1. Am I billed for incoming and outgoing text messages?
Yes. All text messages are billed.
2. Can I disable text messaging?
Yes, you can disable the ability to send and/or receive messages from your Device Settings page.
3. How do I block unwanted text messages or short codes?
On a CDMA device you can block unwanted incoming text messages, by sending a message to the number '9999' with the message 'block' followed by a space and the short code or phone number of the sender you wish to block.
For example, to block incoming text messages from 416-999-2430, the message would read: "block 4169992430".
After the block was successful, the system will reply to let you know the number has been blocked.
We do not currently have a way of blocking incoming texts or short codes on GSM devices.
4. How do I unblock a previously blocked sender?
To unblock a previously blocked number (let's say 416-999-2430), send a message like this: "allow 4169992430".
5. How can I retrieve a list of all currently blocked senders?
To retrieve a list of all blocked senders, send the message command "list" to '9999'.
6. Am I billed for spam texts?
Yes. Much like unwanted calls that you may receive, you may occasionally receive unwanted texts if you have text messaging enabled. Since those texts have been received, they do count towards your messaging usage.
7. Is there a messaging gateway that I can use to send text messages via email?
On CDMA devices, use the email address <10-digit phone number>@message.ting.com to send a text message to your device.
On GSM devices, use the email address <10-digit phone number>@tmomail.net to send a text message to your device.
IMPORTANT: Our network partners do not provide service level guarantees for email-to-SMS messaging delivery. As a result, the email-to-text functionality is unsupported on the Ting network. This service may not work correctly, or at all, with certain devices and/or conditions
Our GSM network partner, in particular, aggressively filters messages that it thinks may be spam from common email domains like Gmail, Hotmail, Outlook.com, Aol, and elsewhere. Just like with email, there is no sure-fire way to get around a spam filter and our support team are not able to remove those filters.
If you depend on email-to-text service, we recommend a free Google Voice or Google Hangouts account. If you need to automate SMS delivery for your business, you could also consider an (inexpensive, but paid) service like Twilio.
8. Can I text to 911 in an emergency?
Yes you can, but it's best to reserve this option for times when calling 911 is dangerous or it's impossible to speak. Individuals who are hard of hearing, deaf, or speech-impaired are still encouraged to use TTY for calling when possible. Some things to keep in mind with regard to Text-to-911:
- always enter the nature of your emergency and your exact location in the body of your SMS message
- it's not supported in all areas yet; to check if it's supported by your local emergency call center click here and scroll to "Status of Text-to-911 Deployments"
- if Text-to-911 is not supported in your area, you'll get a bounce back SMS message to let you know
- you may be asked to provide more details via SMS