Are you frustrated to as to why Tesco mobile SMS is not working on your iPhone or Android phone? Have you tried looking up the answers on the online community forums but couldn’t find a fix? This guide will explain why the SMS service malfunctions on Tesco mobile and what you can do to rectify the problem.
Although Ofcom has named Tesco mobile as being the least complained-about network for quite a few years, many customers are experiencing problems with Tesco’s SMS service. Users often face texting issues due to their cellphone settings or a technical glitch at the network operator’s end.
Let’s discuss some of the troubleshooting steps for when Tesco SMS is not working.
Why can’t I send or receive texts on Tesco Mobile?




If you can’t send or receive SMS on your cellphone, check out the following reasons to diagnose the issue.
- You are running out of Air time on your Tesco account.
- Tesco SIM card is damaged or misplaced in the card slot.
- Tesco message center number is incorrect under Messages settings.
- You are using your cellphone with out-of-date software.
- The Messages app is not set as the default app in the settings.
- You have switched from an iPhone to an Android phone, but the phone number is still registering with Apple servers.
How to fix Tesco SMS not working?




The following troubleshooting steps can help you fix the Tesco SMS issues on your phone.
Reboot your phone
A quick way to fix SMS issues on any carrier network is to reboot your phone. Doing so can clear temporary bugs in the phone’s software. Furthermore, it can optimize your phone for a better experience with the installed apps.
Check for air time balance
Sending SMS requires sufficient airtime on your Tesco SIM. Depending on the character length of your text message and Tesco, there is specific airtime charged for each sent SMS.
Therefore, if your SMS service is not working, the first thing is to check your Tesco airtime balance. If the balance is low, recharge your Tesco account and try resending the SMS.
Check Tesco message center number
If you cannot send SMS from Tesco mobile SIM, you need to check the service center number on your phone. You can find the SMSC number by opening the Messages app and accessing its settings. Make sure that the service center number displays +353894300000. If it does not, edit the number and type in the correct one.
Reset Messages settings
Sometimes, resetting the Messages app settings to the default value can fix the SMS issues with the Tesco SIM card. To do this, tap on Messages from the home screen and tap on the three dots on the upper right side of the screen. Next, select Settings and reset all settings to the default values. Now restart your phone and confirm that SMS works.
Update phone software
Quite often, your phone, which is exhibiting the SMS issue, is running on an older software version. It’s a good idea to update your phone software as the latest version may contain a patch that can fix the bug in the Messages app, which is not letting you send or receive text messages.
The easiest way to update phone software is by navigating to your phone settings and tapping on the Software Update option. If an update is available for the phone, download it.
Now your phone will automatically restart and install the latest software. Afterward, test the SMS service by sending texts to your friends and family and test the service.
How do I get my text messages after switching from iPhone to Android?




If you’re having trouble receiving SMS on your Android phone from iPhone users, your phone number is most likely still registering with Apple.
Why can’t I receive SMS on my Android phone from iPhone users?
When an iPhone user sends an SMS to another iPhone or Android phone, the iPhone Messages app checks the recipient’s phone number and verifies if it is still registering with Apple. If it does, iPhone bypasses the Carrier network and sends the SMS as an iMessage.
It creates a problem if you, as the recipient, have recently switched from iPhone to Android. Since you can send iMessage to Apple devices, it gets stuck on Apple servers, and you can’t receive the SMS on your android phone. However, the senders will see a confirmation on their iPhones that the SMS has been sent successfully.
So if you were using Tesco mobile SIM on an iPhone and now using the SIM on an Android phone, you need to deregister your Tesco phone number from Apple’s iMessage service.
How to deregister iMessage
To deregister your Tesco phone number from Apple’s service, try the following steps.
- If you still have your iPhone, shift the Tesco SIM card from Android to iPhone.
- Now go to the iPhone Settings menu and tap on Messages.
- Next, toggle the iMessage slider to the Off position.
- Go back to Settings and tap on FaceTime.
- Finally, toggle the FaceTime slider to the Off position.
Afterward, put the Tesco mobile SIM card back in your Android phone and verify that you can receive messages from iPhone users.
How do I get hold of Tesco Mobile?




If you have tried all the above fixes and still can’t send or receive SMS from specific contacts or various phone numbers, the issues can be with the Tesco SIM card rather than your device. In this case, you can contact Tesco mobile online or dial their toll-free customer care number to explain the issue to them.
Furthermore, you can try visiting the nearby Tesco outlet. Hopefully, they’ll sort out your issue.
Conclusion
We’ve tried our best to provide you with the best reasons why Tesco SMS is not working on your Android or iPhone. Hopefully, the fixes in the guide will aid you in finding a fix that will work for your particular SMS sending or receiving problem. Have a nice day!