iOS 7 messing up phone number for iMessage and FaceTime

Hello,

This sounds like the problem I had with my iPhone 4S after installing 7.0. Here is what happened to me, and hopefully it will help many others so they don't go through the same issues I did.

First, after I updated with 7.0, my iMessage and FaceTime would not work. I kept getting a message saying, "could not sign in, please check your network connection and try again."

Well, after hours and hours of trying everything I could find on the net about this issue, nothing worked!!! I called Apple Tech Support and told them the issue I was having. They said many people are having the same problem! Just to back up a little, I installed on my Ipad 2 with no problem and all went fine. My girlfriend also installed on her Ipad 3, and her IPhone 4S with ATT as her carrier on the IPhone. Neither of our iPads have cellular activated on them.

I just kept trying and trying to sign in to connect to get my iMessage and FaceTime to work, but nothing I did would solve the problem.

The Apple Tech who was very patient, and good at her job, (only employed with Apple for 6mo.) coached me through a backup of my phone on ITunes. I was reluctant because I had done a backup and restore on an itouch before, and it scrambled all my apps I had in folders, so once fixed, had to rebuild all my folders. Not fun!!

So, I asked if this would happen again, but she assured me they would remain intact after the restore. (Long story short, they were scrambled again and many of my apps did not restore) So, I had to rebuild my folders, and reinstall many of my apps through ICloud!

The reason I am telling you all of this, is that I am pretty sure all of this could have been avoided with what I am about to explain. First, after I did the backup, she had me do a complete "erase all content and settings." Scary!!! After that, she had me disconnect from ITunes, and turn the phone back on and go through an entire setup as if this were a "NEW" phone. I did all of that, and the phone came alive as a new phone from the factory.

Next she had me go into iMessage, and use my Apple ID to activate that and same with FaceTime. Once I did that, the phone was still saying in light grey color, "waiting for activation." She told me that was normal, and it could take up to 24 hours to get "activated." I was some what skeptical, but I took her word for it, and waited awhile.

Then I got to thinking and looking around more on the IPhone. I noticed that I did not have cellular signal. She told me it was not necessary since I had wifi. Looking further under the "general settings" tab, then "about" I looked and noticed under "network" it said, "not connected." BINGO!!! Could this have been the problem all along??? I certainly, think it probably was!!!!

My theory, once update 7.0 was installed, for some reason it would not activate my "Network" with Verizon!!! If that was the case, then it is no wonder I kept getting the original message of, "please check your network connection and try again."

I suspect there was nothing wrong to begin with......I should not have had to do a backup, then a restore, etc. It appears the only thing that happened is that with the install of 7.0, it for some reason would not make the connection with my cell carrier Verizon!!!!! Had I had known that, I would have done what I finally figured out: simply go through the process with your carrier that is required to "activate your phone" with the carrier your with!! For me with Verizon, you simply dial *228 then press 1. It then detects the phone and activates it again!!! Other carriers might have a differ method of activating their phones, but check with your carrier!

Once I did that, BOOM, iMessage, and FaceTime were up and running again!!!!

Needless, to say.......make sure you still have your carrier connected to your Iphone after you install 7.0 otherwise you are in for a lot of headaches! This process took me all said and done about 12 hours messing with it to get iMessage and FaceTime up and running again!!!

It would be nice if the Apple Techs knew about this, and hopefully they do now!!

Good luck!

I have the same problem (my phone number was grey and I can't choose it from menu) It happens when I come back from Russia and just change my sim card, after that I have problems with messages, some of them I don't receive at all,

So, there is solution for this problem:

1 - Turn off iMessages and Face time

2 - Turn ON Flight mode

3 - Turn OFF Flight mode and your phone will register in network

4 - After that I just turn ON iMessages and FaceTime and all was good

I don't know if it will help to someone else, but it help's to me:)