Texts and calls going astray?

There's probably nothing more frustrating with your mobile than SMS and calls not working as they should. The cause could be a combination of things, or simply a setting on your device that needs to be changed.

Give these suggestions a shot to get back in action.

Jump to section: Check your coverage | Basic troubleshooting | Still no luck? |  MMS and picture messages |  Problems with iMessage | 

Before you kick off any troubleshooting steps, how's your coverage?

Coverage types and signal level can change depending on your city, town, island or even just location in your house. Moving to a slightly different location can often help with sending or receiving that call or text. Ideally, you want to have at least two signal bars.

Your phone will choose the best network service possible, which could be 3G, 4G or even 5G depending on where you are.

If you're in a place where there isn't normally an issue but still aren't having much luck, there could be a fault or outage in the area. To check this, head over to the 2Degrees (who's network we use) status page.

To see what type of coverage is available within New Zealand with Kiwi Mobile have a look at our coverage page.

If there is an outage - WiFi Calling may be an option until the network is back up and running.

Once you've ruled out an outage, give these a try

  • Completely turn off your phone, and then turn it back on. You'd be shocked at how often this is all that's needed to get things going again. It's also a good idea to make sure your phone is updated to the latest software.

  • If SMS aren't coming through, make sure your SMSC Number is correct. This will be under Service Centre number or Message Service Centre in your settings. It should be set as +64 22 022 7672. Normally you'll find this under Menu > Messages > Message settings.

  • Switch off your WiFi and data to rule out any internet issue.

  • Make sure the number you're trying to call or text is correct and in the correct format. Use the international format (ie you neeed to include +/00 and the country code before the number) for overseas numbers, or add the local area code for landline (ie if you're calling Auckland you need to add 09 at the start of the number). Keep in mind as well, landlines can't receive or send text messages.

  • Try a different number. If that one works, the initial number may be incorrect or there may be a problem with that line, not yours. It might also be worth checking that the number isn't on your device's spam list or block list.

  • If you have a physical SIM card, try it in another device. If the same thing happens, it may be a problem with your SIM and you should contact us on live chat for a possible (free) replacement.

  • If you're running a dual sim set up, make sure the appropriate line/sim is enabled.

No luck with the above? Try these

  • Double-check that Do Not Disturb isn't enabled, because your phone won’t ring for calls or texts otherwise. If you can’t hear notifications, make sure your phone isn't on silent and the volume is up.

  • Check your settings. If they're incorrect, this can impact WiFi, Bluetooth, as well as receiving and making calls. Check out our dedicated settings page for more info. You can also reset your network settings, but remember this will reset everything, including passwords.

  • Make sure you have enough storage on your device - 15% is the bare minimum amount of free space for your phone to work as it should.

  • Keep in mind if you're unable to receive a text due to a reason like your phone being switched off or being out of service, we'll continue to try and deliver it for 72 hours. To get these texts, remember to turn your phone on daily in a place with coverage.

  • Make sure call diverts aren't set up and calls aren't barred. Any kind of barring can mess with your text messages. Check your device's Call Settings to see if that's the problem.

  • Ensure your phone is ‘unlocked’ – if you purchased it from another provider, you might need them to help with this (though this usually only applies to older devices).

Problems with MMS or pictures

If MMS or picture messages aren’t coming through, make sure your internet is working by opening some websites. Remember, it can take longer for MMS or GIFs to arrive, and you can only send them to 10 recipients at once.

Issues specific to Apple devices

iMessage (where the message shows as blue) works slightly differently than a regular SMS - it's worth checking out the Apple Website for problems with this service.

If you or your contact recently moved from an iPhone to a new device, it’s a good idea to turn off or unregister iMessage and FaceTime.