Texting; part of plan??

[Shayla1]

I recently bought the $15 100 mg plan for my daughter. She has barely used it sbd got a text stating she’s used up all her data. Isn’t texting from iPhone to iPhone included in package and not a part of data??

[Korth]

All Public Mobile plans include unlimited SMS texts and unlimited MMS (picture) attachments. SMS always works. MMS requires active data connection but plan/add-on data provisions are not consumed - each MMS will be reported on Self-Serve usage as an "MMS Event" which consumes 0.00MB of billable data.

Apple iMessage (and Android RCS, and apps like Signal/etc) offer extra features beyond SMS/MMS standards. They all use and consume billable data.

If you disable iMessage's extra features (use standard SMS/MMS protocols instead) then you can use (Public Mobile's) unlimited texts and pictures. You won't be able to see or send the extra layers of pretty animations and stuff between iMessage users.

[pkaraa]

change to settings for Text msgs then it wont use data unless its a Media text.

[softech]

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@Shayla1 wrote:

I was told that texting doesn’t use data…. So it seems that it does. I’m just learning about this, as I want my daughter to be able to text us if need. If she runs out, she can’t text me?

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@Shayla1 

Your daughter would be able to continue texting you as long as she disable iMessage.  I have the steps posted earlier to disable iMessage

( @walker1   I am  just try to answer what the OP was question without too much info  🙂 )  

[walker1]

@Anonymous    That post isn't as long as you know who's, but it'll do!   😂

[Anonymous]

How about this summary for anyone that might care:

An account can have no cell data on hand either by fully consumed or older account with no data. They can turn on cell data and send and receive MMS.

If the account has cell data on hand, turning on cell data will consume a very small amount of data depending on phone settings (could be much more) and then MMS can be sent and received but doesn't consume any cell data.

SMS does not need or care about the presence or not of data.

iphones do their own thing between idevices that needs an internet connection either from wifi or existing cell data unless configured for open connectivity.

Androids can use RCS that also needs an internet connection.

Both will consume cell data (if not on wifi) as it is not real SMS or MMS.

[Anonymous]

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@srlawren wrote:

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@Anonymous wrote:

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@Shayla1 

the SMS texting is not using any data... only with Picture Messaging the data will by using your data,

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@Anonymous I just wanted to clarify that the part I quoted and bolded above is misleading.  While it is true that sending and receiving MMS (aka "picture") messages uses the mobile data connection and the connection needs to be active to send and receive them, it's important to note that these messages do not count against your plan (or add-on) data buckets.  So while the person is technically "using data", they are not "using your data".  Hopefully this makes sense.

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@srlawren 

off course that person has a plan active and the technically "using data" only for MMS ("picture") messages uses the mobile data, but if using SMS Text no need mobile data, right!

[srlawren]

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@Anonymous wrote:

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@Shayla1 

the SMS texting is not using any data... only with Picture Messaging the data will by using your data,

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@Anonymous I just wanted to clarify that the part I quoted and bolded above is misleading.  While it is true that sending and receiving MMS (aka "picture") messages uses the mobile data connection and the connection needs to be active to send and receive them, it's important to note that these messages do not count against your plan (or add-on) data buckets.  So while the person is technically "using data", they are not "using your data".  Hopefully this makes sense.

[Anonymous]

 @darren-t : Welcome to the community. Great of you jump in and start participating.

iMessage uses it's own thing internally. Basically a form of instant messaging. It can do SMS and it can do MMS. But it has this own thing that works between idevices. That needs an internet connection. MMS needs cell data to be on but does not consume data and in fact would work with no data present.

[darren-t]

Hi Shayla,

When texting there are two "protocols" or methods being used, there is SMS and MMS. SMS only allows for bare-bone features such as texting between two contacts. MMS is what allows users to send multimedia (photos, videos, gifs) and will require a wifi or data connection.

MMS is what Apple uses to support enhanced features such as reactions to messages and "read/unread statuses" in iMessage. If your daughter runs out of data, she will still always be able to send basic text through SMS. MMS functionality might fail to deliver. Hope this helps!

[Anonymous]

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@Shayla1 wrote:

I was told that texting doesn’t use data…. So it seems that it does. I’m just learning about this, as I want my daughter to be able to text us if need. If she runs out, she can’t text me?

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@Shayla1 

the SMS texting is not using any data... only with Picture Messaging the data will by using your data,

and all plan included for Unlimited International Text and Picture Messaging For Free,

[Anonymous]

 @Shayla1 : What you were told is correct. But your iphone has a way to send what are called instant messages between iphones...not technically texting per se. That needs the internet. Wifi or cell data. You would need to change the settings to make it do plain old standard SMS texting if that's what you want which doesn't need the internet. It should also be able to figure this out for itself but I'm not an Apple guy.

[Shayla1]

I was told that texting doesn’t use data…. So it seems that it does. I’m just learning about this, as I want my daughter to be able to text us if need. If she runs out, she can’t text me?

[LeePublic]

@Shayla1  Once the data is used up, you'd have to buy more data. If you want to message someone when the data is used up, you'll see the message bubble has changed to green. Green bubbles mean it's using the texting portion of your plan. iMessage bubbles are blue, but they take up data.

[softech · Accepted solution]

@Shayla1   Text itself is free.

You can turn off iMessage and use the free text:

change the iMessage settings by
Click on Settings app,
click Messages,
Turn iMessage off (switch from green to grey)

[Anonymous]

@Shayla1 

all plan included for Unlimited International Text and Picture Messaging For Free,

for iphone  go to Settings > Messages > To turn iMessage on

Turn your data on to send a Picture Messaging in world-wide,

if your data is off and your home internet wifi is on is not going through the Picture or a video Messaging, 

you have to do this to is going through you will need to turn your data on to send a Picture or a video Messaging in world-wide,

make sure your Data is on.

and do again Rebooting your phone means to turn off your phone and turn it back on again.to refreshing your network...

[hTideGnow]

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@Shayla1 wrote:

I recently bought the $15 100 mg plan for my daughter. She has barely used it sbd got a text stating she’s used up all her data. Isn’t texting from iPhone to iPhone included in package and not a part of data??

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your daughter has been using iMessage and not SMS/Text.   iMessage uses data and can easily used up your 250mb as you have to turn on Data Mobile and other app might be downloading when data is turn on