SMS showing numbers only issue
 

RIM is aware of and is working on the issue: view the article

Second "fix" for the issue is to delete the entire previous string of SMS messages from any contacts that have this issue, and all new SMS should appear with the user's name (this worked for me)

Thought I'd just post this once instead of posting over and over in all the posts addressing this

Phone numbers for your contacts cannot have any punctuation. Take out any ( ), - you might have and it will be fine. Stupid but hopefully they'll fix this soon.

yeah... that's the fix everyone's already posted... Funny, but the fix I posted above only works for about half my contacts!

what i had to do to fix this since i sync all my contacts with google is i went into google contacts and added the +1 to all my number so instead of it being ie: 818-123-4567 or even (818) 123-4567 its now: +18181234567 problem solved

Nope. The numbers in my address book are all formatted as (xxx) xxx-xxxx, and SMS/MMS works properly and as expected.

5.0.0.296 does not have this issue. When I got my Bold, I first did a device switch wizard and i know when i looked at my sms list it had all entries listed properly. Then i upgraded the OS and the problem started. Should have stayed on the ATT version? Perhaps.

5.0.0.296 has this issue for some. I had the issue even before I upgraded. It seems to be very hit and miss... some people don't have this problem at all.

Definitely strange. But, as you said in the other thread, apparently RIM is aware enough to have posted about it and promised a fix. So, I'll continue to knock on wood that 5.0.0.296 will continue to work as well as it has for me and wait for a bigger release to update the OS.

Wow... this will be the first time I have avoided updating my BlackBerry to the latest OS! I think I'm going to faint!

I only have this issue for SMS messages that come in "virgin" from others. For example, If I send an SMS text message to a contact that is in my address book, by selecting them by name out of the address book, then when they respond, it correctly shows their name, and not just their number. This is even if they are generating a brand new message to me, not hitting "reply" to my original one. I though I was in the clear.

To test this out, I called a friend of mine, also already in my address book, and asked him to send me an SMS. This SMS is the first to have ever arrived from this contact onto my new 9700, and even though the contact is in my address book, the SMS shows only their number. Furthermore, any subsequent messages in the string also only show the number, not the name. I think this behavior may explain why some people think this is hit and miss. I actually think it is always the case, but in the cases where people think it is working correctly, it is because they previously intiiated an SMS to someone before that person SMS'ed back to them.

I'd love to hear what people think affter they test this out the same way I did. Call someone you know is in your address book, but that has not yet texted you, and who you have not yet texted on your 9700, and ask them to send you an SMS. The see if it shows their name, or just their number.

According to RIM, the issue is introduced when the contacts database (phone book) is restored from backup. When you do an OS upgrade, it backs up your phone, and then restores the data after the upgrade is complete.

Wirelessly posted

This is my first BB and I'm having the same issue(s)

This is fixed in an upcoming version (5.0.0.405).

Good to know they have fixed it and ther eis an actual version number associated with the fix. Any ETA on this?

I got this issue on the first sync with my BES on my brand new 9700. Not after restoring from a backup, although technically this might be splitting hairs. Never had any data on it, including contacts. Got all of its data on its first sync upon Enterprise Activation.

Well, whatever the issue was or is, they've figured it out and it is fixed in 5.0.0.405. No idea when it will be released. Haven't had an official carrier release in a while.

Release 5.0.0.405 does fix the SMS name/number bug. I installed it this afternoon. All is good. Rumor has it that AT&T is testing .405 for possible release "soon". Obviously, it depends on the results of their testing. I read somewhere that there was a bug in one of the media apps that may stop AT&T, but I have no specifics.

.405 does fix THIS bug, but introduces many, many others.

Such as?

Taken from another post I did on this:

1. The "Main Message List Options" in Messages app, which gives you the ability to filter what messages get shown in the main messages icon has been removed. - This is a biggy.

2. Huge lag when scrolling items in the browse function when selecting a profile sound.

3. Red Alert Badges on FOLDERS are broken. For example: I have a folder called "Social Networking" which has my Twitter App, Facebook and MySpace. When I get an alert on any of these, the folder shows the Red Alert Badge. When I access the application that generates the badge, the badge is never cleared. (this was not present in .351).

4. Certain profile alerts (beejive) still aren't saved after a reboot - This has a work-around, which is to create another profile.

1 - a feature that may have been removed.
2 - have to test this. I never change my profile sounds. Set once. Use forever.
3 - existed in prior version (351/371) - obviously they nver fixed it.
4 - irritating. Why so many profile issues

To me, the biggest bug was the SMS formatting. 1 is a nice to have, and may have been removed on purpose.

Still a beta. And thanks for the information!