Airtel has been giving extremely tough competition to Reliance Jio and other telecom companies. It offers fast recharge, bill payment, affordable broadband plans, callertunes activation, multiple OTT subscriptions & alot more features to the users. Many individuals have been purchasing Airtel SIM and some have also got their SIM ported from other mobile operators to Airtel. However, when you switch from one network to another then you’re unable to send/receive SMS on an Airtel number. Within 24-48 hours your ported SIM will get activated and you can start sending and receiving messages on Airtel. Though it’s a common reason for message failure there are many more about which we have discussed below. Additionally, the solutions have been also described for quick fixes.

10 Causes & Solutions To Fix Unable To Send/Receive SMS On Airtel Number

You’re likely to encounter technical errors when using a SIM card, mobile, PC, etc. Currently, we’re talking about how to fix incoming and outgoing message failures in Airtel, and here are the main causes & guaranteed workable solutions that you can implement to eliminate this problem.

Outdated Google Messages

On Android devices, Google has an in-built Google Messages app for messaging services. However, if suddenly you’re facing constant hindrance in sending and receiving messages on Airtel then it could be that your messages app is not updated. Your app might also not open if you’re using the old version. Update Google Messages by following the instructions below:

• Step 1: Open Play Store and tap Google Messages on the search bar
• Step 2: Click on the ‘Update’ button beside the Open option. The option to update this app will only be available if Google has launched the latest update

After updating the messaging app, send a message to one of your friends and check whether it’s getting delivered or not. There’s a high probability that if network settings are accurate and you have enough balance then updating the app will quickly resolve the issue.

Used Wrong Country Code

+91 is the country code for India. If you’re sending a message to someone in India without this country code or entered some other symbol digit by mistake then your message won’t get delivered to them. Also, you will not receive a message if someone has not entered the +91 code before your number while sending you a message. If someone complains to you that they’re unable to send you a text message then ask them to check if they have added the +91 prefix before the 10-digit number or not.

Incorrect SMSC Number

Certainly, the most common reason can be resolved within seconds. You can update the right SMSC number from your device message settings or by dialling *#*#4636#*#* USSD code. Each state has a separate SMSC number so make sure that the SMS centre number entered in your device is assigned for your region. Upon updating the correct SMSC number your message services will work efficiently.

Device Message Storage Full

Google Messages also occupies space to store messages just like WhatsApp occupies storage for media, documents, chats, etc. If you’re a frequent SMS user and use text messages to communicate with your friends then after a certain period your storage will get full unexpectedly. This will be another reason if you’re unable to send/receive SMS on Airtel number. Henceforth, you need to delete unused old messages to resume the process of sending and receiving messages on your Airtel number.

Activated Airplane Mode By Mistake

Unfortunately, if you have Airplane mode turned on then you won’t be able to send/receive SMS on Airtel number. This feature prohibits all communication services on your device until it’s disabled again. It’s possible that you might have turned it on by mistake and forgot about it. To disable airplane mode on Android and iOS follow the below-mentioned guidelines:

• For Android: Scroll Notification Tray > Tap on the Airplane icon and turn it off
• For iOS: Swipe up from the bottom to access Control Centre and then click on the Airplane icon to disable it temporarily

Turned Off Background Data

It’s essential to activate “Background Data” for the streamlined performance of Google Messages. If it’s misconfigured while rebooting the device then activate it for prohibiting incoming and outgoing message failure. Tap on the Message icon and click the ‘i’ symbol. You’ll be directed to the App Info menu. Now, go to Data Usage and toggle the button to the right. As soon as you activate this your message services will stabilize.

Also Read: Airtel Postpaid To Prepaid Process | Documents Required

Not Inserted SIM Card Accurately

Not placing your Airtel Prepaid or Airtel Postpaid SIM card properly on the SIM tray can lead to network issues. This eventually leads to violations in communication services. Remove your SIM Card and insert it again with a proper approach. You can also clean the tray for extra precautions. Wait for a few seconds after inserting the SIM card and once the network bar is visible send a sample message to anyone in your contacts to see if the issue is fixed. You can also go to messages and check if your failed messages are delivered to another recipient. If messages are getting delivered and you’re getting a response from the recipient then inserting the SIM correctly worked out for you.

Not Enough Or Zero SMS Balance

Check if you have sufficient balance to send and receive text messages. If your balance validity is over then SMS services will be disrupted. You need to recharge again to continue using the SMS services. If you’re a Postpaid user and haven’t paid the monthly bill then make sure to clear your dues using a Wi-Fi connection to use voice, data, and SMS services. You can easily send and receive messages on your Airtel number if there’s necessary balance available to use that service. You can check plans on Airtel Official Website, Paytm, PhonePe,  Airtel Thanks App etc.

Deactivate iMessage On iPhone

If you’ve made a switch from Android to iOS device without disabling iMessages then your messages won’t get delivered to your new Android device. You need to turn off iMessage on your iPhone to use SMS services on Android. Open your iPhone > Go to Settings menu > Messages > Turn Off iMessage and now you can use messaging services on Android anytime. Make sure that you’re removing and inserting the SIM card properly while performing this procedure on both devices.

Inactivated New Airtel SIM

If you recently blocked or deactivated your old Airtel SIM and got a replacement SIM then you’ll be unable to send/receive SMS on your Airtel number until 24 hours. Your new SIM will get activated within a day once you complete the tele-verification process via IVR. So, if you try to send messages before 24 hours then they’ll likely fail as the SIM card is not fully activated. In such cases, you’ll also not receive messages on your number from anyone.

Alternative Fixes You Can Try

You can also try your hands on a few other useful fixes that resolve the message failure issue on Airtel. The approach is quite simple like removing excessive cache via settings, paying the mobile bill on time, or sending messages in a proper format within a specific limit asserted by the SMS Department. In case you need any assistance with these methods drop your queries in the comments section and we’ll specify the solutions.

• Delete Accumulated Data & Cache
• Recharge Your Airtel Number With Valid SMS Pack
• Updating To Newly Launched Device Software
• Message Within Word Count Of 160 Characters
• Follow Message Format Correctly For Business Entities
• Avoid Using Illegal Or Offensive Language
• Pay Pending Airtel Postpaid Mobile Bills (If Any)
• Clean SIM Tray With Cotton Swab Or Cloth
• Disable DND (Do Not Disturb) Mode
• Don’t Use 6 Months Old SIM Card Instead Buy New One ( All services are stopped if a SIM card is not used for 90 days or more than 6 months)
• Block Spam Messages From Settings
• Reset or Restart Your Device ( Take a data backup if you’re resetting your smartphone)
• Set Date & Time According To Current Year & Zone

Also Read: Airtel Duplicate Bill For Postpaid And Broadband

Conclusion

SMS is an instant source of communication when internet services are unstable or down. You all would also completely agree that having multiple sources of communication is better than just relying on one. These text messages are easy to send and just require a good network and enough balance. However, just like the internet, sometimes SMS services also face a glitch that needs to be resolved at the earliest. If you’re unable to send/receive SMS on Airtel then implement the solutions listed in this article for a smooth fix. On the other hand, you can also reach help from Airtel Customer Support for better assistance.