Electronics

[x Hedge]

It's always been my understanding that:

1. since SMS and MMS are transmitted via phone lines, the presence of a Wi-Fi connection has no bearing on sending or receiving a text.
2. Neither Wi-Fi, nor mobile data is required to send or receive a SMS.
3. But to send or receive a MMS, the mobile data must be turned on for those several seconds it takes to transmit.

However, on 5/18 under the thread "My Initial Review of Samsung Galaxy Skye" a fellow poster assured me she was able to send MMS without mobile data. Further, she had just done so, and was certain the mobile data wasn't on. 

PLEASE enlighten me, as I am always eager to learn, and I certainly don't want to give anyone bad information. 

Maybe @nutmeg3  or  @dooBdoo can solve the mystery of how it's possible to transmit MMS without mobile data.

Thanking you greatly in advance.

[I am still oxox]

You can send text messages if your phoine is on LTE, 4G or 3G you do not need Wifi, but you might be using mobile minutes as far as I understand it 

[gizmogal]

It's one of those yes and no answers. Read this brief, up to date article:

https://help.ting.com/hc/en-us/articles/205421038-Multimedia-Messages-MMS-FAQ

See number 6 on that page:

"With MMS disabled, MMS messages will come through as a text message with a link to download the attachment."

It says, yes, it goes through, but the "multi media" element of the MMS, will be separated and the attachment will have a link instead of being embedded in the message. 

Perhaps the poster who who said she could transmit MMS  was successful sending without mobile data, but not quite the same way we all intend an MMS to work? It's a qualified yes that it can be done. 

[Runner26]

I believe if you use alternative messenger app, such as Hangout or Whatsapp, you're able to send texts via wifi. 

[x Hedge]

@Runner26, poster never mentioned doing anything unusual, or requiring a specific app, or sender & receiver sharing mutual app or OS, but I'm not questioning the ability to send SMS (texts w words ONLY) using apps that allow transmission via Wi-Fi.
It is the transmission of MMS without using mobile data that's in question.

@gizmogal,  I know what you mean. I receive MMS that arrive as the words in one text 'square, and a second text 'square' has the picture, not visible yet. I have to flip on my mobile data to download the image, so it's visible.

(There's the 'it's there, but NOT there') that still doesn't solve the mystery of how MMS are transmitted in either direction sans mobile data.

If you have a photo you want me to see, you can't send it by text without using mobile data, and I can't view it without using mobile data.

@Nuttmeg, @dooBdoo, please shed light. TIA.

[Runner26]

I read the exchange and neither of you had any qualifiers, hence, just adding how @cddh may be sending MMS.  IIRC, you can send MMS using Google Voice using wi-fi. I did this long time ago when I was using TracFone. The recepient does not have to have a special app, 

[x Hedge]

@Runner26, thanks for going back and reading the initial exchange in the other thread. As you saw, someone was having trouble getting text with pictures to 'send', and @kleo advised her to check her Wi-Fi connection.

There was nothing about having to use anything other than a standard messaging app.

However, I may've solved the mystery.

In HowardForums I found that some of the newer phones, including the popular Galaxy Skye, have a setting which allows the phone to automatically turn mobile data on and off again to transmit /download MMS using a standard messaging app.

According to users, the phone doesn't 'show' data turning on and off for this to occurr, so you have to check your balances to see data has been used.

http://www.howardforums.com/showthread.php/1894245-MMS-text-without-data

Edited to add: for more control over your data use, that automatic data send&retrieve setting can be turned OFF.