aai92

Q: Why do I need Cellular Data turned on to send/receive MMS?

So after over 3 hours on the phone with Verizon, Apple, then Verizon again trying to figure out why I can't send or receive mms messages unless Cellular Data is on, doing a hundred soft/hard/network/every reset imaginable, a Verizon rep this morning told me "you cannot use mms unless the cellular data is switched to "on", and there are NO PHONES that will allow you to send mms without it on".

Ok, so how come when I had flip phones that didn't even have data plans, I was able to send MMS? And the biggest question - how come I never ever turned my 3G on on my droid and yet could still send SMS? Why does the iPhone force me to keep cellular data on, eating away at my 150mb data plan that I can barely even afford and would rather only have wifi on?

iPhone 5, iOS 6

Posted on Sep 23, 2012 4:51 AM

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Q: Why do I need Cellular Data turned on to send/receive MMS?

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  • by tobyhowl,

    tobyhowl tobyhowl Jan 30, 2014 6:38 AM in response to aai92
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jan 30, 2014 6:38 AM in response to aai92

    aai92- I am having similar situation. Ever since I updated to iOS7, then I traded up for an iphone 5c, I've been either going over on my data plan or coming very close to over. I've also called and gotten nowhere. I've become obsessed about this. I've turned off apps that are using cell data, closing out every app after using so its not "running in the background", etc. I just recently realized it could perhaps be MMS, but this was never the case before iOS7/5c. My wife sends me texts from her email at work. This is considered an MMS and I can not receive thses or respon to these particular messages without cell data truned on. You'd think these messages would be covered under my unlimited texting plan. The issue I have is my "data usage" has not increased since Oct/Nov and all of a sudden it has?!? This doesn't make since. When I call they blame it on apps being open or auto back up turned on or they cant answer this for me. I have auto back up turned off and I've always been told if apps are open its only for multi tasking but there's not actually. The other thing is I can't believe others are being so diligent about turning cell data off for apps, watching their usage like a hawk, closing out apps, etc and they're not going over. Is this a widespread issue. Please help!!!!

  • by KiltedTim,

    KiltedTim KiltedTim Jan 30, 2014 6:51 AM in response to tobyhowl
    Level 9 (55,946 points)
    Mac OS X
    Jan 30, 2014 6:51 AM in response to tobyhowl

    Though MMS uses cellular data, it should not hit your cellular data allowance (at least, I have not noticed that it makes a difference, I believe it's covered in your messaging plan, though I may not get enough MMS messages to notice).

     

    You can tell what apps are using how much data in Settings>Cellular.

  • by pdroth,

    pdroth pdroth Jan 30, 2014 7:32 AM in response to KiltedTim
    Level 5 (5,104 points)
    Jan 30, 2014 7:32 AM in response to KiltedTim

    If you are sending/receiving short movies and pictures in bulk, your data allowance is certainly going to take a hit.

  • by Lawrence Finch,

    Lawrence Finch Lawrence Finch Jan 30, 2014 7:35 AM in response to tobyhowl
    Level 8 (38,086 points)
    Mac OS X
    Jan 30, 2014 7:35 AM in response to tobyhowl

    Go to Settings/Cellular. This will show all apps that use cellular data, and how much each has used since the last time you reset statistics.

  • by KiltedTim,

    KiltedTim KiltedTim Jan 30, 2014 7:47 AM in response to pdroth
    Level 9 (55,946 points)
    Mac OS X
    Jan 30, 2014 7:47 AM in response to pdroth

    Good to know. I guess the occasional pics of the dog my wife sends don't amount to much.

  • by DaveMedlin,

    DaveMedlin DaveMedlin Mar 14, 2014 10:39 AM in response to ArdonP
    Level 1 (10 points)
    Mar 14, 2014 10:39 AM in response to ArdonP

    Because my iphone 5 has used cellular for updating apps even when I have strong wifi available!  The Apple rep was no help other than to suggest I turn off cellular when wifi is available.  I do this then I don't receive some texts even though I have strong wifi connection! Of course they can't help with that either.

  • by dilbert41,

    dilbert41 dilbert41 Mar 14, 2014 10:48 AM in response to DaveMedlin
    Level 4 (3,592 points)
    iTunes
    Mar 14, 2014 10:48 AM in response to DaveMedlin

    Dave  Go to Settings>iTunes & App Store  and scroll to the bottom and turn OFF "Use Mobile Data"

  • by lizdance40,

    lizdance40 lizdance40 Mar 14, 2014 10:58 AM in response to DaveMedlin
    Level 4 (2,382 points)
    Mar 14, 2014 10:58 AM in response to DaveMedlin

    One of the annoying quirks of iOS 7 is the iPhone connects to cellular, rather than wifi, when the screen goes to sleep.

    UNLESS plugged into power.  

    The only way to prevent this stupidity is to turn off cellular when at home, on wifi.

    Turning off cellular data does not prevent phone calls or text messages.     It will prevent pictures in text from coming in until you turn cellular back on.

     

    If you notice, right below cellular data in settings is the option to "use cellular data for:"

    Then it list all apps.   Turn off cellular data for App Store, and all other non essentials.    This will prevent updating of apps on cellular and will force wifi.

  • by DaveMedlin,

    DaveMedlin DaveMedlin Mar 14, 2014 11:18 AM in response to lizdance40
    Level 1 (10 points)
    Mar 14, 2014 11:18 AM in response to lizdance40

    Thanks but the line "Turning off cellular data does not prevent calls or text messages" is not true.  That was the subject of another post I made that started this whole mess for me today.  I can receive calls but not texts and the texts I'm referring to contain no pictures!  copy below:

     

    This continues to be a problem for me and the nice folks at Apple can't seem to help me.  I have a limited data account so whenever I'm at home, or elsewhere with wifi available, I keep cellular turned off.  I do this because when I first got my phone and downloaded several apps I went over my data limits even though I was at home with nice strong (same room as router) wifi connection.  When I called to ask why my phone (iPhone 5) used the cellular data instead of wifi the Apple rep couldn't give me an answer other than to just turn off cellular when wifi is available to avoid this issue.

    I didn't like that solution but having no other alternative have been using it.  The problem is many times I don't receive texts (happened again this morning) until I turn on cellular even though I have wifi turned on! The last two times this happened was with a group message involving some iphones and some android devices.  The one this morning was from my sister with android to my other two sisters, one with iphone the other without, and me.

    I've been at home all morning with strong wifi connection yet again didn't get the message until I turned on cellular! Can anyone tell me why this keeps happening and what I can do to correct it?  Thanks!

  • by DaveMedlin,

    DaveMedlin DaveMedlin Mar 14, 2014 11:18 AM in response to dilbert41
    Level 1 (10 points)
    Mar 14, 2014 11:18 AM in response to dilbert41

    Thanks for the info, Dilbert!

  • by DaveMedlin,

    DaveMedlin DaveMedlin Mar 14, 2014 11:24 AM in response to lizdance40
    Level 1 (10 points)
    Mar 14, 2014 11:24 AM in response to lizdance40

    Just found this info here:

     

    http://support.apple.com/kb/ht4146

     

    part of link copied below, note the line about not being able to receive SMS without cellular turned on!  I don't understand why!

     

    Understanding cellular data settings

    You can temporarily turn off cellular data to prevent applications from using the cellular network connection to send or receive data. If you turn off cellular data, you will be unable to:

    • See the cellular data icons in the status bar (for example, LTE or 3G).
    • Send or receive MMS messages. You can still send and receive SMS, and send and receive iMessages (text or multimedia) when connected to a Wi-Fi network.
    • Retrieve or listen to new Visual Voicemail messages. To retrieve messages, enable cellular data.
    • Use Personal Hotspot.
  • by Lawrence Finch,

    Lawrence Finch Lawrence Finch Mar 14, 2014 4:08 PM in response to DaveMedlin
    Level 8 (38,086 points)
    Mac OS X
    Mar 14, 2014 4:08 PM in response to DaveMedlin

    You also don't understand what it said. Although it is not worded well. but what it means is:

     

    • Send or receive MMS messages. You can still send and receive SMS [with no data connection]
    • You can send and receive iMessages (text or multimedia) when connected to a Wi-Fi network.

     

    SMS does NOT require cellular data OR WiFi. SMS goes over the voice signal channel. So you can have WiFi off AND cellular data off and still receive SMS. That's why a billion dumb phones that have no data capability can still send and receive SMS.

     

    You cannot receive or send iMessages or MMS without data. But SMS will still work.

     

    What may be happening is that people who send you iMessages may not have "send as SMS if iMessage is not available" checked on their phones.

  • by deggie,

    deggie deggie Mar 14, 2014 5:01 PM in response to lizdance40
    Level 9 (54,662 points)
    iPhone
    Mar 14, 2014 5:01 PM in response to lizdance40

    No, it isn't a quirk of iOS 7, it isn't a quirk at all it is how USB works starting with iPhone OS 1.0. Staying connected to USB if connected to power was added in either iOS 4 or 5.

     

    USB works differently than cell data and is an always on signal. If your phone remained on WiFi overnight you would always wake up to a dead battery unless connected to power.

     

    Switching to cell when asleep on not on a charger is by design.

  • by DaveMedlin,

    DaveMedlin DaveMedlin Mar 14, 2014 5:11 PM in response to Lawrence Finch
    Level 1 (10 points)
    Mar 14, 2014 5:11 PM in response to Lawrence Finch

    Thanks Lawrence, that's exactly what I would have thought, that a regular MMS message should come through without cellular or wifi, that's why they sell message packages aside from the data package.  But that is not working on my phone!  The one that happened this morning didn't even come through with wifi ON!!

     

    The message was a group MMS sent from my sister who has some kind of android phone so iMessage is not even an option.  It was sent to my other two sisters and me. One of those sisters has an iPhone like me and the other one is still using an old Razr with a T-Mobile acct.  Although I don't see how what the other recipients are using should matter, just thought I would include that.

     

    Another person on here mentioned something about when the phone is in sleep mode it will revert to cellular and I think that is the key here. I'm thinking my phone was probably in sleep mode at the time the message was sent, however, I used it on and off (with a good wifi connection) for a couple of hours after that before getting ready to leave and turning on cellular and this is when the original message, along with replies from both of the other recipients, finally came through! The message should have come through without wifi or cellular yet it wouldn't even come through with wifi!

     

    This has also happened before and it really gripes me because Apple and AT&T claim that it should be working.  Lastly, even though this doesn't apply here since the sender isn't as iOS user, I kinda thought that setting about "send as SMS if iMessage is not available" only meant for the sender's phone.  In other words, if the sender had cellular turned off and no wifi connection that it would send the message as SMS.

     

    Thanks again for your input!

     

    Dave

  • by Lawrence Finch,

    Lawrence Finch Lawrence Finch Mar 14, 2014 5:17 PM in response to DaveMedlin
    Level 8 (38,086 points)
    Mac OS X
    Mar 14, 2014 5:17 PM in response to DaveMedlin

    Let me try again. You can send and receive SMS with cellular data off. But you cannot with MMS. SMS is limited to 140 bytes. There is no image in the world that would fit in 140 bytes. So MMS messages require a data connection, either WiFi or cellular.

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