Latest SMS Message Missing? Call Stan Bubrouski
from the seriously? dept
It's no secret that SMS text messages aren't the most reliable. Over the years, we've seen all sorts of estimates on the number of undelivered messages. Some of those are faults with the system, but some of them are simply because the user forgot to put in the recipient. What happens to those messages? Ask Stan Bubrouski. It sounds like a story device from a comic novel (which first had me checking to make sure it wasn't April 1st), but according to eWeek, a college kid named Stan Bubrouski got a Verizon phone in 2001, and (as a joke) signed up to have the username "null" for his text messages -- meaning null@vtext.com supposedly go to his phone. That's a nuisance when messages with no recipient go to null@vtext.com -- and it gets much worse when plenty of big companies send messages to that address, including some who were told that was the proper "test" address for Verizon text messaging. Add to that the growing number of businesses that are using text messages as a way of sending confidential information, such as medical info and SAT test scores, and it seems problematic -- especially given various new laws concerning data leaks.
Thank you for reading this Techdirt post. With so many things competing for everyone’s attention these days, we really appreciate you giving us your time. We work hard every day to put quality content out there for our community.
Techdirt is one of the few remaining truly independent media outlets. We do not have a giant corporation behind us, and we rely heavily on our community to support us, in an age when advertisers are increasingly uninterested in sponsoring small, independent sites — especially a site like ours that is unwilling to pull punches in its reporting and analysis.
While other websites have resorted to paywalls, registration requirements, and increasingly annoying/intrusive advertising, we have always kept Techdirt open and available to anyone. But in order to continue doing so, we need your support. We offer a variety of ways for our readers to support us, from direct donations to special subscriptions and cool merchandise — and every little bit helps. Thank you.
–The Techdirt Team
Reader Comments
Subscribe: RSS
View by: Time | Thread
Yikes!
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Yikes!
(Best $3.00 he ever spent!!) [or current rate, not a Verizon subscriber myself]
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
give him an award
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
No Subject Given
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: No Subject Given
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: No Subject Given
okay now that's a little sad...get a life!
But I agree, it could be fun, just a little pathetic though, but fun.
(who am i to call you pathetic? no one. that's right. absolutely no one. so don't go all pissy on me)
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: No Subject Given
I run a few text message sites, and some providers don't let you spoof the email (so the replies come to me.. even though it says from: don't reply)..
They're auto deleted.. but before I can attest that every message is useless. People talk about pointless stuff over text messages.. and pay for it. I don't get it.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
No Subject Given
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
No Subject Given
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Null Bye
We had two goals: Get to the playoffs by forfeit, and start early on the post-game beer drinking.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Null Bye
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Null Bye
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Null Bye TBA
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Null Bye TBA
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Null Bye TBA
imagine that one....., "tonight...one night only...LIVE SEX ACT!!!"
people would flock to it....lol
;P
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Null Bye TBA
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Null Bye TBA
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Null Bye TBA
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
No Subject Given
[ link to this | view in chronology ]