iMessage activation issue

Never had an issue with this in the past but I had to do a sim swap and now I haven't been able to reactivate iMessage and Facetime for the last 4 days. Probably spent about R30 so far on international SMS charges trying to activate it. Anyone else having issues or is it just me?
 
Anyone been able to resolve the Vodacom iMessage activation issue? I travelled to France and used an eSim while over there, and since getting back iMessage can't reactivate. I completely removed the eSim. Just getting tons of failed SMS' (see screenshot). Vodacom support are useless.

Things I've tried are:

1) Turning off iMessage, restarting the phone, and turning it back on
2) Resetting Network Settings on the phone and restarting
3) Taking the sim out and putting back in
4) Testing to ensure I can send international SMS (works fine)

So far nothing has fixed the issue.
 

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Mine has been fine. Came back from Germany and Netherlands a few weeks ago also from using an eSIM and everything just worked.
 
Mine has also been complaining about this for a couple of days now. When I use a Telkom sim in my phone it works but with Vodacom it just doesn’t.
 

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Long shot, but have you tried activating with iPhone Analytics turned off.
 
Praemon said:
Anyone been able to resolve the Vodacom iMessage activation issue? I travelled to France and used an eSim while over there, and since getting back iMessage can't reactivate. I completely removed the eSim. Just getting tons of failed SMS' (see screenshot). Vodacom support are useless.

Things I've tried are:

1) Turning off iMessage, restarting the phone, and turning it back on
2) Resetting Network Settings on the phone and restarting
3) Taking the sim out and putting back in
4) Testing to ensure I can send international SMS (works fine)

So far nothing has fixed the issue.
Click to expand...
Same issue. Tried everything. Please let me know if you find an update
 
Crabby said:
Long shot, but have you tried activating with iPhone Analytics turned off.
Click to expand...

Already have it off unfortunately.

rclogg said:
Same issue. Tried everything. Please let me know if you find an update
Click to expand...

So far nothing. Tried contacting Vodacom and they want me to waste time with Apple Support who will just say it's a carrier issue (which obviously it is). Likely will only be looked into if enough people complain.
 
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Having this issue as well, spoke to Vodacom and one of the agents tried himself to turn off imessage and activate and got the error. Then he tried with an MTN sim card and it also gave an error, so then said I must call apple.
So I called apple, did the all the usual test, got knocked up to a second tier of support, they determined it's either a software issue (need to a clean install) or a network issue. So my plan is to go back to vodacom, and get a reference number, then go back to apple with the reference number so they can do their awkward corporate dance and try and fix the issue.
Will also try the clean install, but I doubt that it's the issue
 
Praemon said:
Anyone been able to resolve the Vodacom iMessage activation issue? I travelled to France and used an eSim while over there, and since getting back iMessage can't reactivate. I completely removed the eSim. Just getting tons of failed SMS' (see screenshot). Vodacom support are useless.

Things I've tried are:

1) Turning off iMessage, restarting the phone, and turning it back on
2) Resetting Network Settings on the phone and restarting
3) Taking the sim out and putting back in
4) Testing to ensure I can send international SMS (works fine)

So far nothing has fixed the issue.
Click to expand...

Did you remove your local number from your account? Otherwise why would it need re-activation?
 
SauRoNZA said:
Did you remove your local number from your account? Otherwise why would it need re-activation?
Click to expand...

Nope - didn't touch any of the iMessage settings and my Vodacom number was always set as Primary. I can only assume that since I had roaming turned off on it while travelling that there's some kind of timeout period that kicked in. SMS and VoWIFI was still working though.
 
Praemon said:
Nope - didn't touch any of the iMessage settings and my Vodacom number was always set as Primary. I can only assume that since I had roaming turned off on it while travelling that there's some kind of timeout period that kicked in. SMS and VoWIFI was still working though.
Click to expand...

Very strange.

I've had my number activated for a decade or more now and travelled quite a bit and never seen this happen.

Doesn't help you either way.
 
We had the exact same issue with Vodacom last year March (2021) , and they had to resolve this with their international support partner and had some routing issue communicating with Apple . Link is : https://mybroadband.co.za/news/cellular/390106-vodacom-explains-iphone-message-problems.html

Vodacom at the time denied it was them , and eventually they had to fix the issue. We now face the same issue

Whether your Imessage number needs to be reactivated or if you have upgraded to a new device it never receives the activation message. And each time you get Billed R1,50 for the Failed SMS to +44 XXXXXX

Vodacom need to resolve this, none of there Agents can assist either it's a System/Routing issue that their engineers need to resolve.
 
I'm having the same issue activating iMessage after a device upgrade

Does anyone know how we can bring this to Mybroadband's attention so they can do a follow-up article maybe? Or is there someone from Vodacom on the forum that could relay the message?

Otherwise this will only get fixed when some higher-up employee at Vodacom has the same problem and acts to fix it. Vodacom Support seem to have no clue how to fix this and kept referring me to iStore and they in turn want you to contact Apple. I contacted Apple, they were unable to fix it on their side.
 
Had exactly the same issue since April when I was out of the country for the bit. Been to both the iStore and Vodacom store and no one can help.
 
We need to get the attention of Senior Vodacom management or Vodacom Senior IT Support that can assist with the routing issue. The issue purely lies with Vodacom and their routing to Apple UK servers. Once the routing is resolved the activation works seamlessly . When this was resolved last year, another member got hold of a Senior at Vodacom
 
yoanbosch said:
I'm having the same issue activating iMessage after a device upgrade

Does anyone know how we can bring this to Mybroadband's attention so they can do a follow-up article maybe? Or is there someone from Vodacom on the forum that could relay the message?

Otherwise this will only get fixed when some higher-up employee at Vodacom has the same problem and acts to fix it. Vodacom Support seem to have no clue how to fix this and kept referring me to iStore and they in turn want you to contact Apple. I contacted Apple, they were unable to fix it on their side.
Click to expand...

I also actually also upgraded my device (iPhone 13) before getting the issue and so that could be the primary problem. I thought it was due to international roaming since I went overseas just a few days later and that's when the errors started, but it could well have started with the upgrade and the errors just hadn't kicked off then. Incredibly frustrating.
 
Good evening all. I can confirm it’s a Vodacom issue. I have been liaising with their senior technicians and was informed this afternoon that there is an issue with the activation sms being sent for iMessage to the UK. There is no timeline as to when it will be fixed. Can I kindly request those who have this issue please call in to Vodacom and log a ticket. The more complaints there are the better.

Thank you
 
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Hi all. The iMessage activation issue was resolved by Vodacom last night. Deactivate, then reactivate and wait about 24 hrs
 
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