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Alcibiades's profile

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1 Message

Monday, January 6th, 2014 8:40 AM

Can't send SMS text messages from my iPhone 5S to SOME non-AT&T mobile numbers

HELP!   (Some of) my friends are starting to hate me for not texting them...

 

Since I got my iPhone 5S in October (2013) I have been unable to text SOME of my friends who have Sprint, Verizon, etc. carriers.  I send text message after text message, get my green bubbles, even get a date and time sent, but my friends never receive my messages. These friends can text me normally, but I can't even text a reply back when I receive their messages.  However, other non-AT&T account friends receive my texts normally. 

 

I was on the phone with AT&T support for 2 hours yesterday, under their guidance tried several different "fixes," but nothing worked. Even though 4G network settings and connections all good, etc. Still unable to text to those same friends' numbers   --  and one more thing, when the tech told me to text to 151 (test number?) I did not get a reply. The tech ran out of "fixes," and I was just given a case number.  See ya later, Charley.

 

I don't know what else to try.

Could this be something on the other end  -- i.e., some setting on my friends' phones or accounts??  I didn't think so because my non-receiving text friends are on 2 if not 3 different non-AT&T networks, but I don't know what else to think of...

(My imessaging to Apple devices works fine.)

Master

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7.1K Messages

10 years ago


@KimHopwood wrote:
I also have this problem. I have a 4s and it seems I can text only with a couple random noniphone users. Most I cannot. Looks like the text goes through (in green) but never arrives. So frustrating. Please help!

Go to an ATT store and try a new SIM.

Contributor

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1 Message

10 years ago

I want to say ditto. iPhone 4S. I've been on the phone with support for almost 2 hours, then they gave up. I've talked to some very techie friends with iPhone's (but not 4S), no luck. I've been to the AT&T store. They said my account was set up correctly, I have unlimited text. iMessages work fine, but can't send or receive any text from any phone. After reading all of the above posts ... is there a problem with the iPhone?

Master

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4.1K Messages

10 years ago


@SandiAckerman wrote:

I want to say ditto. iPhone 4S. I've been on the phone with support for almost 2 hours, then they gave up. I've talked to some very techie friends with iPhone's (but not 4S), no luck. I've been to the AT&T store. They said my account was set up correctly, I have unlimited text. iMessages work fine, but can't send or receive any text from any phone. After reading all of the above posts ... is there a problem with the iPhone?


Since you have an iPhone and you say that iMessage is wirking fine, I would check the iPhone settings to mke sure that "Send as SMS" is enabled in your Messages app settings.  If this is turned off, then the iPhone will not send SMS messages, it will only send iMessage messages.  Similarly you could try turning off iMessage in the setting s altogether and the iPhone will only send as SMS.

 

If you turn off iMessage completely, and you can not send SMS messages, then the problem is either with your SIM, your account, or your phone.  If you turn on iMessage, and "Send as SMS" and the iMessages work fine, but not the SMS messages, then it appears to be an Apple issue with their servers not properly flagging the non iMessage phones for sending as SMS.  I have an iPhone 5, and use iMessage with "Send as SMS" enabled, and I have no issues sending messages to or receving messages from friends on other carriers.

Master

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7.1K Messages

10 years ago


@SandiAckerman wrote:

I want to say ditto. iPhone 4S. I've been on the phone with support for almost 2 hours, then they gave up. I've talked to some very techie friends with iPhone's (but not 4S), no luck. I've been to the AT&T store. They said my account was set up correctly, I have unlimited text. iMessages work fine, but can't send or receive any text from any phone. After reading all of the above posts ... is there a problem with the iPhone?


Follow the advice you received from @GeekBoy but most importantly ask Apple for help!  If you have a hardware issue they can replace your iPhone.  www.apple.com/retail.  

 

Are you trying to send SMS messages to folks who use to have iPhones and are now using something else?  If so, they may need to contact apple for assistance disassociating their account from iMessage.  You may also want to try disabling imessage to send an SMS message to your friends so that Apple's servers are out of the loop.  See if that works.

 

Good Luck!

Contributor

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1 Message

10 years ago

I'm having a similar problem. I've never had an iPhone; I've had Android for over 3 years and an old flip phone Razr before that. But my wife's iPhone 5 can't send a SMS to my Nexus 5. She can send to everyone else, and I can send to her, and everyone else (I'm not sure about other iPhones) can send to me. She's tried all the suggested settings and no luck. From what I've read, Apple's iMessage is a royal mess, and there's a class-action law suite about it! Apple isn't always the best at software (the maps debacle for example) so this doesn't surprise me at all.

ACE - Sage

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117K Messages

10 years ago

Not an Apple problem? The only brand of phone with this problem is the iPhone. It is a common problem with Apple phones and is not carrier specific.

If you have unlimited text messaging package, the best solution is to unregistered your iPhone with iMessage.

Reset your Apple ID password and do not log back in on your device(s)
Send a text to 48369 with the word STOP

It will take up to 12 hours to unregistered from iMessage.

How to send iMessage as Test message:
http://www.gottabemobile.com/2012/07/16/how-to-send-imessage-as-text-or-how-to-force-imessage-as-text/

Contributor

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1 Message

10 years ago

About a month ago, I stopped being able to send texts to a couple friends who use Sprint. I can text to other Sprint users so not sure what to think. One Sprint friend says when my texts come in, she has to "download" my text to read it but we still have no problem with texting each other. The other 2 that I can no longer text used to work until just recently. One friend spoke with Sprint and they were aware of the complaint and the solution they gave for me to try didn't work. So frustrating!!!

Tutor

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5 Messages

10 years ago

Same here, I'm haveing The same problem what can I do?

Contributor

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1 Message

9 years ago

I'm having this problem as well, I've had this problem for about 2 days now, thought it was because I hadn't updated my phone yet but even after a soft ware update still nothing. (I have never had an I phone) I have an android. I can send and receive to everyone but my husband. He can get my messages but I can't get his reply txts. Nor can I get mms from him. We both have the exact same phone on the same phone plan. Att said they couldn't find anything wrong with either phone on troubleshooting them either. Idk what there deal is but it needs fixed.

Contributor

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1 Message

9 years ago

Thank you. That solved the problem, at least for now. What I don't understand is why this happened. Until at least a week ago my texts were getting thru to all fine. I only learned they had stopped when folks told me they never heard from me. All the people I had become disconnected to were Android users, but we were successfully texting for the past year and my phone has not changed. Any idea why now?
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