This information applies to both Premium SIM cards and older, Legacy SIM cards
Why should I deactivate iMessage / FaceTime?
If you're not getting all of your text messages on your new phone, you may need to deregister the iMessage feature. This will only work if your old phone was an iPhone, you used the iMessage feature on your old phone, and you are not receiving all of your text messages, on your new phone. All three of these scenarios must apply, otherwise, click here for a full list of troubleshooting steps to resolve your texting problems.
Why this is happening
The iMessage feature allows you to send special text messages from one iPhone device to another. Instead of these text messages going through the regular texting process, they are sent to Apple's (iPhone manufacturer) proprietary texting service. The is beneficial because text messages sent through iMessage often load faster and can hold more information then a regular text message.
However, if you switch to a new phone that doesn't support iMessages, and iMessage is still enabled on your old phone, you may find that you do not receive the texts that are sent from other iPhone users. This is because those texts are still going to Apple's proprietary iMessage process, but since your new phone does not support iMessage, you cannot receive or read these texts.
iMessage is a feature that is only available on iOS devices (iPhones, iPads). So you must have access to your old phone to complete these steps. If you no longer have access to your old iPhone, you'll need to request a code from Apple to de-register iMessages. Click here to skip to the section of this article that explains how to request a code from Apple.
How to deregister iMessage and FaceTime, on your old phone
Step 1: To deregister iMessage on your old phone, first put your SIM card back into your old iPhone. If you did not purchase a FreedomPop SIM card, and you instead purchased a CDMA (Sprint) iPhone device, don't worry. You can simply proceed to Step 2.
Step 2: Tap on the Settings application.
Step 3: Tap on Messages.
Step 4: Tap on the toggle button to turn iMessages from ON to OFF.
Step 5: Go back to the main page of Settings.
Step 6: This time, tap on FaceTime.
Step 7: Once again, tap on the toggle button to turn iMessages from ON to OFF
Return your SIM card to your new phone. iMessage has been deregistered and you should now receive all of your text messages.
If you no longer have your old iPhone
If you no longer have the old iPhone, you will need a code from Apple to deregister the device. Click here to get one!