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Can't send SOME contacts text messages

I've had my iPhone 5 for a week, and out of the blue, some of my contacts can't receive my text messages (I can receive theirs just fine, and even call them successfully). They're on various non-apple phones, but i also have other contacts on non-apple phones who can receive my texts just fine. Most of them are also on verizon, as well. I tried resetting all settings (but not data), and rebooting, but nothing helps. I even checked my My Verizon account and the outgoing messages that are in question aren't even showing up in my Usage Details. It's like they never happen, yet they're in my sent messages on my iPhone. I tried calling *228 but it says I can't even do that. This is frustrating, as it's my first new phone since 2006, and I certainly didn't expect this to be happening.

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Verizon_Support

Hi Mvbc,

I can imagine that this is not the experience you wanted after waiting since 2006 to get a new phone. I do want to begin by explaining that *228 isn't allowed on 4G devices. The iPhone 5 runs on Verizon's 4G system so that programming isn't compatible.

The messaging failure does seem strange though. Have you looked at the contact details from those that fail? Any patterns to how those people are saved? Please double check that they're saved with only the 10-digit number and don't have the 1 in front of the area code. I also suggest trying to contact the people by entering in their number in the compose message instead of using their contact. You will need to delete any threads with that person for this to work. Keep us posted to your experience.

Thank you,

MariaC_VZW

Please follow us on Twitter @VZWSupport

jtf59

We're having the same exact problem. Daughter activated her new iPhone5 a few days ago, moved all of her contacts with the Backup Assistant. She can call and text everyone on her list regardless of device or carrier EXCEPT me. I have an LG Envy 3, she can call me and I can call her and I can text her BUT she can't text me? We called VzW tech support who put me through to Tier II support. They had me *228 my cell and had my daughter power off/on her iPhone5, she texted me after that and it went through! They had her send another and it also went through - problem solved. Except right after we hung up we tried again and got - nothing. So we once again powered off/on her iPhone and she texted me and I rec'd them, well I rec'd the first 2 anyway. After receiving 2 texts from her nothing else would come over yet as before I could text her and we could call each other. Those are the details, power off, turn back on and 2 messages will go through, then nothing and only to my phone. I get all my texts from wife and daughter with the iPhone 4s.

billbucket

I had the same problem with at least two of my contacts on my Droid 2. I believe I've solved it, at least for this particular case.

My example case is two of my roommates, both have iPhones, both on the same network, and I entered the same phone number formatting when creating their contacts. However, one of them, the one I can't send messages to but can receive from, has a linked Facebook account with a phone number formatted with a "+1" in front. That's the link between my working/non-working contacts, a linked Facebook account with a phone number provided.

The three stepper solution is:

1) Erase the manually entered mobile number ( it's possible, actually, that this is all you need to do).

2) Delete the conversation that has the failed/not-really-sent messages.

3) Send a text to that number (for me, formatted as 5035551234), at that point it will automatically link with the existing contact and continue working normally, using the properly formatted number as the default (I don't see another way to change it, but this is simple enough).

This was an interesting problem, because certain geographical locations (different cell towers) would allow sending for the otherwise poorly formatted phone number.

Hope this helps with what was an incredibly frustrating problem.

Cheers.

sjhkick

Found the answer! We had the same problem after activating my new iphone i could no longer send texts to a Droid user. Try this..it worked for me. The iphone user should:

Go to:

Settings

General

Cellular

Roaming -- Turn data roaming "on"

Reboot phone

Good luck to all, so glad it worked!

sjhkick

Found the answer! We had the same problem after activating my new iphone i could no longer send texts to a Droid user. Try this..it worked for me. The iphone user should:

Go to:

Settings

General

Cellular

Roaming -- Turn data roaming "on"

Reboot phone

Good luck to all, so glad it worked!

sjhkick

Found the answer! We had the same problem after activating my new iphone i could no longer send texts to a Droid user. Try this..it worked for me. The iphone user should:

Go to:

Settings

General

Cellular

Roaming -- Turn data roaming "on"

Reboot phone

Good luck to all, so glad it worked!

gqk4

I recently purchased an iPhone 5s for and am having a similar problem.I have been to the Verizon store 4+ times in the past week and they are still unable to tell me what's wrong.They even gave me a new phone (and sim card) and I still have this problem, while this never happened on my 4s. It started working for about an hour after I came back home the second time, but it went back to only some of my contacts receiving my regular texts.

At this point I'm extremely frustrated because it's my work phone and I can only send messages through iMessage. I've tried resetting the network settings, deleting and adding my contacts, making sure there are no additional numbers in front of my contacts' area codes, made sure my roaming data is turned on, and rebooted my phone multiple times. I'm started to give up on this phone, and would really appreciate any additional help.

OEM

Same here...only imessage working...

Did you get it fixed, appreciate any help .

thx

Verizon_Support

Hello OEM

I want you to get all your messages. Let's work together and get this addressed!

What model iPhone do you have? Are you encountering an error message? Have you tried with imessage off?

I look forward to hearing from you.

JoeL_VZW

Follow us on Twitter @VZWSupport

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