Tech help needed please

[ElfDragon]

Sorry, it’s a bit longer, but thought I’d better add details (in case anyone is interested in trying to problem solve!)

I thought I was doing ok with tech stuff - not an expert by any means, but could generally work most things out - but I’ve now stuffed up in a big way.

Dd2 has an iPhone (6s), on giffgaff. New at Christmas. All was working fine, but then her friend (let’s call her Jane) lost her phone, and got a new one.

Since Jane changed phone (and, I think, phone number), dd2 and Jane have not been able to send each other picture/video texts. Jane has an iPhone too (not sure which, but probably newer model than dd2’s). Jane and dd2’s texts used to be blue (so iMessages), but since new phone, texts have been green (so normal texts, not iMessages). Jane can send and receive pictures/videos from other friends, so it seems to be a weird non-connection between dd2 and Jane.

Giffgaff do not allow pictures/videos over normal text (chargeable extra - dd2’s account has no cash in it, just her goody bag each month).

Last night I fiddled around a bit, tried to have a read up, etc, but basically kept coming back to the fact that it was due to not being on iMessage anymore.

This morning, in best troubleshooting style, and thinking it obviously centres around the changeover from old phone to new phone, dd2 deleted the message thread, deleted Jane as a contact, turned phone off/on, then re-added Jane as a contact. She now can’t message Jane at all, not even a plain text. Just comes up as message not delivered.

Help! Jane is one of dd2’s best friends, and while they won’t die from not being able to chat to each other, they were doing a lot of school work together before the Easter break, and will be again afterwards (school very proactive in online learning) and so need this sorted out so they can contact each other again!

Can they use WhatsApp?

Dd2 doesn’t have WhatsApp.

It is a potential solution, obviously, but I would like to solve the issue rather than find a workaround

You can turn imessage on or off from both phones i believe

Yes, we turned dd2’s on/off last night, with no effect.

She sent a message to Jane asking her to do the same, but now doesn’t know if Jane did that, as the situation at dd2’s end now means she can’t contact her at all.

Can she call Jane to check? Set up WiFi calling?

Do you have an iPhone / is it blue to you?

You might have to log a call with Apple and they'll help

Did you go to settings messages and enable the iMessage bit?

She is trying to establish FaceTime calling via her iPad, but it is blocked as Jane doesn’t have her iPad as a contact. We are trying to get this set up.

She cannot call Jane from her phone at all - since the delete/turn off/turn in this morning, she cannot contact Jane via her phone at all, not normal SMS, not phone calls, nothing. It’s weird.

Dd2 currently at her dad’s house, so am doing this as a total third party, just to add to the stress!

iMessages definitely enabled on dd2’s phone.

Both dd2 and Jane can message other friends, including pictures/videos (this is how dd2 has sent pictures, after Jane’s phone change, until now - by sending to a friend and asking them to send on). Dd2 can send messages, including pictures/videos via both iMessage (so comes up blue) and general text (if dd2 is on WiFi as giffgaff charge for picture messages and dd2 has no cash credit) to friend who don’t have iPhones. It’s just Jane that she has this problem with

I do have an iphone, but don’t have Jane’s number - will ask dd2 for it and check. Thanks, that’s one thing we haven’t tried!

Ok, so dd2 has sent Jane a message from her dad’s iPhone (iMessage enabled, as both her/my messages to him are blue), and the text to Jane is green.

Does this mean it’s definitely a problem at Jane’s end? And does anyone know why dd2 can’t contact Jane at all from her (dd2’s) phone now?

I think Jane is the one that doesn't have iMessage enabled

Has someone blocked someone?

No blocking, unless accidental. They are best friends, and there’s been no falling out. Will ask dd2, and will get her to check with Jane.

I too think Jane is the one with the iMessage issue. Until she gets back to dd2, there’s not much more I can do from this (remote) end. But it does all point to that (and has been mentioned by me before now!), especially since all was well when Jane had her old phone, and it is only since new phone that messaging was restricted.

Thanks for all suggestions everyone. Until I hear back from dd2 that she has heard back from Jane, I don’t think there’s anything more that can be done.