Messages seem to take my data

[Hus]

Hi, today I activated the 15 dollar plan. I have an iPhone and each time I turn the PM data on and I turn off wifi it seems like when I send messages it’s taking my data. I am panicking rn. 
question 1: how do I know what exactly takes my data? Is it by looking at the « history »? (Everything is off under the setting/cellular data)

so I assume it’s the texts so when I am sending texts it takes my data.

If so, what do I do?As soon as  I turn off « I message » , the option to turn off « send SMS » disappears. When I turn on iMessage under settings, send SMS option comes back. I am very confused. It’s supposed to be free message and picture. Can you help? 

[computergeek541]

---

@not-trust-anyon wrote:

@Hus 

MMS need to turn on cellular data, off course take small data, if turn off data and your wifi off the MMS not going.

try to turn off wifi and data off and send text is?

---

Wi-Fi is unrelated to MMS. MMS can't even be sent over Wi-Fi.

[CountyDownIeUk]

---

@Hus wrote:

Hi! I have an iPhone 11. I always use wifi but at work they don’t have wifi and I have to turn my data on to text message my boss to give him updates.

Then tell your boss to pay for YOUR plan!! Or part of it .... like for 2gb a month or more. 

I just want to be able send free text and photos to him. 

Then text him. Does he have an iPhone or android?

Text costs zero and if you turn data on for a pic is supposed to be free too. 

But read below. AND next time you text a pic check your data use just before and after then YOU will know. 

is it true that each time I turn my data on and off it takes some data?

I have never checked, but as I mentioned BEFORE you might want to allow or disallow apps from using data. Your apps might start working unannounced to you when you turn your data on! So that question cannot be answered unless you check your data usage before and after. And set iPhone  to do refreshes over wifi only. You have control to minimize the use of your data by setting up YOUR phone accordingly! The iPhone is YOUR tool and needs to be adjusted by you to maximize use while minimizing the cost.  DON’T set up iMessage to send or receive iMessages from an email address. Make sure you have a good contacts list so when receiving a text from a number....your contacts will supply a name to the number automatically. Turning iMessage on and off is not the answer. 

---

[Hus]

Hi! I have an iPhone 11. I always use wifi but at work they don’t have wifi and I have to turn my data on to text message my boss to give him updates. I just want to be able send free text and photos to him. 
is it true that each time I turn my data on and off it takes some data?

[dust2dust]

That amount is miniscule. You might want to allow Safari and email and imessage to use data at the least. Leave data off until you wish to use the internet away from any wifi.

[Hus]

It went from 6.75MB to 6.96MB. Is it because I turned the data on and off? I

also, how do I make sure it’s the messages that take my data? What if it’s something I didn’t see?

Under « cellular data » everything seems to be off. 

[dust2dust]

---

@Hus wrote:

Hi dudt2dust, unbelievable!!!! This is soo helpful!! How did you know?? Do people have this problem a lot?  When I did it in that order it seemed to work this time! Thank you so much! 

---

I'm not an Apple guy. The other guy is (CountryDownIeUk). I like proper standards, not proprietary internal methods.

Yes, for picture texts you'll need to turn on cellular data, it sends (or receives) and then turn it off again. The turning on of data will use a tiny bit of data as the phone does some internal sync-ing anyway but the actual transmission of the picture doesn't count against your data consumption. And do all the other controls of your data as also suggested by the above Apple guy.

Glad to hear it works as you might expect and what makes much more sense to me.

[CountyDownIeUk]

---

@Hus wrote:

Hi, today I activated the 15 dollar plan.

Me too. 

I have an iPhone

Me too. What iPhone and iOS do you have. 

and each time I turn the PM data on and I turn off wifi it seems like when I send messages it’s taking my data.

I never turn my wifi off. Although while travelling, I have heard, it can cause battery usage as the Phone continues to look for a wifi connection. 

I am panicking 

Its ok, no need to. 

question 1: how do I know what exactly takes my data? Is it by looking at the « history »? (Everything is off under the setting/cellular data)

Go to My Account, usage and set a filter to look at Data usage only. Data is data and wifi is wifi. Your My Account will NOT show wifi usage. Your $15 plan gives you 250mb of data (1/4 gb). Not much.  I suggest you turn off data all time. And only turn on when out, to check email or iMessages. On your iPhone you can also switch on or off numerous apps from using data. I only turn on mail, iMessage, Safari and Find My IPhone. 

so I assume it’s the texts so when I am sending texts it takes my data.

Don’t confuse texts with iMessages. Texts are green bubble and iMessage is amongst Apple products only and is blue bubble. Some iPhones with data and wifi off will switch to all green bubble messages. To text a pic to a green bubble android phone you must turn data on. iMessages  can be sent to a registered phone number or email address. Texts can be sent to a phone number only. 

If so, what do I do?As soon as  I turn off « I message » , the option to turn off « send SMS » disappears. When I turn on iMessage under settings, send SMS option comes back.

Like I say I leave my Data off and only turn to do my checks. I never use up my 250 mb. But perhaps you need more. I have about 13 gb of freebie data from PM that has been barely touched. 

I am very confused. It’s supposed to be free message and picture. Can you help? 

Yes I agree. Confused....but help is here. Yes a pic sent to an android is supposed to be free when you turn data on, send. And then back off. 

Any more questions?

You could consider to change your FaceTime and iMessage send receive  numbers and emails to simplify. 

---

[Hus]

Hi dudt2dust, unbelievable!!!! This is soo helpful!! How did you know?? Do people have this problem a lot?  When I did it in that order it seemed to work this time! Thank you so much! 

[dust2dust]

I was hoping the Apple guy would step in to help.

Apple does their own thing. But they can also be switched to standards. imessage can be used for both Apple's internal functions and also as a standard texting app. Turning those options on and imessage off makes imessage into just a standard texting app. I know, it's confusing, it's Apple.

I happen to think it's a lot of what exploded data usage in the cellular world and the needs for gazillions of gigs of data because Apple does this and the use of Facetime and images and emojis and all that use data and the providers love it.

[Hus]

I don’t understand. If I turn on everything it takes my data after I send messages which is where the problem is. 

[dust2dust · Accepted solution]

Welcome to the special little world of Apple.

Turn on imessage. Turn on send SMS. Turn on send MMS. Turn off imessage.

@CountyDownIeUkanything else?