Testing out IMessage

Question

I know this will sound like a billing question, but it's really an observation about how the IPhone works and some of the options that work and don't work using IMessage. Getting charged is indicating how the IMessage app works.

I have the $2 per day ATT plan, if I don't call or text anyone I don't get charge. I was wondering why when I sent text to certain phones I was getting charged the $2 (no phone calls). In IOS v5 Apple have introduced a money saving way of texting other Apple devices via IMessage, if you are using WIFI you can text anywhere in the world for free so long as the other Apple device has IMessage. There are a number of things to take into consideration:-

If they are running an old version of IOS the the msg you send will always go via SMS to there IPhone. So I have a friend that has an IPhone he hasn't updated and therefore if I send him a text msg (first action of the day) I get charged $2. Subsequent msgs and calls are free for the rest of the day. Interestingly in IMessage the "Send" button and msgs is coloured bright Green.

The same thing occurs if sending to nonApple devices.

If you have the WIFI on and the Cell on you can choose to always send the msg via WIFI only by changing Settings>messages>Send as SMS to NO. If the wifi is unavailable it will not send via SMS.

HOWEVER, if this is set to NO SMS and I'm using WIFI, IPhone will still send via SMS messages to IPhones that do not have IMessage or none IPhones.

So, I can send and receive free messages to my wife's IPhone in Egypt, but cannot send for free to my friends IPhone that does not have IMessage installed.

The tipoff that you are going to be charged or not is in the colouring of the SEND button on IMessage. Bright Green button (and messages) will be sent via SMS. Blue Button and messages sent via wifi and no charge.

You can also be charged if you turn your WIFI off. I sent a message yesterday from work and forgot to turn the WIFI on, So, IMessage sent a message to Egypt and charged $2 plus, because it was an SMS message going out of the USA and extra 25 cents for good measure. Now, in theory, because I had the Send As SMS set to NO, it should not have sent the message via SMS.

dwill05 · Accepted Answer

iMessage works over both WiFi and the cell data network, as long as both people have iOS devices. I exchanged a couple of text messages with a buddy who also has an iPhone 4S the other day and neither of us were on WiFi and no texts have been charged to me.

dwill05 · Answer

I'm not aware that there is any $2 a day plan for the iPhone, at least not a supported one. Maybe you are getting charged because you aren't on the correct plan?

youngjm · Answer

It is a go-phone plan. Since it is not officially supported, your experiences and charges may only be based on what you see and ATT is probably not going to clarify anything for you in this use.

stratusc · Answer

That's why I'm specifying what I've found. I would imagine that the charges are the same on all plans, As in, when you get charged on a contract you will have one less free message available. So, if you have a contract that includes a data plan using IMessage over cell rather than WIFI will decrease your available free SMS msg count and using WIFI will not. Also, using IMessage over cell and sending a msg abroad is going to cost you extra in most cases on contracts (unless, I guess you have an international plan), so you're going to save again on a contract sending msgs to another IPhone that has IMessage over wifi.

stratusc · Answer

@dwill05 wrote:iMessage works over both WiFi and the cell data network, as long as both people have iOS devices. I exchanged a couple of text messages with a buddy who also has an iPhone 4S the other day and neither of us were on WiFi and no texts have been charged to me.I 'think' it's just using IOS 5 as my friend has an old IPhone and hasn't updated his software to IOS 5 yet. I'm using ATT GOPONE, I get charged $2 per day for unlimited voice and I think, 200 texts. The first msg of the day, If I use just cell service I get charged $2 (in the USA), if I'm sending abroad it'll be $2 + 25 cents for the text msm. Just WIFI noting at all. Got to be careful if both are on because I noticed that if there's a problem with wfi for some reason IMessage will immediatly give up and send down Cell instead.

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