Picture messages

[AnNeil]

I send picture messages all the time which are included in my monthly allowance. This month I have been charged for three picture messages at 83p each I don’t understand what is different about these three messages. Please can someone explain? I am generally on Wi-Fi. How do you know if you’re sending an MMS message rather than a free message included with data?

[XRaySpeX]

How do you know that MMS (Picture Msgs) are included in your monthly allowances? They aren't usually unless you buy an add-on for them. EE plan allowances include only call mins, SMS texts & data.

Photo messages Add-ons (monthly recurring):

• 100 photo messages to UK mobiles: text 100MMS to 150
• 200 photo messages to UK mobiles: text 200MMS to 150

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Your Messaging app should warn you when it's changing an SMS to MMS.

[Chris_B]

@AnNeil  even connected to WiFi you still have a cellular connection to the network.  

[AnNeil]

That’s not my question really.

They are not included as far as I know.

What I want to know is how do I know when I’m sending an MMS vs any other picture message?  I sent plenty of media pictures but only now am I being charged for an MMS. What is that, that is different from picture media that IS included in my data plan ?  How do I make the distinction? 

[XRaySpeX]

I think you are confusing MMS with using data apps like FB.

You are charged for sending a picture as an MMS using your standard Messaging app.

You are not charged for uploading or publishing a picture using a data app like Facebook, WhatsApp, Instagram, YouTube etc. All you are doing is consuming your data allowance.

[Peter_W]

Welcome to the Community, @AnNeil

Just to expand on what @XRaySpeX has mentioned, as well as separate services like WhatsApp and iMessage, you can send media over the internet via iMessage on iPhones, or RCS Chat on supported Android devices.

If you're sending to a phone that doesn't support either of these, then it will go as a chargeable MMS message.

Sometimes a message can convert to MMS if you add an unsupported number to a group chat, too.

Peter

[AnNeil]

Thanks Peter. Not entirely clear but it helped to some extent. 
Is there a way to know if the phone I’m sending to does not support iMessage - because otherwise it is a bit like Russian roulette? 

[Peter_W]

Thanks @AnNeil 

What model of phone are you using?

Peter

[Schockwave]

@AnNeil , if you have an IPhone, you can send IMessage or in settings, go to messages and then make sure that RCS is set to on, which will let you know that someone has RCS or IMessage, not sure about other phones, it should not cost you anything if RCS or IMessage shows in the message app when writing or replying to a message.