Wind Mobile Activate iMessage / Facetime

Hi All,

I have been having a lot of trouble and so far no luck in activating iMessage using the smcclay method. I was hoping if others that have had similar issues can share what they did to get past them. Here is a list of my circumstances:

1) I am on a Wind prepaid plan and I have plenty of money in the account, so that is not a factor.

2) I have global texting included in my plan, so international text messages carry no charge.

3) My phone number is properly entered under Settings>Phone as +1(647)…etc. and has been for weeks.

4) I did not port my number, it is new. I also tried to deactivate iMessage through Apple's website with this number and it said that it was never registered.

5) I have logged out of my Apple ID in all ways with this phone (iMessage, Facetime, iCloud, App Store/iTunes) and it has been this way for several days.

6) I have no problems finding my baseband logs after I sync, but I get no results when I search for "hex str". I can usually find logs of a message sent to a +44 number, but the reply is not a hex string.

7) I have restarted and reset my phone multiple times as well as disabled and enabled logging.

8) I have been trying up to 3 times (toggle iMessage switch, wait 5 mins (and sometimes much longer), then collect and view log) per day every 2-3 days on average.

9) From my Wind account page, I can see entries for every outgoing "International SMS Sent", but it doesn't show any replies from the dozens of attempts (not sure if it should).

smcclay (who has been nothing but helpful) advised me that I do not need to disable or re-enable logging with every attempt, but can instead just leave it on until it works. I have tried both ways and have had no differences. Everything seems to go as it should, but I can never get the proper hex string in the baseband log. I have never made it past this step. Any advice is greatly appreciated.

@branpan I had the same issue despite multiple attempts (see my response a few before yours), and I only had success once I left my phone for a FULL HOUR between the "Toggling iMessage" step and the "Save the log on the iPhone" step as outlined on smcclay's page. It was extremely hard to wait that full hour, but it was only then that I was able to receive the string. I tried 5, 15, 30 minutes with no success. You seem to indicate that you waited 5 minutes, sometimes longer, but if you haven't tried the full hour then try that now.

Good luck!

Sorry, I did not specify how long I had waited, but I did get the wait 1 hour advice from your post as well as from smcclay. I have waited that long probably 4 or 5 times over the last couple of weeks and had no luck. I enable logging, restart my phone (with iMessage and Facetime off), then go to iMessage and turn it on, hit OK at the prompt about carrier charges, then wait over an hour, save the log, and there is still no hex string.

Hi Steve,

After much searching online it appears that you're the go-to guru on getting iMessage and FaceTime to activate for WIND on an iPhone. I have followed all the steps outlined and I have sent over my hex string -

440c9144776802054900f55110622154130a5f06050415790000d2e2b1252d4ea13f7b6fb693f762 361a4c06b3dd6c3b776f15a3c56c3758ce36cbd176f31e4c56a30d6d37e26c66341a8d46a3d1989b c172c1db0c3793c582b61c4d280bde72c41c912833d28a4618ac1813c270309ab008

on the activation website multiple times in the last 48 hours. However I still do not get the iMessage activation response SMS.

I ported my number over from Bell and I have already deregistered the phone number from Apple's iMessage servers using their online tool. Please could you let me know if you can help me?

thanks so much!

I think the website is down again. I've been waiting for months and months for it to work and I keep failing. I've tried pasting the "script" for iMessage and FaceTime into theonlinemac and it's always "still waiting for activation" on my iPhone. If I sent you the scripts could you use your Nokia and maybe fix this issue? I would be forever grateful... If you could even e-mail me back to walk me thorough another alternative that would be great. jordi_bella@hotmail.com

I've already been through that huge forum and tried everything but nothing helps me so you are my only hope!

I'm using an iPhone 6 on 8.1.3 and formerly on 8.1.2.

I have previously successfully activated iMessage with multiple US carriers and with Rogers on the same phone.

My number is a new activation NOT ported over.

I have been with Wind since Dec 2014, and I am on a prepaid $44 Unlimited plan that includes international texting. I even have $9 extra just incase.

All features are active on my account. I even tried disabling and enabling them.

My number is correctly displayed in phone settings as +1 (647) xxx - xxxx

My timezone is correctly identified.

I have tried resetting network settings, and even 'Reset All Settings' multiple times.

I have tried multiple fresh installations of iOS without restoring from backup and just setting up as new phone.

I have tried playing around with apple ID (changing password and even creating a new one)

I have tried the process without being signed in to FT and IM with my apple ID.

My apple ID has my number correctly stored online under mobile number.

I have successfully sent/received SMS to people overseas.

I have tried all methods with the correct APN settings and with/without MMS settings.

I have tried the Developer Telephony Logging and the manual method.

I have tried multiple times since the end of December, with long breaks in between due to frustration.

I have contacted Steve, who has been very nice, he suggested alternating between activating FT and IM.

I have contacted WIND multiple times they assure me that the problem is with Apple. Apple's level 2 techs have walked me through the same repetitive procedures with no success.

I have waiting as long as 1min, 5 min, 10min, 30min, 1hr, 2hr, 3hr, 4hr, 5 hours and even logging until IM/FT indicated activation unsuccessful MULTIPLE TIMES.

I have followed all instructions from all sources exactly as written.

NOT ONCE HAVE I SEEN A hex str from the +44 number. I only ever see SMS messages in the logs from known contacts.

I can see all the outbound request being sent to +44 numbers.

I even tried deregistering my number with iMessage, the strange thing is I do not get a response like other that my number is not registered, nor do I receive the text containing the code. I have also tried this multiple times over the past two months.

Frustrated out of my mind, I still can't figure out why this is not working for me.

I can't even find the subfolder 'MobileDevice' in the crashreporter! Can anyone help?

Letm e clarify, I have followed both the dialing steps and the telephony steps. When I sync, I see the 'Copying diagnostic information’ text, but still no sign of the subfolder?

I have a direct from apple iphone 6 plus and am using the lastest OS on my iMac.

You have to go to your user library folder, not the Macintosh HD library folder.

Easiest way is to click anywhere on the desktop. Then click on the Go in the menu bar at the top. Then hold down the option key and the library folder will appear. Click on it there.

Has anyone figured out what is going on with activation issues?

I've done this process in the past and it has been seamless, however, this time around, i CANNOT seem to get it to activate. I am unable to get the hex string in the logs. I have verified that the international texts have been sent out, but it doesn't seem like anything is coming in. I have gone through the thread again and have made sure that i have everything set properly.

Anyone know whats going on/how to get this to work?! 😟

I'm having the same issue with the prepaid account. I can find the request to send the message, but it doesn't look like it is being sent and nothing is being received. Here is what I found in the baseband logs:

266077.417 [I] msg: Queuing message type: CTMessageTypeSMS message id: 1073741826 persist: true

266077.421 sms: Composing SMS message using GsmModel

266077.421 sms: In GSMModel::setDestAddress with address +447537410227

266077.421 sms: Final address was +447537410227.

266077.421 sms: sending Gsm7 SMS of body (length 90) in 0 segments

266077.422 sms: MO SMS Message details:

266077.422 sms: Destination: +447537410227

266077.422 sms: Validity: 30

266077.422 sms: Msg Encoding: 0 (7bitGSM)

266077.422 sms: Body Length: 90

266077.422 disp: [qmux5] queueing qmux pdu for svc=5 client=1 (txid=198 msgid=0x20)

266077.422 send[qmux5]: WMS:0x05 Length:119 Flags:0x00 ClientID:1

266077.422 send: 0000 01 77 00 00 05 01 00 C6 00 20 00 6B 00 01 68 00 .w.........k..h.

266077.422 send: 0010 06 65 00 07 91 61 31 05 90 00 F0 11 00 0C 91 44 .e...a1........D

266077.422 send: 0020 57 73 14 20 72 00 00 05 5A D2 E2 B1 25 2D 46 7F Ws..r...Z...%-F.

266077.422 send: 0030 F6 DE 6C 47 EF D1 64 B8 E1 30 16 8C 05 61 C5 99 ..lG..d..0...a..

266077.422 send: 0040 70 86 33 16 61 39 1B 0D 06 B3 D5 82 38 62 8D 48 p.3.a9......8b.H

266077.422 send: 0050 8B E1 72 34 9B D1 46 CB CD 6E C1 D9 4D 38 0B 1A ..r4..F..n..M8..

266077.422 send: 0060 61 45 5A 8C 38 0C 1A 67 30 DC 8D 56 0C EE E4 3D aEZ.8..g0..V...=

266077.422 send: 0070 5C 6C 86 B3 E1 70 32 1C \l...p2.

266077.419 [I] xpc.client: CCXpcServer(42[identityservicesd]:'identityservicesd'/0x15559060) reply to request 'kSendPhoneNumberRegistrationRequest'.

266077.421 [I] subscr.gw: UST[SMS Call Control] = false

Man,

Im running into the same issues for the past few days and only checked the last page now to see if its an issue and look at what I see/read....****!!!

I have done this 4 other times and been successful. All within a 7 months period (iPhone 5, 6, 6+ then back to a 6)

Now I am back to a 6+ and I am NOT getting the 'hex str' anymore.....

I switched back to the 6 that I had it working on prior to reading this and no go....hence why I checked.

So frustrated now.....I hope this gets corrected soon, otherwise I will leave iPhone and go to Samusung to HTC. Hate having an expensive phone and not have it work to its fullest.

However, I can be patient as its my second line (Wind 44 plan) as I only use it when I travel to the US.

Either way, I hope this gets corrected ASAP

Same thing for me.....checked my WIND account and a crap load of INTL messages sent, but nothing coming back in.

This blows. Had I known there was an issue, I would not have switched to the 6+ and would have kept my 6 till this was fixed.

Hope this gets corrected ASAP

smcclay, any updates on this? Pls say you got something in the works or a work around

Hey guys,

First time poster lol. But I just got iMessage to activate thanks to the help of Steve. I had to do this process a couple of times to work but if it doesn't work for you the first time don't give up. There are also a couple of things you can try that seemed to work for me.

1) Confirm your phone number. In Settings > Phone. Make sure that the My Number field has the correct phone number with +1 at the beginning of it.

2) Sign out of iCloud. In Settings > iCloud > Sign Out.

3) Sign out of iTunes & App Store. In Settings > iTunes & App Store > Tap your AppleID > Sign Out.

4) Try the process again. It may take a couple of tries but the hex string will show up in the logs.

Hope this hels you guys.

Cheers.

For people still struggling with the imessage activation method described multiple times above and found here, hang in there - it works but is very finicky (I just spent my entire day on this and got it after the 20'th attempt). Things that I fixed before it worked for me: 1) make sure there is a "+" in front of the one on your number in settings -- phone -- my number, 2) make sure your are using the correct hex str code!! there may be multiple within the log, you have to use the latest (ie. last) one. These methods are both described above but I thought I would reiterate as these seemed to have made the difference for me. If you are not getting a hex str code, you need to read the instructions again and do everything to a T.

Good luck! and congrats on leaving the big 3 🙂

PS. one method to expedite the "enabling/disabling" and "recording" process can be found here. This allows you to add buttons for enabling and recording under Settings -- Cellular -- telephony logging; this saves you dialling in the codes every time.

Just found this: http://www.windmobile.ca/my-wind/faq/devices#e9a34877-c3ee-6924-b2e4-ff0300f64c5 1

Please note: at this time, the use of FaceTime and iMessage on compatible WIND network iPhones will function with the use of an Apple ID. Currently, WIND Mobile is not an authorized dealer of Apple Canada, as a result, certain proprietary software has not been made available to WIND to the fullest extent in an official capacity. The original iPhone, iPhone 3G, iPhone 3Gs, iPhone 4, iPhone4s are not compatible with the WIND network.