Issues with SMS

[huang9]

When I first joined Public, everything worked fine but a couple months ago I couldn't send SMS with wifi anymore.  With Apple users, I have to send MMS messages with my email unless I disconnect from wifi.  When I try to activate iMessage, it says activation unsuccessful and I cannot choose to only use my number for MMS and SMS.  I contacted Apple and they don't know why this is happening.  Is there any way to fix this?

[iPhoneUser]

You might have to back up your phone, do a factory reset and then a restore. 

[iPhoneUser]

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@huang9 wrote:

Yes they're both enabled

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Are they both activated? Sometimes when you  switch carriers FaceTime and/or iMessage will stay in the activate mode for days. Please check in your settings. 

[krazykiwi]

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@huang9 wrote:

Yes they're both enabled

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Have you tried logging out of iMessage and facetime on all your devices? This is something Apple should have had you do. Then when you are all logged out restart your phone and log into imessage and facetime on your phone first.

The problems you are having with sending messages is a resiult of iMessage not activating.

[krazykiwi]

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@huang9 wrote:

I'm on the $15 plan with data, but the problem is that I can't use iMessage using my phone number.  I have to use my email unless it's SMS. 

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Can you explain exactly what happens when you attempt to send a text message with everything turned on, ie wifi & imessage?

[huang9]

Yes they're both enabled

[huang9]

I have an iPhone 8+ with the latest iOS version (13.3.1).  When I try to activate iMessage in settings, it says activation unsuccessful.  To send and receive iMessages I can only click on my email.  When I click on my number it just shows the loading symbol but it never shows the check mark.  A couple months ago my brother (Apple user) asked me why I was using my email to send him messages.  I went to settings and iMessage wouldn't activate.  Since then, I'd have to turn off my wifi to message my brother (SMS) because he doesn't want to have my email saved.

[gblackma]

@huang9 is mms and group messaging enabled ? It seems that it has to send receive messages on an iPhone . Calling @iPhoneUser .Please help here.

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@huang9 wrote:

I'm on the $15 plan with data, but the problem is that I can't use iMessage using my phone number.  I have to use my email unless it's SMS. 

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[huang9]

I'm on the $15 plan with data, but the problem is that I can't use iMessage using my phone number.  I have to use my email unless it's SMS. 

[CannonFodder]

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@darlicious wrote:

@iPhoneUser  I call in an expert and the OP just disappears. I was hoping they would have filled in a little more info.....

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That seems to be a rather common occurrence around here too. Quite frankly, unless the person asking for help has somehow solved the issue, I don't understand why they ask questions, and then you never hear from them again, ESPECIALLY those folks that you can clearly tell REALLY need some help.

[darlicious]

@iPhoneUser  I call in an expert and the OP just disappears. I was hoping they would have filled in a little more info.....

[iPhoneUser]

Does this help? If not tell me more. iPhone model, iOS version, and an exact example of a failure. Are you also saying iMessage is activating with the wheel going and going?

[darlicious]

@huang9  Perhaps in the morning @iPhoneUser can help you figure out the issues related to sending messages from your iPhone and enlighten you on the idiosyncrasies of Apple products and how they perform. Posting a little more info on your current plan and the model of your iPhone would be helpful in diagnosing the issue and coming up with a solution. I would suggest you check for any updates available in your settings. Especially if you have an older iPhone as there have been some "expiry" of iphone functions in recent months depending on the age of your device.

[computergeek541]

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@huang9 wrote:

When I first joined Public, everything worked fine but a couple months ago I couldn't send SMS with wifi anymore.  With Apple users, I have to send MMS messages with my email unless I disconnect from wifi.  When I try to activate iMessage, it says activation unsuccessful and I cannot choose to only use my number for MMS and SMS.  I contacted Apple and they don't know why this is happening.  Is there any way to fix this?

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There isn't actually such thing as sending SMS with Wi-Fi.  Unfortunately, when it comes to using iMessage, it's only Apple that can help you. This isn't a Public Mobile issue, because as pointed out earlier, SMS doesn't use Wi-Fi.  When a message goes through the Apple servers, this is closer to using an instant messaging application. While I know this isn't what you want, I would suggest disabling iMessage until this can be figured out.

Since you can't get iMessages activated, I am assuming that you can't use it on mobile data either?

By any chance, are you on an old Public Mobile plan that only includes Canada-wide text messaging?  The reason I ask is because I believe that iMessage activation requires a global text messaging plan because of the way that Public Mobile doesn't consider Apple's SMS shortcode to be a Canadian number.

[CannonFodder]

@huang9  What plan are you on, and do you have data on that plan?