Verizon Blocking Text Messages from Short Code services

So, about a month ago I got a new Verizon Voyager LG phone, a sweet unlimited text messaging (picture and video too!) plan and the interest in using it in all the ways text messaging can be utilized.

I setup facebook mobile and tested out google search right away. They both worked great. Then, I moved on to the most talked about sms related site out there, twitter. Twitter’s whole point is to say what’s happening in 160 characters or less (the limitation of a sms text message). Well, I was able to set up twitter, and I can now update from my phone, BUT verizon seems to be blocking incoming messages from the friends I follow on twitter, rending the whole service pretty much pointless for me.

I’ve continued investigating intresting applications to utilize their text messaging services and have continued to run into problems. Jaiku, similar to Twitter, which was actually bought by Google also does not work on my phone. Neither does any texting with 41411 (textmarks.com). The list of blocked (by verizon) or limited sms services continues to grow. Most of them are short codes (sms numbers of 4-5 digits long)

And here’s the crazy thing about it. This isn’t blocked on all verizon phones. The other phones on our family plan, with the exact same plan set up does work with these other services. I’ve talked to Verizon customer service for hours now and they don’t seem to have a clue what’s going on, but when you look online hundreds of people are having a similar problem. I even had to get my phone swapped out the other day for an unrelated malfunction and that didn’t solve the problem.

So, my experience so far with Verizon is as follows:

1. You don’t get what you pay for (paying for texting, not receiving messages)
2. Customer Service is terrible and uninformed (this is clearly a know problem)
3. The company itself doesn’t even have a firm grasp on its own services.

We switched to Verizon because they apparently receive great reviews overall, but I’ve been terribly unimpressed so far. Anyone else out there share my frustration?