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Which Text Messages Count? (Messages vs. SMS)

richard13

richard13

macrumors 65816
Original poster
Aug 1, 2008
1,112
972
Odessa, FL
I am on metered text plan with AT&T (Nation 450 + 200 Text Message add-on) and this works pretty well for me since I'm not a heavy user. However, this month there was a flurry of texts which actually pushed me close to my limit. I noticed that not all my messages are showing up on my AT&T account so I presume these were sent via WiFi/Messages.

Does anyone know if receiving texts work the same way? For instance, if my sister is on WiFi and is using an iPhone with Messages enabled are those free to me (non-SMS) too?

Presuming the above is true is there any way to tell which are (Messages vs. SMS)? I presume not since my texts are either blue or green but theirs are always gray.

Thanks!
 
richard13 said:
I am on metered text plan with AT&T (Nation 450 + 200 Text Message add-on) and this works pretty well for me since I'm not a heavy user. However, this month there was a flurry of texts which actually pushed me close to my limit. I noticed that not all my messages are showing up on my AT&T account so I presume these were sent via WiFi/Messages.

Does anyone know if receiving texts work the same way? For instance, if my sister is on WiFi and is using an iPhone with Messages enabled are those free to me (non-SMS) too?

Presuming the above is true is there any way to tell which are (Messages vs. SMS)? I presume not since my texts are either blue or green but theirs are always gray.

Thanks!
Click to expand...
You both have to be on WiFi for iMessage to work. If your text message is blue, then it is an iMessage. If it is green, then it is an SMS/MMS. iMessages don't count against data or texts for either party since they are sent through data only when on WiFi.

https://www.apple.com/ios/messages/
 
JulesJam said:
You both have to be on WiFi for iMessage to work. If your text message is blue, then it is an iMessage. If it is green, then it is an SMS/MMS. iMessages don't count against data or texts for either party since they are sent through data only when on WiFi.

https://www.apple.com/ios/messages/
Click to expand...

Thanks Jules. I already read that article and a bunch of previous posts before asking my questions.

From the Apple web site:
On iPhone, when your text bubble is blue instead of green, you’ll know you’re using iMessage instead of SMS. You’ll know that you can get a quicker response. You’ll know that the text session is free. You’ll know it’s been sent to all your recipients’ Apple devices. And you’ll know they received the text. SMS texters will be green with envy.
Click to expand...

That part is where it get's confusing to me. Is the entire session free or only my half of the conversation? For instance, the other day I had some texts between me and my niece. I was on Wifi and she was not (in the car) but my end of the conversation was blue. I don't see any entries for this conversation in my usage on AT&T's web site. So, either: the other party doesn't have to be on wifi (but does have to be in iMessage) or Apple isn't communicating how this works exactly.
 
either on wifi or cellular, blue is free and green is not. blue uses data and green goes against your text count. even you texting on your iPhone to another iPhone, if that one message pops up as green, it will count towards your text.
 
Which Text Messages Count? (Messages vs. SMS)

If it says text message at the top it's sms. If it says iMessage at the top it's free. :)
ImageUploadedByTapatalk1421540782.270406.jpgImageUploadedByTapatalk1421540790.239886.jpg
 
richard13 said:
Is the entire session free or only my half of the conversation? For instance, the other day I had some texts between me and my niece. I was on Wifi and she was not (in the car) but my end of the conversation was blue.
Click to expand...
I was under the impression that if both parties were not on WiFi at the same time, then it gets sent as an SMS/MMS. But if that happened to you then it sounds like my understanding is incorrect. I have unlimited texting so I never pay attention.

richard13 said:
I don't see any entries for this conversation in my usage on AT&T's web site. So, either: the other party doesn't have to be on wifi (but does have to be in iMessage) or Apple isn't communicating how this works exactly.
Click to expand...
If I get a chance I will call Apple b/c even though I have unlimited texts, I would like to know myself.

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wongster said:
either on wifi or cellular, blue is free and green is not. blue uses data and green goes against your text count. even you texting on your iPhone to another iPhone, if that one message pops up as green, it will count towards your text.
Click to expand...
But the question is do both parties have to be on WiFi for it to go through iMessage and be free? OP says he has had blue texts to his sister when she was not on WiFi at the time.

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richwoodrocket said:
If it says text message at the top it's sms. If it says iMessage at the top it's free. :)
Click to expand...
Right but do both parties have to be on WiFi for the message to go through iMessage and be free?
 
Picture messages are going to consume hundreds of kilobytes to megabytes of data, when sent as an iMessage. Messages compased completely of text will be kilobytes, most often in the single digits, unless you are sending a novel.

If you are sending a slew of messages and all of the sudden it switches, it will tell you this below the message that switched. If it says "sent as iMessage" it will have used data. If it says "sent as text message" it will have used an SMS/MMS allotment. If you send 10 SMS/MMS, it will only warn you once, however the messages will remain green (though there will be no color difference with pics).

You can also set "send as SMS/MMS" to off. This will make it so that known contacts who use iMassge will NOT be sent an SMS/MMS if the iMessage fails. It is worth noting that you can still receive SMS/MMS from this person should he/she send the message out as an SMS/MMS.

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richwoodrocket said:
Yes. And of course videos will be more. Imessage only lets you send videos up to a certain length though. (Which is stupid, the cutoff it way to short)
Click to expand...

How short is it? I am able to send a message of 00:04:36 just fine. I realize that isn;t a long video, by any means, but I expected the limit to be more draconic than that lol.
 
This has been one very useful thread. Lots of good information and it answered my questions. :)

Thank you all for your replies!
 
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