iPhone text to Android using wifi

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Level 1

15 points

iPhone text to Android using wifi

I've been looking at past posts and I do not see the issue I'm having.

I have an iPhone 6S. When connected to a cell tower, I can send and receive text messages from iPhones and Android phones.

When I fly, I connect to GOGO air wifi. In the air, I can send and receive text messages to/from iPhones but I cannot send or receive from Android. When I land and turn off airplane mode, the messages all appear.

I've looked at the settings but have not found one that logically would work.

Any suggestions would be appreciated!

iPhone 6s, iOS 10.3.2

Posted on Jun 25, 2017 5:38 PM

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Answer 1

Best reply

Michael Black

Level 10

80,262 points

Jun 26, 2017 11:56 AM in response to Poppa_k

iMessage is an internet messaging service, as are Skype, WhatsApp and others.

SMS is a service by cell phone network providers and requires a cell phone voice connection. It does not use the internet at all nor a cellular data connection. The text is encoded within the voice channel spectrum. SMS can be sent and received between any cell phone with a voice connection and an SMS enabled calling service.

If your carrier offers wifi calling, then you may also have SMS service when on wifi (e.g. AT&T’s wifi calling feature also supports SMS texting).

Internet messaging requires an internet connection be it wifi or cellular data.

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Answer 2

Jun 26, 2017 11:46 AM in response to Poppa_k

I don't believe Android does it either unless the Carrier supports text over Wifi. Some of them do.

http://www.androidauthority.com/community/threads/sending-receiving-sms-messages -via-wifi.28273/

android - Send SMS / MMS Text Message over Wifi instead of Data plan using SMSManager - Stack Overflow

If your android phone is able to send SMS to other phones while out of cellular service range its either a Carrier feature or you are suing some other messaging App on it.

Beyond that, the App you choose is more dependent on whether or not your contacts are actually using the App or not.

If your contacts don't have Skype, or Whatsapp, then they would not be able to receive messages sent through the Skype or Whatsapp apps anyway.

SMS is and always has been a carrier feature. The ability to send them and over what connections to send them is entirely up to the Carriers.

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Answer 3

Jun 25, 2017 6:22 PM in response to Poppa_k

You would need to be using some other online based messaging service such as Skype, Whatsapp, or FB messenger to message Android devices over Wifi.

Regular messages to non-apple devices require cellular service are they are sent as SMS, and cannot be sent when on wifi.

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Answer 4

Poppa_k Author

Level 1

15 points

Jun 26, 2017 4:50 AM in response to Phil0124

So it sounds like I have some research to see which app I like.

When I travel I have my iPhone 6S (business) and my Galaxy S7 (personal) phones with me. For now the answer might be I use the Galaxy in the air which can send and receive from everyone. All I'd have to do is enable the work e-mail on the S7.

Anyone have any idea why Apple would not allow wifi SMS texts? Is there a logical reason?

Well, I needed another project.

Thanks

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