iMessage automatically turns itself off?

PrettyBoy

Posted this in the Meteor section but I believe it's not a network issue so posting here in the hope that someone can help (apologies for the long post but I just want to explain the situation as best I can).

Device in question is an iPhone 4S.

My iMessage was working as normal up until a few weeks ago when I went to the UK. While I was there I received several texts from Meteor stating that my balance was too low and that I needed to top up. I wasn't sure why as I turned mobile data off and didn't attempt to make any calls or send any texts.

I returned to Ireland and have since been unable to send or receive iMessages. The facility was automatically turned to the off position for some reason. I am now unable to turn it back on as Meteor charge a fee for turning it back on and my credit balance is €0.00 (which is normal as the plan I am on immediately removes the €20 from my credit when I top up). I am now constantly receiving messages (10-15 a day) from Meteor stating that my credit is too low and that I have to top up. This has been happening for the last 4 weeks.

I have been in a Meteor shop and the assistant there said the only way I can get these messages to stop is if I buy an extra €5 credit (on top of the €20 I usually spend on my prepay plan) and turn iMessage back on manually which will cost around 30c.

Now, here is where I need help in understanding something - my iMessage was automatically turned off somehow when I went to the UK last month. I don't know why it was automatically turned off.  I am trying to understand why it was. The only settings I changed on my phone while I was there were as follows: 

Settings > Mobile Data > Mobile Data / Enable 3G - both turned OFF (Data Roaming is there too but this was never turned on in the first place)

Settings > Battery > Low Power Mode - turned ON


Would any of these changes to the settings cause iMessage to automatically turn off? Did the phone do it itself when it was activated in a foreign country?

I would like to find out why iMessage was automatically turned off before spending money on turning it on again as well as being better informed so I can avoid this situation happening again in future. 10-15 of the same text every single day from Meteor is a complete nuisance...

Would appreciate if anyone here could help me understand what caused this to happen.

shanec1928

Imessage uses data if out and about hence disable mobile data it turned off.

PrettyBoy

shanec1928 wrote: »

Imessage uses data if out and about hence disable mobile data it turned off.

So turning mobile data off automatically turns off iMessage? I wasn't aware that was the case - if I'm out and my battery is running low I turn mobile data and 3G off sometimes just to make it last a bit longer. I'm almost certain I've continued to use iMessage then afterwards without having to turn it on again manually. Very confused by this altogether

Zcott

PrettyBoy wrote: »

So turning mobile data off automatically turns off iMessage? I wasn't aware that was the case - if I'm out and my battery is running low I turn mobile data and 3G off sometimes just to make it last a bit longer. I'm almost certain I've continued to use iMessage then afterwards without having to turn it on again manually. Very confused by this altogether

iMessage usually falls back to sending as an SMS if there's no data. If you're on wifi it'll work fine with mobile data off.