International sms charge !

So I just hang up with Apple Support, the supervisor I had tried to tell me the problem comes from the operator (clever! A few mobile-operators, all around the world, send hidden sms to the same number in UK. Why? ask to Apple support France, the answer is : ask to your operator). So, I got from the supervisor to try to find a way, and the only thing they have is : try to restore your iPhone following these steps (for mac) :

1. go to user > library > iTunes > iPhone Software Updates
2. put the last .ipsw file (if you have one, the one used to update your iPhone) to the garbage
3. restart your computer
4. then open iTunes, connect your iphone, backup it (right click on you iPhone icon in iTunes left column)
5. restore your iPhone

Not really sure it will help as I read in that discussion that even new iPhone 4S with original OS5 have this issue...

I was charged for 16 international sms to this same number (00447786205094). Vodafone had no idea what has happened (or at least so they claim) and the strange thing is that I have 3GS so there is no facetime and obviously it wouldn't make any sense for iOS 5.1 to try to activate facetime!!! Apple? What's your official response on this one?

Hi Kim,

I am having the same problem as you. All my friends that using iPhone4 or 4S are charged with international text message to UK because of FaceTime. We all have complaint to the call provider and the only solution to "prevent", not a fix, is not to switch on the FaceTime features. If you switch on and off the FaceTime 4x, it will send the text 4x too. So as iphone user, we have no choice but to bear with it.

Trust me, they know about this issue and pretend not to know this as they afraid of the legal issues in their country.

I found the solution, it was rather easy and it is rather obviously a mess up by Apple.

When I created my Apple account I used a UK credit card although I live in another country. For this reason, when imessage was trying to setup itself (I don't have facetime because i have 3GS) it was sending sms to the international number mentioned above.

I had to login into my apple account and change my country, disable imessage and re enable it. That resolved the issue and helped iphone recognize my phone number also!

Hope this helps

its same happned in india.. it has charged me for 13 uk messages ......so i dont knw whr it has sent ...but its face time and imessage

I got finally an answer to my issue with this and it came from my phone provider (telenet in Belgium). It seems they took contact with Apple to set an arrangement, and all sms sent to this number won't be charged to the consumer. I've been refund.

Don't ask me how it works, I have no idea and I don't understand why it's the provider that find a solution not apple.

So, you probably better to call your communication provider to tell them it's their problem more than Apple.

Did you get your monry back from Apple or your service provider?? I live in ireland and my provider are ignorant to this and im still getting billed (3 Months now) to a UK number

If you are using a SUPPORTED carrier and your account is properly provisioned for an iPhone, then you should never get charged for these. If you are not, then you're on your own.

Any solution guys???

Early waiting.

Like I said before, you should call your communication provider. They are responsible for that. Good luck!

Grasn : I've been refund by my service provider.

Same to me. SMS to unknown numbers in UK. Iam from saudi arabia with MOBILY carrier.

iPhone 4G

Message was edited by: Abdulaziz S