FaceTime??? What gives it won't activate

[j7469]

here is what i get

Did you try the steps I listed above? If both those didn't work, if you have a Apple store close by go to apple.com (or use the apple store app on your phone) and setup a free appointment with the Genius bar and they should be able to help you.

I'm sure a Verizon store could too but starting the 10th they will be packed (Apple store won't be far behind either). So I'd go tomorrow if I were you.

 

[jb1dsl]

I haven't tried those steps yet. No apple store even remotely close and the V store reps are very disappointing here.

 

[jb1dsl]

Tried *228 but a no go there too. I guess I will try the iTunes restore and activate.

 

[jb1dsl]

Jumped over to the apple.com forums and looks like it has something to do with the phone not registering properly on the V network. See at the top of the screen capture it doesn't say Verizon ever. Apple and Verizon are working on a fix for the problem. Most I'm reading are old ALLTEL customers like me. Looks like they have tried all the tactics you guys said try but no fix yet. Will keep ya posted when there is a fix.

 

[joekawasaki]

Jumped over to the apple.com forums and looks like it has something to do with the phone not registering properly on the V network. See at the top of the screen capture it doesn't say Verizon ever. Apple and Verizon are working on a fix for the problem. Most I'm reading are old ALLTEL customers like me. Looks like they have tried all the tactics you guys said try but no fix yet. Will keep ya posted when there is a fix.

A guy on the VZW forums had the same problem. He was on an Alltel plan. He changed to a Verizon plan and now his FaceTime works and it says Verizon in the menu bar at the top. I am also on an Alltel plan. It's not worth $13 a month for me to have my phone say Verizon on it unless there is some other benefit that I am not aware of in switching.

 

[jb1dsl]

I wont be changing to a verizon plan either. They cant touch the price and benifits of my old alltel plan. Unlimited data, text, nights and weekends at 7, m2m, and the list keeps going.

 

[jb1dsl]

Did anyone else that can not get facetime to work figure anything out through the night. Still not working and no answers yet

 

[scorpiodsu]

Did anyone else that can not get facetime to work figure anything out through the night. Still not working and no answers yet

Not sure it will work with the old Alltel plan.

 

[jb1dsl]

Not sure it will work with the old Alltel plan.

If it wont work on an Alltel plan then facetime isnt worth changing for. There has to be a way big V can get it to work.

 

[DoctorK]

Spent about 30 minutes w/ Verizon tech support last night, and 30 mins w/ Apple this morning. Apparently it's very common w/ former Alltel subscribers. That's not me though - I did an ESN swap. I was able to face time before the ESN swap, but after the swap I get the "waiting for activation." Things I tried, both on my own and at Apple Tech Support's prompting (all of which were unsuccessful for me, but might work for someone else):
- reset network settings (numerous times)
- reset all settings (numerous times)
- turn facetime on and off and back on again
- turn facetime off, power phone down, then back on again, then turn facetime on again
- hard reset
- make sure I could send and receive both SMS and MMS

The Apple guy then put me on hold and worked w/ Verizon to ensure that my text messaging was set up correctly (it was). Then he asked her to remove text messaging from my account and then re-provision it. Still didn't work.

So, the Apple guy has escalated it to the FaceTime engineers to find out if they are receiving the SMS Activation Request from my phone (they should be) and if so, why their servers are not send back an "OK to Activate" message. May just need to be reset or something.

He hopes to have an answer and get back to me today. I will post back here when I hear back.

My guess is that the FaceTime servers are getting the SMS from my phone and denying activation because they "think" my phone should be assigned to a different number. We'll see...

 

[DoctorK]

OK, the reply from the FaceTime engineers is that, because I switched ESNs, I have to do a complete restore as a new device. Yay. I will give that a shot tonight and report back.

 

[DoctorK]

Another update... restoring did nothing. AppleCare conferenced in Verizon who basically took all features off my line, then added them back in, had me do a re-activation, still nothing. It appears to be something wrong with the FaceTime Activation database where it's still linked to my old number so it won't authorize my new number. The issue has been passed up to the FaceTime engineers and hopefully we'll have some more information in the morning...

 

[wcarlson40#IM]

Dang, same problem here. Just ported my number from a Sprint line to Verizon, and FaceTime won't enable.....

 

[aggieastrosfan]

Having issues here also. Always VZW customer, didn't do any ESN swapping. I go into Settings > Phone, and see the option for FaceTime. It's set to OFF, but under it says "Your phone number will be shared with people you call with FaceTime". I set it to on. I go back to settings. Go into phone again, and it's back to off. No matter what I do, as soon as I leave the screen it sets to off. I tried to use my iPod to do a FT call, and it said I wasn't available for FT.

I restored a backup from my iPod, and it's giving me other issues with the Favorites list, so I'm thinking I have to suck it up and restore.

 

[iSRS]

If it wont work on an Alltel plan then facetime isnt worth changing for. There has to be a way big V can get it to work.

I think I get what you are saying, but there is no charge for FaceTime.

 

[DoctorK]

The latest word from the engineers is that they are working with Verizon to diagnose what's wrong with my phone. I have spent about 5 hours over the last 48 hours on tech support calls with Verizon and Apple to get this fixed. It's not a major feature, I understand that. But it's something that is unique to the iPhone and something they marketed as being a "game changer." So I would like it to work, and I would rather not have to spend more time on tech support or restore as new and re-install everything again.

At what point is it reasonable (or advisable) to ask for a replacement?

 

[wcarlson40#IM]

The latest word from the engineers is that they are working with Verizon to diagnose what's wrong with my phone. I have spent about 5 hours over the last 48 hours on tech support calls with Verizon and Apple to get this fixed. It's not a major feature, I understand that. But it's something that is unique to the iPhone and something they marketed as being a "game changer." So I would like it to work, and I would rather not have to spend more time on tech support or restore as new and re-install everything again.

At what point is it reasonable (or advisable) to ask for a replacement?

Agreed. I bought both a Iphone 4 and an Ipod Touch specifically so I could FaceTime to my family while I travel. It IS a major feature....

 

[iSRS]

At what point is it reasonable (or advisable) to ask for a replacement?

I would think now if it is indeed a hardware issue. It doesn't sound it from what I am reading, but I also wouldn't wait too long since Verizon's return policy is 14 days.

 

[wcarlson40#IM]

I just found an app that will apparently fix the problem, but it requires a jailbreak.

About | MiTime.info

The pure idea that an app like this exists pisses me off. It means Apple is INTENTIONALLY trying to block FaceTime on other carriers, and they haven't yet realized that they screwed up when they are also blocking LEGITIMATE customers that ported their phone number to Verizon from another carrier...

 

[DoctorK]

I bought it from the Apple store, so I have a 30-day return policy, but it's still under a 1 year warranty, so I'm not too concerned about that...