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Level 1

16 points

iMessage while without data

Hi,

A real life example where iMessage fails on me, maybe there is a solution for this?

My in-laws both have iPhones so do my wife and I. We use iMessage to message them and it works like a charm as all of us have a continuous data connection, either wifi or 3G.

Now they are on holiday and the issue is now that they have disabled data roaming, but use wifi when available eg in hotel or at public places.

When I sent them a message, it still is sent as imessage(blue bubble) and it doesn't fall back to normal text message instead, even though they have no data.

So this means:

I can not sent them a message, unless I check for myself if the message is delivered and then resent as a text message or they will ony receive the message when they have a data connection again.....

I would assume that when the iPhone has no data, the apple servers would know the connection is gone and automatically and so normal text messages will be used. This is not the case.

I know there is an option sent as text in the settings, but this is for my own fall back in case I have no data and so SMS will be used.

Any ideas?!

Regards,

Ron

iPhone 4, iOS 5

Posted on Jan 27, 2012 3:56 AM

Best reply

Jowie

Level 2

222 points

Posted on Jan 10, 2017 1:01 AM

Again, the person with the most points provides the least helpful information. Whatever iMessage does or doesn't require, the downfall of iMessage is when you try to communicate with someone who doesn't currently have Internet access. There is no way for the sender's phone to know that the receiver doesn't have an active connection.

I communicate with a family member who doesn't have cellular network data, and so we use both WhatsApp and Messages (with iMessage switched off). That way, if I send him a message on WhatsApp and it only shows a single tick, I know he is out. I then switch to Messages and send him a standard SMS.

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33 replies

Oct 22, 2016 4:45 AM in response to pajapi

I experience the same thing because I have Macbook Pro, IPAD, and 3 iPhones in the family with the same iCloud account. The 2 iPhones do not have the data plan. I solved the issue with following steps:

When sending email from iPhone with data plan (phone 1) to iPhone with no data plan (phone 2). Phone 1 indicated that the message is delivered but phone 2 did not get it. It turned out the message went to my other devices: macbook and iPad which always have WIFI at home. So I do the following steps:

(*) Disable Message in macbook pro. http://www.iphonetopics.com/disable-imessage-on-macbook-pro/

(*) Disable message in the iPads

I hope this helps. Alternatively, if you are an advanced user, you can disable the related phone number with no data plan from any apple devices with internet connection. I believe once the message reach to one of your apple device, then it is assumed that the message is delivered.

Jowie

Level 2

222 points

Jan 10, 2017 1:08 AM in response to pajapi

I thought your description was extremely clear. I understand you perfectly. Unfortunately, people rush to answer without reading properly.

Jowie

Level 2

222 points

Jan 10, 2017 1:10 AM in response to redcrow

It's now nearly 5 years later, and the iMessage/SMS switching still doesn't work reliably.

iMessage while without data