Lost text messages

[tggraham]

I recently returned from a trip to Japan, I was able to receive text messages sent to me after my return, but could not receive the text messages sent to me while I was in Japan. How can I recover these text messages?

Also, for the future, can I get copies of text messages on  my laptop?

[RogersYasmine]

Hello @tggraham,

Wow, Japan! Sounds like an exciting trip!! Thanks for your questions. 🙂

I'm sorry to hear that you were unable to receive any incoming text messages during your travels abroad... that is very odd, indeed. We have a few questions to better clarify your situation:

- Did you happen to have your phone turned off or Rogers SIM card removed during that time? 
- Were your other services still working? (voice calls, WiFi, mobile data, etc.).  
- Were you using a Rogers device or a non-Rogers device?

Regrettably, we do not have a way to retrieve the contents of a text message, unless it is court ordered. Also, if the message never actually went through to your device, we may not have a record of it at all.

As far as I am aware, there is no way to have text messages automatically sent to an email account. I'll loop in our Resident Expert @Pauly to see if he can confirm, as well. 🙂

Kind regards,

RogersYasmine

[tggraham]

Thanks for your reply Yasmine. I do not use the roam like home service when I am on extended trips because of the cost.  Is there any way for me to check my text messages online when I am traveling? On my last trip, my friend was able to access his apple text messages online.

[Pauly]

There is something on the rogers network that if  SMS messages are not delivered to the handset in a certain time period I do not know for sure but it could be 72 hours or something like that they are deleted from the SMS server and can not be recovered.  this will not apply to I Message or RCS message since they use a different server not provided by rogers.

I'm sorry to say but it looks like there is no way to recover any messages you missed

[tggraham]

Thanks Pauly, understood. 

for future trips, is there an app that would allow me to see my text messages on my laptop when I'm travelling?

[Pauly]

The simple answer, no there has not been any official app created.  There exists apps to check your messages from a computer (Google messages for web) but your phone needs to be on for it to work and connected to the cell network which defeats the purpose of what your asking.

so the simple answer no, no such app exists yet.

[LordDrakkon]

Personally I use Pulse SMS from the Google Play Store. There is a fee to access your text messages from a web interface per month or a lifetime sub for $99USD. Well worth it in my opinion. I have been using the app since 2017.