FaceTime and iMessage: "An error occurred during activation. Try again"

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FaceTime and iMessage: "An error occurred during activation. Try again"

I get the above error message every time I try to set up my kid's iPad Mini but only for FaceTime and iMessage. I can sign both my kids into iCloud (for iCloud Drive, Mail, Keychain etc) without any problems but not into iMessage or FaceTime. I can sign them into iCloud and FaceTime on my MacBook Pro and also on an old iPad 2 one of them uses, so I'm not sure it's just an iCloud account problem. Also, both my wife and I can sign into FaceTime and iMessage without any hassles on the iPad Mini that's causing the problems so it doesn't look like a hardware problem. All devices are connected to the same wifi router and I've made multiple login attempts simultaneously on the different devices which works on all the devices except the iPad Mini, so I don't think it's just a FaceTime server or connectivity problem.

So far I've tried setting the time automatically and also manually, changing DNS settings to include Google and OpenDNS servers, powering off and on, hard resetting, resetting network settings, resetting all settings, OTA updates up to and including iOS 9.0.2, a full reset from iTunes and restoring from backup, a full reset from iTunes and setting up as a new iPad. Nothing I've done has made any difference.

Is there some weird interplay of device, account and service causing problems only when I use my kids' accounts and only on this particular iPad Mini? Any ideas?

iPad Mini, iOS 9.0.2

Posted on Oct 4, 2015 1:06 AM

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Answer 1

100SP

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Oct 5, 2015 5:16 AM in response to vrp_blr

I have been through the exact same process with a new iPad mini 4 I purchased for my wife.

I've spent 3 hours on the phone to apple tech support in Texas and was promised that it would be fixed in the next 24 hours - it hasn't been.

The bizarre thing is that my apple ID works ok but any new IDs, either created via the ipad or via a PC on another network, simply will not authenticate Facetime/iMessage.

This device was purchased expressly to use Facetime and is now, to all intents and purposes, a glorified paperweight.

This experience has very much tarnished my view of Apple products. Software bugs happen all the time, however, Apple need to admit there is a problem and commit to a date when a fix will be made available, at the moment who knows if and when it will be fixed. Either way this will be the last Apple product I will ever buy.

There are other platforms which offer the same or better experience.

I'm sorry I cannot offer any help other than to let you know that you are not alone.

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Answer 2

jadrjadr

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Oct 28, 2015 6:52 AM in response to 100SP

Wow, iMessage is so f**ked, I'd love to switch if possible

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Answer 3

vrp_blr Author

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Oct 28, 2015 6:58 AM in response to 100SP

Yeah. The iPad Mini was a present from my parents to my son and was partly so they could keep in touch with him by FaceTime. I don't know when Apple will fix these problems as reading around they seem to be widespread. I know my father spent several hours on the phone with various levels of Apple Support and eventually his account was able to login to FaceTime on his iPad Mini which he bought at the same time. I don't think he has the patience to do the same for my mother's account which is also suffering these problems.

BTW I was hoping iOS 9.1 would help, but no difference 😟

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Answer 4

jadrjadr

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Oct 28, 2015 7:11 AM in response to vrp_blr

Whats most irritating, is that things break when they update OS. The instability and the many iOS upgrades lately, will push be to choose an android next time. Which will be soon, as my iPhone 4 is about to die under the new iOS'

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