Why can't I Force Send an SMS to an iPhone I know to be without Data Coverage

I don't think the SEND AS SMS message option has been removed. It's more that Apple decides we don't need that option when it iText thinks the message has been delivered and so they remove the option from the context menu. So what about when the iText message is delivered to the iPad that is sitting at home and connected to wifi, but the phone did not get it? Why can't I decide whether I want to force the text message. For heaven sake, I can't even send an SMS when typing in the phone number because the iPhone matches the phone number to a contact with an iText and then makes the decision for me.

Hello Jimmy,

Welcome to Apple Support Communities.

From reading through your post, you've done a great job troubleshooting the issue sending SMS texts to the other iPhone. The article linked below has some additional troubleshooting suggestions that you may not have tried already and will resolve most issues like this one.

iOS: Troubleshooting Messages

If you can't send and receive SMS

You will need these to send and receive SMS:

• An iPhone
• A strong cellular network connection through a cellular network provider
• A domestic SMS plan from your cellular provider (You might need an international messaging plan to send SMS to an international contact. Contact your carrier for more information)
• A roaming SMS plan when you use a cellular provider's network that is different from your billing cellular provider's network (Learn more about roaming and contact your carrier for more information.)

To resolve issues sending and receiving SMS, follow these steps

1. Go to Settings and turn airplane mode off.
2. Make sure that you have a cellular network signal in the status bar of your iPhone. If there's no signal, learn more about troubleshooting no service.
3. Restart your iPhone.
4. Tap Settings > General > Reset > Reset Network Settings on your iPhone.
5. Remove your SIM card and insert it again.

If you still can't send or receive SMS, follow these steps

1. Make sure that the contact who's trying to message you isn't blocked in Settings > Messages > Blocked.
2. Make sure that you're using the area code with the contact's phone number. When sending messages internationally, you also need to use the contact's international code.
3. If you're using a "Pay as you go" SMS plan, make sure it has enough available balance. Contact your carrier if you're unsure of your SMS plan or the available balance.
4. If the issue occurs with a specific contact or contacts, back up or forward important messages and delete your current messaging threads with the contact. Create a new message to the contact and try again.
5. If the issue occurs with a specific contact or contacts, delete and recreate the contact from the Contacts app. Send a new message to the contact.
6. Back up and restore your iPhone as new.
7. If your carrier has recently ported your phone number, the porting process might not be complete. Contact your carrier to confirm that the porting process is complete.
8. Contact your carrier to confirm that you're provisioned for sending SMS and are in an area with cellular coverage.
9. Contact your carrier to verify there are no blocks or filters placed on your wireless account preventing you from sending SMS.

I hope this helps,

-Jason

Hey jimmy, did you ever find an answer to this? I just noticed this as well and was looking for a solution (other then just turning off iMessage, which I may do considering how many issues it has).

Abe Jason, thank you for taking the time to put together that reply, but the issue Isn't that we can't send messages, it's that the option to force send as SMS seems to be gone from ios 8.

Hey Jimmy,

So I just spoke with Apple Care and they informed me that this feature was removed from iOS 8. Which is a bummer. So the work around is to go into settings -> Messages and turn off iMessage. Then send the text you need to send, and then re-enable iMessage in settings when you are done.

I hope this helps.

No problem! I agree, it was a super useful feature and I'm sad it's gone.

Just had an occasion to have to do this myself... and could not find the menu item - i turned off all data and then it would send - i think this is a retrograde step.. would like to see Apple add this back in in some future release as i know i am going to have to turn off data/iMessage more often now it has raised its head.

Found this post, succinct and helpful - kudos to the folks writing and researching - 'nil points' for apple on this.

Yikes! I just discovered this issue and it's a major problem.

FIx fix this Apple! Put some real geniuses to work on iMessage.

Messages to my family with iPhones with iMessage turned off are getting lost on your server.

Text messages to people with noniPhones are getting magicalily turned into iMessages and getting lost after working fine for months.

My mother-in-law needed to go to the ER. Her iPhone got confused and sent an iMessage to her son's Android phone. Her trip to the hospital was delayed. The rest of us who were in on the conversation but far away were frantic. It was not good.

I Love iMessage when it works right. Please make it work right. A reliable way to force text messages rather than iMessages to a particular person regardless of type of phone would not only be useful, it could be life saving.