Getting text messages after having iPhone off for 4 months

[Schnebar]

I have been in Europe for 4 months and left my 3G iPhone at home in California. I just got home and am using it now. It gets text messages and calls but since I have turned it on, I still have not gotten any of the voice mails or text messages that I was sent to it over the past 4 months.

I am sure people have tried to text me because I have been asked over email why I didn't respond and I had to tell them I didn't have my phone in Europe.

I am assuming that randomly one time in the next few days my phone will get a bunch of text messages but is there a way to trick the phone into checking now and downloading the old text messages?

Thanks

 

[mstrze]

I have been in Europe for 4 months and left my 3G iPhone at home in California. I just got home and am using it now. It gets text messages and calls but since I have turned it on, I still have not gotten any of the voice mails or text messages that I was sent to it over the past 4 months.

I am sure people have tried to text me because I have been asked over email why I didn't respond and I had to tell them I didn't have my phone in Europe.

I am assuming that randomly one time in the next few days my phone will get a bunch of text messages but is there a way to trick the phone into checking now and downloading the old text messages?

Thanks

I would imagine that these messages have a timeout period...after 24 hours or so, they just get deleted if they cannot be delivered.

I could be wrong, but I doubt there is an easy way (without AT&T going into their archives) to get these texts.

 

[Max.]

I would imagine that these messages have a timeout period...after 24 hours or so, they just get deleted if they cannot be delivered.

I could be wrong, but I doubt there is an easy way (without AT&T going into their archives) to get these texts.

I'd also assume this is correct. Most networks have an Expiry Date which some phones let you set yourself, I think the average is 3 days, I'm not sure though but I'd expect AT&T has this.

 

[Applejuiced]

I would imagine that these messages have a timeout period...after 24 hours or so, they just get deleted if they cannot be delivered.

I could be wrong, but I doubt there is an easy way (without AT&T going into their archives) to get these texts.

Correct.
It dont think the text message to arrive after 4 months will do any good anyway

 

[bigjnyc]

My friend had this very same issue and an AT&T rep told him the message is lost after 3 days sorry. He was also told there was no way for them to unarchive them for him or force them to his phone. This was about a year ago though so things may have changed, I would try calling its worth a shot.

 

[yourdailyapple]

To be honest, i think its kinda strange. A text message almost uses no storage at all, and they don't have to try to push the message all the time. Cause they know when your phone is connected to the network or not, sometimes it can take a few hours for text messages to show up. Maybe it helps, if you do some text messages yourself (not sure if it helps, but you can always try).

 

[josielinnea]

This is normal and all networks and/or cell phones have a timeout period for text messages. I think the longest time I've ever seen the option of choosing is 3 weeks though.
But the messages sent to you during these weeks are not sent every hour or so, and you have no way of knowing when they will show up. I think the longer your phone has been off, the longer the pauses between the network trying to deliver them again.