FP2 does not receive text messages

[alistair_murray]

Dear folks
My wife’s FP2 is not receiving text messages (SMS) any more, and the problem is driving us crazy. the phone once came with lollipop, and has now received the nougat update. It took us quite a while to notice the problem. It may have started with the upgrade.

Important to know:
-There are two SIM cards in the phone
-Sending text messages works with the FP2
-Receiving text messages works with both card in - an other phone (moto g5+)

What I tried till now:

• swapped sim cards (no.1 into slot 2 and vice versa)
• sent text messages from various numbers and providers to the fp2
• installed alternative text message app- they have access to all the saved messages.
• delete APN’s, boot without sim, boot again with sim.
• shifting the messages to the archive and back. Works nicely, but doesn’t solve the problem.
• I had an 8GB SD card inserted which turned out to be faulty, and replaced it.

I made a very peculiar observation: All the alternative text messengers can access the stored messages. But none of the message backupers (e.g.MyPhoneexplorer) was able to find the messages. Many crashed, others just showed no entries, others gave me error messages like ‘no entries found’. So I am unable to back up the messages. Looks as if FP2 would grant access to messages apps only, and deny access for any text backup app.

Any idea? help would be very welcome
Thanks!
p.s. my email address: <first_name> at <>secand_name> dot country. I live in Switzerland. Deutsch ist auch ok.

[datenteiler]

If you have a multi SIM you have to enter a GSM code to switch the card in your phone to your main card. Only main cards can receive SMS.

Are all settings in the SMS App correct? Did you try to exchange the SMS App with another one like Signal?

[alistair_murray]

thanks for writing!

WhatsApp works nicely, but we still need the text/sms service to
communicate with our elderly parents and in-laws They still use
non-smart old fashioned mobile phones with keyboard (one is a
Doro), and cannot install messengers like WhatsApp.

The two sims in the fp2 are from different providers. Voice and
text/sms is assigned to Swisscom, Data traffic to Salt.

What kind of code do you mean by GSM code? Is it an USSD code?
Where can I find it out?

Thanks! Alistair

[datenteiler]

@alistair_murray

WhatsApp works nicely,

I didn’t say WhatsApp, I said Signal, because Signal can exchange the existing SMS app on your Android, if it is a problem with the settings in your SMS app.

@alistair_murray

What kind of code do you mean by GSM code? Is it an USSD code?
Where can I find it out?

Your provider has the GSM/USSD code. For German T-Mobile it is:

*222#

I don’t know yours.

[alistair_murray]

hi datenteiler

Again, thanks for your fast response.

  Installing Signal was worth a try, but the registration failed.

Guess why… the registration code comes as an SMS. Signal did not
offer registration via voice call. Again - receiving SMS works
with my sim card in other phones. Meanwhile I found out that
another FP OS update was due. It was successfully installed, but
the problem remains the same. I’ll probably have to try a factory
reset. It seems to be the last option!

cheers, Alistair

[AnotherElk]

@alistair_murray

I’ll probably have to try a factory
reset. It seems to be the last option!

Not quite. A factory reset does not change anything on the OS side, it only deletes Apps and user data … which is useful if this is where a fault lies, but …

Installing the Fairphone 2 from scratch in case of failure / Komplette Neuinstallation des Fairphone 2 im Fehlerfall

Updates could go wrong, upgrades could go wrong, own experiments could go wrong, any given thing could go wrong … and the Fairphone 2 doesn’t boot anymore, doesn’t update anymore, doesn’t do any given important thing anymore. Updates können schief gehen, Upgrades können schief gehen, eigene Experimente können schief gehen, irgendetwas anderes kann schief gehen … und das Fairphone 2 bootet nicht mehr, updatet sich nicht mehr, oder tut irgendetwas anderes wichtiges nicht mehr. If even a factory …

[alistair_murray]

Took a few days … I performed a factory reset (without having to re-install the firmware). At least the SMS is now working again. Thanks to the support for helping.

Now a new problem has occurred! I’m unable to charge the battery (gnrrr…!) Although connected the battery drains down to 0%. There is a little flash in the battery in the upper status bar, but it doesn’t charge.
I have

• made sure the battery sits firmly (with a small piece of cardboard)
• checked both cable and charger. Cable suitable for usb data transfer, strong charger (made for a motorola moto 5+ fast charge).
• connedted the fp2 to the charger with the battery taken out. Power supply is ok.
• checked the battery. It is not bloated.

lets see…