iMessage woes with Straight Talk

**mrbrown2195** · 07-25-2012, 12:32 PM

Here's the deal - if I set up my iPhone 4S with the ST SIM already in place, iMessage and Facetime activation go over without a hitch. However, if I set it up with another SIM or if I switch SIMs at any time (such as trying to set it up using the T-Mobile SIM trick), iMessage and Facetime will both deactivate for my phone number, and will be stuck on "waiting for activation".

Has anybody else had this problem?

**seank** · 07-27-2012, 11:17 PM

Have you rebooted after the sim swap?

**mrbrown2195** · 07-27-2012, 11:20 PM

Yes. I have tried a wide variety of solutions - turned iMessage on and off, rebooted, rebooted with iMessage off and then turned it back on, waited, text messaged "Act1vate" to the AT&T activation number.

Nothing seems to work.

**seank** · 07-28-2012, 06:54 AM

I am not sure what you are referring to. iMessage has nothing todo with AT&T. There is nothing to activate with them.

**efparri** · 07-28-2012, 07:10 AM

Originally Posted by mrbrown2195

Here's the deal - if I set up my iPhone 4S with the ST SIM already in place, iMessage and Facetime activation go over without a hitch. However, if I set it up with another SIM or if I switch SIMs at any time (such as trying to set it up using the T-Mobile SIM trick), iMessage and Facetime will both deactivate for my phone number, and will be stuck on "waiting for activation".

Has anybody else had this problem?

If you place another SIM card in the phone , your number is no longer associated with the phone. Use the Apple ID as a second destination for incoming iMessages. FaceTime does not work over a cellular data network anyway. When you return the Straight Talk SIM card to the phone, do the applications work again?

If you have no data connection and no telephone service, neither iMessage nor FaceTime will work. That is normal.

**mrbrown2195** · 07-28-2012, 08:49 AM

Originally Posted by seank

I am not sure what you are referring to. iMessage has nothing todo with AT&T. There is nothing to activate with them.

It doesn't, but it activates the same way as Facetime - by sending a silent SMS to a special number. Unsupported carriers use a number that is located in the U.K. while supported carriers use a short code. Since even though Straight Talk is an "unsupported" carrier, the phone recognizes it as AT&T and uses the AT&T carrier bundle - therefore, it should send that silent SMS to the U.S. carrier short code and it should work.

If you place another SIM card in the phone , your number is no longer associated with the phone. Use the Apple ID as a second destination for incoming iMessages.

I'm aware of that. I don't want to use my email address as an iMessage address. I want to use my phone number. It activates fine upon a restore or a fresh setup, it will not reactivate upon a) turning off iMessage or b) SIM swapping.

FaceTime does not work over a cellular data network anyway.

Except that it will with iOS 6.

If you have no data connection and no telephone service, neither iMessage nor FaceTime will work. That is normal.

Yes, I'm fully aware of that. That's not the problem I'm having - they work, they will associate with my phone number upon a restore or a a clean setup. They will not work upon a SIM swap (after putting the ST SIM back in) or turning iMessage/Facetime off.

**seank** · 07-28-2012, 11:36 PM

I assume you have tried turning iMessage off prior to doing a sim swap?

**mrbrown2195** · 07-29-2012, 09:20 AM

Originally Posted by seank

I assume you have tried turning iMessage off prior to doing a sim swap?

Yup. Tried it - doesn't seem to make a difference.

**mrbrown2195** · 08-07-2012, 10:33 PM

...and the problem has mysteriously fixed itself.

Can't explain it!

**theraven146** · 08-08-2012, 01:19 AM

I guess rebooting your phone could be the solution. If that does not work try to reinstall the applications once to see if there was any change in the settings.If it still does not work, then I guess you could consult a technician. I have been using these two apps on my 4S and have never had such problems. I strongly feel there might have been a problem when the applications were installed.

**efparri** · 08-08-2012, 06:37 AM

Those applications are native to the operating system and cannot be installed or uninstalled. They can only be turned on or off within the Settings.

**Nothlit** · 09-25-2012, 11:49 AM

I ran into some issues with this recently. A bit of Googling leads me to believe that iMessage activation occurs by sending a silent SMS to an Apple-specified number. For whatever reason, it seems like sometimes this process takes a while (perhaps the activation servers are overloaded) or the phone tries to send the silent SMS to an international number, which Straight Talk blocks. In my case, I just let the phone sit overnight and eventually the iMessage activation went through.

**djcue95** · 09-26-2012, 08:31 AM

Originally Posted by mrbrown2195

Here's the deal - if I set up my iPhone 4S with the ST SIM already in place, iMessage and Facetime activation go over without a hitch. However, if I set it up with another SIM or if I switch SIMs at any time (such as trying to set it up using the T-Mobile SIM trick), iMessage and Facetime will both deactivate for my phone number, and will be stuck on "waiting for activation".

Has anybody else had this problem?

I had this problem and to boot, the MMS didn't even work after I followed all the instructions. I turned off both iMessage and FaceTime, then rebooted the phone. Once I did that, I turned them both back on. I had to wait 15-20 minutes but after that, they both activated for my phone number again.