I have a perfectly fine working S20, except the battery was not holding the charge throughout the day. When Verizon offered to upgrade to S25 for free I jumped on the offer.
I had the S20 for nearly 5 years and had previously migrated from an earlier Samsung phone. So, I had text messages going back to 2019 that I wanted to keep. In addition, I have probably way too many images, videos, links shared with many of my contacts. Keeping that in mind, I did make an effort to do some cleanup prior to the migration.
Late in 2024 we were notified that we needed to switch our messaging app due to the end to end encryption. I switched and found I was able to 'react' to texts like my IPhone contacts. I was also able to name my group chats-makes life so much easier.
I setup both phones and got them ready for the migration. Select everything and then when I was verifying I noticed that my named text chat groups didn't transfer. I also noticed that many of the images, videos and links weren't transferred.
I tried the migration again selecting only the messages. I received confirmation that 22GB and that it would take approximately 20 minutes. It then completed almost immediately but nothing came over.
Call 1 to Verizon support- i was told that it was working in the background and to check later.
Visit to local Verizon store. They don't have that level of training and I should try calling support again.
Call 2 to Verizon support. I was told there's a resource constraint and that memory and storage are the same thing. Technically, they are not. So, I ask to speak with someone else. We try SmartSwitch a few more times with the same outcome.
This should work. There should be better messaging for why it isn't.
I get transferred to Samung support. Same thing. They remote install an app on both phones but we still get nowhere. However, by this time I have noticed that I am missing ALL THE MESSAGES after switching to RCS messaging. Lightbulb moment here-of course you can't do anything because they're encrypted and the new phone doesn't have the key. Still doesn't explain the images, videos, links, and group chat challenges but I am refusing to return my old device. There's no going back now, though.
I call Verizon support a few more times since my allotted time to return the old phone is ending. I ask for more time, let me keep the device. No. I have work and life and spend hours on this issue which shouldn't be.
Finally, I give in and start MANUALLY going through the messages and saving the images and deleting the message. I decide that really sucks. So, I think, why not just switch back to the old message app and try SmartSwitch again. AND IT WORKED!!! I don't know if it was the amount of storage and the switch of the application but there was less to transfer and it actually took about 20 minutes but afterward I saw everything had been migrated.
So, I feel that, had I not been so determined as well as technically savvy then I wouldn't have been successful. BUT, I shouldn't have to be. SmartSwitch should be smarter. Tell me, stop--you are trying to transfer x amount over some limit and that I need to reduce it. SmartSwitch should also account for the encryption issue. Logically, I get it. But make your app able to decrypt for the transfer or give me the steps that I just figured out on my own.
I have been charged for the new device because the time ran out. I did FINALLY get someone to tell me that they understand and would do a promo correction and credit once they receive the device.
I felt this was too big to not share. I did Google about the issue and found some information which helped with that lightbulb moment regarding the issue transferring encrypted information but the rest was sheer determination.
I did a literal happy dance at my success. Since neither Verizon support or Samsung support were able to figure it out and I did.
Yes, I knew that. I guess I am surprised that both companies support areas aren't knowledgeable in their own technology--at least the level I was in contact with. However, not at any point was there an option to create a request to the level that does know. If I didn't know much, which really is how they want it, then I probably would have accepted the loss. That's a terrible model.
