Cannot receive text messages when overseas

[_Finn]

Hello,

I have the Full Works package on my iPhone - including World Talk & Text and Roam Abroad Pass. Roaming is allowed on my eSim and has been activated by EE.

When oversea calls and data all work as expected but I do not receive text messages. In this age of apps requiring 2FA this is a bit of a pain. I do not receive welcome messages from EE when I land and text messages are not received until I return to the UK.

Any ideas? Thanks

[Chris_B]

@_Finn  Have you restarted the device when abroad?   

[_Finn]

@Chris_B Yes I have. I normally have in in airplane mode until final approach and then power cycle it.

[Chris_B]

@_Finn  Are you able to send text messages?  

[_Finn]

No, I don't think so. Most things go as iMessage but it looks like texts do not go.

[bristolian]

Can you be more specific on "it looks like texts do not go"? This implies your Apple phone may have an option to disable SMS, although (being an Android user) I struggle to believe this would affect incoming texts. Manually cycling through alternative networks is the standard first-step for issues such as this.

An incorrect message centre number would prevent outgoing texts, but not so incoming.

[Chris_B]

@bristolian  There is no APN settings on the iPhone so it’s definitely nothing to do with that.  You can disable texts from sending but this is only when iMessage isn’t available so texts do send with this option off.  You can not disable texts completely.    This is a  strange one. 

@_Finn  Can you send texts ok when in the UK ?  (green text bubble)    Just to check do you have dial assist enabled in settings>phone it’s at the bottom? 

[_Finn]

Photo attached is of the attempt at sending from the US.

Texts are fine in the UK. Have just sent one to 150 to test.

Dial assist is enabled.

[XRaySpeX]

Where are you?

[_Finn]

Currently in the UK. Texts failed in US. In US and Canada in a couple of weeks so was hoping for resolution prior to visit.