IMessage won't activate my phone number

I wouldn't do that azriel550.

Though not exactly, this is what I did in a round-about way but still didn't fix the issue.

Summary was:

* iPhone 3GS with iOS 5.0.1 - iMessages working PERFECTLY

* Got new iPhone 4 - put sim card in... no iMessages

* restored from back-up my stuff from my 3GS to my new 4... no iMessages

I would be about 99.9% confident in saying that a full restore back to new will NOT fix the issue.

I'm still hedging my bets on it being:

an issue with registering new and/or re-registering existing phone numbers with the iMessage server which may or may not be carrier specific.

I'd like to point out this.

My girlfriend who is with Optus turned her IMessages off and back on to see if she had the same problem.

Even with the poorest of coverage and no wifi, her IMessage activated within seconds which just plain annoys me.

I've exhausted every method trying to get IMessage to activate and I'm finally coming to the conclusion that a complete start from scratch might be my only way of getting it back, not that I want to download 800mgb of useless IOS.

I don't believe how Apple can just step back and lie to us by saying "Oh the IMessages server is down" and expect me to smile back and say, "Okay then, I'll just wait and see what happens tomorrow", and then have the audacity to call that good customer support.

Don't even know why I bothered switching from an Android device if this is the treatment I'm going to get.

I don't believe we've heard from Apple yet. As far as I can tell it's Telstra who have blamed Apple's servers and washed their hands of responsibility.

Between us we've seen the process work perfectly on Vodafone and Optus. The common link among us appears to be Telstra.

Given that this is not an Australian forum, yet the activity on this topic seems to be Aussies on Telstra, it's starting to look a lot like Occum's Razor is pointing in their direction.

I've called apple and they've told me IMessage servers "must" be down, in a very uncertain tone I must add.

But yes you're right, I'd say it's more got to do with Telstra than Apple now that you point out the number of us complaining about it.

It's just not right.

EDIT:

Also, I just turned off my face time and tried to turn it back on as well, and it is stuck on Waiting for activation also!!!

I'm currently on the phone to another Apple customer support agent and he tried to get me to do all the trouble shooting basics, now he's going to have a chat with his senior advisor he told me and I'm on hold.

I'll keep everyone updated if I get this to work.

Just off the phone, he told me to restore from a backup anyway just to see what it does.

Pretty sure this won't work, and he did tell me that I may need do a complete device restore, which I fear will lead to me not being able to activate the WHOLE dang device.

He then told me to give them a call when that's done and if it doesn't work, they'll escalate it to a senior advisor who will try to help me, and if they can't help me then I'm most likely doomed to live a terrible life with no Imessage D:

Well can I just say, I rang back and told them it's not working and that I was advised that you put me onto a senior advisor, they then said "No, it's a hardware problem", and scheduled me an appointment to get the device replaced, at my nearest genius bar.

WHAT THE FFFFF?

So Apple are saying an iMessage server issue...

Common thread seems to be Telstra.

How does the activation process work from sim to phone through carrier to Apple's iMessage server...???

Did Telstra forget to pay their bill to Apple on time or something?

Not an overly helpful post I know, but I'm getting really annoyed by this!

Telstra and/or Apple - EPIC FAIL!!!!

I have the exact same problem it was working fine I till I toggled it off two nights ago and now it won't activate from my number it keeps sending iMessage in my email!!! I have tried reset network etc and nothing!! Keep us posted how you go! Ps I am with Telstra too........

I am having the same issue and spoke with Apple. They have mentioned they know there is a problem but have not been told of a server issue. I am now unable to connect to my Wifi since this problem began. Not sure if they are related but I am not happy.

+1 for a Telstra user with no iMessage.

I spent over a hour on the phone to apple yesterday who elevated my problem (same as everyone else, waiting on iMessage activation). They were stumped and had no idea and would call me back when they have a answer but i wont hold my breath by the look of it. I have had 2 Telstra carrier updates in january and iMessage stopped yesterday morning, have jumped through all the hoops with no joy. I had also been experiencing a lot of problems with iMessage sending pictures - fails to send 3 or 4 times before it finally works, not sure if this would be related to the current iMessage issue or not though but it's thoroughly giving me the $h!ts!!!

I have noticed every now and then that after a while of 'waiting for activations' and 'veryfying' next to my number it comes up with 'error'.

I'm running IOS 5.0.1(9A405) and the apple guy did say that apparently I should be on (9A406).....is everyone else on 405 because I can't find the 406 update he was talking about.

Eug

I dunno about any of this.

I went to the genius bar today because they organized an appointment for me over the phone.

They did all sorts of resets, I had basically the whole Apple store leaning over this poor guys shoulder saying do this do that, and none of it worked!

He did a full restore and all the little tips and tricks you can find on the internet to fix it and absolutely nothing worked.

In the end, he said to me that he had to talk to someone above him.

He did, and all he could say to me was that "It's because A LOT of people are switching from their service providers to Telstra, which is causing a problem on Telstra's side, not ours, the best thing you could do is wait a few days, and if it still doesn't work, bring it back and we'll see what we can do".

I'm hoping it's only temporary, but if it lasts longer than 3-4 days, I'm taking it back and having a yarn to Telstra aboute the quality of their service.

My problems started when I switched from a 3GS to a 4S on Tuesday night. Have tried all of the above and I'm running the 9A406 version of iOS. I had Telstra switch my phone from my old sim card to my new one. Funny how even the pin supplied for the sim card is not even working. Plus my number in settings > phone comes up as unknown.

@l3lue

It definitely seems to be pointing at a Telstra issue 😟

Less chance of a swift turn-around with them compared to Apple methinks.

@deejay72

I just plugged my iPhone into iTunes 5 minutes ago and I still only have 9A405...

Not that it will probably help with iMessages... but how can I make sure I get 9A406?

+1 Telstra user.

Unfortunately after multiple factory resets I'm still unable to activate either iMessage or FaceTime.

Latest iOS version (9A406) and carrier settings (11.2).

I guess I'm stuck playing the waiting game until someone (presumably Telstra) manages to correct the issue.

It's a shame really, I've found Telstra to be really decent in most other respects...