topic Re: iMessage not activating with a s new sim in SIM cards & Porting

iMessage not activating with a s new sim

K1L4Anonymous — Wed, 30 Jul 2025 14:58:11 GMT

I recently got a EE Sim just to receive SMS codes since my older one wasn’t working. It said 24 hours to activate but usually my sims work instantly.
When I checked I message and says waiting for activation then says error or unsuccessful

Re: iMessage not activating with a s new sim

Northerner — Wed, 30 Jul 2025 16:48:17 GMT

Hi @K1L4Anonymous

Are you in the UK.

Have you tried restarting your device.

Thanks

Re: iMessage not activating with a s new sim

K1L4Anonymous — Wed, 30 Jul 2025 17:11:31 GMT

Yeah I’m in the UK

i have tried that and nothing changed

Re: iMessage not activating with a s new sim

Alex_H — Wed, 30 Jul 2025 17:37:37 GMT

Hi @K1L4Anonymous,

Welcome to the EE Community

Where is it you got the new SIM from? Is it a pay monthly contract SIM or pay as you go SIM? If it is pay as you go has the SIM been topped up yet?

Does the phone show signal with the SIM in? If so have you had a chance to test any regular SMS or calls to see if they work and if it may just be iMessage needing activation.

Alex

Re: iMessage not activating with a s new sim

bristolian — Wed, 30 Jul 2025 19:33:42 GMT

@Alex_H wrote:
Does the phone show signal with the SIM in? If so have you had a chance to test any regular SMS or calls to see if they work and if it may just be iMessage needing activation.

Try texting NUMBER to 150.

This will force the message to go over SMS rather than Apple's ecosystem. See if this sends & generates a reply.

Re: iMessage not activating with a s new sim

K1L4Anonymous — Wed, 30 Jul 2025 19:38:46 GMT

It’s just a sum I got from the shop just to receive sms codes bc my recent one did it work, I can’t activate the phone number to iMessage bc it’s error or unsuccessful

Re: iMessage not activating with a s new sim

Schockwave — Thu, 31 Jul 2025 08:20:18 GMT

@K1L4Anonymous , have you actually activated the SIM card and was it a replacement SIM card? If you go into settings and then scroll down to messages, check that IMessage is activated.

Do you have signal on your phone? IMessage will not work without the SIM card being activated, and your number not showing in settings either.