(FaceTime doesn't work) Major Apple Server and/or SoftBank Japan problem

[patent10021]

Hi

Friend has a big problem. She can't get FaceTime working on SoftBank here in Japan. The FaceTime buttons do not show up. We've tried everything. A reset, toggling the obvious Phone FaceTime and WiFi buttons, and I even swapped SIM cards with hers. Low and behold FaceTime works on her iP4 with my SIM card. So we take it into SoftBank and they can't figure the problem out. No surprise there. They finally agree to sign her up again for free (as a new contract), which she hasn't done yet because we want to see if there are any other solutions. This new contract might work as she would receive new activation. However even the staff are skeptical that a new contract would change anything. If you can believe it, when she took it to the Apple store, the staff nonchalantly suggested she use Skype instead and left it at that. ***** morons. There are various jailbreaking settings/utilities available to force FaceTime on other carriers so I'm considering doing that and if it doesn't work just doing a restore. Maybe even try using FaceTime on 3G jailbreak app JUST to get it working then do a restore.

Any suggestions?

Thanks

 

[Applejuiced]

Sounds like something is screwed up on the carrier side and maybe settings on her account need to be checked by their tech support and not just regural company reps but further down.
Since she's on official carrier facetime should activate.
Did you try restoring and setting up as new phone?

 

[johnbee]

use Skype

 

[patent10021]

Sounds like something is screwed up on the carrier side and maybe settings on her account need to be checked by their tech support and not just regural company reps but further down.
Since she's on official carrier facetime should activate.
Did you try restoring and setting up as new phone?

Yes. I tried EVERYTHING except getting her to get a new contract. Applejuiced...if it was something on SoftBank's end (which it obviously is since FaceTime worked with my SIM card), what sort of problem would it be? Would something like getting a new contract with telephone number fix the problem? It might since EVERYTHING is new right from the get go right i.e. the provisioning of the IMEI to the SIM. So this MIGHT fix it hey? Those jailbreak apps that force FaceTime to work on other carriers in the Middle East etc; I wonder how those work? Maybe those apps are merely enabling FaceTime whereas my friend's issue is all the way back at the root provisioning/IMEI registration etc hey?

 

[Mlrollin91]

I believe I read something right when the iPhone 4 came out that FaceTime requires a SMS/MMS package.

 

[patent10021]

I believe I read something right when the iPhone 4 came out that FaceTime requires a SMS/MMS package.

Yes, and that has been the problem for some in the USA. But here in Japan you have no choice. You are put on a plan that automatically has SMS/MMS. That's why we all have text messaging. It's possible they somehow messed something up but I have no idea what it would be.

 

[kaifs]

I troubleshoot face time (usually stuck on 'waiting on activation' via below steps, it usually ends up working:
a) Reset Network Settings on your iphone (first but rarely successful on the first try)
b) https://appleid.apple.com/ and make sure you can sign in and authenticate (Face time is AN APPLE DRIVEN app), also make sure you are signed into itunes on your iphone.
c) MiTime (pushfix)
d) finally disable all the mobile substrate add-ons and try again...

ONE OF THE KEY FACTORS: have WiFi enabled AND connected via any/all steps... After it is working and you want to force it via 3G, thats fine, but to get it set/working first WiFi is a must.