I just noticed that I have these 500 photo messages also. I'm on the nexus⁴.

They could've been there a while as I never usually check my allowance

I did notice a long time ago though that if I try to send a group text it automatically become a MMS.

However, I'm rooted from day 1 so it must not be stock related.

Are you using a Nexus 4 or 5?

If so that's why. Something to do with new google hangouts app sending MMS instead of SMS sometimes. Three are just covering any accidental MMS charges.

Well that's unusually nice of them.

Yeah nexus⁴

Tbh, it was happening a long time before hangouts came along [group text message turning into MMS].

I'm running 4:4:2 atm & it still ain't fixed. Ever since I've had the nexus⁴ this has been happening [since Jan 2012 so that was long before hangouts]

Not unusual of Three to include extra things automatically that didn't come with the original package, 4G, free roaming in certain places at no extra cost, now MMS for some customers.

Agreed.

By far the best network I've ever used - & I've had a mobile for 21yrs now. Been with 3 around 4½ years & can't complain about a thing.

They always bend over backwards to help & I've had nothing but good dealings with their Indian call centre.

On 2 occasions I've been unable to get a signal at home die to upgrades to the nearest mast so they credited my account until it fixed.

I've had other credit applied for other circumstances also.

3 R The best.

I also have the 500 picture messages, and had my SIM in a Nexus 5 for a while. Must have been an IMEI check as I'd never actually sent a message (SMS or MMS) because I use it solely for data.

Don't you just change the option in SMS advanced settings in hangouts?

you do yeah. here is the changes for the latest version of hangouts.

What's New
2.0.2
● Fixes for MMS sending/receiving
● You can turn off group messaging (MMS) in Settings to send SMS to multiple people

https://play.google.com/store/apps/d...oid.talk&hl=en

I wonder how the other networks will handle the same problem?

And it's not just Nexus users, as anyone that lets Hangouts update will be invited to swap over to using it for texts.

I've always wondered why MMS never dropped in price, the cost seemed to be the reason it never took off and Whatsapp/BBM etc did.

I'm Nexus 5 and I have the 500 MMS freebie.

Thank you Three! What an easy PR win.

I reported this a couple of months ago and the general consensus is that Three are only offering it to users of the Nexus 5 although it sounds like it's now been extended to the Nexus 4. It's refreshing to see a network being proactive rather than reactive (only offering credits to cover the cost of group SMS that turned in to MMS to users who complain).

Just remember they could possibly take it away free MMS any time as it's not officially included in ANY package Three offer. I called their customer service and asked about free MMS after it appeared in my Three App and was told it must be an error and will be removed soon. As for the advanced SMS settings, I cannot find it anywhere on my Nexus 5 despite all software being fully up to date.

Open Hangouts. Settings, SMS, Advanced, Group Messaging

Same reason I always wondered why video calling was charged at such a massive premium. I mean, video calling was crap (64Kbps) but it had the odd use, but who would when it was effectively premium rate (bar the odd few token minutes thrown in on a plan).

Now you can Skype with high quality video for free, and suddenly there's a demand for video services. Yet, the networks have now given up on it or are STILL trying to charge a stupid amount for what I believe is still the same crappy service that nobody has sought to update.

the deaf find video calling very useful because of being able to sign.

it's still like 50p a minute.

I'd hope most now use Skype or similar. Video calling isn't just a rip off, but also at a very poor frame rate that can't help with signing.

While there is an arguement for video calling being "expensive" (I once paid £1.50 a minute for an international video call to Germany, surprised it worked at all tbh), there's not so much for MMS.

Video calling on 3G uses a circuit-switched connection and takes up dedicated bandwidth, from the network point of view it is basically making six phone calls at a time, and termination chargers for it are also extortionate. MMS is just standard packet data, no different from email or a (very very large) text message.

Mind you - I don't suppose anybody remembers back when 3 offered free MMS with just about any internet add-on package or internet inclusive plan? Was back around 2007/8 I think. Got tons of free MMS every month that I never used.

When O2 launched 3G back in 2004 they made video calling the same cost as voice calls on 3G contracts and it went down like a lead balloon! Nothing to do with coverage...... it's just that video calling on a mobile is impractical most of the time. We are happy to sit at computers and Skype but it's not the case that we always want others to see what we are doing when we call and you look pretty daft making a video call in public!

Video calling has it's uses but it's not a mass market product and never will be. Good old voice calls and texts do things a lot more discretely and that is often the big factor with 'personal' communications.

BTW, it's not unusual for networks to add extra value to existing customers. I just got free Deezer from EE on an existing contract and my roaming options have improved also. All networks do what they have to for retention purposes, some need to do more than others though.

I don't think anyone (except perhaps the networks) thought video calling would ever be as popular as voice calling, but I was quite surprised to learn that Skype video calling is actually now pretty popular - and I've actually seen people using Facetime to chat to people out on the street.

I wouldn't say video calling will ever be that popular, and only used for specific purposes - like seeing family/relatives from abroad or when you're away from home (my wife uses it to show her parents abroad our son, about once a week, for example) but that's probably only happened since the quality has actually got to an acceptable level.

3G video calling was and still is crap. Even if it were free, nobody in their right mind would use it.

Imagine the networks want video calling to pick up to the level skype is can't imagine it will at least till quality increases. From what I remember a later stage of VoLTE involves video calling. Would have to check that though. I can see mms becoming free specially as everything on 4G is data anyway or at least take it out of your data allowance.

For me it went down like a lead balloon because nobody I knew had a 3G phone so there was nobody I could video call.

I like(d) to do it for fun and novelty but it also has very useful uses. Lots of times when you would like to show people something with a picture, a lot easier to video call than to snap photo, send via email, etc. You can't describe the output of a spectrum analyzer scanning 4G frequencies in Aberdeen just as it went live using just words

Unfortunately the advanced settings option is missing from my hangouts app.

On Nexus 5 you go to - hangouts / settings / SMS / Group Messaging.

Which is under the advanced section, on the Nexus 5.

they gave me 500 MMS as well. I never used one before and I don t see the point of them. they just give away stuff they know people not gonna use anyway.