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iMessage sends SMS instead of iMessage

sponch

sponch

macrumors member
Original poster
Jun 30, 2011
94
25
hi,
my situation:
- iPhone XS with DUAL SIM (recent OS)

primary line: T-Com physical Sim
secondary line: Vodafone eSim
Both SIMs are activated for iMessage & Facetime


Watch Gen4 (recent OS)
- using second Vodafone eSim (same number as in iPhone)

My problem:
as long as my watch is connected to my iPhone I can send iMessage via Watch. When my watch is connected with wifi/cellular I can only sende SMS to my iMessage contacts. When I deactivate primary line (T-Com) On my iPhone and then disconnect the watch I'm able to send iMessage again when connected through Wifi/Cellular (Vodafone) on my watch.
When I reactivate primary line (T-Com) on my iPhone again I can only send SMS when connected through WIFI/Cellular.
I did everything even delete the phone and set up everything manually from scratch.

On "Messages" on phone both numbers are activated. New conversations use Vodafone line.
Apple Support can't help....
Any ideas??

Thanks
Alex
 
Last edited:
I also have a problem with Vodafone (Spain) and e-Sim, however I’m unable to send or receive any form of text while using the watch but no phone. Strangely enough I can make calls, but I can’t receive them and Siri can’t connect, although it shows 2 bars of connectivity. I’ve contacted both Vodafone and Apple but no luck at all. When I have my phone with me, the watch works perfectly.
 
I can make calls too and browse the watche‘s standalone AppStore.
as mentioned above everything works fine as long as i deactivate the second line (tcom).
So I guess my behaviour has something to do with dualism.
 
Just realized that for some contacts iMessage is used (when on cellular/WiFi).
For each of the corresponding contact Vodafone Line is chosen to be used in contacts app

Going crazy....
 
Anyone have an update on this issue? I have an 11 Pro with Verizon and AT&T sims. My primary is Verizzon however, when my series 5 is on cellular everything is sms not iMessage despite the user
 
smf72 said:
Anyone have an update on this issue? I have an 11 Pro with Verizon and AT&T sims. My primary is Verizzon however, when my series 5 is on cellular everything is sms not iMessage despite the user
Click to expand...

Is your watch loaded with one carrier plan or both?
 
At least I’m not alone;>
I have only 1 carrier on my watch which should be used for iMessage. Problem also exists when using WiFi..
Still same problem with 6.2 beta...
 
hexagenia said:
Is your watch loaded with one carrier plan or both?
Click to expand...
I have only one carrier on the watch. However, when the watch switches to only cellular I have to restart the watch and then i can send iMessages. Does any one have this issue with Apple Watch Series 5?
 
As I said with my series 4. same problem. When the watch is disconnected form phone -sms only. After resatarting watch > iMessage.
Enabling connection to iPhone >iMessage. After writing a message on iPhone and then disconnecting watch > sms on watch
 
sponch said:
As I said with my series 4. same problem. When the watch is disconnected form phone -sms only. After resatarting watch > iMessage.
Enabling connection to iPhone >iMessage. After writing a message on iPhone and then disconnecting watch > sms on watch
Click to expand...
Have you reported to apple? I spent 4 hours on the phone to no avail. Ripping my hair out :)
 
sponch said:
hi,
my situation:
- iPhone XS with DUAL SIM (recent OS)

primary line: T-Com physical Sim
secondary line: Vodafone eSim
Both SIMs are activated for iMessage & Facetime


Watch Gen4 (recent OS)
- using second Vodafone eSim (same number as in iPhone)

My problem:
as long as my watch is connected to my iPhone I can send iMessage via Watch. When my watch is connected with wifi/cellular I can only sende SMS to my iMessage contacts. When I deactivate primary line (T-Com) On my iPhone and then disconnect the watch I'm able to send iMessage again when connected through Wifi/Cellular (Vodafone) on my watch.
When I reactivate primary line (T-Com) on my iPhone again I can only send SMS when connected through WIFI/Cellular.
I did everything even delete the phone and set up everything manually from scratch.

On "Messages" on phone both numbers are activated. New conversations use Vodafone line.
Apple Support can't help....
Any ideas??

Thanks
Alex
Click to expand...

I want to make a distinction here ... WatchOS has 'Messages" this is NOT the same as iMessage - even thought it can handle that it is NOT 'iMessage in iCloud" which ONLY sync's iPhone, iOS/iPadOS and macOS for synchronization of iMessages and SMS deletions between those. Apple was NOT clear with iMessages in iCloud announcement back in 2012 ... and it's been hurting WatchOS since.

very annoying.
 
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DeepIn2U said:
I want to make a distinction here ... WatchOS has 'Messages" this is NOT the same as iMessage - even thought it can handle that it is NOT 'iMessage in iCloud" which ONLY sync's iPhone, iOS/iPadOS and macOS for synchronization of iMessages and SMS deletions between those. Apple was NOT clear with iMessages in iCloud announcement back in 2012 ... and it's been hurting WatchOS since.

very annoying.
Click to expand...
Just to be clear I do not have iMessage or SMS when my watch is on LTE or WiFi when I am away from the phone. However, I still have data and can browse the App Store etc. What are the odds of it being carrier provisioning. Also have a series 4 as well that used to work fine but it stopped today after a resync.
 
smf72 said:
Just to be clear I do not have iMessage or SMS when my watch is on LTE or WiFi when I am away from the phone. However, I still have data and can browse the App Store etc. What are the odds of it being carrier provisioning. Also have a series 4 as well that used to work fine but it stopped today after a resync.
Click to expand...

definitely carrier provisioning for SMS/iMessage on WatchOS when you have data on it via LTE on AppleWatch. I personally have a GPS because carrier plans are a bit messed up here in Canada. I'm not a fan of data "sharing" how Bell/Rogers/Telus/Freedom/Fido have it laid out.

Try sending an iMessage from the WatchOS to yourself in order to enable SMS originating/terminating with your carrier for the current digitalSIM on AppleWatch. Unless it's blocked/disabled with your carrier it should work.
 
DeepIn2U said:
definitely carrier provisioning for SMS/iMessage on WatchOS when you have data on it via LTE on AppleWatch. I personally have a GPS because carrier plans are a bit messed up here in Canada. I'm not a fan of data "sharing" how Bell/Rogers/Telus/Freedom/Fido have it laid out.

Try sending an iMessage from the WatchOS to yourself in order to enable SMS originating/terminating with your carrier for the current digitalSIM on AppleWatch. Unless it's blocked/disabled with your carrier it should work.
Click to expand...
But if I restart the phone while on cellular iMessage works. This is so insane. It is doesn't work if for example I leave the house without the phone. Once the restart it works. The transition is not seem less. Also I have one contact that has no issue it just seems to be all my others.
 
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Exactly the same here. Reported it to Apple without success...
 
Sorry, I got a bit lost.

I was told the following:

1) When the watch is connected to the iPhone or the watch is connected to WiFi or cellular AND the iPhone is online/cellular somewhere, I can receive and send SMS as well as iMessages.

2) If iphone is off/disconnected, I can’t get SMS and only iMessage, as long as watch is on WiFi or cellular.

Is that correct?


So for you guys, you can’t send iMessages when it’s supposed to do that but SMS?


Another annoying fact is, you can’t change the used number for iMessage after you’ve established a chat. Super frustrating!
 
AppleMango said:
Sorry, I got a bit lost.

I was told the following:

1) When the watch is connected to the iPhone or the watch is connected to WiFi or cellular AND the iPhone is online/cellular somewhere, I can receive and send SMS as well as iMessages.

2) If iphone is off/disconnected, I can’t get SMS and only iMessage, as long as watch is on WiFi or cellular.

Is that correct?


So for you guys, you can’t send iMessages when it’s supposed to do that but SMS?


Another annoying fact is, you can’t change the used number for iMessage after you’ve established a chat. Super frustrating!
Click to expand...
Correct we can not send iMessage or SMS when away from the phone without a watch reboot. Searching hard for answers. Spent hours with Apple and Verizon it is not a carrier issue. Also I have a Series 4 and Series 5 both setup to the iPhone and both have the same issue. And one more thing my wife has a series 4 to her iPhone and does not have the issue. Part of me is leaning towards the way it handles contacts. Not sure though.
 
I understand.
That is highly frustrating.
I am on a watch series 3 cellular. Went from X to Xs and now 11P.
Had a ridiculous time setting the phone and watch up, till it eventually worked.

Your wife has the same carrier?
Did you have the Problem from the beginning onwards?
 
AppleMango said:
I understand.
That is highly frustrating.
I am on a watch series 3 cellular. Went from X to Xs and now 11P.
Had a ridiculous time setting the phone and watch up, till it eventually worked.

Your wife has the same carrier?
Did you have the Problem from the beginning onwards?
Click to expand...
Same carrier just noticed the issue with the last update however it could have been there before.
 
Finally figured it out. If my secondary sim is active it will not let me send iMessages or sms through the watch on cellular. However, if I shut off the secondary line the watch sends and works perfectly. It must be a bug in the way watchOS handles dual sim even though the watch is activated on the primary line.
 
Last edited:
If I shut off the secondary sim which is an esim on the iPhone the apple watch works as it is supposed to. If I leave the secondary sim on which I only use while traveling the watch will not work with iMessage unless rebooted. Does that make any sense? Hope I explained it well.
 
I understand. Very interesting and annoying.

Let me guess: your wife uses only one sim?


That makes it exactly like @sponch further up the thread, Right? His worked after deactivating second line...that is bizarre!
 
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Correct my wife only uses one sim. It is exactly like @sponch Which i had clued in earlier ;)
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