Out of data but why can’t I text?

[wilsonfamily]

My plan is 2gb data on a 3g network. It’s up in two days but I’m out of data. Unless I’m in WiFi I cant send or receive a text. Why? My plan says unlimited text, picture messaging and calling. I understand not being able to use apps that need internet but why can’t I send a simple text! 

[CountyDownIeUk]

iPhone needs data or wifi to iMessage. 

iPhone can iMessage to other Apple products only

iPhone can iMessage  to a “registered” iPhone  number or email address. 

IPhones must be set up to send and receive iMessages 

iPhones can only text to an android phone or an Apple product with iMessage turned off.  

Iphones, when texting, can only text to a phone number. 

IMessage is blue bubble 

Text is green bubble 

Suggest you go into settings on iPhone and set messages to send/receive from your phone number only....even if you see registered email addresses. 

[popping · Accepted solution]

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@wilsonfamily wrote:

Yes it’s an iPhone 10? Or x or whatever they called it 

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Your iPhone is using the iMessage app to send and receive message using Internet data connection - WiFi or mobile data.  Since you ran out of mobile data, your SMS/MMS does not works.

SMS does not use internet data.  SMS message is piggy back on the voice channel to send and receive message.  iMessage uses it own message protocol to send and receive message.  Default setting of iMessage app is disable the SMS/MMS message.  Go to iPhone iMessage setting and enable the SMS/MMS setting so that it will using the voice channel to send/receive SMS/MMS.

[BKNS27]

@wilsonfamily 

Check to see if Cellular Data is enabled for SMS/MMS texting to work. Go to Settings>Cellular>enable (turn on) Cellular Data.

Also check if SMS and MMS is enabled. Go to Settings>Messages>scroll down to Send as SMS and to MMS Messaging. See if they are both enabled.

[dust2dust]

So yes, in imessage settings, turn on send as sms and send as mms. You could opt to use the imessage app as a pure standard texting app by turning off imessage after those settings have been turned on. Then it won't go through Apple servers using instant messaging needing the internet. Good old plain old standard SMS and MMS.

[softech]

@wilsonfamily if you don't want to completely turn off izmessage, you can send via text on particular one by:

:

1. Tap and hold on the message you want to send as a text
2. From the pop-up menu, select “Send as Text Message”

[wilsonfamily]

Yes it’s an iPhone 10? Or x or whatever they called it 

[dust2dust]

Using an iphone? In it's natural settings, it doesn't do texting (SMS). It does old timey instant messaging that needs the internet either by wifi or cellular data.

[computergeek541]

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@wilsonfamily wrote:

My plan is 2gb data on a 3g network. It’s up in two days but I’m out of data. Unless I’m in WiFi I cant send or receive a text. Why? My plan says unlimited text, picture messaging and calling. I understand not being able to use apps that need internet but why can’t I send a simple text! 

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Text messaging doesn't use data or Wi-Fi, nor can it.   Also, picture messaging (MMS) doesn't require you to have any data left on your plan. Along with iMessage that just mentioned in the previous message, Google's Chat feature could also requires an internet connection.  Other apps that have messaging features (but that aren't usually actually doing text or picture messaging) inclues Whatsapp, Messenger, Viber, Skype, etc.  Your plan includes unlimited SMS and MMS messages.

[DDM69]

Using an iPhone?

Turn iMessage off