SMS stopped working on a long time device

[jp_pm_help]

Hi all, I hope someone can help me.

I have been with PM for several years now and haven't really changed much in my account since joining. But recently I noticed that I cannot receive or send SMS. I usually don't use SMS much so I didn't notice that the last time I successfully received one (as per my usage history) was back in late Dec, 2021 (I mostly use whatsapp or line).

I have tried everything that has been posted here before about fixing SMS including checking APN settings, switching between LTE and 3G, checking the correct network settings, etc. None of these worked.

The only thing that I can think of that might be a problem is that back in December, my AutoPay didn't autopay like it should have and my account was temporarily put on pause until I paid, which I did right away. Since then, no sms.

I have unlimited text and unlimited call, as well as many other addons that I've gotten over the years. I am using a Xiaomi Redmi Note 4, stock everything. It has worked all this time until this SMS issue.

Can anyone shed some light on this problem?

Thank you.

[darlicious]

@jp_pm_help 

Probably reprovisioning of the sim card. If in a pinch and you cannot get customer support like in the middle of the night then you can try the following to fix a provisioning issue on your end.

1. Make a manual top up payment of at least $1.
2. Log into your self serve account. Go to the plans or usage page and click on the lost/stolen feature. Suspend your service. Log out/in. Resume your service. Log out and reboot if necessary.**

**If you are on the points program you can use this troubleshooting tip with impunity but if you are on the rewards program it causes a glitch with your rewards not applying upon renewal and you must get them applied manually after renewal by customer support.

To contact customer support click below:

https://productioncommunity.publicmobile.ca/t5/notes/composepage/note-to-user-id/22437

To pre-verify your account include your full name, address, email, phone # and 4 digit acct pin #.

[jp_pm_help]

I finally have an update. The tech support team was able to restore my SMS functionality. To my knowledge, it was an account backend issue that needed to be solved. Nothing was done on my end except restarting the phone and testing it when they asked.

Basically, the best solution was opening a ticket with PM Support.

Thanks for everyone's help and input.

[jp_pm_help]

Thanks, Yummy. I'll update the thread once it gets resolved.

[jp_pm_help]

Hi darlicious. No, I don't have that option in my chat app. I used the stock SMS app as well as QKSMS to test if that was the problem, but no. It looks like an account issue.

[darlicious]

@jp_pm_help 

Have you accidently turned on your chat features (RCS)? Are your chat bubbles dark blue instead of light blue? Go to your messages app and tap the 3 dots top right. Settings>>Chat features>>turn off.

I have done this accidently a few times....its very annoying!

If not then it could be a provisioning issue with your sim card as sometimes some features will not work properly after renewal but I haven't heard of it necessarily happening after suspension and reactivation because a manual payment to your account will usually fix a minor provisioning issue not cause it.

To contact customer support click below:

https://productioncommunity.publicmobile.ca/t5/notes/composepage/note-to-user-id/22437

To pre-verify your account include your full name, address, email, phone # and 4 digit acct pin #.

[Yummy]

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@jp_pm_help wrote:

I tried with another phone but no SMS with that one either. Does that mean that the SIM card is damaged? Getting a replacement won't change my phone number will it?

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No, changing SIM will not change your phone number. Swapping SIMs are simple but we are not there yet!

Please wait for agents' assistance and then we will see what to do.

Keep us in the loop, please!

[jp_pm_help]

Ok, ticket opened. I will update with solution if/when there is one.

Thanks.

[jp_pm_help]

Hi, yes, I checked that the SMSC is correct. It matches the expected 16475800172 number.

[softech · Accepted solution]

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@jp_pm_help wrote:

@softech 

I tried with another phone but no SMS with that one either. Does that mean that the SIM card is damaged? Getting a replacement won't change my phone number will it?

I have access to my Self Serve account, so I will contact them. Thank you.

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@jp_pm_help   if your voice phone calls still working, it is not a SIM issue.    Open ticket with PM Support first and have them confirm it first.  I have posted the way to engage PM support on my post above

[jp_pm_help]

@softech 

I tried with another phone but no SMS with that one either. Does that mean that the SIM card is damaged? Getting a replacement won't change my phone number will it?

I have access to my Self Serve account, so I will contact them. Thank you.

[softech]

@jp_pm_help   If you still cannot send/receive text on another phone, I suggest you to open ticket with PM Support and have them to further investigate:

1. If you have access to Self-Serve My account: For faster response (2-48 hours) , Click on the bubble in the lower right to request CS Agent assistance, or use this direct link: https://publicmobile.ca/chatbot.

Start with typing "Submit a ticket", click "Contact Us", click "Other" from the choices, click "Click here to submit a ticket". Then follow to complete the ticket submission.

2. If you don't have access to My Account or have trouble with above method: you can Send a private message to the CS Agent here: https://productioncommunity.publicmobile.ca/t5/notes/composepage/note-to-user-id/22437

**Monitor your Community inbox, envelope on the top right, after ticket is opened.  CS Agent will reply and work with you  via messaging there

[jp_pm_help]

Hi @softech,

Thanks for helping.

It's SMS, I cannot receive or send SMS. I send an SMS from another phone to this one and it will not reach it. Here's my testing scheme:

Broken phone send SMS to test phone (also on PM and no issues) -> test phone does not get SMS (MyUsage shows no received SMS)

Test phone sends SMS to broken phone -> broken phone does not get SMS (MyUsage shows no received SMS, but test phone shows SMS was sent)

I have switched to another SMS app (QKSMS) that works on the test phone and no difference. The strange thing here is that my PM account under Usage History shows NO SMS sent or received since December. Could my account have an issue with it?

I will check with another phone to see if the SIM card works asap.

Everything on the phone is up to date, no new updates and it always auto-updates itself anyway.

[Yummy]

Did you check which phone number is set for Message Centre in your phone? Sorry, I am not apple person but on Android under Message Centre there is a phone number. Maybe that get removed somehow??

[softech]

@jp_pm_help  so, your service is working without issue?

If it is SMS and NOT MMS, the APN settings won't affect it and it should just send and receive without problem.

So, you are sure you are sending TEXT and not MMS?  If MMS, it needs mobile data turned on

Easiest check to your service is to put your SIM in another phone and test to see if you can send out SMS text.  

If it works, then good, the service is not the issue but the device setting

 I would go into the texting app and clear cache on it , then reboot and try again

You might also want to make sure your phone is all up to date in terms or Security update and OS update

Also, you can download another texting app like Google Message and see if you can send and receive using the new app