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220-1102 Practice Question: A technician is troubleshooting an Android phone…
A technician is troubleshooting an Android phone that cannot send or receive SMS messages, but can make and receive calls and use mobile data. The phone is on a corporate plan with a new SIM card. What is the most likely cause?
⚠ Common exam trap
CompTIA often tests the distinction between services that use the control plane (SMS, voice) versus the data plane (mobile data), leading candidates to incorrectly blame APN settings (Option C) when the issue is actually a missing SMSC number.
Answer choices
Why each option matters
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
The SMS message center number is incorrect or missing.
The SMS message center number (SMSC) is a required parameter stored on the SIM card or phone that tells the device where to route outgoing SMS messages for delivery. If this number is incorrect or missing, the phone cannot send or receive SMS, but voice calls and mobile data remain unaffected because they use separate signaling paths (CSFB for calls and packet-switched data for mobile data). A new SIM card may have a misconfigured or missing SMSC, which is the most likely cause given the symptom pattern.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
The phone's IMEI is blacklisted.
Why it's wrong here
A blacklisted International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI) indicates that the device has been reported as lost, stolen, or involved in fraudulent activity. When an IMEI is blacklisted by a carrier or a central database, the network will typically deny all cellular services to that specific device, including voice calls, mobile data, and SMS. Therefore, if only SMS functionality is failing while other services like calls and data work, an IMEI blacklist is an unlikely cause.
- ✓
The SMS message center number is incorrect or missing.
Why this is correct
The Short Message Service Center (SMSC) number is a crucial setting that directs outgoing SMS messages to the correct network gateway for delivery. If this number is either incorrectly configured, corrupted, or entirely absent from the phone's messaging settings, the device will be unable to send or properly route SMS messages. Critically, the SMSC only pertains to standard SMS, meaning other cellular functions like voice calls and mobile data would remain fully operational, aligning with a scenario where only SMS fails.
- ✗
The mobile data APN settings are incorrect.
Why it's wrong here
Access Point Name (APN) settings are essential configurations that define how a mobile device connects to the internet and accesses multimedia messaging services (MMS) through the carrier's network. Incorrect APN settings would prevent the phone from accessing mobile data for web browsing, app usage, and sending/receiving MMS messages. However, basic Short Message Service (SMS) operates over the cellular control channel and does not rely on APN settings, so its failure would not be attributed to APN issues if data and calls are working.
- ✗
The phone is in airplane mode.
Why it's wrong here
When a phone is placed into airplane mode, it intentionally disables all wireless communication radios, including cellular (voice, SMS, data), Wi-Fi, and Bluetooth. This comprehensive shutdown is designed to prevent interference with aircraft systems and conserve battery. If the phone were in airplane mode, it would be unable to make or receive calls, access mobile data, or send/receive SMS messages, making it an unlikely cause if only SMS is failing while other cellular functions are operational.
Go deeper
Related to this question
Learn chapter
Data Destruction and Disposal
Key term
Android
Android is an open-source operating system used primarily on mobile devices like smartphones and tablets, developed by Google.
Key term
Message center
A centralized dashboard within a software platform that displays system notifications, alerts, and messages about account status, security events, and service updates.
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JA
Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
This 220-1202 practice question is part of Courseiva's free CompTIA certification practice question bank. Courseiva provides original exam-style practice questions with explanations, topic-based practice, mock exams, readiness tracking, and study analytics to help learners prepare for the 220-1202 exam.