Why do I keep getting 923-0 messages when trying to text?

Well, it does have something to do with the carrier. My husband's iPhone 5 had the problem on Sprint. Switched to Verizon and upgraded to iPhone 6 during the switch, no problems. Was there a year and a half. Switched back to Sprint and updated to iPhone 7 during the switchover, the problem immediately showed up again. So it's either Sprint or the way they transfer stuff to a new phone. I'm betting on the former because I don't see it being a transfer problem.

Well, messaging is a carrier function. I'm not sure why they would not be able to help you. Have you tried to start a new message and then just enter the person's 10 digit telephone number without trying to use their contact? Is there a contact that you can delete and then after deleting them try to send a message to and see if it goes through? If neither of those work, I suggest contacting Sprint again, because SMS/MMS messging is a carrier responsibility. That error message is coming from Sprint.

Did you ever figure this out??? I am having the exact same problem. I found some info on this for Android phones - you have to delete the phone's "dialer storage" but I cannot, unfortunately, locate where that setting exists on the iPhone5. I have tried the same things as you - entering the phone number directly into a new message, deleting the contact and starting over, but none of it works and the info I found online said, explicitly, these things would not work. Dialer storage has to be cleared. So that's the "what" but I still don't know the "how" - grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr!

The only thing that I would know that would resemble dialer storage on the iPhone that a user could access is the "Recents" screen in the Phone app. While we have not heard back from the OP, I still say that SMS and MMS are carrier functions. I have seen individuals have to get settings turned off and back on at the carrier side and things working again. If you have done a restore of the phone as a new device and still cannot get them to work, then the carrier is the only option.

Here is what u need to do I had the same thing happen to me clear that contact out of your phone that means all of the text messages from that number and all of the messages from the error code then go to your setting for your messing and turn them all off then shut your phone down. What for 2 or so min. Turn it back on and go back to your setting and turn them all back on then type the phone # in make sure you use the area code for the 10 didgets (555)555-5555 then try texting that person this should work it worked for me

This worked for me on the iPhone 5, no more error message. Thank you!!

The fact that the error message is coming from the carrier DOES NOT mean that the problem is with the carrier. It means that the meta-data being sent in the message through the texting communication protocol is incorrect. It's the phone that sets the meta-data, not the carrier. So it must be a problem with the iPhone's implementation of the message construction in sending a text message; that is, the iPhone is constructing a message with seven digits instead of 10 (on these infrequent cases). When the carrier reads the message header it sees only 7 digits and correctly responds with an error message. It's an iPhone bug and I WISH APPLE WOULD BUCK UP AND FIX THE PROBLEM.

One more thing. Even though this is a bug in the iPhone, you probably purchased your iPhone from your carrier, like I did from Sprint. Since I purchased the phone from Sprint I believe Sprint should be completely responsible for getting the situation rectified for any customer having this problem. They have the authority and the ability to take care of the problem, but they simply don't care enough to do it. Both Sprint and Apple are completely aware of this issue but neither is doing what they need to in order to satisfy their customers. I'm going to go to the Sprint store this week and tell them I refuse to pay for texting as long as this problem continues. If the problem hasn't been resolved within two months (for everyone) I'm considering filing a lawsuit against both parties, and requesting that the attorney file a class action on behalf of myself and the countless others such as yourselves who are experiencing a problem that should take no more than 30 minutes to resolve with a code fix.

I'm speculating, but I conjecture the reason it's not getting fixed is because it would trigger a recall of hundreds of thousands of iPhones that would cost Apple a few dollars toward its bottom line. But this is one of the most ludicrous situations I've ever seen in mass services.

I am getting the same error. It is frustrating and nobody seems to have a concrete way to fix this. My text messages worked for MONTHS to this person and now I get the error code.

For anyone that is reading this board, and have an Iphone 4 - I had the same issue. I went into sms settings, shut off imessage, sms, and mms messaging. Then I went back into the main settings menu and selected "Reset." From that menu, I selected reset network settings. The phone shuts off and comes back on and I was able to text the people I couldn't before.

Thanks for the ideas and tips everyone. It helped me figure my issue out.

peterlakey - this issue is not specific to iphones. It also isn't specific to sprint. exposing the issue would not cause a "recall of hundreds of thousands of phones.." because it isn't a phone or carrier issue either one... not really.

It seems that when the contacts were originally entered they were entered with 7 digits. Updating the contact will not fix the issue... because the phone (like all smart phones) has a nested history of text messages, recent calls etc in it's memory that it references. Removing just the contact and adding it back doesn't resolve it for that reason.

A test you could do -- add a new contact, one that you have never entered into the phone before - ever. Make sure to enter it with the area code. Text someone. Does it work? If so.. then it means that what has to happen to fix the issue is all contact information for the defective contact needs to be removed... the text history for it, the contact itself - etc. Now considering I, myself, have not had this particular issue - I cannot say if there are more areas in the phone than simply text history and the contact itself that would need to be removed... but that's where I would start.

Or.... you could just restore the phone as new and re-enter all contacts manually with 10 digits. That should work for sure.

David,

I just want people who have iPhones to know that Sprint has had numerous customers come in with this particular issue with the iPhone - rarely with other phones. They've tried to escalate this with Apple, to no avail.

My wife, myself and my daughter have been with Sprint for 11 years, never had a texting problem. We all got iPhone 4S a few months ago and have been experiencing this problem ever since. It's clear to me that the iPhone is trying to send a 7 digit phone number in some messages. To me this is a bug. A customer having to delete contacts to rectify the problem is a workaround, not a solution. The bug still exists. The iPhone (and/or embedded OS) has a bug.

I searched online.. just with the words 923-0

I see reports of HTC phones with the issue

I see reports of ATT phones with the issue

The 9230 message is the same error message they give. It means the phone number didn't have 10 digits... smart phones remember things even if you erase the contact.

- there'a also other things that can cause the error - if at any time you placed a block on text message services for example.

Not sure if you are aware but the iphone is an extremely popular phone... sold more than these competitors especially in US - with all versions together we are talking hundred million +. The result is when doing searches on the internet for a phone related issue - like this 9230 error.. you'll likely get results for iphones.

as an example.. from the sprint forum for a different device (unsure what device.. it's just not an iphone since no iphone or ios device has these settings -- ive seen this advice several times and I believe it's some form of android.. but not sure)

advice from the carrier advisor --

"Clear data in the Dialer and Dialer storage.... under manage Applications> All.

That is Settings - Applications - Choose All to view All choices - then find Dialer and clear the Data. Repeat this for the Dialer Storage as well. I personally also deleted the message thread first from the text message window and my log history which is a menu item from your call screen."

and another for you from a customer -- it is sprint again.. but this time a Samsung Epic

"OMG ... if someone can't tell me how to fix this "9230: Message sent using invalid number of digits..." error, I'm going to scream. My husband and I both have Sprint Epic phones and love them EXCEPT for this one problem! Help!"

Maybe they should sue Samsung?