Son can't txt me from Aus, but can txt everyone else...

Forums › 2degrees (including Slingshot, Orcon, Flip, Stuff Fibre, MyRepublic, 2talk and Vocus) › Son can't txt me from Aus, but can txt everyone else...

nicmair

250 posts

Master Geek
+1 received by user: 40

#324116 2-Mar-2026 13:11

My son just moved to Aus and went and setup a new connection Telstra, he can txt everyone here in NZ, but me, (I'm on a 2 Degree work business plan). His partner's new connection (also setup today), can txt me just fine. I've checked his new Aus number didn't get blocked by spam, (it didn't), and as his partners new connection can txt me just fine, I'm pretty sure it's not blocked call related.

When he tries to txt me, his iPhone 16 pro, (with all the latest updates), immediately says call failed, if I txt him, he does get them.

We have tired all the obvious things, (reboots etc) but before I send him back to the Telstra shop, I thought I'd ask if anyone has had a similar issue and managed to solve it.

Thanks

SaltyNZ

8869 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 9554

Trusted

2degrees

Lifetime subscriber

#3465945 2-Mar-2026 13:26

If you PM me the details I can check whether we received it in our SMSC, but from the description, it doesn't sound like it will have.

First question and apologies if it sounds dumb, but get him to check he doesn't have your number in contacts as e.g. "0221234567" because that definitely ain't going to work from Aus. Needs to be +64221234567. If the number is stored that way I would indeed expect it to be instantly rejected by Telstra because 02 is the NSW PSTN (i.e. landline) area code.

Next question - is your number ported (I guess I'll see that as soon as you send me the details) because it's possible the porting transit is failing, although again it sounds more like big-T is rejecting it outright rather than it getting lost in the system somewhere.

iPad Pro 11" + iPhone 15 Pro Max + 2degrees 4tw!

These comments are my own and do not represent the opinions of 2degrees.

nicmair

250 posts

Master Geek
+1 received by user: 40

#3465947 2-Mar-2026 13:35

PM Sent, thanks

SaltyNZ:

If you PM me the details I can check whether we received it in our SMSC, but from the description, it doesn't sound like it will have.

First question and apologies if it sounds dumb, but get him to check he doesn't have your number in contacts as e.g. "0221234567" because that definitely ain't going to work from Aus. Needs to be +64221234567. If the number is stored that way I would indeed expect it to be instantly rejected by Telstra because 02 is the NSW PSTN (i.e. landline) area code.

Next question - is your number ported (I guess I'll see that as soon as you send me the details) because it's possible the porting transit is failing, although again it sounds more like big-T is rejecting it outright rather than it getting lost in the system somewhere.

RunningMan

9189 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 4842

#3465966 2-Mar-2026 15:43

Are you also on an iPhone and it's using iMessage?

nicmair

250 posts

Master Geek
+1 received by user: 40

#3466045 2-Mar-2026 16:43

no, I'm on Android and he's on iPhone, (strangely we can get my Txt's, it's just him txting me).

Linux

12188 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 8480

Trusted

Lifetime subscriber

#3466085 2-Mar-2026 20:37

@nicmair Has he raised it with Telstra AU and can you SMS his mobile number in AU from your 2degrees number?

sidefx

3775 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 1295

Trusted

#3466179 3-Mar-2026 10:43

nicmair:

no, I'm on Android and he's on iPhone, (strangely we can get my Txt's, it's just him txting me).

Have you ever been on an iphone in the past? My kids sometimes seem to have issues where I don't get their messages, but when they select option to "Send as SMS" on iphone instead it works. I think somehow the way I'm saved as a contact on their phones, it's associated with my apple acount, so tries to send things to me via imessages by default when they're on wifi or something. I'm not a big fan of iphones so can't help too much, it's just what they've told me.

"I was born not knowing and have had only a little time to change that here and there." | Octopus Energy | Sharesies
- Richard Feynman