iMessage & FaceTime waiting for activation ios 9.1

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Level 1

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iMessage & FaceTime waiting for activation ios 9.1

I am getting waiting for activation on both iMessage and facetime on iphone 5s ios 9.1. I can see my icloud email ID in send and receive but my cell phone number is not even listed there.

It activate imessage and FaceTime only on icloud email ID but for cell number it show waiting activation.

I Called apple support and talked to them for 55 min but they failed to rectify the issue and at the end they said leave imessage and facetime ON for 24 hours we will call you again to know if activation has been done or not so i left my iphone with imessage and FaceTime waiting for activation for 24 hours but after 2 hours i got sms from my cell phone carrier that you are out of your prepaid credit and when I check sms statement i saw iMessage and facetime has sent almost 40 sms to apple server number i.e. 07786205094. I have been charged Pakistan Rupees 6.00 per sms to this number but activation was not done

This is serious issue its time to sue Apple for sending 40 sms to international number for failed activation of iMessage and FaceTime.

.

iPhone 5s, iOS 9.1, null

Posted on Nov 2, 2015 12:17 PM

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Answer 1

faryaz Author

Level 1

5 points

Nov 6, 2015 4:55 AM in response to faryaz

It was working on ios 9.1 till 31st oct 2015 and on that day i reset my iphone from Setting >> General >>> reset >> reset network settings.

After that imessage showing waiting for activation. I can see only my icloud ID in Setting >>> iMessage >>> Send & Receive but my mobile number is not even listed there. Same issue with FaceTime.

I tried to turn OFF then back ON iMessage and Facetim but no success. I can only use my icloud ID not mobile number. Or you can say for mobile number is show waiting for activation.

I restored ios 9.1 via itunes in both recovery mode and DFU mode but no success at all.

I have attached the screenshot below so that Apple support can look and find some solution. Also I talked with my carrier Telenor PK they said everything OK from their END.

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Answer 2

ChrisJ4203

Level 10

236,309 points

Nov 6, 2015 8:11 AM in response to faryaz

After taking a look at this support document from Apple, Wireless carrier support and features for iPhone in Asia-Pacific - Apple Support it shows that FaceTime is not available in Pakistan. That could explain some of the issues you are experiencing in activation. Try turning off both FaceTime and iMessage activation. Reset the phone by holding the sleep/wake and home buttons together until you see the Apple logo and then release. After that, just try turning on iMessage and not FaceTime and see if it will activate. With what is reported in this support document, it could be your attempt to activate both at the same time could be resulting in the failure. Try iMessage by itself first and see if that would be successful.

Also, posting screenshots here is not going to do anything for Apple, as they do not participate in the forum. They are not going to see your screenshots here.

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Answer 3

ChrisJ4203

Level 10

236,309 points

Nov 2, 2015 12:21 PM in response to faryaz

This is what happens when you use a carrier that is not supportive of iMessage, or else you would not be charged for the activation SMS. The information that an international SMS is sent is part of the iMessage information, nothing to sue about. Use a supported carrier.

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Answer 4

faryaz Author

Level 1

5 points

Nov 2, 2015 12:36 PM in response to ChrisJ4203

that is what i said above. I talked with apple support they told me there will be one time sms charge to international number and that is normal thing and they also said leave it for 24 hours for activation

now the thing is iphone keep on sending sms to apple server but not activate it.

by the way imessage and FaceTime activation sms is not free

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Answer 5

ChrisJ4203

Level 10

236,309 points

Nov 2, 2015 1:31 PM in response to faryaz

I'm sorry the activation SMS is not free. Supported carriers normally waive the fee for that SMS. If it has not activated in 24 hours is when you need to contact them, not continue to try to activate it unless Apple advises you of such. Seems that something is preventing your activation, but you will need to work that out with Apple, so long as you are using a supported carrier. If in fact you are using an Apple Supported carrier, then contact the carrier and ask them why you are being charged for the activation SMS and if they support iMessage. Sounds like something about the sending and/or receiving of the activation SMS is not working correctly. You will need to work that out with your carrier and Apple.

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Answer 6

ChrisJ4203

Level 10

236,309 points

Nov 3, 2015 9:39 AM in response to faryaz

No, that is the carrier saying something to get you to leave them alone. Apple has nothing to do with how your carrier bills you for anything. Apple does nothing to prevent billing by your carrier. While Apple can assist you with activation issues, they do not control the carriers. There is no glitch in iOS 9.1 for activation of iMessage and/or FaceTime.

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Answer 7

faryaz Author

Level 1

5 points

Nov 3, 2015 10:03 AM in response to KiltedTim

Yes it is in the list and I have activated and used iMessage and Facetime on carrier's 3G and on home internet wifi as well.

Carrier: Telenor Pakistan

FYI: iMessage and Facetime both were working (activated) fine 4 days ago but I reset my iPhone after that it is showing waiting for activation.

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Answer 8

faryaz Author

Level 1

5 points

Nov 3, 2015 10:05 AM in response to ChrisJ4203

I am not saying they control carrier or billing. What I mean is after almost 50 International SMS to apple server it still showing waiting for activation. My carrier is saying everything fine from their End and activation sms is going fine through their network but either from apple server or ios it is not activating.

so this is not true your carries is not supporting because they are charging you for imessage or facetime activation so the serious issue is iphone has sent almost 50 international sms to apple server for the activation but still showing "Waiting for activation" and after 20 or 30 minute iphone keep on sending another sms to apple server for iMessage and Facetime activation but all is vein, no luck, waste of time and money.

FYI i restored iPhone via iTunes (recovery and DFU mode ) but still same issue.

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Answer 9

KiltedTim

Level 10

225,924 points

Nov 3, 2015 10:06 AM in response to faryaz

Then contact your carrier again. They should not be charging you for the SMS messages used for the activation. If they are not flowing properly, the problem is on their end. This is not a problem that Apple can solve, it's strictly a carrier issue. They may need to re-provision your account.

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Answer 10

ChrisJ4203

Level 10

236,309 points

Nov 3, 2015 10:10 AM in response to faryaz

If your carrier is saying everything is fine, then did you contact Apple again as I advised you to do earlier. If the Apple server is not responding, then Apple needs to deal with that. Any of the billing issues need to be dealt with through your carrier. You need to tell Apple that you have waited the 24 hours and that your phone is sending the SMS but the servers are not responding. They can troubleshoot that on their end, but they do not troubleshoot billing.

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Answer 11

faryaz Author

Level 1

5 points

Nov 3, 2015 10:13 AM in response to ChrisJ4203

Yes. I talked with apple support yesterday and after 55 min conversation and going through troubleshooting on iphone settings they said we will call you again after 24 hours but no cal after 24 hours. I will call them again tomorrow.

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Answer 12

faryaz Author

Level 1

5 points

Nov 6, 2015 8:12 AM in response to ChrisJ4203

I have activated and used facetime since 2012 in Pakistan on same carreir. As i told you I last time activated both on 22nd Oct after restoring iPhone via itunes on ios 9.1. On 31st Oct I reset iphone as i told in above posts and after that I am facing the issue.

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Answer 13

faryaz Author

Level 1

5 points

Nov 9, 2015 9:51 AM in response to sareshi

Wow. That means telenor numbers are blocked in apple server. I will get ufone or zong sim to confirm this.

or may be only few numbers are blocked in server due to some glitches or bug.

if you can check your sms Statement on ufone and telenor please do it and see on which international number iphone sent sms for activation. If you so not know how to check i cam help you so that i can tell apple support what are the issue cuz i talked again today to check the status of my case ghey said your iphone is sending sms to uk number which is not supporting your telenor number.

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Answer 14

sareshi

Level 1

9 points

Nov 9, 2015 9:56 AM in response to faryaz

But why was it working i 9.0.2? and if the UK server is incorrect why is that being used for Activation. This would suggest that in 9.2 our iPhones are using the wrong servers for activation. Shouldn't that be something Apple can fix? And Ufone is getting activated so that must be going to right server.

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Answer 15

faryaz Author

Level 1

5 points

Nov 9, 2015 10:35 AM in response to sareshi

Yes that is my point to Apple Senior advisor in USA but he said this is what our support engineer has commented on your case then i told him this is not true because I last time activated on ios 9.1 on 22nd oct 2015 and on 31st oct I reset my iphone after that I facing this issue he was then totally clueless and agains said this is what our support engineer are telling us.

BTW my iphone is sending sms to Apple server in UK on this number: +447786205094 and according to Apple support in USA your iPhone is sending sms from Pakistan to UK number which is not supportive. 😀

Well it was supporting till 22nd oct and now how come ? 😀

have you checked with other telenor number ?

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