This article explains how to verify your cellular data, MMS picture messages, and group text messages on your iPhone. Typically, you want to do this after you have set your wireless carrier’s APN on your iPhone. This article is only for the iPhone. The article is part of a series of articles that explain how to set up your Straight Talk APN on the iPhone but you can follow these steps for any wireless carrier. If you are trying to set the Straight Talk APN and haven’t done so yet, see Setting up Straight Talk Wireless APN for Cellular Data, Internet, MMS Picture Messages on Your iPhone Using iOS 8.
Verify Cellular Data
Follow the steps below to turn off Wi-Fi
- Press Home
- From the bottom of the screen, swipe up
- if Wi-Fi is on, Tap Wifi to turn it off
- From Control Center, swipe down
Once Wi-Fi is off, check to see if you can access the internet using your cellular data connection.
- Press Home
- Tap Safari
On your iPhone, Safari will display whatever web pages you last visited. - Tap address bar
info - Enter a URL, http://smartphonematters.com for example
info - Scroll around, tap random links to visit from different pages
If your cellular data still does not work, see the If Your Cellular Data, MMS Picture Messages, or Group Text Messages Are Not Working section.
Verify MMS Picture Messages
Next verify that you a can send picture messages. Your iPhone sends and receives picture messages two different ways: iMessage and MMS. If you don’t understand the difference between iMessage and MMS see Understanding the Difference between MMS and iMessage on Your iPhone.
- Press Home
info - Tap Messages
I blurred my messages. - Tap New Message
I blurred my messages. - Tap To and enter a name
- Tap Camera
v
- Select a photo
I selected a photo from the recents photos. You can do that, use the camera, or find one in your photo library - Tap Add Comment
info - Enter a message
for example Hi, I am trying to see if I can send and receive picture messages. Check out this picture. Could you do me a favor and send me a text message if you receive this and then send me back a picture message so that I know my phone is working - Tap Send
- Wait for a reply
Verify your friend received your picture message and you received their picture message reply.
If your MMS picture messagea still do not work, see the If Your Cellular Data, MMS Picture Messages, or Group Text Messages Are Not Working section.
Verify Group Text Messages
Repeat the process above, but this time for a group text message. Perhqps I’ll add the steps here at a later date. If you use group text messages, you already know what to do.
If your group text messages still do not work, see the If Your Cellular Data, MMS Picture Messages, or Group Text Messages Are Not Working section.
If Your Cellular Data, MMS Picture Messages, or Group Text Messages Are Not Working
Read this entire section before taking any action. If one or more features are not working, Sometimes resetting your iPhone will help. First, try Settings > General > Reset > Reset Network Settings and then start verifying again. For detailed instructions to reset your network settings, see Resetting Network Settings on Your iPhone
If your cellular data, MMS picture messages, or group text messages still do not work, Try resetting your iPhone will help. First, try Settings > General > Reset > Reset Network Settings and then start verifying again. For detailed instructions to reset all settings, see Resetting All Your iPhone’s Settings
If your APN is wap.tracfone and you do either of these resets, you’ll need to go back and re-enter your APN settings. Before resetting, you might want to go back to Settings > Cellular > Cellular Data Network and double check the values you entered.
If after trying all this your iPhone is still not working, leave a reply on the following article: Setting up Straight Talk Wireless APN for Cellular Data, Internet, MMS Picture Messages on Your iPhone Using iOS 8
Finishing Up
If your cellular data, MMS, or group texts work now, please continue to Setting up Straight Talk Wireless APN for Cellular Data, Internet, MMS Picture Messages on Your iPhone Using iOS 8
I’ve done everything in the instructions for my iPhone and I still can’t receive or send mms messages to non iPhone users. I’m at a loss.
Hi
kind of hard to suggest anything if you don’t include information such as what iPhone / iOS you are using, which cellular carrier, what you tried.
I can’t get on the Internet with my phone, I followed your instructions and it’s still not working. I tried resetting my network settings also. I have an iPhone 5s converted from AT&T to straighttalk, APN is reseller, iOS 9.3.2. And my phone has no 3G icon.
If you don’t see a 3G, E, or LTE icon you may not have a data connection. Try another reset and visit a different area to see if you get a signal. make sure cellular data is turned on in the settings.
I have an iPhone 6 and it’s running on iOS 9.3 with Straight Talk as my current provider. I’ve updated my APN settings correctly according to your article but my MMS is still not working. I can’t receive/send any picture messages but my cellular data connection is working just fine. My phone was a BYOP (bring your own phone) and was previously connected with T-mobile if this helps. PLEASE HELP!!!
Want to email me screen shots of what you entered for your APN?
send them to bob at the name of this website dot com.
You did look up your APN, it was wap.tracfone right?
Other then that, you can try restarting your phone and see if it works
if not you can reset your network settings and try entering your APN settings in again very carefully.
Taking a Screenshot on the iPhone
Resetting Network Settings on Your iPhone
Setting up Straight Talk Wireless wap.tracfone APN on Your iPhone
I can receive and send messages and pictures messages. I just can’t access the internet even tho I’m connected to my cellular data its keeps telling me to connect to it. I’m using the iPhone 6s plus
Try this Resetting Network Settings on Your iPhone
I have an iphone 5 with AT&T and used the correct AT&T sim card and it showed RESELLER when I completed the straight talk apn step. I have tried every option on this site, but only my phone calls work. I can only send and receive iMessages when I’m on wifi and I cant send or receive regular sms messaging. HELP PLEASE!
Does your phone show TFW LTE in the status bar? Did you make sure you don’t have any profiles installed? Did you reset your network settings?
Are you saying you can’t send text messages? or just picture messages?
yes when i call ppl they see my number bt wen they try to call me it jus goes straight to the voicemail and i can onli seend txt to another iphone everyone else says tge never get mine n nor can i recieve theres
my internet connection is wrkin fine bt i cant recieve calls or txt out hw do i fix that bt i can make calls
Did you just sign up for Straight Talk? If you just transferred your number, that transfer might not be complete yet. When you make calls to another phone do they show as being from your phone number?
Tried all the examples and still getting the response (PDP authentication failure, could not activate cellular data network) not sure what is going on. I’m running IOS 9.2. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks
Rachel
Do you know which straight talk network you are using? Att,Verizon,tmobile, or sprint?
I’m with straight talk T-Mobile and I’m having the same problem
PDP error?
I have seen this before. I think you live in an area where there is no T-mobile service. Your Straight Talk T-Mobile SIM is connecting to the AT&T network. voice and SMS work, data does not. I don’t think there is a solution for it. I have read on the T-Mobile forums that T-mobile prepaid customers have the same problem, the PDP error message.
Which ST network are you using? Can you switch to the Straight Talk ATT network?
I have seen this before. I think you live in an area where there is no T-mobile service. Your Straight Talk T-Mobile SIM is connecting to the AT&T network. voice and SMS work, data does not. I don’t think there is a solution for it. I have read on the T-Mobile forums that T-mobile prepaid customers have the same problem, the PDP error message.
Which ST network are you using? Can you switch to the Straight Talk ATT network?
Hey Bob, I’m having the same problems as the other two responses. No data unless connected to a wifi. It says my apn is RESELLER. I have reset network connections multiple times and installed various updates. Even troubleshot on the phone with customer support several times. Still no data. Please help.
Did you recently update to iOS 9?
I haven’t updated yet myself.
Try installing the prodata apn profile here
http://smartphonematters.com/st-apns/
I have an iphone 6 64g with AT&T and used the correct AT&T sim card and it showed RESELLER when i completed the straight talk apn step. I have tried every option on this site, but only my phone calls work. I can only send and receive iMessages when im on wifi and i cant send or receive regular sms messaging. HELP PLEASE!
Shante,
Try this and let me know. Resetting All Your iPhone’s Settings
just did the byop to straight talk two days ago to an already existing plan, did all your steps to get data to work and still no luck. I can only use data when I’m connected to wifi. Help?
Ok.
1. Did you look up your APN? What is it?
2. Which model iPhone do you have?
3. What verison of iOS are you using?
4. Which Straight Talk network are you using?