installed iOS 17.3 and now Facetime and Messages won't let me connect.

My guess is the new system (via 17.3) is not using the right SMS provider.

A very simillar thing happened with Google a few months ago. My (major cell phone company) provider did some digging and had to collaborate with Google to use the correct SMS routing (they were sending everything to a competitor provider instead of using the regional SMS). It was a weird, overnight change, always worked until it didn't. That got fixed.

This feels much the same.

I can log into my Apple ID, change password, everything, including iCloud is working.

I signed out a few times and logged back in after restarts, etc. (usual trouble shooting fix)

Facetime and iMessage won't connect, they just error out every time I try turning them back on.

Everything was working flawlessly until I installed 17.3 about 12 hours ago.

I'm waiting on a call from Apple, but I'd be thrilled if someone knew the fix????

iPhone 12 mini, iOS 17

Posted on Jan 23, 2024 7:20 PM

Top-ranking reply

dmondelli Author

Level 1

4 points

Posted on Jan 24, 2024 12:08 AM

My issue is now SOLVED.

Here is how.

TLDR: I turned off WiFi on the phone, only connected via Cellular. Then the iMessage and FaceTime activation both went through. NEXT: on MacBook Pro I had to (didn't work via WiFi) use my phone as a cellular hotspot and activation for both iM and FT went through on the MacBoook.

Now note. 1. I called apple and went through all their steps, we didn't manage to fix it. Apple sent me to call my ISP/Cellular provider after like an hour + of Apple phone support. 2. My provider went right to engineer and called me back 15 minutes later. They had me do the above step on the call back and it worked. My provider claimed they did not do anything else on their end, but who knows???

If you have this problem, try those steps, and if they don't work, probably call your Cell Provider first and then try those steps after they talk to their engineers (and GET a case# from your provider if it isn't fixed yet)... If that doesn't work call Apple and also provide Apple with your ISP/Cell Provider's case number.

Best of luck to anyone having a tech issue. -cheers

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installed iOS 17.3 and now Facetime and Messages won't let me connect.

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