Q: iOS 7 iMessage won't activate

you know that is against the terms of this forum correct.  you did read them when you signed up right?

Yeah, mine works with email addresses too, but not phone number.

As I understand the iMessage/Facetime phone number activation it follows this process:

1. Your phone looks up its location using time-zone settings
2. It then sends a request via Internet (wifi or cellular) to Apple's local servers
3. It waits for an SMS to come back from Apple's servers with a key
4. It sends the key from SMS back to Apple's servers
5. Your phone number is now linked with your imessage account

To me this suggests that Telstra is blocking the SMS with the key in it.  In the UK a lot of users of TuGo (which is a phone number/text message redirection service) are having these issues because TuGo is screwing with the texts.  If it is the case that Telstra is blocking the text message (they may have some kind of spam rejection thing in place), then it's probably going to take Apple talking to Telstra to stop the blocking. 

Alternatively it means that the Apple servers aren't sending/accepting the keys which would require Apple's intervention.

Either way I think the best hope for an enduring resolution is to follow http://support.apple.com/kb/ts4268 and then contact Apple, explaining that you're using Telstra when your issue is escalated.

@filemakers, thanks for the tip :-) ....since the issue is not impacting me so much (I can still use iMessage and Facetime thru my apple id email), I will wait to see if Apple/Telstra provide a fix next week....if not then I will resort to backup/restore....

Hey,

I have a iPhone 4S with Telstra.  Have backed up and restored iPhone still cant activate iMessage.  You managed to get it working yet?

no idea what just happened but my iMessage and FaceTime just activated on its own.

turned off iMessage and Facetime for like a 2-3mins and turned back on and just checked it now (about 45mins) and its all activated...

no idea what happened but looks like it fixed itself.

called apple bout this and was advised that there is a server congestion sort of thing, try to turn off imessage for about a minute then try to do a reset network settings, wait for your device to turn itself back on. then once it's back on turn on imessage again, works for me

So what I tried to do was FIRST!!!

Back up everything on your phone to the computer!

Then after backing up your phone, restore your phone to factory default!

After restoring, there will be an option to make your iPhone as new or to go back to a backed up option. Choose the backed up option. Bam!

All fixed!

In Australia, on Telstra, out of 4 phones, two activated straight away, the other 2 no luck.

Attmepted all the "fixes" on this site, with no luck. Is it really a wait and see?

im a telstra mobile consultant , i received an email from apple that updating the phone to ios 7.1 MIGHT fix the issue.

All good on Telstra now.

I tried all the options mentioned in this thread - I reset network settings several times, erased all contents and settings several times, did a full restore, setup as new iphone and restored from backup several times, put my phone in the freezer for 10 minutes and made a sandwich SEVERAL times....and NONE OF THESE METHODS WORKED (sandwich was very tastey however - I recommend a grilled peperoni, turkey and spicey jack cheddar).

What finally worked for me was VERY simple...

1. Turned off Facetime and iMessage

2. Powered off iPhone (hold power button and 'slide to power off')

3. Made another grilled sandwich (was especially good this time)

4. Got in my car and took a drive (about 15 minutes had elapsed since I powered phone off)

5. Turned phone back on

6. Waited for phone to reach good cell signal (in my case LTE w/ 4 bars/dots)

7. Went to Settings>Messages and turned iMessage ON (within seconds iMessages was activated with my phone number and 2 additional emails - All with check marks next to them)

8. Went to Settings>FaceTime and turned FaceTime ON (within seconds FaceTime was activated with same results as iMessage)

I believe that all my previous attempts were unsuccessful due to me being connected to my home wifi, and for whatever reason it needed to be activated via my cell/mobile network. If all else fails, give this a try. And if it works for you have a sandwich on me - Cheers

Hi Everyone,

My FaceTime and imessage seems to activate and seems to be working properly. If I had to guess I'd say Telstra and Apple worked it out.

Remember to go into Settings > Messages > make sure imessage is turned on and then go into send & receive and select your phone number if you'd like conversations to start from your phone number.

Yay!

@AustralianGuy, still no luck for me :-( so maybe they haven't sorted the problem out yet.

I'm sorry to hear that, mate :(

I'd like to say that mine has worked but still no luck on Telstra with my 5S on 7.01 (what is this talk of 7.1?).