Do I get charged when I receive a text message from an Iphone when I'm not on Wifi?

iMessage uses your Data connection not your Text Message rate.

IF you have a a Data plan that gives you access to the Internet, that's what iMessage uses to send messages that are not SMS.

If you send an SMS it will be sent using your text message rate.

iMessages are sent to people with iPhones that have set up iMessage, and you use their iMessage number or address as the recipient of your message.

SMS will be sent to all those with phones that are not iPhones because that's the only way it can be sent, or iPhones that don't have iMessage setup.

If you are sending an iMessage rather than an SMS (normal text message) it uses your Data Plan not your Text Message allowance.

Mandaline5 wrote:

So, all of my iphone-using friends need to simply have a data plan, and set up imessages so the texts show up as blue, and I won't be charged additionally?

Correct.

The Blue iMessages use your Internet connection.

If you are away from a Wifi network it will use your Cellular Data Plan for the internet connection.

The Green Ones use your Text Messaging service.

Again If they have set up iMessages on their iPhones it will be sent through the internet.

All other Phones and iPhones that don't have iMessage set up, will use your Text Message Allowance known as SMS.

You can also use email to send text messages. You would need to know each person's carrier but it's really easy to setup, and it's free.

Likewise, they can send you text messages the same exact way so it doesn't cost them anything.

Or - You can actually email each person instead of texting altogether, or even just make a phone call 🙂

Look at the link above... you can send a text to a user by sending an email from your phone. It will use data plan, but not get charged to you as a text.

They should do the same for you so you don't get charged to receive one, unless you aren't charged for incoming.

iMessage requires a data connection, either WiFi or cellular. You'd need to verify with your cellular provider what kind of data plan you have and how much you're using.

Best of luck.

Have you considered getting Whatsapp? That will send and receive text messages using only the internet.

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/11/03/technology/personaltech/how-to-send-text-messa ges-by-e-mail.html?_r=0

You would only be charged for data if you exceeded your allowance for the month. That assumes that all of your recipients have iMessage.