Only Send SMS and MMS messages setting

[Oracle365]

Hello,

My son has a plan with Public Mobile. He ran out of data today and all of a sudden he couldn't send or receive texts (even though his plan is an "Unlimited Text and Picture Messaging". 

He was still able to send/receive messages with WIFI, but not regular texts. 

Ultimately, we figured out that he needed to go into the individual contact settings for the people he couldn't send to and turn the toggle on for "Only Send SMS and MMS Messages". 

I'm wondering... Is this normal? He said he's had to do this before, even when he still had data. I feel like there must be a better way than for him to go into each individual message/contact to change this, but we haven't been able to find anything else in settings, or know why this would be happening (seems to be changing to/from this setting by itself).

Thanks for any knowledge!

[Mark6t9]

I forgot to mention in my previous message, I am uncertain about the IOS platform for Apple, and whether sms messages can or can not be sent using WiFi only. Thanks

[Mark6t9]

If you are using the android texting app, you must have a data plan or you will receive a message along the lines of, "message blocking active". So No, without a data plan, you can NOT send text messages. However, you can send messages through Facebook messenger with just wifi, no data plan, and, you can also download third party messaging apps such as Text Now, and you do Not have to have a data plan to send text (sms) messages. The good thing about Facebook messenger, you can send MMS messages without a data plan as well! 🙂

[Luddite]

@Oracle365  Optimum messaging settings for iPhone:

Settings >> Messages >> iMessage ON, Send as SMS ON, MMS ON >> Send &Receive: should show phone number and Apple ID email

Cellular data must be ON for messaging to function properly when away from wifi. 

[esjliv · Accepted solution]

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@Oracle365 wrote:

Hello,

My son has a plan with Public Mobile. He ran out of data today and all of a sudden he couldn't send or receive texts (even though his plan is an "Unlimited Text and Picture Messaging". 

He was still able to send/receive messages with WIFI, but not regular texts. 

Ultimately, we figured out that he needed to go into the individual contact settings for the people he couldn't send to and turn the toggle on for "Only Send SMS and MMS Messages". 

I'm wondering... Is this normal? He said he's had to do this before, even when he still had data. I feel like there must be a better way than for him to go into each individual message/contact to change this, but we haven't been able to find anything else in settings, or know why this would be happening (seems to be changing to/from this setting by itself).

Thanks for any knowledge!

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@Oracle365 

Sounds normal.

SMS texts do not need a data plan to send/receive.

MMS texts need your data enabled to send/receive, and if you run out of data you can still use this feature when data is enabled.

*ensure SMS is always enabled

*ensure MMS is always enabled

If he is an iphone user it may be he was sending text via data when not in wifi zones.