How To Restore and Enable Visual Voicemail (VVM) and MMS That Not Working After iPhone Tethering Hack
After hacking the iPhone to enable Internet tethering without paying your mobile service provider, chance are the MMS (Multimedia Messaging Service) and/or VVM (Virtual Voicemail) functions on the iPhone, be it 1st Gen iPhone 2G, iPhone 3G or iPhone 3G S, may not working anymore.
The problem or error happens because when enabling Internet tethering by loading a new Mobileconfig configuration profile, a new .ipcc (carrier settings) file that enables the tethering, but disables the Visual Voicemail and/or MMS is been installed.
How to fix, restore and re-enable VVM and MMS in iPhone, and most importantly, keep the Internet tethering service intact? The solution is indeed very simple. Just go to Settings -> General -> Reset on iPhone, and tap Reset Network Settings. The iPhone will reboot. After the restart, MMS, VVM and tethering should be working fine again.
Alternatively, go to Settings -> General -> Network -> Cellular Data Network, and set the APN for Visual Voicemail to acds.voicemail. However, doing so will disable Tether and the option to tether will disappear.
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Entries (RSS)
November 8th, 2009 12:28
OMG! what a pain in the a**!
My VVM stopped working abruptly about two weeks ago and I did not even know it until I started hearing from friends and relatives to “empty” my voicemail because it’s full. I had ZERO voicemail messages, or so I thought, until I actually dialed my voicemail and found out that it was in deed full even though my iphone never notified me that there wre any messages.
I called AT&T 3 times, reset my VM password 4 times, reset the network settings 5 times, I have called Apple once, I have done internet research and read every freaking blog out there. Here is what I did to FINALLY get the VVM back… By the way, my phone is not jailbroken or unlocked and it is a 3G.
I follwed Ponpon9 (above post) directions By doing the following, but you need to do a few extra steps – or at least I did.
I reset the network AGAIN (6th time). Settings > General > Reset > Reset Network Settings.
Then I went to Settings > Geeral (scroll down to bottom) > US ATT > THEN I HIT THE RED REMOVE BUTTON!
My VVM was working again BUT…it was asking me to enter my password (which I tried the 0000 and every other freaking password I could think of) and it did not work.
SO, I dialed 611 and followed the prompts to reset voicemail password (press 1 for “yes I’m calling about this number” > press 3 for voicemail, enter your zip code for security purposes blah blah blah).
I then received a text message with my new temporary password, entered it in to the VVM and VOILA! I’m back!
I am going to post these directins on Apple’s site because they wanted me to drive to the “nearest” store which is 40 miles (one way) away from where I live.
Why can’t they just tell you how to do this?
Hope this helps!
October 25th, 2009 01:04
This worked for me:
To view profiles tap Settings – General – Profiles – Remove, BenM.at or AT&T USA
Once in the Settings screen, tap General, tap Reset, and then tap Reset Network Settings.
October 23rd, 2009 03:01
Susan (post 39). That worked. Thanks!
October 22nd, 2009 22:35
LOBO
What do you mean “option click” restore?
you mean shift restore? if so it will only let you find ipsw file.
October 21st, 2009 07:18
This worked great. It does take about 5 minutes to take effect after reboot. I actually thought it hadn’t worked but within about 5 minutes I had 12 voicemails!
October 11th, 2009 16:15
I’ve now also been able to get my computer running a tethered bluetooth connection (the internet connection I am at this moment using). I have to say, it was a pain! I wish I could recount for you all what I did to accomplish this, but I’m not entirely sure if I can remember everything step-by-step. Here’s what I’m running…
Rocketfish (Best Buy brand) micro USB Bluetooth 2.1 adapter
Windows Vista x64
iPhone 3GS w/ OS 3.0.1
Basically, I went through several cycles in which either Windows could not find my iPhone, or when it did, and I tried to make the network connection, the Internet Tethering toggle disappered from the settings menu. At first I thought in order to get internet tethering available again, I would have to reinstall the hack. Apparently all I had to do was reset the network settings and let the phone reboot. After trying multiple times, I eventually got my computer to tether with the phone through a USB connection. When I accomplished this once more, I set up a fresh Bluetooth pairing (new device discovery) with my iPhone. I then DISABLED (not merely disconnected) my computer’s Local Area Connection with the iPhone and enabled and connected it with the Bluetooth paired phone (Bluetooth Network Connection)…and now it finally worked.
Since I did that earlier tonight, I encountered one time when trying to make the connection again, the tethering toggle disappeared once more. I simply reset the network settings and let it reboot again…and then it worked again.
So it would seem for now that it’s more or less functional, and this proves that Bluetooth tethering IS possible in the context of at least my personal resources.
I’m sorry I can’t give a step-by-step on this, since I’m not myself certain what sets the iPhone off when it comes to tethering. My simplistic epiphany that helped me to ultimate solve my problem was my conclusion that the disappearing of the tethering toggle is probably caused by run-time errors which are native to the nature of the hack and its interaction with the 3.0 platform. Run-time errors such as this are caused when the system encounters conditions it was not programmed to handle. Not “knowing what to do”, the system will simply shut down the program which is causing the unforseen conflict. My realisation of the nature of the problem led me to try different sequences of events in making the connection, and I tried A LOT of them! Eventually, a set of circumstances was apparently palitable to the system and it worked…even though I don’t know WHY.
Basically, this nearly useless rant of mine serves one single moral: if you work at it enough, with creativity you have a good chance of getting the connection to work. This is all I know, and I’m sorry this is all I could provide.
October 10th, 2009 16:50
I wonder how many others there are out there who tried all of these fixes without success. After I hacked my iPhone to enable MMS and tethering, my VVM stopped working, but unlike others who were able to fix this by just clicking “reset network settings”, I could not get my VVM back up.
BUT WAIT!…Then, I stumbled onto sinfuliphone.com. I went through all the steps in the forum post at
http://www.sinfuliphone.com/showthread.php?t=53&highlight=mms+tethering
and thus started from scratch. Of particular interest to me was Step 7 which suggested switching the VVM APN from acds.voicemail to acds.voice, saving this, then changing it BACK to acds.voicemail. After doing this, I called my phone with a friend’s and left a message. To my joy, I was alerted immediately and listened to the voice message in VVM.
Another cool thing about the hack on sinfuliphone.com is that it simply sends you to their repository through Cydia so you can just install EVERYTHING as you would a simple app, and it does everything for you. There’s no need for a command prompt, iTunes, changing file extensions, or even hooking your phone up to your computer. Of course, you must have a jailbroken iPhone to do this (but what’s the point of having an iPhone that’s not?).
Thanks to this find I’m now batting 1000. I have WORKING MMS, WORKING tethering, and WORKING VVM.
But, if there’s one thing this whole hassle has taught me, it’s that there doesn’t seem to be one single fix that works for everyone. But I hope this works for you if, like me, you have tried everything else.
September 30th, 2009 10:18
None of the methods described here worked for me. I tried everything, and still no voice mail. what do i do now?
September 30th, 2009 03:40
Thanks Jason! Thats the only thing that worked for me! You’re a life saver.
September 29th, 2009 08:39
AT&T claims that this fix works for about 95% of the people with this problem…
There’s a profile by the name of BenM.at that needs to be deleted (removed).
Remove BenM.at, Visual Voicemail issue
To view profiles tap Settings – General – Profiles – Remove, BenM.at or AT&T USA
Once in the Settings screen, tap General, tap Reset, and then tap Reset Network Settings.
If this still does not correct the issue, you should perform a Backup and Restore on the iPhone.
If the above doesn’t work for you, try “Reset All Settings” instead of “Reset Network Settings.” If that doesn’t work, Backup and Restore on iTunes but as a “New” phone instead of your old one. That should do it. Apparently, when this new 3.1 update happened, it had a corrupt file in it (that BenM thing that they tried to remove first).
This worked for me, but only for a few days. I went back to AT&T today and they “re-registered” me in their system which worked (but didn’t when it was done twice last week).
September 23rd, 2009 10:50
I went in circles with ATT since August because I had the same issue with visual voiceail. I finally called tonight and demanded a credit. They had no idea why it wasn’t working for me. While the agent was processing my $30 credit (I have no idea how they got that number), I googled “iphone visual voicemail problems att” and found this post. Before I got off the phone with the customer care agent I got visual voicemail working AND got a $30 credit. And no, I don’t feel bad about it. THANKS!!!
September 21st, 2009 12:34
How about if visual voicemail settings doesn’t show on cellular data network… I mean in my jailbroken 3g only shows cellular data and mms.. are there some way to get it back or…
September 20th, 2009 20:36
Quarksta – Thank you so much for your help! I have spent hours on the phone with Apple tech support, my local wireless provider. They have been of NO help at all. I followed your instructions to delte profile under Settings > General > US Profile. Like you, once I removed this and restarted all my missing voicemails suddenly appeared. VVM appears to be working again for me.
September 19th, 2009 03:50
I deleted the profile under Settings > General > US Profile. Once I removed this and restarted all my missing voicemails suddenly appeared. VVM appears to be working again for me.
September 16th, 2009 03:28
After running in circles with AT&T and all options explored it came down to a restore. So I restored my iPhone through my Mac and still no VVM. Well since the tethering hack was done through the Mac, I decided to then do the restore through my desktop PC. Lo’ and behold it now works. Hope this helps some that still have the problem.
August 30th, 2009 17:33
Also, if tethering stops working just repeat step 1.
August 30th, 2009 15:13
After searching all over and trying everything, I finally found a solution by combining info from different sources.
To get visual voicemail back after enabling tethering and also KEEP tethering working, follow these steps.
1. Go to http://www.unlockit.co.nz on your iphone and choose “Custom APN”, check yes for “V3 Tethering + MMS”, and choose “US – AT&T” from the carrier menu. This will download and install a verified profile.
2. Enable tethering and connect your phone to your mac (haven’t tested this on a PC) and make sure it’s working. Open itunes and option-click “Restore”. Navigate to your home folder and then: ~/Library/iTunes/iPhone Carrier Support.
Choose the “ATT_US.ipcc” and let it update your carrier settings.
Done. This should bring back visual voicemail and keep tethering. It’s working for me so far anyway.
August 29th, 2009 10:28
I don’t have the cellular data network setting to change the apn. HELP!!!
August 26th, 2009 16:23
ok, so i used the apn method, and it fixed my voicemail, but did not take away my tether profile… hmm… everyone keeps saying it has something to do with att… hmm but it was the profile the whole time?
August 22nd, 2009 06:24
The change of the voicemail setting to acds.voicemail fixed it… i still can’t get the mms to work.. but i wanted to post changed the settings and had to wait about 5 min and then my voicemails started popping up!!
THANKS!!
August 19th, 2009 10:21
Perfect! This worked for me as well and I’m in the U.S.
August 19th, 2009 02:09
Thanks! This worked for me on AT&T here in the US.
August 18th, 2009 06:34
My data connection does not work now does anyone know the settings for that?