US Roaming Text Only

[Debby]

I purchased the US roaming for $8.  My phone is set with roaming turned on - it is connected to TMobile.  But I am not receiving texts except when I am on wifi.   Even got a message from Public Mobile that I was in the US and could purchase an add-on.  What am I missing?

[Camelia_M]

Hi @Debby,

If  you use an Iphone and bought a text only add-on for the US it's not going to work as iMessage uses data.

You need to go to Settings - Messages - activate Send as SMS (send as sms when iMessage is unavailable)

Also more info about US roaming can be found here . 

Camelia_M

[srlawren]

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@computergeek541 wrote:

@Debby A data roaming package is not required to receive text messages.  You can simply set your phone so that text messages get delivered through the regular SMS protocol. 

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@Debby US Roaming Data will get you iMessage (along with anything else data: web browsing, email, googling reviews of restaurants you might want to visit, making video calls over Facetime--though use this sparingly as it will suck up your data relatively quickly, etc).  US Roaming Texting will just get you SMS and MMS messaging.  It's up to you to decide what you want/need while you're travelling to the USA.

[computergeek541]

@Debby A data roaming package is not required to receive text messages.  You can simply set your phone so that text messages get delivered through the regular SMS protocol. 

[sunflowershine]

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@Debby wrote:

I do use iMessage as well because I have a daughter in New Zealand

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@Debby, it will be better for you to have a data plan in US instead.

[Anonymous]

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@Debby wrote:

Thanks everyone.  Bought data too and now it is working.  So, to be sure I understand, if I have iMessage on, then I have to have data in order to send or receive any texts.  If I turn iMessage off, then my data is not used up from texting.  Is that right and would it work the same way in Canada too?  That is, I need to have data if I have iMessage turned on?

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Data or wifi. You can turn imessage off or set the setting to use SMS. Yes, you need wifi or data for imessage to work without the setting.

[Debby]

Thanks everyone.  Bought data too and now it is working.  So, to be sure I understand, if I have iMessage on, then I have to have data in order to send or receive any texts.  If I turn iMessage off, then my data is not used up from texting.  Is that right and would it work the same way in Canada too?  That is, I need to have data if I have iMessage turned on?

[stonechucker]

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@krazykiwi wrote:

@Debby @Eddy_G 

Unlike what is being advised you do not need to turn iMessage off to make it work even though you do not have data and you do not need to buy a data add-on. All you need to do is go in to settings for iMessage and ensure "send as SMS" when iMessage (data) is not available is turned on

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Has it been confirmed yet if the add-on has actually been attached the account?  It may still be $8 in the available balance.

[krazykiwi]

@Debby @Eddy_G 

Unlike what is being advised you do not need to turn iMessage off to make it work even though you do not have data and you do not need to buy a data add-on. All you need to do is go in to settings for iMessage and ensure "send as SMS" when iMessage (data) is not available is turned on

[Anonymous]

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@Debby wrote:

Looked and couldn’t find it, but I know it is set up to do that.  But it works that way in Canada, wouldn’t it work down in the US as well?

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 @Debby 

A quick search found this.

[Anonymous]

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@Eddy_G wrote:

@Debby

Yes, if you buy the data add-on and you are using an iPhone and iMessage it will work.

Eddy

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There's an up-sell by a representative of the company 🙂

Use SMS. Use wifi if you insist on using imessage. imessage needs the internet. SMS doesn't. (now that you've paid for the add-on)

[Eddy_G · Accepted solution]

@Debby

Yes, if you buy the data add-on and you are using an iPhone and iMessage it will work.

Eddy

[Anonymous]

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@Eddy_G wrote:

Hey Debby

Can you please specify what kind of add-on did you get and your phone model?

There are 2 add-ons for $8 - which one did you get?

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@Eddy_G: We all miss these details on occasion but it's there in the subject line.

[Anonymous]

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@Debby wrote:

I do use data at home as well.  Do you think I buy the data add-on then it will work?

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That's why imessage works at home. Just turn it off and use regular SMS.

grumble grumble...bl@@dy Apple...grumble

[Debby]

I do use iMessage as well because I have a daughter in New Zealand

[Eddy_G]

Hey Debby

Can you please specify what kind of add-on did you get and your phone model?

There are 2 add-ons for $8 - which one did you get?

[Debby]

I do use data at home as well.  Do you think I buy the data add-on then it will work?

[stonechucker]

@Debby , are you able to check your My Account overview tab and see the add-on info for the US Text addon?

It's a two-step process to make it active. Once to pay, the second to add it.

[jeremiah10]

Hey Debby,
If you go into your iphones settings, then messages. Make sure your Imessages is turned off as your iphone will try to send the messages through Imessage. If your plan is a talk and text plan, with the $8 US add on you should be able to send sms. Just make sure imsg is off.

[Debby]

Looked and couldn’t find it, but I know it is set up to do that.  But it works that way in Canada, wouldn’t it work down in the US as well?

[Eddy_G]

Hey Debby,

It sounds like you are using an iPhone and it is set to iMessage(iMessage need data to travel either celluar/mobile data or Wi Fi.

The roaming add-on you for $8 does not include data so that is the reason you are not getting the texts.

To receive regular text messages you have to switch iMessage off from the settings.

I hope this helps,

Regards

Eddy

[RobertQc]

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@Debby wrote:

I purchased the US roaming for $8.  My phone is set with roaming turned on - it is connected to TMobile.  But I am not receiving texts except when I am on wifi.   Even got a message from Public Mobile that I was in the US and could purchase an add-on.  What am I missing?

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It sounds like your messenger program needs data, do you normally have a data plan in Canada?

Are you using imessage?

[Anonymous]

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@Debby wrote:

I purchased the US roaming for $8.  My phone is set with roaming turned on - it is connected to TMobile.  But I am not receiving texts except when I am on wifi.   Even got a message from Public Mobile that I was in the US and could purchase an add-on.  What am I missing?

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Sounds like an iphone using imessage. I think there's a setting in there to make it use SMS instead.