I forgot to tell an interesting experience with FaceTime and iMessage activation few days ago. I’m convinced now that they run on top of magic and glitter

At the beginning of my stay in Israel, Nimroed hook me up with a cellular provider called we4G. It got the cheapest package among all. But first time I put it inside my phone, I can activate FaceTime and iMessage. Over the period of 1-2 months it keep sending weird string to apple server through my sms.

I look up on the internet, and most of the article said we4G didn’t support FaceTime and iMessage. I kinda just let it go, but I do missed out the synchronized SMS and regular call in my MBP. And then, one day the activation success. I didn’t do anything different, it just suddenly working

2 months ago, Nimroed decide to change my phone operator because we4G decide to raise their package. So he registered my number to another cellular provider called 019 mobile. I got the replacement SIM card 2 months ago, installed it in my phone, and I tried to activate the FaceTime and iMessage again

Just like before. It doesn’t work right away. I waited 1-2 weeks, patiently, and it still not activated yet. So I called 019 costumer service. They said they didn’t support FaceTime and iMessage. Well, from what I read in the apple support webpage, apple said that I just need to enable international sms support.

I told them that, and asked them to activate my international sms support. I knew my international sms didn’t on by default since I tried texting my friend outside the country a d it didn’t went through

So after activation, I turn on the FaceTime and iMessage again. And they still didn’t work. I expected my phone some weird text message like what we4G did before. But it didn’t do anything. The activation just failed.

So last Tuesday I called apple support. Since I called the English support, they sent my support request to someone in Ireland. I knew from his accents. Talked almost 1 hour. He ran trough very basic diagnostic, and one thing I didn’t know that you can actually “Remote Desktop” iOS with just Apple ID, like in MacOS til

‎‎😙 : ngeri kali ya remote by apple id.. butuh berapa authorization itu sebelum bisa diremote

He seems doesn’t know the answer, I explained as much as I can, so he eventually consult to more experienced supervisor. But at the end his answer is my cellular operators didn’t support iMessage and FaceTime. But I explain I able to activate them before, even when We4G was not supported

So. I accept my defeats. So Nimroed perform another number transfer to We4G. Because it still have the cheapest package after 019. Got all the necessary email for my SIM card delivery. So we go on with our live

So this is where the magic happened. Half our later, when I’m using my MBP, I got a confirmation alert to accept my number for FaceTime and iMessage. I actually didn’t read it, but I assumed it tried to activated again.

Few minutes later I open my iPad, I got the same message. And I read the message. It doesn’t said something like trying to activated but it said add new number to your iMessage and FaceTime. And then it hit me. The activation suddenly succeeded.

So I check my phone. The number still unchecked, so I checked tap it and low and behold it activated . It just suddenly working right after I called apple support. So magical.

I bet there’s a technical explanation, like someone in apple actually flick on the switch for my number so the activation is now complete.

[string] : it’s actually easy. Just open the Remote Desktop apps in macOS, put the Apple ID, and on the other end there will be a confirmation box to accept or decline the request . This will be helpful next time I tried to help my parents with their phones.