iMessage on iPhone Sends as Text Message Only

Question

Level 1

138 points

iMessage on iPhone Sends as Text Message Only

I've got a problem with iMessage on my iPhone that has me at my wit's end.

Until very recently, I've had no problem with iMessage. It has sent messages to other iOS users within the Apple architecture (blue balloons).

Now, when I type in an iMessage to another iOS or iMessage for Mac user on my iPhone, it initially turns blue as it starts to send. Then, a red exclamation point appears with the words "Not Delivered" appearing then the bubble turns green and it says "Sent as Text Message."

I've tried re-setting iMessage and Facetime by turning them off, re-setting the network connection, then turning iMessage and Facetime back on. I've also restored the iPhone by backing it up, restoring it, then restoring the backup from my Mac.

I haven't installed any iOS updates (I am current at 7.0.4) and I haven't installed any new software.

Any ideas on how I can get iMessage working again? I' don't want to use text messages for my communication with other iOS users!

Thank you!!

iPhone 5, iOS 7.0.4

Posted on Jan 15, 2014 9:16 AM

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Answer 1

pdroth

Level 5

5,171 points

Jan 15, 2014 9:23 AM in response to David Biddix

Is it happening to every contact, or just one?

Which phone carrier are you on? What country?

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Answer 2

David Biddix Author

Level 1

138 points

Jan 15, 2014 9:28 AM in response to pdroth

I'm sorry...I left a couple of important facts out.

It is happening to every iMessage/iOS contact that I send. I am on Verizon with an iPhone 5 that's about 11 months old. I'm in the United States.

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Answer 3

KAC68

Level 1

53 points

Jan 15, 2014 11:53 AM in response to David Biddix

Are you replying to an existing conversation thread or are you starting a new conversation? I had that issue and it went away (after trying some of the things you listed above) after a deleted the old conversation and started a new one.

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Answer 4

julesv18

Level 1

0 points

Jan 15, 2014 12:26 PM in response to KAC68

does that really work? just starting a new conversation thread?

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Answer 5

David Biddix Author

Level 1

138 points

Jan 15, 2014 12:48 PM in response to KAC68

This is a new discussion that I have started. I'm having this problem with my iPhone.

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Answer 6

David Biddix Author

Level 1

138 points

Jan 16, 2014 12:31 PM in response to David Biddix

I am still having this problem with my iPhone. Does anyone have suggestions on how I can fix this problem?

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Answer 7

pdroth

Level 5

5,171 points

Jan 16, 2014 12:39 PM in response to David Biddix

Don't deactivate iMessage, but instead log out of your Apple ID under Settings - Messages. I'm curious if that fixes it somehow. This will force it only to use your phone #.

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Answer 8

lymlyt

Level 1

0 points

Feb 4, 2014 2:34 PM in response to David Biddix

I've been having the same problem. I'm also on Verizon, but still using an iPhone 4 with iOS 7.0.4.

This started yesterday with multiple contacts, all also on iPhones (both 4 and 5s). When I try to send a message, the progress bar gets nearly to the end but not quite sent then the red "(!) undelivered" message appears under the blue text bubble. When I try to send again, I get the option to send as a text message. Now even though I get a "delivered" message under the green text bubble, these text messages aren't being received; and apparently I'm not receiving messages either since I just got a call from someone asking "why didn't you reply to the message today?"

I tried logging out of my Apple ID but it seems you can't send iMessages to other iPhone users unless you activate iMessage first. Now that I've logged out, the messaging still isn't working and I can't log back.

I've also tried shutting the iPhone off and restarting. No luck. I'm currently in the process of backing up in order to do a restore (since I'm also getting a "connect to iTunes to use push notifications" when opening almost every app).

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Answer 9

lymlyt

Level 1

0 points

Feb 4, 2014 4:55 PM in response to lymlyt

Update: restoring seems to have almost fixed the messaging problem. (I can message nearly everyone except my brother...everything happens for a reason, right?) Restoring seems to have also solved the push notifications error too.

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