topic Re: Does MMS use chargeable data? in Get Support

Does MMS use chargeable data?

jpar — Tue, 04 Jan 2022 18:27:02 GMT

I'm aware that MMS requires a data connection & uploads the photo(s) over the cellular network, but does Public Mobile zero rate MMS as other carriers do, or is it chargeable? I am a new PM customer and I've noticed a small amount of data usage (nothing to write home about) that is higher than what my phone reports if I exclude the text app, and when I don't have any other apps using background data or the like (I'm on wifi). I have sent and received some MMS messages though, would these be the culprit?

Re: Does MMS use chargeable data?

zhadj030 — Thu, 26 Jan 2017 23:25:07 GMT

The MMS does indeed use the data from your plane and it dpends a lot whether you use them often or not, usely pictures are compressed to smaller size before being send, so it shouldn't reall matter a lot unless you have only a small amount of data . So yes the data used will come from your plan.

Edit :

Seems like I was wrong I'd doesn't affect your data since it seems to be included in the texting package

Re: Does MMS use chargeable data?

DragonSpecV — Thu, 26 Jan 2017 18:24:49 GMT

Hey @jpar, welcome to PM!

To my understanding, no matter which carrier you use now, if you have a text messaging plan, it includes both SMS & MMS messages through that portion of the plan. But as you mentioned, yes, you need your "data" on in order to transmit MMS.

I just did a test using Textra sending a about 4 x 2.5MB pictures via MMS, with my WiFi on, and I did NOT see any changes in my data usage total, and the Textra app data usage didn't change.

Hope that helps you out!

- DragonSpecV

Re: Does MMS use chargeable data?

jpar — Thu, 26 Jan 2017 18:28:38 GMT

Thanks for the replies.

Re: Does MMS use chargeable data?

Luddite — Thu, 26 Jan 2017 19:29:05 GMT

MMS data is NOT charged to your data plan. Even if you have a texting only plan, MMS is included.

Re: Does MMS use chargeable data?

srlawren — Thu, 26 Jan 2017 20:43:58 GMT

@zhadj030 please note that your reply is completely incorrect. Could you please edit your response and ~~strike out the tex~~t or otherwise remove it? I don't want it to cause confusion for others in the future. MMS does not draw from your plan or add-on data amounts.

Re: Does MMS use chargeable data?

luckee7 — Tue, 19 Jun 2018 13:10:49 GMT

Mine did. Both incoming and outgoing.

Re: Does MMS use chargeable data?

stonechucker — Tue, 19 Jun 2018 13:25:26 GMT

@luckee7

That is impossible. MMS is zero-rated at Public Mobile. That means, you don't need a data package to use it, data simply just nees to be turned on.

Re: Does MMS use chargeable data?

luckee7 — Tue, 19 Jun 2018 13:35:01 GMT

Then why this.

Re: Does MMS use chargeable data?

stonechucker — Tue, 19 Jun 2018 13:47:49 GMT

Well, you have me stumped. I do not know why you are seeing this.

I would suggest you reachout via Private Message to the Moderator_Team account, to ask why this is happening.

Are you using the default texting/mms app on your device?

Re: Does MMS use chargeable data?

kav2001c — Tue, 19 Jun 2018 13:53:10 GMT

@luckee7the details is showing what you are using

Its no different than if you call forward or let a call go to voice mail (in both cases it SHOWS phantom minutes being used)

Despite the fact that data is used, as has been pointed out many times above this data is zero rated

(an easy test is if you have a basic text + talk with no data plan; send an mms and it still shows data used, despite plan having no data)

Re: Does MMS use chargeable data?

luckee7 — Tue, 19 Jun 2018 15:18:28 GMT

If zero rated why does it subtract from my data then? Shouldn't my data addon also show 200mb?

Re: Does MMS use chargeable data?

srlawren — Tue, 19 Jun 2018 20:52:24 GMT

@luckee7 wrote:
If zero rated why does it subtract from my data then? Shouldn't my data addon also show 200mb?

@luckee7 my semi-educated guess is that small data usage is "coincidental" data usage while you have your mobile data turned on for the MMS exchange. I'ts quite possible for a background service or app running in the background to be transmitting/receiving a small amount of data.

Re: Does MMS use chargeable data?

pmuser007 — Thu, 25 Oct 2018 04:15:41 GMT

My account just been activated several days ago, and all my MMS data usage counted as my data plan usage. I am using iPhone 6 and cannot find anywhere to setup the MMS setting. Does this cause MMS consum my data plan?

Thanks

Re: Does MMS use chargeable data?

Anonymous — Thu, 25 Oct 2018 04:27:36 GMT

Hi @pmuser007. No MMS does not use any of your data. Your phone will count it as part of its own data monitoring. However, Public Mobile does not count MMS data usage against your data allotment.

If your MMS is not working, a few things to look for: 1- You must have data enabled on your phone. If you have data working, then MMS should simply work (if you have texting included in your plan). If your data is not working, then you need to check the APN settings.

Can you clarify your situation.

Re: Does MMS use chargeable data?

wetcoaster — Thu, 25 Oct 2018 04:41:58 GMT

@pmuser007 wrote:
My account just been activated several days ago, and all my MMS data usage counted as my data plan usage. I am using iPhone 6 and cannot find anywhere to setup the MMS setting. Does this cause MMS consum my data plan?
Thanks

Since the MMS are recorded separately as data events (which don't count against your data bucket) something else has been using those MBs as web usage.

App background data, WiFi assist are known for eating into the data bucket if not turned off.

If those 18MB were on your first day it could also be some kind of set-up usage for iMessage or the likes. specially since the usage was 0 on the next day.

Re: Does MMS use chargeable data?

pmuser007 — Thu, 25 Oct 2018 14:18:29 GMT

Thanks @wetcoaster and @Anonymous !

My data (browse internet without wifi) and MMS working fine after account active. My data usage summary showing I used 24M of data and subtracted from my data limit, and detail usage showing Web used 18M and MMS used 5M. That's why I feel strenge about people said MMS data would not count to my total data usage. I believe MMS data should not count as data plan usage, but my usage summary told another story. Does PM's system has bug?

Thanks

Re: Does MMS use chargeable data?

ShawnC13 — Thu, 25 Oct 2018 14:23:29 GMT

@pmuser007 wrote:
Thanks @wetcoaster and @Anonymous !

My data (browse internet without wifi) and MMS working fine after account active. My data usage summary showing I used 24M of data and subtracted from my data limit, and detail usage showing Web used 18M and MMS used 5M. That's why I feel strenge about people said MMS data would not count to my total data usage. I believe MMS data should not count as data plan usage, but my usage summary told another story. Does PM's system has bug?

Thanks

It must be a bug because my son has the $10 plan with no data and he can send MMS with no issues.

Re: Does MMS use chargeable data?

pmuser007 — Thu, 25 Oct 2018 14:57:59 GMT

Thanks @ShawnC13 !

I think PM just fixed this bug (if it was), I juct check my usage summary and it back to 19M instead of 24M showing last night.

This is a great community!

Re: Does MMS use chargeable data?

ErickD — Tue, 03 Sep 2019 03:25:10 GMT

Hi,

so I had the same question as everyone - why does it seem that MMS is using 1 MB of data! Many people here are claiming that they do not have a data plan, yet MMS is working!

So what is going on here?

Here is what is going on for me: the issue is we are mostly using iPhones, which by default, when doing messaging, use the Apple iMessage protocol, which DEFAULTS to MMS if there is no real data available.

By default, the options are "Send as SMS" (on) "if iMessage is unavailable".

In order to disable this capability, you need to disable "iMessage" (which by default is ON).

I have to test this, but unless I edit or correct this post assume this is the issue.

We discovered this because my son (who the account is for) sent out about 20 memes (kids these days) and I noticed these were being added to the total count of "data", when "MMS is unlimited".

There are advantages to iMessage (end to end encryption, iMessage to iMessages know when you are typing a message) But for the majority of people this is not really mandatory, and if you are a heavy image sender, best to disable this on by default feature.

thanks