Sending SMS does not work in some cases

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Sending SMS does not work in some cases

From the very beginning when I bought my IPhone 5, I have not been able to send SMS to a couple of phone numbers. Most of them work, but some do not - always the same ones. I can recieve SMS from all of these phone numbers.

All the hints the telephone company gave me did not help (e.g. changing SIM card, deleting older messages).

The telephone company now told me that, from their point of view, it must be the IPhone which does not work.

Before I buy a new IPhone (the warranty period has expired) I would like to understand if and how it is possible that the hardware of my IPhone inhibits the SMS sending only to a couple of phone numbers.

Many thanks for your answers!

iPhone 5, iOS 8.4

Posted on Jul 3, 2015 4:21 AM

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Answer 1

Ingo2711

Level 9

70,443 points

Jul 3, 2015 5:34 AM in response to qwertz247

Did you already update your carrier settings?

iOS: Updating your carrier settings

Are you using iMessage as well to send text messages?

If yes, make sure that in Settings/Messages the option to "send as normal text message" is activated.

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Answer 2

qwertz247 Author

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Jul 3, 2015 8:41 AM in response to Ingo2711

thanks for the hints!

There are not any updates for my carrier settings available, obviously.

Just now, the option "send as normal text message" has not been activated, actually. I have activated it, but this does not help unfortunately.

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Answer 3

ChrisJ4203

Level 10

230,371 points

Jul 3, 2015 8:45 AM in response to qwertz247

To be honest, except for the setting mentioned by Ingo2711, there is no other setting for SMS on the iPhone. And that setting is specific to sending iMessages when iMessage is unavailable. SMS is native on the iPhone, and is controlled completely by the carrier. I'm guess, but that the devices you are trying to send these messages to are non-iOS devices? Did these users ever have iOS devices? I'm not sure who your carrier is, but I suggest you indicate to them that you would like them to reset the SMS ability on your account. Generally this will fix these types of things. The only other alternative is that these people you cannot contact have inadvertently blocked your number for text messages. Only they could check that. Good luck.

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Answer 4

qwertz247 Author

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Jul 3, 2015 10:36 AM in response to ChrisJ4203

Thanks for your answer!

The other devices I try to send the SMS to are different ones: some IPhones, some other smartphones and even older mobile phones. I cannot see any regularity regarding the other devices. I am sure, that the other people have not blocked my number intentionally.

The phone company is T-Mobile/Deutsche Telekom (Germany).

ChrisJ4203, what do you mean by "reset the SMS ability on your account"? Is there a specific option?

(I already tried "reset network settings" but this did not help.)

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Answer 5

Ingo2711

Level 9

70,443 points

Jul 3, 2015 10:53 AM in response to qwertz247

Contact t-mobile support and let them check your account options.

Before you do, make sure you're running the latest software for your device. Resetting it to factory settings will download the latest iOS software.

After that restore from the latest backup and see if you can send SMS to those people again.

To do so, follow the steps mentioned in this article:

Use iTunes to restore your iOS device to factory settings - Apple Support

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Answer 6

qwertz247 Author

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Jul 5, 2015 10:23 AM in response to Ingo2711

thanks for your answer.

Unfortunately, the resetting to factory settings (according to the instructions) has not helped.

That brings me back to my first question:

Is is possible that the hardware of my IPhone inhibits the SMS sending only to a couple of phone numbers?

I still cannot imagine, that this is the reason for the problem.

Meanwhile I am still grateful for other ideas how to solve the problem (see above).

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Answer 7

Ingo2711

Level 9

70,443 points

Jul 5, 2015 10:33 AM in response to qwertz247

You should call your provider about that SMS problem, since they provide this service, maybe they can find out details according to their data.

Maybe they can see some error reports on their side when checking your account.

Since you restored the phone to factory settings and texting works for most of your contacts, this can't be hardware related.

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Answer 8

qwertz247 Author

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Jul 16, 2015 3:25 PM in response to Ingo2711

Thanks for your answer again.

The problem/reason most probably was related to the transfer of the contact numbers to the Iphone at the very beginning (some of them were written as 49 123 ... instead of +49 123 ...; it was not possible to correct this error).

It took me several days and lots of further calls but: I found a solution, finally, as follows:

1. Save contacts via ICloud and correct them

2. Delete all messages and contacts on the IPhone

3. reset the phone to factory settings

4. restore as a new Iphone!

5. connect to ICloud to get the contacts back

6. synchronize with ITunes (to get the apps back) but do not restore any backup!

Doing so I only lost some few data as notices, the arrangement of apps and the text messages.

I hope, this instruction may be helpful for others.

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