Can't send SMS internationally

[Philjones6]

Just arrived in Canada and have a new SIM in a dual SIM phone. With the UK SIM disabled I can access data, and phone or message another Canadian phone but the advertised unlimited messaging worldwide isn't happening.

Any idea what I am doing wrong? OnePlus phone running Android 10.

[BKNS27]

@Philjones6 Great that you solved your issue with international SMS. 
Your should click Solved.

[Philjones6]

We seem to have an answer - it's a problem with the formatting of contacts that were imported from an iPhone to a OnePlus handset running Android 10.

The only way to get the OnePlus handset to send a text message to the overseas numbers is to "fool" it into thinking the contact is new. This requires me to delete the contact, find and delete any text conversations between me and that contact on my new handset (which might have happened using wifi, say, rather than the phone network), and to do similarly for any WhatsApp conversations. I have deleted or blocked the contact on WhatsApp too. I check the contact has completely gone by searching for it in contacts and on WhatsApp.

Then I open a text message and type in the UK number in the format +447123456789, and send a test message. If the handset sends the message successfully, then I save the UK number from my new SMS conversation as a new contact, and then start adding the other details I used to hold (email, home address etc).

It is very laborious and time consuming, and will likely lead me to consider how many of my contacts I really need to be able to SMS at will, as opposed to emailing or WhatsApping them via a wifi signal should I need to get in touch with them, or they with me.

Shout out to Tiago from Public Mobile who cracked this, even when it was clear that the problem wasn't PM's SIM or service. And thanks, all, for having taken the time and trouble to help me.

[Philjones6]

It didn't for any UK number in my list of contacts, but on entering an unknown overseas number it worked fine, just like it did if I was using a different unlocked handset.

It looks as if my list of contacts (imported from an iPhone) has somehow been corrupted and that this is getting in the way of the handset dialling what appears on the screen to be a correctly formatted number.

Editing the contact's phone number into different formats didn't help, and neither did manually typing it in - perhaps because the phone recognises it either way as an existing contact and jumps to using the (corrupted) contact details from its memory, which fails every time.

I'm hoping to get some ideas about how to make my list of contacts usable this morning. Would be great to find a solution.

[Anonymous]

 @Philjones6 

But you had said it didn't work when you fully manually typed in the number. So I'm a little confused with their answer.

[Philjones6]

Thanks. I have done all that but it may be a related issue, as I have explained in another post. We'll see.

[Philjones6]

A really nice guy from Public has got back to me and demonstrated that even with my handset I can send a text to an international number.

A bit more investigating to do tomorrow when time zones are less of an issue but may be to do with the format in which contacts are imported from an iPhone and the impossibility of editing them into a compatible form once they have come across. This is a bit speculative, but the best thing I have to go on. I'll report back what happens.

in any event, am very grateful for the help here and Public have been really good.

[kselmak]

@Philjones6 

It is probably the app on your phone

You could try reinstalling it or you could try using different app.

If neither work try network reset, that shouldn't wipe out your other settings and phone content.

I guess factory resetting the phone may be an option if nothing else works

[Anonymous]

Which in fact twigs a test... @Philjones6 : can you try sending an MMS. Mobile data would need to be on. If you don't want to consume a bunch of the data unnecessarily then make sure all the background stuff and updates are off.

[cavemantoronto]

@Lasha433 APN settings don't do anything for SMS. That's only for internet.

[Lasha433]

Apologize if any of these have been tried but these are my ideas:

Try to make sure you have a + and the country code for the contacts you're trying to SMS. You might want to see if it's a problem with their phone as well by using an online SMS service to send them a message. Check APN settings too. 

[Anonymous]

 @Philjones6 : Yes I saw your other post. Indeed. Public Mobile has done their obligation. Are you able to download a different texting app from whatever you're using and try that?

[Philjones6]

Thanks z10user4.

Tried those manouevres too - no joy.

Moderator says they can't see a problem at their end. PM SIM has to go in slot 1 and no other SIM should be in the device, but that hasn't worked either. I've tried the SIM in both slots too - good suggestion though.

I'd replied eldewhere that the PM SIM works fine in a different handset but won't work in mine. Maybe it's a OnePlus issue but it does look like the PM SIM and the package are doing what they should.

[Philjones6]

Yep.

[Philjones6]

JK8, this has been helpful. I've tried the PM SIM in another dual SIM phone and it manages to send messages internationally as well as doing the in-Canada thing.

But in my handset, no good. I guess that suggests there's an issue of some sort with the handset, though I still don't know what.

[Anonymous]

 @mateusth : Good of you to jump in and participate but there's no one to call. All support is online here.

 @Philjones6 : Another thought...shut down, remove SIM's (both), restart, shut down, insert PM SIM (did you try the other slot?), restart.

All of this while you're waiting for the moderators. Look for the indicator in the upper right bell icon. You might get an email too. Don't reply to that. Everything goes through the private messaging system.

[mateusth]

You have to ser if your plan is abre to it

[mateusth]

You heva to call-center help so they can set up

[Philjones6]

Thanks. Have given it a go and will see what they suggest.

[Anonymous]

 @Philjones6 : It IS a puzzler. You have by now started a ticket with the support right? 🙂

[Philjones6]

dlambro, thanks for this.

The SMSC was hard to find and needed me to use the dialler to enter a code, but that number is as you said it should be, so it doesn't seem to be that either.

Bah!

[Philjones6]

Thanks, z10user4. I have given this a go and it makes no difference. Even with the PM SIM as the only one in the SIM tray (after having powered down, made the swaps, and powered up again), the PM service is exactly the same as when the UK SIM is also in the phone, ie Canada calls and messages are fine, but international ones are not.

Incidentally, it makes no difference whether the UK SIM is activated or deactivated either, so it doesn't seem to be a matter of the UK SIM causing any sort of interference.

As for other numbers in the UK, I can't message them either.

UK mobile numbers all begin 07*** followed by six numbers, eg 07123 456789

From Europe you'd phone or message by entering 0044 - 7123 - 456789

From here, I realise it is 011-44-7123 etc. I've also tried +44-7123 etc.

[Philjones6]

dlambro, a good thought. But the phone sends international text and picture messages fine when I use the UK SIM. I just can't do anything international with the PM SIM.

[Anonymous]

---

@Philjones6 wrote:

Yeah, I tried entering the number manually, both with the abbreviated international code (+) and in full. No joy. It's puzzling, no?

---

Yes. 🙂 Have you tried with not having your other SIM in? Power down, remove other SIM, restart. Maybe also try the PM SIM in the other SIM slot too...alone. Can you text any other number in the UK?

Would you be willing to share the number that you're manually dialing without the last 4 or 5 (however the UK numbering works before the individual).

[Philjones6]

Yeah, I tried entering the number manually, both with the abbreviated international code (+) and in full. No joy. It's puzzling, no?

[dlambro]

I was thinking this may be a software issue with the phone.  You can check to make sure Google Messages is enabled in the Play Store.  Go to the apps store, Google Play, and type Google Messages or just Messages and ensure it's not disabled.   

[dlambro]

That's strange that you can message a Canadian number but not overseas as all PM plans come with unlimited International Text and Pic Messaging.  I found this on an old thread on this forum regarding the same issue and was fixed by checking the SMSC number on the phone.  You could try that:  check to make sure the SMSC number on you phone is set to Public Mobile 16475800172. Make sure you input that number into your message center option on your phone.  Go to Messaging app > Settings > SMSC Settings > SMSC number.  It's worth a shot. 

[kselmak]

Also your app may be the problem too

Try using native app

Clear the cache and restart

If that doesn't work try network reset maybe

[kselmak]

@Philjones6 

That error usually indicated there is an issue with the number.

Can you check the number again see if you are using correct number

Also try sending a test message to a different cell number in the same country

[TheGx]

@Philjones6 :If you can't login into your self serve account maybe the problem is with your account, try asking moderator to look into why you can't login and also look into what going on with your texts.

[Anonymous]

 @Philjones6 : Are you using your contacts to try to send? As from kselmak...try manually typing in 011 then the country code then the area code etc. If there are leading zeros in the area code or city code then try without them.

And yes sometimes + works instead of 011.