Q: iOS 7 iMessage won't activate

It might be one of hte lock codes for your SIM card, if it has any.

Thank you, this is the only thread that was helpful. this actually works. After searching the internet for an hour or so for answers, i came across this thread and I was very happy that it worked.

iphone5s same problem, settings-    general-     date and time- auto date and time on -    Enable/ allow locations , fixed mine

Make sure your date and time is set to 'Set Automatically'

Settings > General > Date & Time

For some reason when your time settings are off iMessage has an issue connecting to the iCloud server causing iMessage to not work.

Simply make sure you date and time are set to automatically detect.

had same problem with messages, waiting for activation, tried numerous times with same results, would not activate.  came across post that recommended ""Go to Settings>General>Reset(its at the bottom) and reset network settings. it worked for me.  when it reset all i had to do is put in password for wifi and now all is good. good luck.

Tried it, didn't work for me

Good day

I have the problem with my old sim from virgen mobile SA the iphone activates imassage with in seconds but with my telkom mobile sa sim it just tells me waiting for activation now for two days now.

im on the latest IOS.

i need help please?

I Have solved it. I'm on telkom mobile in south africa.

i'm on a contract and strugelde for 6days with imassage to activate. I have tried every thing on the net and even phoned apple support where the helpful lady told me the problem is with the carrier and the Telkom support told me on day 3 that hay will sort the problem out in 72 hours   and no results until i went back to the Telkom mobile shop in canal walk where Elvis helped me and told me that the problem is a simple one that my contract does not allow more then the limit on my contract and that he can change the limit to R10 and that will allow the imassage to activate. And he did it there and then and 2 min later my imassage was active. WOW!!!

This works if all fails!!!

Hi,

Just adding some info in case it helps. Been bouncing between Apple and Telstra for weeks. For me it proved to be a sim card issue and Telstra refused to accept it could be to the point I had to buy a $2 pre paid sim card and bingo.. activated within 30 seconds. Telstra were so ignorant about how imessage works. I have not even activated the new sim and yet it works.  Should have done this first and trusted my mistrust of Telstra.

Here is a list of things tried I was creating so I could email to the new Telstra person that tried to "help" me every time I tried to get back in touch and prove what was done from the Apple perspective.

1. Reset phone as new phone through itunes and without itunes multiple times.
2. Reset all network settings tens of times.
3. Icloud: Check device is correct match
4. Apple ID: Check device is correct match
5. leave iMessage on for 24 hrs
6. leave iMessage off for 24 hrs and then turn on
7. turn on flight mode and turn on wifi only and try activating.  Rest network settings and do this again.
8. Sign out of icloud account on all devices and try imessage on iphone
9. check my phone number and my time zone is correct
10. Check my contact card is correct
11. Check my mobile number is correct in apple id. Tried various formats using country code on both apple id and the phone.  Checked other phones and apple id's for format and tried those as well.
12. Reset and tried activating imessage without signing into icloud at all.
13. Tried signing into icloud but not using icloud to activate imessage
14. Tried activating facetime first and imessage second.
15. tried all above just with facetime
16. Tried other wifi's
17. Tried manally selecting a network
18. Tried resetting the Mobile Data Network and turned on Data Roaming
19. Tried turning off mobile date
20. Tried unselecting emails to use for imessage to see if mobile number might be forced to work.
21. Tried deactivating number via apple site and no confirmation number received back.

With Telstra

1. Is premium SMS enabled? They said yes but took three calls for them to say no, and I had to add credit.
2. Checked codes and reset all settings.
3. Sim swapped. (Trouble is all the account settings transfer to the replacement sim)
4. Put extra credit on international texting allowance and made sure no international barring was in place
5. Texted "help" to 1994 836 9.  Message goes out but no reply. Did same on my phone and received a message back " Apple SMS Verification: Reply STOP to Cancel. 1 msg/request.

I tried this way and it worked for me, after failing with the messages option, try the facetime option beneath it. Just to log you back into your apple id i guess. Good luck!