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I got a new Storm 2 today from Verizon and noticed it still lacks EMS capability, which means that foreign charactors such as á é í ó ú ñ cannot be typed into SMS and MMS messages. This has been a known "issue" on Verizon Blackberry devices. Emails, and PIN messaging works just fine.
Hopefully my letter to the CEO will do something.
Dear Mr. McAdam,
I am a longtime Verizon Wireless customer and also a Spanish speaker.I have been through two Blackberry smartphones and perhaps my biggest gripe (other than blocking the GPS) is the lack of EMS capability on these devices. EMS or enhanced messaging enables a phone to override the 160 charactor limit on SMS, I do not recall what the limit is but In additon, it allows the user to type foreign charactors such as á é í ó ú ñ, etc. The Verizon Blackberry devices are typically bundled with the option of English, Spanish and French How come is it that these devices cannot support EMS in SMS and MMS messaging on Verizon branded Blackberries? It is supported in other CMDA carriers, other Verizon smartphones (WinMo, Treo) and regular Verizon branded "dumbphones". Can we come up with a workaroung for this? Especially when Verizon Wireless caters and sells the Spanish speaking market by having a website in Spanish and support in Spanish. While it is not important in English, Spanish relies heavily on accented charactors. Lacking an accent can completely change the meaning of what is being said, or the conjugation of a word. The Spanish letter Ñ is also very important. "Año" means "year" while "ano" means "rectum". These devices are not only upper end, almost flagship models but they are used by business professionals and consumers alike many of which who communicate in Spanish. Lack of such capabilities when even the most basic "dumbphone" sold by Verizon is ridiculous. Last time I made a suggestion to modifying software, I was rudely told by a Verizon employee that it would not be economically viable for Verizon programmers to make the change, this was when I had a Pearl, and it was almost two years ago. I would hope I do not have to hear the same excuse again, especially for the brand new Storm 2 which I hold in my hands. Please make these changes. According to RIM, the lack of this capability is due to limitations of the carrier. If nothing else, I´m sure it wouldn´t take much to make a Verizon branded application for EMS that runs on the Blackberry much like the VCast software or the song ID software. I believe that Verizon Wireless has a distinct edge over the competition due to it's solid, reliable network, constantly updated equipment selection, lack of 1984-style control (Apple / AT&T), and great customer service. Making such changes would benefit Verizon greatly. Please take this into consideration. Thank you for your time and have a great day.04-02-10 10:25 PM - If u hold your finger over the letter you get an option to chose! try it out it works for me.I got a new Storm 2 today from Verizon and noticed it still lacks EMS capability, which means that foreign charactors such as á é í ó ú ñ cannot be typed into SMS and MMS messages. This has been a known "issue" on Verizon Blackberry devices. Emails, and PIN messaging works just fine.
Hopefully my letter to the CEO will do something.
Dear Mr. McAdam,
I am a longtime Verizon Wireless customer and also a Spanish speaker.I have been through two Blackberry smartphones and perhaps my biggest gripe (other than blocking the GPS) is the lack of EMS capability on these devices. EMS or enhanced messaging enables a phone to override the 160 charactor limit on SMS, I do not recall what the limit is but In additon, it allows the user to type foreign charactors such as á é í ó ú ñ, etc. The Verizon Blackberry devices are typically bundled with the option of English, Spanish and French How come is it that these devices cannot support EMS in SMS and MMS messaging on Verizon branded Blackberries? It is supported in other CMDA carriers, other Verizon smartphones (WinMo, Treo) and regular Verizon branded "dumbphones". Can we come up with a workaroung for this? Especially when Verizon Wireless caters and sells the Spanish speaking market by having a website in Spanish and support in Spanish. While it is not important in English, Spanish relies heavily on accented charactors. Lacking an accent can completely change the meaning of what is being said, or the conjugation of a word. The Spanish letter Ñ is also very important. "Año" means "year" while "ano" means "rectum". These devices are not only upper end, almost flagship models but they are used by business professionals and consumers alike many of which who communicate in Spanish. Lack of such capabilities when even the most basic "dumbphone" sold by Verizon is ridiculous. Last time I made a suggestion to modifying software, I was rudely told by a Verizon employee that it would not be economically viable for Verizon programmers to make the change, this was when I had a Pearl, and it was almost two years ago. I would hope I do not have to hear the same excuse again, especially for the brand new Storm 2 which I hold in my hands. Please make these changes. According to RIM, the lack of this capability is due to limitations of the carrier. If nothing else, I´m sure it wouldn´t take much to make a Verizon branded application for EMS that runs on the Blackberry much like the VCast software or the song ID software. I believe that Verizon Wireless has a distinct edge over the competition due to it's solid, reliable network, constantly updated equipment selection, lack of 1984-style control (Apple / AT&T), and great customer service. Making such changes would benefit Verizon greatly. Please take this into consideration. Thank you for your time and have a great day.04-03-10 03:00 AM -
Look who´s talking, as I have mentioned, and as many others on Crackberry have mentioned, it DOES NOT work in SMS. If the input language is selected as Spanish or another foreign language, there is no option for foreign characters in SMS. If you do it in MMS, they show but are stripped when the message is sent.
This has been a known issue, searching the forum might dig up something instead of being rude about it like a few of the other posters. I thought that I was clear about it in my "letter¨
I really didn´t feel like my letter was [I]that[I] arrogant. Even though SMS isn´t according to some a business application (matter of opinion), when Verizon sells and markets in Spanish, and when the phone has the simple capability on other carriers, AND when even the simplest phones Verizon sells have this capability, it should be included.
If you spoke Spanish and you couldn´t communicate with your friends and loved ones via SMS (all who do have EMS capable phones) you might not be happy with the 500 dollar hole in your pocket either.
Lowell and his office assistants are actually quite professional and understanding people, at that high of a level, who isn´t. I bet I´ll get a call within the next week with at least an explanation is to why this hasn´t been implemented.
Last but not least...lañguage install. Under the add and remove apps option in Blackberry Desktop, there is the option to install languages. Before anybody steps up to say it, I understand and have mentioned this was an option placed by RIM.
Related links
Re: Length of text message - BlackBerry Support Community Forums
Foreign Characters on Verizon Blackberries04-03-10 01:34 PM -
I rest my caseLook who´s talking, as I have mentioned, and as many others on Crackberry have mentioned, it DOES NOT work in SMS. If the input language is selected as Spanish or another foreign language, there is no option for foreign characters in SMS. If you do it in MMS, they show but are stripped when the message is sent.
This has been a known issue, searching the forum might dig up something instead of being rude about it like a few of the other posters. I thought that I was clear about it in my "letter¨
I really didn´t feel like my letter was [I]that[I] arrogant. Even though SMS isn´t according to some a business application (matter of opinion), when Verizon sells and markets in Spanish, and when the phone has the simple capability on other carriers, AND when even the simplest phones Verizon sells have this capability, it should be included.
If you spoke Spanish and you couldn´t communicate with your friends and loved ones via SMS (all who do have EMS capable phones) you might not be happy with the 500 dollar hole in your pocket either.
Lowell and his office assistants are actually quite professional and understanding people, at that high of a level, who isn´t. I bet I´ll get a call within the next week with at least an explanation is to why this hasn´t been implemented.
Last but not least...lañguage install. Under the add and remove apps option in Blackberry Desktop, there is the option to install languages. Before anybody steps up to say it, I understand and have mentioned this was an option placed by RIM.
Related links
Re: Length of text message - BlackBerry Support Community Forums
Foreign Characters on Verizon Blackberries04-03-10 09:54 PM - I know that the characters get stripped in an SMS, which is why I say to use E-mail. Why is this such a difficult thing to grasp? If you are offered two options, and one of them doesn't work for you, use the other one. Simplicity is the key.Look who´s talking, as I have mentioned, and as many others on Crackberry have mentioned, it DOES NOT work in SMS. If the input language is selected as Spanish or another foreign language, there is no option for foreign characters in SMS. If you do it in MMS, they show but are stripped when the message is sent.
This has been a known issue, searching the forum might dig up something instead of being rude about it like a few of the other posters. I thought that I was clear about it in my "letter¨
I really didn´t feel like my letter was [I]that[I] arrogant. Even though SMS isn´t according to some a business application (matter of opinion), when Verizon sells and markets in Spanish, and when the phone has the simple capability on other carriers, AND when even the simplest phones Verizon sells have this capability, it should be included.
If you spoke Spanish and you couldn´t communicate with your friends and loved ones via SMS (all who do have EMS capable phones) you might not be happy with the 500 dollar hole in your pocket either.
Lowell and his office assistants are actually quite professional and understanding people, at that high of a level, who isn´t. I bet I´ll get a call within the next week with at least an explanation is to why this hasn´t been implemented.
Last but not least...lañguage install. Under the add and remove apps option in Blackberry Desktop, there is the option to install languages. Before anybody steps up to say it, I understand and have mentioned this was an option placed by RIM.
Related links
Re: Length of text message - BlackBerry Support Community Forums
Foreign Characters on Verizon Blackberries
I also understand that it would be easier to text family members, but calling would be even easier than texting! What about that?
And when you say things like:
Is your goal to make them stop marketing in Spanish? Would marketing in only English solve your problem?? This would avoid these unnecessary letters and the unnecessary need for "business" (or just casual texting to family -- whichever you feel like using as the "truth") EMS which would cost more for the company who would trickle these costs into my pocket.
So, you have said in your first post that you needed EMS for "business" where I suggested using E-mail, but it seems that you only want it for texting family. Which one is true? You even aimed your E-mail to VZW as a "business" E-mail and not an "I just want this for the convenience of texting family" E-mail.
I feel you should get your facts straight before trying to pull something like that.Last edited by stillborn86; 04-06-10 at 11:27 PM.
04-06-10 11:23 PM
