SMS and iMessage

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Level 1

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SMS and iMessage

I just started using iMessage and from what I've heard if you have "Send as SMS" turned off in settings, then you can only send messages through iMessage. If the phone you are sending an SMS to doesnt have iMessage does that they can't receive anything, and that you can't receive any SMS from them? And if you do have "Send as SMS" on I've heard that even if you intend to send an SMS to another iMessage user it will go into their iMessage inbox instead and if they don't have iMessage it will just go to their SMS, true?. But if for whatever reason iMessage isn't working (since i'm on wifi using it) and it goes through as an SMS will I know and can I be prompted before the SMS get's sent? I have both my number and email for iMessage.

I'm on credit and all I want is the best option with SMS and iMessage without having credit accidentally used up because iMessage isn't working.

iPhone 4, iOS 5.1

Posted on May 6, 2012 12:12 AM

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Answer 1

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modular747

Level 6

19,656 points

May 6, 2012 12:59 AM in response to cazz95

Lots of confusion and misinformation in your post.

1. If "Send as SMS" is off, you can still receive SMS. If Send as SMS is off and you send from within an existing conversation that used SMS, it will still send via SMS.

2. If Send as SMS is on and both parties have iMessage enabled, it will go as iMessage and use SMS as backup only if iMessage is unavailable. To force it as SMS, you have to disable iMessage in Settings.

3. There are no separate SMS and iMessage inboxes. Both types appear in the same place in the Messages app. Messages sent to/from email addresses will appear in a different conversation than those using phone numbers.

4. iMessage does not require WiFi - it goes over the cell data network if no WiFi is connected and uses cell data allotment.

5. There is no prompt or warning that the sent message is going over SMS rather than iMessage. Messages sent by SMS appear with a green background and iMessage with a blue background, but you see that only after the message is sent.

I suggest you read chapter 9 in the User Guide:

http://manuals.info.apple.com/en_US/iphone_user_guide.pdf

Message was edited by: modular747

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