Help SMS Error 65535 consistently

[NullCoding]

I have Googled this exact problem and the limited information regarding how to alleviate this issue was utterly unhelpful, as it does not apply to me. There are no country codes preceding my contact numbers and there never have been.

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I send a lot of text messages daily. As of roughly 2130 yesterday, or 18 April 0230 UTC, I can no longer send messages. I can receive them without trouble, both SMS and MMS. I cannot send them. I see only this (big screenshot image):

Spoiler

Do note the full 5 bars of 4G LTE service coverage.

I'm a computer programmer, so the number 65535 seems to indicate some kind of overflow error or upper bound / index bound exception as it is the maximum value of an int primitive in C-based languages (2^32 -1). But the internet says differently - in fact it says nothing helpful.

For months, the phone has been extraordinarily slow sending messages and also displaying received messages. It takes between 30 and 60 seconds to display a message on the screen, about the same time to send it from the time I touch "Send," and up to a minute for the app to even open and load. I use HTC Swipe for input, and the lag has become practically impossible to deal with.

I know, I know, I should go to the Verizon store. I would prefer not to have to demonstrate the problem, as it would potentially involve showing the Verizon associate the content of my text messages, which is unfortunately out of the question at the moment. It's either business or personal, all quite legal, just so we're clear...

Again, as of today, I am unable to send text messages at all. I have attempted to message several people:

• iPhone 5 on Verizon
• iPhone 5 on AT+T
• Pantech something-or-other (non-Android) on AT+T, whom I text very frequently
• Nokia Lumia (Windows phone, I think) on O2 UK

This is completely unacceptable. My data usage is well within the limits of my plan, and every single other function of the phone requiring mobile data is working perfectly fine. If I cannot send SMS, the repercussions could be extraordinarily inconvenient and I simply do not have time to fuss around. I paid generously for this phone, luckily as an upgrade, as I rely on it. I'm sure many of you understand that and subsequently understand my frustration.



The phone is completely up-to-date and I tried rebooting it several times. The problem persists.



What are my options, exactly? I seem to have hit a wall with regards to my available troubleshooting options, and I have a few rather pressing other projects in the meantime (luckily not mission-critical...yet...) so I'd rather hear from people who actually know their stuff than mess around with my phone on my own! As I said, I'm no Android expert. =/


By the way my phone is NOT rooted.


Thanks much for your patience! I appreciate any advice you can offer!

EDIT: Additional information: forgot to mention two pretty important things. One, the Messages app usually displays the SMS Error twice and crashes/closes after the second one. Two, I am not the name on the plan. The plan owner/controller (my mother) is currently in Anaheim, California, and I am in Pennsylvania. My father may also be an account holder, but I cannot reach him until later this evening.

 

[steadyhndz]

My only suggestion is to bring it to Verizon. Before doing so (or do it at the store) backup everything onto your Google account through their Wifi connection. If you're within your first 30 days, or have insurance they'll replace it for you.

It is within law that they cannot use information obtained by a customer through verbal communication or through their handset. I work at a phone store...working right now actually. There is need to be worried about what they read in your text messages. All we do is try to fix the problem because problems with a phone (and especially problems like the one your having) we don't care about reading the text itself, we just want the phone to work asap because there's no commission in it.

 

[NullCoding]

It is within law that they cannot use information obtained by a customer through verbal communication or through their handset.

I knew that Verizon's been my wireless provider for going on seven years (and also my home phone and fibre internet provider) so I know their privacy terms pretty well. Not for any reason other than peace of mind. I work in IT as well (specifically hardware/software repair, but customer service inevitably factors in somehow).

I wasn't worried about them looking so much as I was confused as to how I could possibly demonstrate/replicate the problem without, you know, showing them a text that failed to send. Although I did screenshot the error message and why on earth would I make it all up?

It would be very unlike me to NOT have insurance! But...the account holder is on the other side of the country...I don't want to get to the store only to find out that I'm not allowed to authorise any sort of repair work.

Back up everything, eh? I certainly have Wi-Fi here in the house, so I could do that if I knew exactly how. My photos are all automatically Dropbox'd so that's no issue. Apps could be a real pain to systematically re-install and restore. They're all free, but there are quite a few of them.

I'd rather not be without a phone for more than a couple hours at the absolute most. My schedule doesn't allow for an appointment of indeterminate length today, unfortunately, and I leave for work at 6 AM tomorrow...though the rest of my day is crazy as well. The inconvenience is not entirely my fault, mostly my schedule.

I get the impression, from your post, that the most likely course of action for them is to simply replace the entire phone?!

 

[steadyhndz]

No the best option would to be taking it to Verizon. May have to replace the SIM and if that doesn't work then its a software problem and could possibly be fixed by a simple master reset

 

[lterry913]

Are you using stock messaging app? You could try another texting app like hancent or another an see if it happen then also. I would however do as suggested above and at least have them change out the sim card and see if that is the issue.