Stop SMS text messages for voicemails

[BeerFan]

Hello folks,

My EVO 4G has started receving annoying text messages alerting me that I have a new voicemail. I did not enable this feature intentionally, and I'm having trouble figuring out how to stop it from happening.

The text messages come in from "9016" and read like this "9016: //ANDROID:XXX-XXX-XXXX has sent you a Sprint VoiceVoice Message. Call 408-970-0000 to listen. MMSN, c0968a0a96.....//CM"

If I call that 408 number, it asks me to press 1 if I want to enable SMS messages. Then, it says I have 4 messages and starts playing them, but instead of playing the message, it says, "The message selected could not be found. the message selected could not be found."

Help?

[ATLien_0]

I get those to on my non smartphone. Correct me if im wrong, but I think that those are pages, there usually is an option when leaving a voicemail with someone to page them. There might be an option in your automated voicemail settings

[-Alex-]

This is something you'll have to contact Sprint about. This isn't Android-specific, it's carrier-specific.

[cybertimber2008]

Depending on the app you are using, you can "blacklist" 9016 so that you don't see popup notifications about it.

But texts from 9016 are read by the Visual Voicemail application so that it knows to download the audio.

[BeerFan]

I get those to on my non smartphone. Correct me if im wrong, but I think that those are pages, there usually is an option when leaving a voicemail with someone to page them. There might be an option in your automated voicemail settings

I've gone through the voicemail settings menus over and over and can't find anything related to receiving text messages.

This is something you'll have to contact Sprint about. This isn't Android-specific, it's carrier-specific.

I contacted Sprint Business support, and they weren't much help. They gave me a few * codes to call, like *720, *740, and *720 again. They then called my phone and sent me a voicemail, but I still got a text message indicating there was a new voicemail.

Depending on the app you are using, you can "blacklist" 9016 so that you don't see popup notifications about it.

But texts from 9016 are read by the Visual Voicemail application so that it knows to download the audio.

Well, that's weird. The text messages I get don't actually include the words from the voice message. They only include a generic message stating that I have a new voicemail. I'm not using any app that I know of.

I suppose I should confess this too: Several months ago, I rooted my phone and put the Cyanogen mod on it. It worked almost flawlessly, except for some minor bugs related to the GPS feature and the power button. So, a few weeks ago, I wiped it and installed the S&S Gingerbread mod, which came with some free trial app for SMS Voicemail messages. This is when the SMS messgaes started. But, I didn't like that mod at all, so I wiped the phone again and installed the latest nightly Cyanogen (which runs flawlesy and fast) that does not include an app for SMS voice texts.

I'm now wondering if I'll have to reinstall the S&S Gingerbread mod, turn off the silly trial app, then reinstall my working current one.

[cybertimber2008]

Well, that's weird. The text messages I get don't actually include the words from the voice message. They only include a generic message stating that I have a new voicemail. I'm not using any app that I know of.

Yea the text message will just say that you have one and will include some code in the text. VisualVoicemail, the app that was on your Evo out of the box, would see that message from 9016 & the code, which it turns into a download code from the VVM server so it can download the audio.Without that app or a message blacklist for that number, your phone doesn't know what to do with it.

Like I said the fix is to simply block the number from the message app. Alternatively you can move over to the Google Voicemail side of things and from there you can disable texts via voice.google.com

/background - Was and still am heavily active in the XDA developers for the HTC Hero, so problems relating to VVM and alternative roms I've dealt with since 2.1.

[BeerFan]

Yea the text message will just say that you have one and will include some code in the text. VisualVoicemail, the app that was on your Evo out of the box, would see that message from 9016 & the code, which it turns into a download code from the VVM server so it can download the audio.Without that app or a message blacklist for that number, your phone doesn't know what to do with it.

Like I said the fix is to simply block the number from the message app. Alternatively you can move over to the Google Voicemail side of things and from there you can disable texts via voice.google.com

/background - Was and still am heavily active in the XDA developers for the HTC Hero, so problems relating to VVM and alternative roms I've dealt with since 2.1.

Thanks for the replies and the info. I'm not even sure how to go about blocking a number, and I don't use an app for messaging; i just dial my own number or hold the 1 key to check messages.

Plus, if it's possible I would love to fix the root of the problem instead of just blocking the resulting texts. I don't want to clog the network with unneeded traffic if there is a way i can stop them.

Edit: Since this started when I tried out the S&S mod, I'm in the process of backing up all of my data to reinstall that mod. Maybe I can disable the feature that way.

[BeerFan]

I'm totally stumped. I can't seem to stop the text messages. I tried installing Google Voice as my voicemail handler app, but whenever a message is left for me, I just get a text stating that the voice mail could not be transcribed.

[halcyoncmdr]

Those messages are supposed to be intercepted by the VVM app before they appear. Usually third-party messaging applications are the culprit since they aren't letting the voicemail app intercept the message.

Go into the Sprint voicemail application. Press the menu button and choose "compose" record a 2-3 second message, can be blank. Sent it to "activate@vvm.sprintpcs.com". You will get a response shortly about your phone being registered. That usually fixes the issue.

Thread from the Sprint Community regarding this issue. http://community.sprint.com/baw/thread/81597

[BeerFan]

My last post in in this thread got deleted, but I have absolutely no idea why. I guess I'll never know.

The gist of it was this: How do i go back to having no visual voicemail at all? I just want the normal notification icon showing me when I have a VM. I uninstalled the Google Voice app, but when calling my cell, I still hear the Gmail Voice greeting.

I tried sending a message to activate@vvm.sprintpcs.com as suggested. I haven't received a reply yet, though. In fact, it seems like Google Voice has started intercepting all of my messages, and now that I have uninstalled it, i cannot receive any voicemails at all. Grrr.

[AJerman]

My last post in in this thread got deleted, but I have absolutely no idea why. I guess I'll never know.

The gist of it was this: How do i go back to having no visual voicemail at all? I just want the normal notification icon showing me when I have a VM. I uninstalled the Google Voice app, but when calling my cell, I still hear the Gmail Voice greeting.

I tried sending a message to activate@vvm.sprintpcs.com as suggested. I haven't received a reply yet, though. In fact, it seems like Google Voice has started intercepting all of my messages, and now that I have uninstalled it, i cannot receive any voicemails at all. Grrr.

You likely need to change your voicemail phone number back to Sprint in the settings. You may have to contact them to find out what you need to change the number to. Until then, you may want to install Google Voice again to get any missed voicemails.

I'd suggest using Google Voice though. It's the best way to do voicemail on Android.

[BeerFan]

Thanks. I was able to deactivate Google Voice for this phone by going to the GV website. So, now I'm back to getting texts when a VM comes in. I'll try your suggestions later this evening.

[cybertimber2008]

Thanks. I was able to deactivate Google Voice for this phone by going to the GV website. So, now I'm back to getting texts when a VM comes in. I'll try your suggestions later this evening.

*sigh* If you want to REactivate you GV account and fix this...

After reactivating your google voice account, go to voice.google.com, log in, click the gear (top right),

Click voice settings.

Under Phones, uncheck "Notify me of new voicemails via text". Save

Under Voice, uncheck "Email the message to". Save

No more texts from Google, no more texts from Sprint (9016).

[BeerFan]

*sigh* If you want to REactivate you GV account and fix this...

After reactivating your google voice account, go to voice.google.com, log in, click the gear (top right),

Click voice settings.

Under Phones, uncheck "Notify me of new voicemails via text". Save

Under Voice, uncheck "Email the message to". Save

No more texts from Google, no more texts from Sprint (9016).

Thank you for the replies and the info! I'm really quite happy with the no frills, basic standard voicemail provided by the carrier... i don't really need or want any of the features that GV offers. And deep down I know that because Google is Google, eventually they will work ads in to the GV app if they haven't already. I'm not saying that's evil or anything... I just prefer to opt out.

Here's what's confusing me the most. When I return my phone to the stock Sprint ROM (factory settings), voicemails are delivered completely normally, but I keep getting this notification at every startup that I need to upgrade my Voicemail app. And if I update it, BAM! Right back to getting texts.

[ceminess]

Thank you for the replies and the info! I'm really quite happy with the no frills, basic standard voicemail provided by the carrier... i don't really need or want any of the features that GV offers. And deep down I know that because Google is Google, eventually they will work ads in to the GV app if they haven't already. I'm not saying that's evil or anything... I just prefer to opt out.

Here's what's confusing me the most. When I return my phone to the stock Sprint ROM (factory settings), voicemails are delivered completely normally, but I keep getting this notification at every startup that I need to upgrade my Voicemail app. And if I update it, BAM! Right back to getting texts.

Its sprint's voicemail system. It's horrible and works like crap with android os. So much so in fact they teamed up with Google to offer better voicemail through google voice http://www.google.com/googlevoice/sprint/ as an alternative.

I could be wrong, However I believe there are voicemail settings built into cyanogen mod to try an fix some of the sprint voicemail issues. I am not sure how well they work though. I use google voice on my phone and am happy with it. You can go through the settings and customize them to your liking and it works much better then sprint's voicemail. Also, there are no ads in google voice.

If you do not want to use google voice. Your only option is to try the voicemail settings within a custom rom like CM. or switch carriers.