New iPhone 5c will not activate iMessage?

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New iPhone 5c will not activate iMessage?

Hi there, this morning I recieved my brand new white iPhone 5c.
My step-mum also got an iPhone 5c earlier in the week and hers worked with absolutely no issues.
However for me, the iMessage just refuses to work and I can't figure out why. I've sat for hours looking through the forums for a solution and I can't seem to find anything that works.
Firstly, with iMessage I understand you can send messages using your Apple Id email over the wifi. But I want to also be able to send actual text messages without using the wifi. When I go into send and receive there's no phone number. Is there any way to input my phone number so I can send texts? Am I missing something.

In regards to overall 'waiting activation' thing, I've had the phone about 12 hours now and it still says the same. I tried a lot of solutions posted here before, restoring the network/internet, rebooting the iphone with factory settings, on and off, turning everything in the iPhone off and back on again, nothing seems to work. Just wondering if there's something I'm missing, or is the solution just patience and the servers at apple are going haywire? Thanks , sorry its a long post!

iPhone 5c, iOS 7.0.4

Posted on Dec 8, 2013 4:46 PM

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Answer 1

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ChrisJ4203

Level 10

230,347 points

Dec 8, 2013 4:55 PM in response to HayleyChuu

See this support document http://support.apple.com/kb/TS4268

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Answer 2

HayleyChuu Author

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Dec 8, 2013 5:00 PM in response to ChrisJ4203

I guess this is gonna be a phone apple and wait 5 hours job! hahaha. 😢

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Answer 3

Awol1404

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45 points

Dec 8, 2013 5:02 PM in response to HayleyChuu

try turning off i message and face time , then power phone off and back on then turn them both back on this will force reactivation

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Answer 4

HayleyChuu Author

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Dec 8, 2013 5:05 PM in response to Awol1404

Tried that a bunch of times to no avail. 😮

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Answer 5

Awol1404

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45 points

Dec 8, 2013 5:09 PM in response to HayleyChuu

give applecare a call , and someone there will try and help you out, has it been 24 hours yet? sometimes it can take that long to activate i message

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Answer 6

HayleyChuu Author

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Dec 8, 2013 5:11 PM in response to Awol1404

Nope. It will be soon though. If its not working by tomorrow evening after work I'm gonna have to call them. Not much choice, lol.

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Answer 7

Ocean20

Level 6

13,727 points

Dec 8, 2013 5:12 PM in response to HayleyChuu

ACTIVATING FACETIME AND IMESSAGES

Activating Facetime and Imessages on your phone requires the ability to send SMS messages and depending upon where you are that might be an international SMS. Check with your carrier to see if your plan supports sending of international SMS messages. If you are having trouble activating Facetime or Imessages turn them both off on your device and reset the device (Hold down the Sleep/Wake button and the home button together until the apple logo appears (ignore the ON/OFF slider) then let both buttons go and wait for device to restart (no data will be lost)). Wait for the device to restart and wait a minute and turn Facetime and imessage back on and wait for activation. If that does not fix things read the following articles:

http://support.apple.com/kb/TS4268

http://support.apple.com/kb/ts3367

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Answer 8

HayleyChuu Author

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Dec 8, 2013 5:16 PM in response to Ocean20

Hmm it may be the international text/message thing.
My plan is generally a contract with unlimited texts in the Uk, internet and minutes. Pretty sure that international texts wouldn't be included in this package and would mean I'd need extra credit or something for my phone to do it. I read those articles and tried everything in them before. Tried resetting it also, still says 'waiting'.

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Answer 9

Awol1404

Level 1

45 points

Dec 8, 2013 5:23 PM in response to HayleyChuu

as long as it ways "waiting" that is not neccesarily bad. If it says activation failed call applecare.

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Answer 10

Dec 9, 2013 1:06 AM in response to HayleyChuu

I've had this, and I found it was the network rather than the phone that was causing it, but yours has been going on too long. Can you send/receive SMS messages? I'd turn it off again, do a soft reboot (press and hold menu and sleep button for about 10 seconds until the screen goes black, the apple icon wll appear and it'll restart) and then try again. Your signal looks good so i see no reason why this is failing. Although I have an iphone 5C and if I connect to my home wifi, i can't hold 3G long enough to send an IMessage so I don't bother. Try going into settings, general, reset network settings. Enter your passcode and then your phone will restart. Try activating without wifi? I definitely think there is a wifi issue with IOS7.0.4. It defeats the object of not being able to use it, but until I have my phone checked at Apple store, I don't use it. Worth a try for you 🙂

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