iMessage can't see some of my contacts

Question

Level 1

4 points

iMessage can't see some of my contacts

I have iMessages activated, I know it since I can use it with many of my contacts who owns iPhones and also have iMessages and we can contact each other without problems, I'm also using Mountain Lion and I can message them using my Mac.

The problem is that I have other contacts which I can't see, I only have the SMS option, one of them is a colleague and I see him every day in person, we've tried to message each other but it just won't work. Green messages instead of blue.

We've tried reactivating iMessages and everything you could try.

The same contacts my iPhone can't see, on the Mac I can't iMessage them either, but those I can iMessage on the iPhone from my Mac works well too. Same contact, same situation on both platforms.

Is there anybody else suffering the same problem?

I'm from Chile.

Thank you

Claudio

iPhone 4S, iOS 5.1.1, 32 GB

Posted on Aug 15, 2012 9:39 PM

Reply

Answer 1

sberman

Level 10

273,846 points

Aug 15, 2012 10:15 PM in response to Vischo

I don't understand quite a bit of what you're trying to say --- but anyway, here's a quick thing to check:

On your iPhone, check Settings ---> Messages --> Send as SMS. It should be on.

Basically, I think you're saying you can iMessage fine with folks who have iPhones, but you cannot send or receive text messages with other folks who don't have Apple equipment.

Reply

Answer 2

Vischo Author

Level 1

4 points

Aug 15, 2012 10:23 PM in response to sberman

Thanks for your answer.

I'm afraid I wasn't clear enough though.

The problem is with other iPhone users, but not with all of them.

One of my colleagues has an iPhone, has iMessages activated just like me. We can't send iMessages to each other, but we both can send iMessages to other iPhone users. That colleague is not the only one in that situation. I have lots of friends using iPhones and with most of them I have no problems at all, it's just with some of them. That happens to me using my iPhone or iMessages on my Mac with Mountain Lion.

The same contacts I can't iMessage from my iPhone are also unreachable from my Mac.

Does this clarify my situation?

Thank you!

Reply

Answer 3

Vischo Author

Level 1

4 points

Aug 15, 2012 10:25 PM in response to Vischo

Oh and of course, if I activate that Send as SMS if iMessage fails, it goes over SMS without problems... But that's not what I want.

I already pay for an unlimited data plan but I'm charged for each SMS, so clearly I prefer using iMessages.

WhatsApp has shown not to be totally reliable.

Reply

Answer 4

sberman

Level 10

273,846 points

Aug 15, 2012 10:30 PM in response to Vischo

Again, I apologize if I'm not understanding ...

If you activate Send as SMS, your iPhone will use iMessage if it can (you have to be on WiFi, and so does the receiver, and you both need reasonably current Apple gear). Your iMessages will be sent the same way whether you have Send as SMS on or not.

The difference is that if you cannot use iMessage (because the receiver is not using Apple equipment, or you or the receiver is not on WiFi), then:

If you have Send as SMS on, the message will be sent as a text message (and you will be charged).

If you have Send as SMS off, the message will NOT be sent (and you will not be charged).

Reply

Answer 5

sberman

Level 10

273,846 points

Aug 15, 2012 10:34 PM in response to Vischo

Here's a good troubleshooting article: http://support.apple.com/kb/TS2755

Reply