Send as SMS to iPhone user with no data

Question

Level 1

17 points

Send as SMS to iPhone user with no data

Hi,

I've recently purchased my daughter an iPhone with SMS but no data. When I send a message to her phone number, it picks it up as iMessage (which goes to her iPod sitting at home on WIFI) but fails to go via SMS to her iPhone. I do not have an option to "send as SMS" (I assume because it successfully went to another device). Short of disabling iMessage from the phone sending a message to her, I don't see a way to send her an SMS.

I have the same issue at work when I have users roaming out of country. They often disable data roaming to save money, but then no longer get messages from other iPhone users.

Does anyone have any simple solutions for these situations? Should I stop using iMessage entirely (at home and work)? Obviously, I can't tell all iPhone users who message my daughter (or co-workers) to disable iMessage to reach these people (when they have no clue they're off data). 🙂 Maybe i need to disassociate the phone number from the AppleID for my daughter permanently and have co-workers do this when they travel?

Thanks!

Dean

iPhone 6, iOS 10.3.1

Posted on Apr 22, 2017 3:48 AM

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Answer 1

May 24, 2017 6:12 AM in response to landryd

If she signs out of iMessage on both the iPad and the iPhone, you shouldn't have a problem sending her an SMS. You can also try, on the iPad, going to Settings>Messages>Send & Receive and making sure that her phone number is not selected.

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Answer 2

eveall

Level 1

4 points

May 15, 2017 3:12 AM in response to Joseph_S.

This continues to be a problem for me too. I do not have data. My wife does. I do not receive her texts unless I am connected on wifi. She receives texts from me no problem. And yes, on her phone, she has the "send as SMS when iMessage is not available" toggled on.

***** that I can't get text messages from anyone with an iPhone.

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Answer 3

landryd Author

Level 1

17 points

May 24, 2017 5:56 AM in response to Joseph_S.

"Send as SMS" is turned on, but messages still do not revert to SMS when my daughter has no WIFI or data available. It seems there is either a bug in the feature, or the iPhone is simply missing the ability to send SMS to another iphone (something every non-apple device can do).

For now, I am using Text+ when I know she has no data.

Dean

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Answer 4

Joseph_S.

Community Specialist

Apr 22, 2017 4:21 PM in response to landryd

Hello landryd,
Thank you for using Apple Support Communities.

I understand from your post that your daughter is not receiving SMS on her iPhone. iMessages are sent over the internet where SMS are sent through your wireless carrier. Without data on your daughter's iPhone she will not be able to receive any messages from iPhone users using iMessage to message her unless she is connected to Wi-Fi and has iMessage turned on. On your iPhone under Settings > Messages you should have a setting that says Send as SMS with a switch you can slide on or off. Make sure it is on. This will allow your messages to be sent as SMS when iMessage is not available for the person you are sending messages to. The following article has some additional information about iMessage and SMS:

About iMessage and SMS/MMS - Apple Support

Best Regards.

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