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Hello,
I have an iPhone 12 that cannot receive SMS messages, but it can send SMS messages.
I have tried a few things with no success:
None of these options have helped? Does anyone have any thoughts?
Thanks,
Anthony
This issue is not resolved. Verizon does not understand the root cause of the problem, but is working to resolve.
The issue does not appear with every SMS number, only a subset of them.
This is the full list of steps taken to debug so far:
Here is excerpt from the Verizon support session acknowledging there is a known problem:
There is a known alert for customers with iPhone 12, iPhone 12 Mini, iPhone 12 Pro, or iPhone 12 Pro Max that may be unable to consistently send SMS/MMS to users with non-iOS devices. This is currently under investigation.
Note: Apple does not appear to be aware of this issue based on support session with them before calling Verizon.
This issue is not resolved. Verizon does not understand the root cause of the problem, but is working to resolve.
The issue does not appear with every SMS number, only a subset of them.
This is the full list of steps taken to debug so far:
Here is excerpt from the Verizon support session acknowledging there is a known problem:
There is a known alert for customers with iPhone 12, iPhone 12 Mini, iPhone 12 Pro, or iPhone 12 Pro Max that may be unable to consistently send SMS/MMS to users with non-iOS devices. This is currently under investigation.
Note: Apple does not appear to be aware of this issue based on support session with them before calling Verizon.
VZN will tell you to go to Settings >> General >> Reset >> Reset Network Settings.
This will NOT fix the issue.
What WILL fix the issue?
1) turn off your phone
2) have VZN reset all of their various network signals for your phone line
3) turn on your phone
This will (probably) fix your issue and you'll get a flood of the queue'd up SMS messages after this. This worked for me as well as 3 colleagues.
Before Verizon did their reset on all of the network signals, our phone lines had the same scenarios:
In the Verizon IVR system alone, I spent 40 minutes while Verizon interactive voice response said that they sent a hyperlink via SMS to my cell phone for technical support... and later rang endlessly with no answer. They clearly assume receiving SMS isn't one of those technical issues. Way to overlook one of the single most basic and obvious use cases!
I hope this helps other customers/small business-customers lose less of our precious time resolving VZN issues.
Refer VZN support to this post... this should be their starting point.
Check out this link about Continuity Services to make sure the settings on all devices are configured correctly --> Use Continuity to connect your Mac, iPhone, iPad, iPod touch, and Apple Watch - Apple Support
See if any of the recommendations in this support article help --> If you can't send or receive messages on your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch - Apple Support
This issue also is happening with US Cellular and is very frustrating. Have tried many of the same steps with no fix. This definitely appears to be an Apple and not carrier issue and needs to get fixed!
It seems like you are starting to get defensive, no one is attacking you. We are just saying there are issues receiving SMS messages from some. I can't speak for US Cellular, but Verizon has acknowledged this is a real issue. So Apple should look into this. The good news is if Apple didn't know about the bug, they should now. They also have a few people that can provide additional context to narrow down the issue.
In terms of why one carrier would have an issue and another might not... All carrier configurations are a little different. This could be esoteric bug requiring care to fix.
Not being defensive at all. The person I responded to suggest the texting issue is an Apple issue. My question was very simple. If it is an Apple issue, why doesn't it present itself on an iPhone on the AT&T network. When saying something is an Apple issue, it would stand to reason it effects all. This issue seems to be isolated to certain carriers. And the carriers, not Apple are responsible for text messages, unless we are speaking about iMessage which is all Apple. But the question is not about iMessage. It is about SMS, which has nothing to do with Apple.
Verizon, by the way, seems to have some real issues with the new iPhone 12 phones. Almost every person who has posted they are experiencing dropped calls is on the Verizon network. People on AT&T don't seem to have any dropped call issues.
Sometimes, issues are squarely on the carrier side. It seems appropriate to complain to Apple, but Apple doesn't own cellular services. Carriers do.
You are correct. With that said, at least in my case, I was able to remove the Verizon 5G network component by forcing the iPhone 12 on to LTE. I was also able to verify the SMS messages not being received on the iPhone 12 can be received on an iPhone 10 (also on Verizon LTE). To me, all indicators are pointing towards this being an Apple issue and not a carrier issue.
Actually, I'm going to offer counterpoint to what you just said. Because what you just suggested is the very reason people on the Verizon network are also having dropped calls. And that's the 5G band. For most, dropping down to LTE from 5G, which btw., is still in its infancy in terms of rollout, seems to be root issue with iPhones on the Verizon network. It's not an issue on T-Mobile/Sprint. It's not an issue on AT&T. It's an issue with Verizon.
So you are saying the iPhone 12 has issues dropping from 5G to LTE on Verizon?
Either way - I suspect Apple will need to be involved. I also suspect Verizon should be able to figure out if it is the phone or network relatively easily by looking following an SMS message through the network.
At this point, we seem to be going in circles and neither of us can fix the root cause. Hopefully someone at Apple, Verizon, and other carriers as necessary can get involved and fix the issue.
I cannot tell you what Verizon's issue is with their 5G network. I can tell you for many people, having their phone set to 5G as opposed to 5G Auto or LTE is causing them to have calls drop and as evidenced by this thread issues with SMS texting.
@lobsterghost1 - Start searching, this is DEFINITELY an issue and I was simply stating that the exact same issues are happening on a 2nd network. Glad you are not having problems but as for the rest of us please stop clogging our post with your beliefs!
Clearly you have never developed software or you could easily understand that bugs do not always expose themselves 100% of the time and in 100% of the cases. As suggested maybe something in the AT&T network configuration is different and therefore not causing it to trigger. Maybe nobody SMS messages you!
As for this being a 5G issue as you suggest, WRONG! No 5G in my area.
This is a real problem that a simple search shows is affecting MANY customers.
This also affects iPhone 12 Pro users in the United Kingdom.
Currently tested with Vodafone UK, VOXI & giffgaff. None of them work to receive SMS.
By reading all the articles and reviewing a lot of stuff, I can safely confirm that this is a bug on Apple's side, or it is a problem with SIMs not supporting the latest hardware.
There is I’ve had this issue off and on previously but lately it’s bad. I have had AT&T for many years and I have an iPhone XS. I’ve resorted to sending several small texts. Even photos won’t go through often times. I’ve turned wifi off then back on, I’ve checked my settings and they correct. I’ve restarted and it still happens. I live in the USA.
I contacted AT&T tech support and they fixed my sms problem in just a few minutes. As others have said, resetting the network settings didn’t fix the problem. I’m not sure what they did to, but it’s all fixed now.
iPhone 12 can't receive SMS messages
