Can't text anyone who doesn't have ios5

[Mariajl]

Hello.
Thank you in advance for your help.
I have searched a few places and cannot find this particular problem, so other solutions have not worked.


I am unable to text anyone except the two people I know who also have iMessage/ios5 on their device.

My device/issue circumstances:

* I have iPad2, and according to current "about" info, my software is up to date.
* this has always been the case from day one of the software upgrade to ios5
* if I turn imessage OFF, then as soon as I go into the message app, I get a pop-up window that prompts me to sign back into iMessage and activate it before I can continue.
* my Message settings controls have NO option to "send as SMS" if iMessage is not available. None. I have seen sxreen shots of this setting option,and I flat out don't have it.
* if I try to text someone from iMessage, and they do not have iMessage, when I choose them from my contacts the app does a search and then responds with a warning "!" and says "this person is not registered with iMessage"
* I also have iPhone 4s with current software and do not have these problems on my phone.
* I have Verizon as my wi-fi carrier. I am wi-fi only.

Any help is appreciated.
It is very annoying to only be able to text two people from apples official text app. And is likewise annoying to not seem to have this "send as SMS" option that would likely solve my issue.

Thanks.

 

[hpulmer]

Hello.
Thank you in advance for your help.
I have searched a few places and cannot find this particular problem, so other solutions have not worked.

I am unable to text anyone except the two people I know who also have iMessage/ios5 on their device.

My device/issue circumstances:

* I have iPad2, and according to current "about" info, my software is up to date.
* this has always been the case from day one of the software upgrade to ios5
* if I turn imessage OFF, then as soon as I go into the message app, I get a pop-up window that prompts me to sign back into iMessage and activate it before I can continue.
* my Message settings controls have NO option to "send as SMS" if iMessage is not available. None. I have seen sxreen shots of this setting option,and I flat out don't have it.
* if I try to text someone from iMessage, and they do not have iMessage, when I choose them from my contacts the app does a search and then responds with a warning "!" and says "this person is not registered with iMessage"
* I also have iPhone 4s with current software and do not have these problems on my phone.
* I have Verizon as my wi-fi carrier. I am wi-fi only.

Any help is appreciated.
It is very annoying to only be able to text two people from apples official text app. And is likewise annoying to not seem to have this "send as SMS" option that would likely solve my issue.

Thanks.

As you have only a WiFi iPad Model as I do have I am very sorry that we are both in the same situation, that from the iPad we can only iMessage to other iMessage users. From the iPhone you send a common text message if the recipient does not have iMessage. As far as I understand it iMessage is via data connection, while text message is - well - charged as a text message, which the WiFi iPad is not able to send. (iMessage via Internet)

Hope I could explain....

☠ stay safe ☠ stay legal ☠

 

[slayda]

You might look at the 'TextNow' app. It might give you a solution to your texting problem, all-be-it via a different app. Of course with the wifi only iPad, you'll have to have a nearby wifi to use it.

 

[Mickey330]

The iPad iMessage app only can send messages to other iDevices that have iOS 5.x installed. The reason why you don't have an issue sending other people text messages with you iPhone is because that has a texting plan via your carrier. The iPad does not have the "innards" or hardware of the iPhone, so it cannot use a data plan to send messages as the iPhone does.

However, there are many texting apps at the App Store that will let you send SMS messages. Two that come to mind are Google Voice and Talkatone. There are others, those are just the ones I've used and am familiar with.

For sending MMS messages (videos and pictures) from the iPad, there are also apps available. One such app that I've heard of is iTim, which claims to be able to send MMS messages. There are more. In fact, take a look at this thread where other people have added their comments on which apps work well for sending MMS messages: http://www.ipadforums.net/showthread.php?t=75755

Hopefully, some of this will help and you can soon be sending text.

Marilyn