iPhone iMessage when abroad

[mjohansen]

When I travel abroad I turn off mobile data (because its insanely expensive), but that means that I pretty much stop receiving messages, as all my family members and friends (all using iPhone) will continue sending iMessages even though the phone should be able to detect that I'm currently unavailable.

Is there any way to fix this?

Turning iMessage off before I leave doesn't help either.

 

[C DM]

You mean as in so that people would send you regular SMS messages instead of iMessages? I guess if they have "send as text message" option enabled then it should send the failed iMessage as an SMS after a bit of time, but if not, doesn't sound like there's much that can be done. Realistically speaking disabling iMessage should do the trick, but unfortunately it doesn't actually seem to do that for some reason for at least quite a few people.

 

[mjohansen]

Exactly. It seems like "send as text message" doesn't actually work. And as I said, disabling iMessage does not help either. It a pretty lame issue - I hoped someone could help me resolve it.

 

[Gav2k]

https://selfsolve.apple.com/deregister-imessage

Use the above link to de register your number from iMessage. The first step is to turn it off on your iPhone tho.

 

[jpn]

https://selfsolve.apple.com/deregister-imessage

Use the above link to de register your number from iMessage. The first step is to turn it off on your iPhone tho.

sorry, but the above advice should not be followed if the intent/problem is simply to solve the original poster's problem.

if you follow the above advice, you will be, as is indicated, deregistering your mobile number from an international registery database matching mobile fon number to a variety of linked info such as carrier associated with SIM cards used in the past with that device, and, delinking the IMEI number of that device with that mobile fon number.

it is way too much overkill and is bound to have problems when he returns to the USA even if those problems may only take a day or two to fix systems-wise data base linkage again.

the correct (but not elegant) solution is to ask your contacts to be sure to send their messages to you by SMS and not iMessage. this is required since, as someone has responded already, some persons report never getting iMessages that were initially for some reason delayed when sent as iMessages but encountered some kind of network problem requiring the sender to send as SMS.
but if a message is sent as and SMS first by the sender then i have never heard or read of any problem with an iPhone receiving that SMS.

but there is one more thing that has been found to work: change your apple ID associated with iCloud/iMessage/Facetime. and then not entering the new password into any of these while you are abroad.
apple's servers seem to be able to sense this change very well, and it seems to help to disasociate your apple ID from being sensed as on-line.

 

[C DM]

sorry, but the above advice should not be followed if the intent/problem is simply to solve the original poster's problem.

if you follow the above advice, you will be, as is indicated, deregistering your mobile number from an international registery database matching mobile fon number to a variety of linked info such as carrier associated with SIM cards used in the past with that device, and, delinking the IMEI number of that device with that mobile fon number.

it is way too much overkill and is bound to have problems when he returns to the USA even if those problems may only take a day or two to fix systems-wise data base linkage again.

the correct (but not elegant) solution is to ask your contacts to be sure to send their messages to you by SMS and not iMessage. this is required since, as someone has responded already, some persons report never getting iMessages that were initially for some reason delayed when sent as iMessages but encountered some kind of network problem requiring the sender to send as SMS.
but if a message is sent as and SMS first by the sender then i have never heard or read of any problem with an iPhone receiving that SMS.

but there is one more thing that has been found to work: change your apple ID associated with iCloud/iMessage/Facetime. and then not entering the new password into any of these while you are abroad.
apple's servers seem to be able to sense this change very well, and it seems to help to disasociate your apple ID from being sensed as on-line.

One of the issues with that is that it's not that simple to select whether you want to send an SMS vs. and iMessage. By making it "smart" Apple also never really provided a simple way for a user to control that part should someone want to do that for whatever reason.

 

[Paco II]

iMessage when abroad

By using iMessage you are embracing using data as the way to receive messages. Just as you would not expect Whatsapp to convert messages to SMS, iMessages are not going to be magically converted to SMS either.

 

[C DM]

By using iMessage you are embracing using data as the way to receive messages. Just as you would not expect Whatsapp to convert messages to SMS, iMessages are not going to be magically converted to SMS either.

But there should be options for that. WhatsApp doesn't integrate itself with regular SMS, while iMessage does, and that's the difference that makes all the difference.

 

[KALLT]

By using iMessage you are embracing using data as the way to receive messages. Just as you would not expect Whatsapp to convert messages to SMS, iMessages are not going to be magically converted to SMS either.

It’s not that simple. WhatsApp only works on your smartphone, your number only works with one WhatsApp account. When someone sends you a WhatsApp message while your data is disabled, the sender can see that the message didn’t go through. SMS is then a fallback solution.

iMessage has no [clear] delivery indication, only a read receipt (which is optional). iMessage prevents iPhone users from sending SMS in several cases, because there is no granular control over iMessage. Assuming the scenario above, that the iPhone has no data connection, one of following outcomes is possible:

• Messages can send iMessages normally, but the messages are not delivered to the iPhone
• Messages can (re)send any iMessage as SMS manually (by holding a finger on the sent message)
• Messages automatically sends an SMS when the iMessage cannot be delivered to the recipient’s iPhone
• Messages defaults to SMS for that contact
• Messages cannot send either iMessage and SMS anymore

In practice, anything could happen in that case, depending on the service itself and the user settings.

 

[bransoj]

It’s not that simple. WhatsApp only works on your smartphone, your number only works with one WhatsApp account. When someone sends you a WhatsApp message while your data is disabled, the sender can see that the message didn’t go through. SMS is then a fallback solution.

iMessage has no delivery indication, only a read receipt (which is optional). iMessage prevents iPhone users from sending SMS in several cases, because there is no granular control over iMessage. Assuming the scenario above, that the iPhone has no data connection, one of following outcomes is possible:

• The sender can send iMessages normally, but the messages are not delivered to the iPhone
• The sender can (re)send any iMessage as SMS manually (by holding a finger on the sent message)
• The sender automatically sends an SMS message when the iMessage cannot be delivered to the iPhone
• The sender cannot send an iMessage anymore, but no SMS is sent

In practice, anything could happen in that case, depending on the service itself and the user settings.

iMessage shows delivered under a message when its delivered as standard....

 

[KALLT]

iMessage shows delivered under a message when its delivered as standard....

But it doesn’t show whether it was delivered to your iPhone. Just that it was delivered to the recipient’s iMessage account. If it would work normally then Messages should automatically send the text as SMS when it can’t be delivered to the iPhone, or switch to SMS messaging, provided that setting is enabled. Sending an iMessage over a phone number should always do that. The mess starts when other devices tap into the same iMessage account.

The problem with iMessage is that Apple imposes a one-size-fits-all solution that presupposes that your devices have a data connection and that at least one of your devices is always with you. In the event that you only have your iPhone with you, without a data connection, iMessage doesn’t behave consistently in my experience. I cross the border almost daily and don’t always use data roaming.

 

[mjohansen]

It’s not that simple. WhatsApp only works on your smartphone, your number only works with one WhatsApp account. When someone sends you a WhatsApp message while your data is disabled, the sender can see that the message didn’t go through. SMS is then a fallback solution.

iMessage has no delivery indication, only a read receipt (which is optional). iMessage prevents iPhone users from sending SMS in several cases, because there is no granular control over iMessage. Assuming the scenario above, that the iPhone has no data connection, one of following outcomes is possible:

• Messages can send iMessages normally, but the messages are not delivered to the iPhone
• Messages can (re)send any iMessage as SMS manually (by holding a finger on the sent message)
• Messages automatically sends an SMS when the iMessage cannot be delivered to the recipient’s iPhone
• Messages defaults to SMS for that contact
• Messages cannot send either iMessage and SMS anymore

In practice, anything could happen in that case, depending on the service itself and the user settings.

I usually get hit by "The sender can send iMessages normally, but the messages are not delivered to the iPhone". The senders phone never register that I have turned off iMessage or if my phone doesn't have access to iMessage for the time being.

 

[Gav2k]

sorry, but the above advice should not be followed if the intent/problem is simply to solve the original poster's problem.

if you follow the above advice, you will be, as is indicated, deregistering your mobile number from an international registery database matching mobile fon number to a variety of linked info such as carrier associated with SIM cards used in the past with that device, and, delinking the IMEI number of that device with that mobile fon number.

it is way too much overkill and is bound to have problems when he returns to the USA even if those problems may only take a day or two to fix systems-wise data base linkage again.

Rubbish! It forces iMessage to disassociate your number from the servers just like turning iMessage off on your device should!

When you return to the u.s you simply turn iMessage back on and it'll verify and start working again!

 

[mizxco]

Why can't OP just connect to Wifi to use iMessage

 

[C DM]

Why can't OP just connect to Wifi to use iMessage

Perhaps because he/she isn't around WiFi that he/she can use all the time?

 

[mizxco]

Perhaps because he/she isn't around WiFi that he/she can use all the time?

Correct me if I'm wrong.. but I thought sending an SMS while roaming potentially leads to a more expensive bill than data roaming.

Unless iMessages are deadly important, in which case should warrant a phone call. Why can't he just wait till he gets wifi or use a hotspot with local SIM. Just my travel habits though.

 

[C DM]

Correct me if I'm wrong.. but I thought sending an SMS while roaming potentially leads to a more expensive bill than data roaming.

Unless iMessages are deadly important, in which case should warrant a phone call. Why can't he just wait till he gets wifi or use a hotspot with local SIM. Just my travel habits though.

Everyone has different plans and things can cost different things. Something might be more convenient for some while less for others (as far as pricing, availability, necessity, etc.).

 

[Paco II]

IMessage is still all about data. The Messages app choosing to send using data or SMS is based on the *sending* devices ability, not the receiving device's ability. If you have no data you are basically SOL. you are correct that in some ways iMessage is worse than Whatsapp- iMessage does not show received status.

It’s not that simple. WhatsApp only works on your smartphone, your number only works with one WhatsApp account. When someone sends you a WhatsApp message while your data is disabled, the sender can see that the message didn’t go through. SMS is then a fallback solution.

iMessage has no [clear] delivery indication, only a read receipt (which is optional). iMessage prevents iPhone users from sending SMS in several cases, because there is no granular control over iMessage. Assuming the scenario above, that the iPhone has no data connection, one of following outcomes is possible:

• Messages can send iMessages normally, but the messages are not delivered to the iPhone
• Messages can (re)send any iMessage as SMS manually (by holding a finger on the sent message)
• Messages automatically sends an SMS when the iMessage cannot be delivered to the recipient’s iPhone
• Messages defaults to SMS for that contact
• Messages cannot send either iMessage and SMS anymore

In practice, anything could happen in that case, depending on the service itself and the user settings.

 

[C DM]

IMessage is still all about data. The Messages app choosing to send using data or SMS is based on the *sending* devices ability, not the receiving device's ability. If you have no data you are basically SOL. you are correct that in some ways iMessage is worse than Whatsapp- iMessage does not show received status.

That's not entirely true though. Sure, on the sender's side one part of it is if iMessage is enabled to begin with, then it's about whether or not there's data available, but then there's also the part about whether or not the recipient has iMessage enabled as well. The issue at hand is two-fold really: 1. being able to disable iMessage at any point so that other devices would know that as well, and 2. being able to choose to send an SMS message even if iMessage is enabled on sender's and recipient's sides.

 

[mizxco]

it's about whether or not there's data available, but then there's also the part about whether or not the recipient has iMessage enabled as well.

I agree with this strongly. This is the reason I end up using a mobile hotspot with a local SIM while abroad.

And always worried if I ever relocate, iMessages would be left undelivered without me ever knowing. Need a simple toggle really. At least sender would know it failed to deliver.

 

[mjohansen]

Why can't OP just connect to Wifi to use iMessage

Because there is no global wifi network... Why can't I just be able to turn iMessage off and it actually works?

 

[C DM]

Because there is no global wifi network... Why can't I just be able to turn iMessage off and it actually works?

And that is really the main question it all comes down to.

By the way, do you have other devices with iMessage enabled?

 

[mjohansen]

And that is really the main question it all comes down to.

By the way, do you have other devices with iMessage enabled?

Only my MacBook Pro. But thats turned off while I am away

 

[Paco II]

You want iMessage to be something it isn't. A magic combo of data and SMS. But that's not what it is. It's a data-based messaging service. No data, no messaging.

What you want sounds compelling, but it's not what iMessage is or ever will be.

That's not entirely true though. Sure, on the sender's side one part of it is if iMessage is enabled to begin with, then it's about whether or not there's data available, but then there's also the part about whether or not the recipient has iMessage enabled as well. The issue at hand is two-fold really: 1. being able to disable iMessage at any point so that other devices would know that as well, and 2. being able to choose to send an SMS message even if iMessage is enabled on sender's and recipient's sides.

 

[C DM]

You want iMessage to be something it isn't. A magic combo of data and SMS. But that's not what it is. It's a data-based messaging service. No data, no messaging.

What you want sounds compelling, but it's not what iMessage is or ever will be.

Except that's what Apple themselves did by combining iMessage into the same app that is used for SMS messaging. People are just trying to find a way to control things a bit more since Apple combined it all and tries to decide for people, which is usually fine, but not in various other cases.