Not receiving texts without wifi

I am having the same problem sending text messages to my daughter on her Iphone 5S. She has shut off the cellular data, as she will be traveling internationally. Do I need to shut off MMS Messaging on my iPhone for her to receive my text? Or if both SMS and MMS are on, will it be sent as both?

I'm having the same issue, I just got my Iphone 5s 3 days ago and when I'm at home using wifi and texting someone who also has an Iphone it works great, but as soon as I leave the wifi area I can send text messages, but I don't receive them until I'm using wifi again. I went to my settings to turn on the SMS texting when IMessaging isn't available hoping that would fix it, but it had no effect. I have cellular data, but It's not unlimited so I don't like to use it just because I share it with other people. Any help would be fantastic!

The other person is trying to send you an imessage and because you do not have cellular data you cant receive the message until you have wifi again. The other person my not have send as SMS set on his phone and/or the message that he is sending is an MMS and you cannot receive them while out because you have no data plan

I just went through this same thing and spent a few hours at my carrier store trying to find away around this. You can't send imessages, or MMS without the cellular data. Even if you have the option turned on, you need the data turned on too. I was forced to purchase a larger data plan, even though my phone plan includes unlimited text/picture messages. I hope they change this. Turn off you imessage and just send regular text messages. You should get them sooner.

SMS and MMS are carrier features. SMS are sent over the voice part of the carrier network while MMS use cellular data provided by your carrier. Imessages are sent over wifi if available or cellular data when wifi is not available. In settings/messages on your phone do you have send as SMS ON? Do you have MMS messaging ON? Without a cellular data plan you the only way you can send/receive imessages containing pictures is with wifi and that is when you are home

I have the same problem and the provided "solution" to the problem is not really a solution.

It just explains what happens but it's not the whole story.

Here is why:

I have different friends with iphones. I have no data plan.

From some of the friends with iphone I always get a response, and from some only when I am in wifi range.

In both cases the imessage works (all blue) when I am in wifi range.

With some of the friends it switches automatically from imessage to SMS depending on availability of wifi.

With some it works only one way. I can always send but will receive only when I am in wifi range.

So my question is:

Since it is different with different iphones, the setting for it must be individual. Is there something in my phone I can change specifically for that contact?

Or do those friends have to change something in their settings so I can receive message from them when I am not it wifi range?

Hey guys, I have had the same problem. I don't have a data plan, so when my friends send me an iMessage, I don't recieve them until I get back home or to a place that has WiFI.

Here are 2 solutions that I've discovered:

1) Turn off iMessages

settings>messages>iMessages

2) Go to settings>messages> Send as SMS when iMessages are unavailable. But you must also tell your friends to do this on thier phones as well. If your friends don't do it, then you won't recieve their messages until you are around WIFI.

Hope this helps!!

My Samsung and Nokia didn't have this problem. I have a talk and text plan, I want to be able to talk and text!!! Upgrading to data just because its an iphone is ridiculous. I thought it was supposed to be "better" but so far its just more expensive in every way.

Other phones can text. Why can't the iphone text?

You can only iMessage over WiFi or Cellular data if you dont have either available you will only be able to send and receive SMS. Go to settings>General>Cellular Data and check if it is "On".

The OP said:

(I don't have cellular data)

without a cellular data plan you will not be able to send imessages or MMS while away from wifi

When you say normal text I assume you mean SMS. If that is the case then SMS is a carrier function and you need to contact your carrier and ask them