mms conversion, charging a

[Eurosceptiv]

Hi

Have done some research (this forum and wider) but going to take the 

[Eurosceptiv]

Sorry phone playing up! To continue:

Title-mms conversion, charging add on etc

message-risk of being flayed alive. I’ve been charged for a number of picture messages, which were sent to other iPhone users as iMessages. They were sent via cellular data. (Normally send via WhatsApp so schoolboy error there)

I’m sure there was a time when messages sent in these circs would incur data usage but no charges, per se. I’m equally sure I was never charged while with BT and Sky.

To note, these were sent separately, not to multiple recipients. Not sure whether that’s apposite.

Be grateful for wisdom on rationale for charges.

(Have now tuned mms off in phone settings?

Thanks for your time.

[bristolian]

If you send photos or videos via your phone's messaging app, then these will be sent via MMS at cost. Some animated GIFs or emojis can also trigger this, but that's phone-dependent, and on Android at least, emojis shouldn't trigger it. No idea about how Apple do things!

Either way, your phone should give an on-screen warning of "converting to MMS" or similar - this is fundamentally a device function, not a network one. Messages to multiple recipients and those above a certain number of characters (from memory, SMS supports concatenation of upto 15 messages, so 2400 characters) may also trigger this.

The trick to sending such content using your data allowance is to use a messaging app or email where you are being charged on a per-Kb, Mb, whatever... basis. Neither text messages nor multimedia messages have ever been charged per-data-volume, but per-message.

[Eurosceptiv]

Thanks. Navigating to your last bit “Neither text messages nor multimedia messages have ever been charged per-data-volume, but per-message”-does this apply to iMessage to iMessage, wiv or wivout WiFi? (Assuming this is device rather than network driven)

Thanks again.

[bristolian]

iMessage is an Apple-proprietry system just like WhatsApp, Messenger and whatever other messaging app you can think of.

You're charged for the data used to connect to Apple's servers - be that mobile data or broadband/WiFi.

[Eurosceptiv]

So…do you mean you’re “only” charged for the data used?  I used mobile data to send iPhone to iPhone via iMessage mechanism. Just wondering why I also paid 93p?

Thanks

[Northerner]

Hi @Eurosceptiv 

Mms go via EE SMS gateway if not sent over data (iMessage , WhatsApp) and EE charge you to use this service. That simple. 

The cost to use this service is outlined in your contract terms and conditions. 

Thanks 

[Eurosceptiv]

But it’s far from simple. Messages were sent “over data”.I said in opening post and reiterated in subsequent exchanges. I can evidence this.

Do I need to reach out to CS to pursue?

Regards

[XRaySpeX]

If you send any text with an attachment like a picture using your phone's standard default messaging app it will be sent as an MMS (Picture Msg) & you will be charged for it, 93p each on contract. Similar applies to all networks. I am not referring here to other data messaging apps like iMessage & Whatsapp which entirely use data & consume your data allowance.

[Eurosceptiv]

But your two forum colleagues have only stressed no charge if data used. Nowt about using default messaging app!