Problem getting iMessage to activate

F

Francois Marais

Senior Member
Joined
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Location
Equestria, Pretoria
I tried it all. Had the phone at an iStore. Spent hours attempting to get iMessage to activate. Did the online chat where I was told that the problem lies with Apple. Spoke to Apple via online chat, phoned Apple Direct where Mike tried to assist me, but end of the day I tried Vodacom again, spoke to an Aslam fellow.
And behold. My contract is not set up as an iPhone contract.
So 27 hours later (was told the settings would take effect after 24 Hours) iMessage still cant activate.

So now I know the problem lies with VC. Does anyone know whom I can call to sort out my contract and get the line set up. I was told it needs an Apple APN setup (changed the APN setting on my phone as I don't use LTE)
So I am on the point where I am going to toss my toys out of the cradle and where I am going to turn bitchy and become an outright bastard.

Other thing, anyone else who had the same problem where the problem was with a VC setting on their side?

And sorry if I posted in the wrong tread.
 
Last edited:
Your post is not too clear on this - is your cellular data APN currently set to iphone.vodacom.za ?
 
Did you port your number?
Can you sms internationally?
R10 says this is the issue
 
Francois Marais said:
I tried it all. Had the phone at an iStore. Spent hours attempting to get iMessage to activate. Did the online chat where I was told that the problem lies with Apple. Spoke to Apple via online chat, phoned Apple Direct where Mike tried to assist me, but end of the day I tried Vodacom again, spoke to an Aslam fellow.
And behold. My contract is not set up as an iPhone contract.
So 27 hours later (was told the settings would take effect after 24 Hours) iMessage still cant activate.

So now I know the problem lies with VC. Does anyone know whom I can call to sort out my contract and get the line set up. I was told it needs an Apple APN setup (changed the APN setting on my phone as I don't use LTE)
So I am on the point where I am going to toss my toys out of the cradle and where I am going to turn bitchy and become an outright bastard.

Other thing, anyone else who had the same problem where the problem was with a VC setting on their side?

And sorry if I posted in the wrong tread.
Click to expand...

Im with MTN but last 3 days could not re-activate iMessage on my iPhone 5s, just gave error right away.

To solve it I had to connect to iTunes, hold home and power button down to place phone into recovery mode.
Then let iTunes reinstall IOS8, tried activating via iTunes no go, then tried over wifi whilst still connected to iTunes and it then connected !

What a ball ache.
 
Hemps said:
Im with MTN but last 3 days could not re-activate iMessage on my iPhone 5s, just gave error right away.

To solve it I had to connect to iTunes, hold home and power button down to place phone into recovery mode.
Then let iTunes reinstall IOS8, tried activating via iTunes no go, then tried over wifi whilst still connected to iTunes and it then connected !

What a ball ache.
Click to expand...

So much for "Apple just works" lol

:p
 
Hemps said:
Im with MTN but last 3 days could not re-activate iMessage on my iPhone 5s, just gave error right away.

To solve it I had to connect to iTunes, hold home and power button down to place phone into recovery mode.
Then let iTunes reinstall IOS8, tried activating via iTunes no go, then tried over wifi whilst still connected to iTunes and it then connected !

What a ball ache.
Click to expand...

Thanks. Will give this a go tonight
 
Are you able to activate and send iMessages when connected to a wifi network? Put the phone into airplane mode, switch on and connect to a wireless network and test...

Go to Settings>Messages>send&recieve.... Are you logged in using your Apple ID?

Have you tried simply resetting all network settings? Settings>General>Reset>Reset network settings....
 
Last edited:
I suspect you don't have international SMS active on your account for some reason and that's why you can't activate?
 
sand_man said:
Are you able to activate and send iMessages when connected to a wifi network? Put the phone into airplane mode, switch on and connect to a wireless network and test...

Go to Settings>Messages>send&recieve.... Are you logged in using your Apple ID?

Have you tried simply resetting all network settings? Settings>General>Reset>Reset network settings....
Click to expand...
Tried it all.
I can receive my messages, but the device does not register with Apple.
So the system does not know it is logged onto the IM service.
There was a few times today, where a message was received on my iPad and on my Mac Book, but it did not register on my iPhone, and I can use the message forwarding services with my iPad and Mac.
 
SauRoNZA said:
I suspect you don't have international SMS active on your account for some reason and that's why you can't activate?
Click to expand...

To be honest I don't want to phone the VC helpdesk again. Next time I will turn nasty and I will use a mixture of Cape Flats and Pretoria student slang on them to explain the way I feel about them.
 
Francois Marais said:
Tried it all.
I can receive my messages, but the device does not register with Apple.
So the system does not know it is logged onto the IM service.
There was a few times today, where a message was received on my iPad and on my Mac Book, but it did not register on my iPhone, and I can use the message forwarding services with my iPad and Mac.
Click to expand...

Have you got the "from" address configured as your phone number?

I mean the "Start New Conversation from" address.

If you have it set as your phone number maybe try changing it to your email address, or if it is your email address change it to your phone number etc.
 
SauRoNZA said:
Have you got the "from" address configured as your phone number?

I mean the "Start New Conversation from" address.

If you have it set as your phone number maybe try changing it to your email address, or if it is your email address change it to your phone number etc.
Click to expand...

It defaults to my e-mail. The phone number is not listed.... Hold on let me see if I can fix that...
 
For some reason if I select only my phone number to be used for iMessage Send & Receive shows no addresses.
But still, at Send & Receive it only lists my e-mail addresses associated with my AppleID
My Phone number that should show up as a grey number are not even listed.
 
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