iMessage question

Have been using iCloud and iMessage for almost a year now and they're great. But something happened today that surprised me. I'm staying with a friend in Europe and have temporarily added a data/phone plan but not a message plan since everyone I want to text is on iMessage.

Was waiting to receive a text from my friend so we could get together after a meeting she was attending. I had a good 3g data connection and sent her a couple iMessage but never got a receipt since she was inside a building with no cell reception. I have the option to send iMessages as text turned off so that I won't get billed for international text messages.

After she left the building she was able to text me as usual with iMessage, but the earlier messages I sent her just vanished. Is this what is supposed to happen? I expected the messages to be queued and delivered when she went into a data coverage area.

NukeIT said:

I fly a lot and always refer to my phone as a slot machine when I land

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LOL. I could understand if it were an issue with different international phone providers. But I thought iMessages were cached on Apple's own servers. Not a big deal, just something odd. At least iMessage has the receipt function so I knew that she hadn't received my messages and was able to give her a call to see what was happening.

But even at home in the US, there are some oddities. I often use iMessage on my MacBook Air since it's easier to type than a phone. Sometimes these messages show on my phone, other times they don't.

Really, I'm very happy with iMessage. This was just one of those odd glitches that I wondered about. Just about everyone I want to text is on the iPhone. I only have the basic text message plan and in the past I would often exceed my limit. Since iMessage has come along, that just never happens. It's especially great to be able to text my friend in Greece without international charges.