Problem activating phone number for imessage

Jun2004

Hi

Got an iPhone 4S for Christmas. I cannot activate my phone number on iMessages. I have activated the email address so can send messages to other iPhone/iPod/iPad users.

I have reset network settings, backed up to iCloud and reset phone as new several times, backed up to iTunes and restarted that way. None of these have made any difference.

Time/date is set to automatic.

I have wifi and 3G access have tried it on both.

I just keep getting awaiting activation and then after a couple of hours activation unsuccessful please try again.

I am prepay Vodafone and have about 15 credit.

I have contacted Vodafone and there are no issues with my prepay account receiving international texts etc.

HELP!!!!!!

guil

iMessage is only for messaging other apple devices and to activate it sends an international text. Have a look at the sticky at the top of the forum.

Jun2004

Thanks, yes I can message other apple devices fine but how do I send a text to a non apple user? It will not activate my phone number. When I go into receive as my email address can be ticked or unticked whereas my phone number is greyed out.

I read through the sticky and cannot see any solution.

brophs

Odd one. Have you tried going to settings > iTunes and App Store and clicking on your Apple ID and signing out? Then turn off the phone fully, restart it and login again. Then try to activate iMessage. Long shot I know.

brophs

Also in addition to what I posted above try this: go to settings > iCloud > delete account (you can add it back later). Then turn off the phone, turn it back on again and try to activate iMessage first.

Jun2004

brophs wrote: »

Also in addition to what I posted above try this: go to settings > iCloud > delete account (you can add it back later). Then turn off the phone, turn it back on again and try to activate iMessage first.

I'll try this I had wiped phone and restored from iCloud then tried activating messages. I'll try it the other way around. Thanks.

shanec1928

Go to settings then phone.. Is your number there? If not enter it. That sorted a smiler issue before.

guil

Jun2004 wrote: »

Thanks, yes I can message other apple devices fine but how do I send a text to a non apple user? It will not activate my phone number. When I go into receive as my email address can be ticked or unticked whereas my phone number is greyed out.

I read through the sticky and cannot see any solution.

You don't need iMessage to text anyone. It's only an additional service for messaging apple devices. It won't work to any android for example.

Jun2004

guil wrote: »

You don't need iMessage to text anyone. It's only an additional service for messaging apple devices. It won't work to any android for example.

The only place to send any form of message from the phone is the icon Messages. From this I can send (or should be able to) both iMessages to Apple users and text messages to non apple users. However as it will not activate my phone number I am stuck with iMessages only. I can receive text messages from non apple users but cannot reply as my phone number will not activate.

jamesd

Replying to text messages from non apple (iMessage users) has nothing to do with your number not being actived with iMessage, if you cannot send non standard texts to people it's to do with your carrier.

bee06

So the problem is you can't active text messages rather than iMessage. When you go to settings, messages and send and receive do you have a tick next to your email and phone number? Then under that are you able to select your phone number as the option to start new conversations from?

brophs

I had understood from what you were saying that you couldn't send iMessages. If the problem is that you can't send normal texts then it suggests that either the sim isn't activated or you have an issue with your sim or account on Vodafone's side.

guil

There's nothing to be activated to send text messages. Are you sure you haven't mixed the 2 up. If a message received is green it's a normal message and iMessages are blue.

Jun2004

Hi

Thanks for everyone's suggestions. First iPhone I have so am probably mixing up the terminology. Yes I can send iMessages but not regular text.

Was in with vodafone they cannot tell me what is wrong however when they put another sim in it everything is working perfect so there is obviously some sort of issue with my number that they cannot resolve as they cannot figure out what the problem is.

So I have a new vodafone sim with new number that works perfect, so I'll either move my old number to that sim or move to tesco as the prepay deals look much better.

Relieved it is not an issue with the actual phone.

Thanks again.