. Who knows…but my boss won’t have the patience to call sprint and now I think we just won’t use it in our marketing. Shame. Was a cool idea…thanks sprint.
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http://www.sprint-really-sucks.com/
http://sprintreallysucks.blogspot.com/
http://www.sprintpcs-sucks.com/
http://www.facebook.com/sprintblows
http://www.angelfire.com/tx/sprintsucks/
…they can’t all be wrong!
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It appears as though I may have fixed this issue tonight. I simply chatted with sprint support, explained I was having trouble with shortcodes, gave the text and message number of the error message, and the agent simply reviewed and came back with “please try to send a text to a shortcode now,” and it worked!
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Perhaps they have gotten their proverbial poop together!
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