Travelling abroad, does IMessage count as a text and incur cost?

[MJ0203]

Hey currently in the Caribbean and I wanted to send some messages and pictures to a friend via iMessage but I’ve read it’s okay and that it’s just data/Wi-Fi it uses so you won’t be charged so I wanted to double check!

[Schockwave · Accepted solution]

Hello @MJ0203 ,

Welcome to the community,

If you send messages and photos via IMessage over wifi, it will not incur any cost, if you do it using data, then it will use the data, which if you are paying extra for data if you have roaming data on and pay a subscription for data when roaming.

You also need to make sure that you have roaming enabled on your account if you want to be able to make calls and/or use data, and make sure that premium calls etc are also enabled.

Please also check the cost for roaming on the roaming page, you can also call customer service to make sure you are all set—up for roaming.

[MJ0203]

Thank you a lot that was helpful! Just make sure I am on Wi-Fi! And it will be all good! 

[Schockwave]

@MJ0203 , you are welcome, glad to help, enjoy your holiday!.

[XRaySpeX]

@MJ0203 : No, it uses data & therefore depletes your data allowance. In the Caribbean your UK allowances are not available & therefore you will be buying small data add-ons measured in MBs..

[Schockwave]

@XRaySpeX IMessage goes over wifi if done over wifi, normal message will use data.

[XRaySpeX]

Yes, I was considering the EE mobile network aspects of it as you had already covered WiFi.

Some hotels are known to charge for WiFi.

[Schockwave]

@XRaySpeX , I thought I covered that as well as the wifi, that is why I wrote to check roaming cost, as @MJ0203  was asking about IMessage.