skippy1974

Q: Repeated Facetime SMS

Hello,

 

I found this unacceptable!

I bought an iPhone 4S for my wife.

She received a message that my operator may charge for the use of facetime at activation. So far, so good.

But I received the bill yesterday and this is not one activation SMS, this SMS is sent "all the time"!!

 

TypeDateTimeCalling numberCalled numperCountryRate#Price Excl. (€)
SMS26/07/201313:05******447786205094U.K.Full rate10,3720
SMS26/07/201313:11******447786205094U.K.Full rate10,3720
SMS26/07/201313:50******447786205094U.K.Full rate10,3720
SMS26/07/201313:56******447786205094U.K.Full rate10,3720
SMS05/08/201317:15******447786205094U.K.Full rate10,3720
SMS07/08/201311:36******447786205094U.K.Full rate10,3720
SMS07/08/201318:56******447786205094U.K.Full rate10,3720

 

What the *** is wrong with apple ? How will I get my money back ? I can agree on one SMS but not all the time ... Am I supposed to stop facetime? What will happen in the next months?

 

Thanks for your help,

 

 

Olivier

Posted on Aug 17, 2013 6:34 AM

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Q: Repeated Facetime SMS

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  • by Michael Allbritton,

    Michael Allbritton Michael Allbritton Aug 17, 2013 6:36 AM in response to skippy1974
    Level 6 (16,832 points)
    Photos for Mac
    Aug 17, 2013 6:36 AM in response to skippy1974

    These text messages are not coming from Apple. They are coming from your mobile provider. That is who you should be talking to.

  • by skippy1974,Helpful

    skippy1974 skippy1974 Aug 17, 2013 6:41 AM in response to Michael Allbritton
    Level 1 (6 points)
    Aug 17, 2013 6:41 AM in response to Michael Allbritton

    This is my number sending text messages to Apple server to activate facetime.

    But not once, not twice but many times.

    This is not in the list of my messages, it is insidiously done in the background by iOS.

    Of course, as I'm sending text message, my operator is billing me, but I never ever sent those messages (I agree with the first one, to activate facetime but not on all the others)

  • by Michael Allbritton,

    Michael Allbritton Michael Allbritton Aug 17, 2013 6:45 AM in response to skippy1974
    Level 6 (16,832 points)
    Photos for Mac
    Aug 17, 2013 6:45 AM in response to skippy1974

    No, it isn't. iOS does not send text messages to activate Facetime. Something else is going on and you need to be talking to your mobile provider to find out what.

     

    All that is required to activate FaceTime on your iPhone is to slide the slider to ON in the settings.

  • by skippy1974,

    skippy1974 skippy1974 Aug 17, 2013 6:48 AM in response to Michael Allbritton
    Level 1 (6 points)
    Aug 17, 2013 6:48 AM in response to Michael Allbritton

    I am positive, it is iOS activating facetime:

     

    FaceTime Activation / Registration

    FaceTime is activated by sending a couple of SMS text messages in the background between the iPhone and an Apple server. If your carrier does not officially support the iPhone, you may be charged for sending the activation SMS to an international (UK) number. Your carrier might also have issues delivering the SMS correctly which will prevent FaceTime from activating.

    After enabling FaceTime in iPhone settings, your iPhone will attempt to send a "silent text message" (i. e. a text you don't know about) to Apple, that registers your telephone number on Apple's servers used for FaceTime. Apple then returns a "silent coded text message" to your iPhone, that activates the FaceTime within iOS4 and later.

    FaceTime activation currently requires the iPhone to be activated, have an active SIM card with the ability to send and receive SMSes. If there's an issue sending or receiving SMS messages, FaceTime can't be enabled or activated.

    FaceTime Registration Request

    The iPhone sends a Registration Request SMS silently to this UK number (as identified by the +44 country code): +44 7786 205094. AT&T customers have their own local number for FaceTime activations: 28818773.  In Bell and Telus carrier bundles, version 7.2 the number is: 49988.

    The Activation Servers number (PhoneNumberRegistrationGatewayAddress) is set in carrier.plist in System/Library/Carrier Bundles/<Your carrier>.bundle (or Unknown.bundle):

    <key>PhoneNumberRegistrationGatewayAddress</key> <string>+447786205094</string> 
  • by Michael Allbritton,

    Michael Allbritton Michael Allbritton Aug 17, 2013 6:50 AM in response to skippy1974
    Level 6 (16,832 points)
    Photos for Mac
    Aug 17, 2013 6:50 AM in response to skippy1974

    Where did you find this information?

  • by Michael Allbritton,

    Michael Allbritton Michael Allbritton Aug 17, 2013 6:54 AM in response to skippy1974
    Level 6 (16,832 points)
    Photos for Mac
    Aug 17, 2013 6:54 AM in response to skippy1974

    I found this Apple KB article: http://support.apple.com/kb/ts4268. So... it does send an SMS. I was mistaken. However, that fact that your wife's iPhone keeps sending the SMS says FaceTime isn't getting activated, or took several tries. Apple cannot refund you any money since they are not the entity charging you. You'll still have to take it up with your mobile provider.

  • by skippy1974,

    skippy1974 skippy1974 Aug 17, 2013 6:55 AM in response to Michael Allbritton
    Level 1 (6 points)
    Aug 17, 2013 6:55 AM in response to Michael Allbritton

    In an obscure corner of apple website (google cache)
    My carrier confirmed that it is an SMS containing info about my iPhone and the number is a well known Apple number in the U.K. (I'm not the first to complain ...)

     

    They send me the content of the message and could find my device id inside

     

    REG-REQ?v=2;t=*****;i=[SERIAL NUMBER];r=****

     

    Edit: Her facetime is activated since, we are using it all the time as I have an iPhone myself

  • by skippy1974,

    skippy1974 skippy1974 Aug 17, 2013 6:57 AM in response to Michael Allbritton
    Level 1 (6 points)
    Aug 17, 2013 6:57 AM in response to Michael Allbritton

    I know they are not the one that charged me but as facetime is working fine since beginning of July, I don't understand why iOS is still sending this SMS.

     

    As a consequence of an iOS issue, I don't see the point to complain to my carrier.

     

    The iPhone, not my wife, did actually send those SMSes for no reason.

  • by Michael Allbritton,

    Michael Allbritton Michael Allbritton Aug 17, 2013 6:59 AM in response to skippy1974
    Level 6 (16,832 points)
    Photos for Mac
    Aug 17, 2013 6:59 AM in response to skippy1974

    Perhaps you should make an appointment at your nearest genius bar.

  • by skippy1974,

    skippy1974 skippy1974 Aug 17, 2013 7:00 AM in response to Michael Allbritton
    Level 1 (6 points)
    Aug 17, 2013 7:00 AM in response to Michael Allbritton

    In Belgium ? I've no idea where to go ...

  • by Michael Allbritton,

    Michael Allbritton Michael Allbritton Aug 17, 2013 7:04 AM in response to skippy1974
    Level 6 (16,832 points)
    Photos for Mac
    Aug 17, 2013 7:04 AM in response to skippy1974

    Perhaps this web page can help you locate a service center: https://locate.apple.com

  • by skippy1974,

    skippy1974 skippy1974 Aug 17, 2013 7:09 AM in response to Michael Allbritton
    Level 1 (6 points)
    Aug 17, 2013 7:09 AM in response to Michael Allbritton

    Nope ... sorry.

    I'll continue looking for help and advices.

  • by Michael Allbritton,

    Michael Allbritton Michael Allbritton Aug 17, 2013 7:10 AM in response to skippy1974
    Level 6 (16,832 points)
    Photos for Mac
    Aug 17, 2013 7:10 AM in response to skippy1974

    Good luck.

  • by Meg St._Clair,

    Meg St._Clair Meg St._Clair Aug 17, 2013 7:12 AM in response to skippy1974
    Level 9 (58,370 points)
    iPhone
    Aug 17, 2013 7:12 AM in response to skippy1974

    skippy1974 wrote:

     

     

    FaceTime Activation / Registration

    FaceTime is activated by sending a couple of SMS text messages in the background between the iPhone and an Apple server. If your carrier does not officially support the iPhone, you may be charged for sending the activation SMS to an international (UK) number.

    Yes, this is correct. If your carrier is not a supported carrier, you may be charged. This is something you need to discuss with your carrier.

     

    Best of luck.

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