Is iMessage free if the other iPhone user is in another country?

Can Apple confirm this? I've seen nothing in the documentation that says it's free. When I text from Canada to the US, I'm charged by my provider (Rogers). My friend just got off the phone with Rogers who state that these will be treated as international texts and charged accordingly.

Of course you have to pay if you send a text message to somebody in the US. But iMessage is NOT a text message as long as both users have iOS 5 on their device and the message is sent via iMessage (it shows you how it'll be sent before sending, either text or iMessage).

Check out this page: http://www.apple.com/ca/iphone/built-in-apps/messages.html

It uses DATA, not SMS. It is not a text message - a text message is used if iMessage is unavailable.

You don't even need to have your sim card inserted to use iMessage. Go ahead and connect to WiFi to test it out if you want. How do you think people with an iPod Touch or iPad would be charged for it? They can't be, and there is no charges for it.

It's free as long as you have a data connection (either WiFi or cellular data), but you will not pay any text message fees. It's like sending a very short email.

Yes, because iMessage uses the internet unlike text messages. Think of it as a mini-email type of thing.

Cheers

It's exactly how BlackBerry Messenger works on BlackBerry devices: free to anybody in the world. Just like sending an email.

This is not a new concept to those familiar with the wireless industry. Apple doesn't need to confirm this - they already have stated all you need is an internet connection.

AT&T is charging for iMessages for the past 2 months since we activated the iPhones. We have 3G data plan & WiFi at home so we have data service. We texted to friends who are also on iPhones and the text windows came up as Blue with 'iMessage' appearing in the textbox. It is an iMessage but AT&T charged us 20 cents per txt. We have confirmed this and Apple will not acknowledged the problem. If iMessage is truly using the data network, AT&T should not detect it as a text.

iMessage is not free. You should test yourself and check your carrier bill the next day.

hey buddy i completly agree on what u said with imessage.besides i know gps is where u can find ur current location,locate shops and get the current traffic and many more but for gps do u need cellular network or wifi?

thank you

What is probably happening is that the iMessage failed for some reason. When they happens the message is sent as SMS. There is a setting (Settings/Messages - Send as SMS) where you can disable this feature.

AT&T has no way of knowing if you are sending an iMessage; it is just data on your 3G or WiFi connection, so they would have no way of charging you for it.

iMessages are encrypted, so AT&T should not be aware of them. It must have been sent as an SMS, as stated by Lawrence.

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It does count towards data though unless you are using wifi 🙂.

https://www.apple.com/ios/messages/

free on wifi direct from apple site

I am getting ready to go on a European trip, and was also curious about using iMessage and Facetime from there as well. If I am always certain I am using wifi and not data (turn off the data), will that make it certain that I will NOT get charged data charges? I plan to purchase the cheapest international plan (AT&T) before leaving, but want to make sure. It looks to me like that is best way; that and stay in airplane mode unless you are near wifi.

Thank you.

Just turn off Roaming Data and it will use WiFi. I just got back from Europe, and can offer the following advice on AT&T's roaming plans. First, they are pretty good, considering. Only T-Mobile's is better (free, unlimited international data, but only GPRS speeds).

AT&T's roaming data plans are shown here: http://www.wireless.att.com/learn/international/roaming/affordable-world-package s.jsp#data

The somewhat tricky part is that they are pro-rated based on where in your billing cycle you enable them. For example, if you add the 120 MB plan half way through your billing cycle you will only get 60 MB over the next 2 weeks. So it is usually better to make the effective date of the plan the start of your billing cycle, even if you won't be leaving for a couple of weeks. If you add the feature online there is an option to do this, even if the day you add it is after the start of your billing cycle.

I added the $60, 300 MB plan for 12 days in Europe, and used 295 MB. If you go over it isn't that bad anymore; they just tack on another 150 MB for another $30. Considering the cost of a trip to Europe the data plan is small change.

One other bit of advice. Reset the usage counter at the start of your trip. Take screen shots of usage periodically throughout the trip, and one final one when you get back, showing the total International roaming usage. Mine showed 281 MB, vs the 295 MB that appeared on my bill. I called AT&T about the discrepancy, and they said that if I had gone over 300 MB on the billed amount but had a screen shot of my usage as reported on the phone was less they would have adjusted the bill.

I just called to have plan added the day I leave, the 120/$30. I plan to use it only when I have wifi. did NOT get the phone plan as rep told me $1 per minute. Will try to use facetime or skype instead of calling. Your answer VERY helpful! I know how to take screenshot on computer, but not phone, but will look it up. That is really excellent advice! thank you.

To take a screen shot on the phone just press and release HOME and SLEEP at the same time.