I wrote out the issue badly, it is all software related. Group texts work just fine on backup (network approved) phone, but switch to unihertz phone with goggle messages and it doesn't. Verizon used to have its own messages app which worked fine until they discontinued it. Known issue with unihertz phones I guess. Back when I first got the tank, I switched to the Textra app and it fixed the problem, but not any longer, so some update broke it more.