Sudden International SMS issue

[ElleM]

Hello

I've had an S21 Ultra (SC-52B) since last Spring. I  only use International SMS rarely  and everything was working fine, but now messages sent from overseas are not getting to my phone. (Domestic SMS both send and arrive no problem)

Just a bit of geographical background. I am actually in Japan and trying to receive SMS from the UK. Samsung doesn't have a big presence here and they don't have communities like this which is why I'm asking here.

I have spent hours on calls to my phone provider and they've run through the usual checks and found no obvious reason for this.

The phone came with the provider's own message app (called +Message) as default, but I've also tried using Messages from the Play Store and it's the same problem.

Suddenly not receiving International SMS seems like such a specific problem that I was wondering if I'm missing some kind of setting/check/update.

Thanks in advance.

[-Robot-]

Have you tried your sim in another phone, that will help you isolate if phoen is issue or sim

[ate435]

I also faced the same issue when my friend sent me an SMS from Dubai as you can see here some of the information about it.

[ElleM]

Thanks for the suggestion. I just tried that now. Texted a friend in the UK with the SIM in another phone. Again, my message got to them, but their reply didn't arrive. I guess this may mean it isn't a problem with the phone itself then?

Obviously, I don't have any idea about all the technical side, but the fact that my SMS go out ok makes me wonder if there is something on the receiving side that is preventing them getting 'pushed' through to the network I am on.

[-Robot-]

I would think that's a carrier issue, check with your carrier as to that's what I would think it is if it sends

You may need have a dodgy sim and need to be replaced

[ElleM]

 That makes the most sense since the international SMS were getting here fine at first. I appreciate your input and advice. Thank you.

[-Robot-]

You're welcome 🙂

[ElleM]

Dear Robot (and anyone else who may have an idea)

Sorry for bringing you back into this thread, but I wonder if you have any extra input on this latest update to this issue:

-I got a new SIM but it didn't resolve the problem.

-As an experiment, I  put a friend's SIM in my phone and it was able to get International SMS with their number (this probably confirms there isn't a physical problem with the phone).

I put my new SIM in friend's phone...but yet again, no International SMS arrived.

I am waiting on a call  back from the carrier. They are running all sorts of diagnostics, but I feel they are as lost as I am.

It's like the problem is linked to the SIM data related to my number.  As  everything was fine for the first 6 months or so, it is baffling as to why it has suddenly gone wrong.

I have begun researching  what is on an actual SIM and have been trying to get my head round terms like IMIS, network authorization/authentication (?), etc. I just wondered if there are any key words that could be related to this very specific problem that I could mention to the carrier ?

It doesn't help that the S21 Ultra is no longer sold so very hard to get hold of the same device and try things out under similar conditions....

Thanks in advance.

[-Robot-]

Try bugge*d, sh*t don't work 🤭

Sorry shouldnt make fun of your situation, I wouldn't go as far to try understand sms and communication protocols

just explain it doesn't work and that it is obviously sim or partner network issue. demand they fix it and give you compensate you for loss of service

When money is involved they tend to work harder

[ElleM]

You're right. It is up to them to sort out for sure. Just hard to get that across as they are constantly trying to pass the buck ( I even got a "Are your friends in the UK entering the right number?" 😒) 

Anyhow, will keep pushing them. Thanks again!