solution for no mms/sms with iPhone 4s?

Ok I have an easy fix for everyone! I just did it on 2 different phones and it worked! I'm actually super excited because no one at Apple could figure it out!!!

1. No need to replace phone with MMS not working go to reset ALL settings. It takes about a minute and the phone shuts off.

2. WHen the phone comes back on then set up as a NEW iPhone and do not restore from backup (do NOT choose iCloud or iTUnes backup restore). Your phone should have the most recent data on it now so you shouldnt lose much. I just lost setting but not apps or contacts - setting like which cities in weather app and order of how contacts are displayed.

3. Then start using phone and you can then go to iCloud settings and back this phone up - so far I'm only fixing very minor preferences.

MMS is working!!!

Sorry I didn't get back promptly. You can probably guess how it went at apple for me. Had to explain all over the problem. Prove to the genius bar that it's nothing to do with my carrier or provisioning. Once that was all done they seemed to know that it's a "issue with white phones" ...(thanks, really? You don't say?) anyway, no new news from them, no word on 5.0.1 providing a fix, I just pretty much wasted 2 hours of my life that day.

I've been super busy but, my wife and daughter just left for a few days on a trip so I have no distractions to work on other possible fixes...like, when I was there and with a previous post on here...they say that the white phones have different firmware then black? I don't think it's the actual ipsw file, but if it's a software thing, is there a way to make it the exact same as the black phone? You would think that would fix it.

I also would like to escalate this past the genius bar. I know it's a minimal problem next to short battery life and whatnot, but it is very frustrating to have a brand new phone you can't send pictures with to anyone who isn't using a os5 iPhone, or when I can't use iMessages.

Or maybe it's just the little bit of OCD in me that's just becoming obsessed with this problem that nobody can fix lol I don't know. Anyway, I just want to see if we can get this to "higher ups" in apple that maybe 5.0.1 still has a chance while it's in beta to fix it

I know what you mean about the obsession! I have been obsessed but it works.

ALSO! I tried "MY" fix on a black 32gb 4s and a white 16 4s so I do not think it has to do with color!

Let me know if it works.

One thing though... my batter % is not on.. hmm

Settings>general>usage

A while back we (the genius bar guys) put her sim in a vanilla white phone and it was no workie, but it worked in my black.

Now on this note, I phyciacally did not do this. They did it in back, and sending a mms isn't fast like a text. During this whole process I'm blown away by how many people think something is wrong when it hangs at the end of "sending" so, having said that... It might have sent if they gave it enough time...

When she gets back from her trip Saturday I'll give this a go and post up my results

CONFIRMED WORKING

The back up was indeed what was causing the issue. Like I said the Apple guys were the ones who tested it on a stock white phone, but it takes time. I just restored and setup a new phone and BAM! Message sent.

So now, putting the back up on, and saving all her pictures and contacts, and restoring and manually putting them on.

Thanks everyone for your input, I hope this works for everybody

I am having the very same problem. I have the white Iphone 4S and I can only send pic messages to the two contacts that have IOS 5. All my other contacts either do not have apple products or don't have the upgrade. It is annoying. I have cute pics to send people and I have to use apps with email address instead.

I have reset the settings and did not choose back up restore (icloud or itunes). It still doesnt work for me. I have MMS settings on. I have a text and data plan.

It did finally work after I reset twice and re booted. The first and second reset settings asked me different questions maybe that is why 2nd try worked.

I'm having this same problem. it was working fine until the last few days. I initailly assumed it was a problem on the receipient's side of things. I reset all and I was able to send 1 MMS, then the next failed, I went on and rebooted again, same thing, 1 mms through and the next fails. This afternoon, intermittently one will send and the next 6 will not....

Driving me insane.

I contacted my provider - who advised, checking settings - which are as they should be, then taking sim out and wiping it - no difference. I've turned imessaging off / on and off again. I've switched mms off and then on again. I've reset network settings.... Agh. Very disappointed with iphone based on this! My £20 nokia could send picture messages!

The plan is to go to 02 store tomorrow, not that I think they are going to be able to help, bar ?try a new phone... anyone been able to get this to consistently work?

I'm using a black 32gb iphone 4s, owned for 10 days...

Yes I thought the reset worked, but only did once. So the reset solution was really inconsistent and not a working solution for me. I came across a discussion that was helpful and consistent results. I was having to use an apn changer to access the data plan I paid for since I have an official unlocked iPhone. The only way for me to consistently send MMS is to remove the APN first then send. I can add the APN back on after I send the messages. I can't acess data without APN and I can't send MMS unless I remove the APN. Its not the ideal solution, but it does work for me and someone else. I caution you regarding the removal of APN unless you have same situation as me (using APN changer).

SOLUTION !! Had a simlar problem, everytime i backed up to icloud , mms would no longer work and would have to turn off icloud, reset, reenter mms settings...a real pain .HOWEVER ...went to Apple store yesterday and they said to make sure that i'm sending photos from the picture roll and NOT photos from the photostream- hey presto- IT WORKED!! After many hours of trying to figure out what the strange link was between my icloud and mms, i can now MMS my pics without all the hassle.. try it,it may work for you!

I recently bought a white iphone 4s and had this problem as well. The send bar would go to about 90% then fail and a red thing would pop up. I tried changing all the settings as listed above and nothing worked....reset the phone...etc.

In a last desperate attempt i turned off wifi and switched the data back on...turned off my phone...popped out the sim card and cleaned it off a bit (which i thought was pointless bc i literally just got the phone 2 days ago and i know its not dirty), put the sim card back, turn the phone back on.. and miraculously and for NO GOOD REASON...IT WORKED. i know it's not even logical at all, but try it, maybe it'll work for you too.

haaileyjane...ive been having this issue with my white 4s I just got 2 days ago...

I tried your desperate attempt to turn off my wi-fi, turn data back on and clean my sim card...

As you put it, for no good reason it decided to start working...thus far its a fix but im not sure how many people it will work for.

Id like to just say thanks for the suggestion and id totally hug you for saving me a trip to the at&t store...

-Dan