Upgrade to Android 9 Can't receive SMS

[tehowennathe]

My blu vivo XI+ recently got the update to Android 9. After the update I can send text but not receive them. It didn't do anything to calls as can still get calls. Any idea how to fix?

[tehowennathe]

A Google search lead me to this post https://productioncommunity.publicmobile.ca/t5/Discussions/What-is-Public-Mobile-s-Message-Centre-Nu...

Be sure you dial * # * # 4 6 3 6 * # * # it will bring up a menu where you have to navigate to SMSC and enter 16475800172. 

[Lieux]

👏 good job @tehowennathe. Can you share how to do find it? Thanks.

[tehowennathe]

@Anonymous couldn't find the SMSC number anywhere but after a quick Google search I found it.

[Lieux]

Thanks for the explanation! @Anonymous

[Anonymous]

---

@Lieux wrote:

Hello. @Anonymous

Can you explain to me what’s the SMS# please? And what’s the number you write 1614....

Thanks a lot. It was the solution so I want the explanation 

---

 @Lieux

It's actually SMSC. Short Message Service Centre. It's the relay location for texting.

I wasn't sure it made a difference for incoming as I was with computergeek541 on that after his comment but I thought it would be worth looking at. Like my correct time post. Just trying things.
I don't really know how this stuff works but I found this which I sorta knew from somewhere:
Blatant copy of portion:
When a friend sends you an SMS message, the message flows through the SMSC, then to the tower, and the tower sends the message to your phone as a little packet of data on the control channel. In the same way, when you send a message, your phone sends it to the tower on the control channel and it goes from the tower to the SMSC and from there to its destination.

 @tehowennathe
Is there not a menu option somewhere to get that number? Good job finding the way to the SMSC #.

[tehowennathe]

If you have iPhone that number is for Android. Not sure what number is for iPhones

[Lieux]

I just try the *#*#..... but PM says that I don’t have phone calls with them.... I tried after a phone number and yes I have the calls with my plan... Is it only for Android phones or????? I can do SMS so that’s not a problem but I’m just curious to understand.. thanks...

[tehowennathe]

@Lieux used 16475800172. You have to dial * # * # 4 6 3 6 * # *  from there it will bring you to a settings page .Find the SMSC area and enter the number. Click update and it works. Glad someone shared the number with me

[Lieux]

Thanks a lot to share the solution @tehowennathe it will help the others!!!

[Lieux]

Hello. @Anonymous

Can you explain to me what’s the SMS# please? And what’s the number you write 1614....

Thanks a lot. It was the solution so I want the explanation 

[tehowennathe]

Issue was SMSC #. Once changed it worked properly

[Anonymous]

 @tehowennathe:

Scoping around trying to find other possibilities...is the date and time on your phone correct? Set to auto or manual?

[computergeek541]

---

@Anonymous wrote:

---

@tehowennathe wrote:

Did lost/stolen. Will try $1

---

A whole OS update could do just about anything.

I don't know where it is in Android 9 but look for the SMSC number and make sure it says 16475800172 .

Not sure if it will affect incoming but something to check.

---

I don't believe that it does affect incoming.  I think that the whole idea of the SMSC setting is so that the phoen knows where to send the message.  From what I recall, and if I remember correctly, I've had the SMSC incorrectly set before (years ago on a  old phone), and incoming continued to work.  I do know that if the SMSC setting is wrong, the user won't be able to send outgoing messages.  tehowennathe says that outgoing still works, so the SMSC  that is set must be valid.  I'm not sure what to think in this scenario.

[Anonymous]

---

@Dunkman wrote:

@tehowennathe

It might not even be related to Android 9 update.  As @srlawren mentioned, If your US Roaming package is expiring soon, it is another known issue with text not working in Canada (incoming).  

https://productioncommunity.publicmobile.ca/t5/Phones-Hardware/Can-t-receive-texts-after-roaming/td-...

You could contact moderator, but by the time the moderator gets back to you, your texts should start working.  Another quirk in the system.  It usually eventually works in 1-2 days.  Public mobile really need to fix these known issues.....  

---

I was nodding admiringly, imagining the slow clap Bravo at the insightful idea from srlawren when I thought "but isn't that after it expires for 24 hours" or something...not while it's still active.

Not sure.

[Dunkman]

@tehowennathe

It might not even be related to Android 9 update.  As @srlawren mentioned, If your US Roaming package is expiring soon, it is another known issue with text not working in Canada (incoming).  

https://productioncommunity.publicmobile.ca/t5/Phones-Hardware/Can-t-receive-texts-after-roaming/td-...

You could contact moderator, but by the time the moderator gets back to you, your texts should start working.  Another quirk in the system.  It usually eventually works in 1-2 days.  Public mobile really need to fix these known issues.....  

[Anonymous · Accepted solution]

---

@tehowennathe wrote:

Did lost/stolen. Will try $1

---

A whole OS update could do just about anything.

I don't know where it is in Android 9 but look for the SMSC number and make sure it says 16475800172 .

Not sure if it will affect incoming but something to check.

[tehowennathe]

Did lost/stolen. Will try $1

[Tav]

Have you tried the lost/stolen phone trick or adding a $1 to your account? Sometimes this sort of jumpstarts the service into working again.

For the lost/stolen phone trick you login to the self serve area and report your phone as lost/stolen. Turn your phone off. Wait 10 minutes. Report your phone as found and then turn your phone back on again.

If this doesn't work you can make a payment to your account of $1.

If none of this works then it seems like a full factory reset might be in order.

---

[tehowennathe]

People get my text but i wont get their text

[tehowennathe]

Would that cause issue? Don't think it would. Before the Android 9 upgrade text worked. Afterwords it just stopped 

[tehowennathe]

I did and it ends tomorrow. Was part of my talk text and data roaming add on

[srlawren]

@tehowennathe dumb question:  have you recently purchased a US Roaming Texting add-on?

[tehowennathe]

I don't want to do a factory reset if I don't have to

[tehowennathe]

I was using Android Messages then tried Textra but text that people sent me still don't come in. Deleted cache for Android Messages but nothing.

[will13am]

@tehowennathe, can you go and delete the app cache on the SMS app, force close it and retry.  Alternatively, try a different SMS app.