Adding iPhone contact and it shows up as Android user on texts- how to fix this

Question

I have a new iPhone 6 and just added a new contact - who has an iPhone too -   after adding it - I tried to  send a text to them and it showed up as a Text not an iMessage ---  I looked to make sure that I put his phone number in as an iPhone and just mobile. It is in as an iPhone --
This means I cannot text from my MacBook Pro or iPad  -  and yet he has an iPhone ---    are there certain carriers that don't play well with Apple or is this something I am doing wrong .
Please help  -  this is the second contact that is showing up this way...
I also have a tenant that I text to and they changed carriers but have the same phone.   I think they are now with T-Mobile.   And when I open the text messages to and from them   Some where sent in Blue as iMessages and the newer ones are all in green and sent as SMS text messages -- I not longer can send the  text from my Mac Book Pro.  
Please please help me.    I am using current operating systems on all devices and all devices are new this year.
What is going on?
Dgnstl

Answer 1

Hey Dgnstl,
Thanks for the question. I understand that you are experiencing issues with iMessage. To troubleshoot these issues, see the following resource for helpful steps:
iOS: Troubleshooting Messages
http://support.apple.com/kb/TS2755
To resolve issues with sending and receiving iMessages, follow these steps
1. Check iMessage system status for current service issues.
2. Go to Settings > Messages > Send & Receive and make sure that you registered iMessage with your phone number or Apple ID and that you selected iMessage for use. If the phone number or Apple ID isn't available for use, troubleshoot iMessage registration.
3. Open Safari and navigate to www.apple.com to verify data connectivity. If a data connection isn't available, troubleshoot cellular data or a Wi-Fi connection.
4. iMessage over cellular data might not be available while you're on a call. Only 3G and faster GSM networks support simultaneous data and voice calls. Learn which network your phone supports. If your network doesn't support simultaneous data and voice calls, go to Settings > Wi-Fi and turn Wi-Fi on to use iMessage while you're on a call.
5. Restart your device.
6. Tap Settings > General > Reset > Reset Network Settings on your iPhone.
If you still can't send or receive an iMessage, follow these steps
1. Make sure that the contact trying to message you isn't blocked in Settings > Messages > Blocked.
2. Make sure that the contact you're trying to send a message to is registered with iMessage.
3. If the issue occurs with a specific contact or contacts, back up or forward important messages and delete your current messaging threads with the contact. Create a new message to the contact and try again.
4. If the issue occurs with a specific contact or contacts, delete and recreate the contact in the Contacts app. Create a new message to the newly created contact and try again.
5. Back up and restore your device as new.
Thanks,
Matt M.