Before you guys just give up on me, I think we should be able to have a chance to actually hold a conversation and see what can further be done to help me find a solution. I did try the setting changes that were suggested and, the problem was not resolved. If the update will not help me, I need someone to!

As was also suggested, I have already been using third party apps to engage in the group conversations that I needed to. Even so, I still need for this to work on my phone as it is the most basic and feasible way of communication. Also worth mentioning--I am able to start my own group messages and send pics, but unable to receive the response from some of the contacts that are included in it, unless they send it to me directly through SMS. If they try to send it in MMS it comes directly to me as a download box that when downloading gives and error message and ask continuously that I retry the download.

There are a select number of contacts that I am having this problem with. It is not everyone. The contacts that I am having it with do happen to have my same cell phone carrier though. They are also not using i-phones. For others that have my same carrier, it works just fine and even with the i-phone users. It makes absolutely no sense to me either, but I want to get to the bottom of it. This is a brand new device--not sure why is this happening.

I have been to AT&T twice and sat on the phone with Tech support to try and resolve the issue. They say this is a common problem with unlocked phones, and I have to say it has only been a problem since I have been using such phone. I have not given up hope because in fact it is working fine with most of my contacts.

Please have someone reach out to me for troubleshooting. Theses emails and feedback uploading can go back and forward all day, and we will possibly not get very far with just that.