Can You Still Text With Cellular Data Off on Your iPhone?

Users, particularly those who are not well versed in technology, are often confused between text messaging and chatting apps. Due to the popularity of chatting apps like WhatsApp, we often forget that we can send text messages anytime from our phones. 

Most mobile phone users don’t know when and why they need cellular data or what features of their phones can be used when no internet is available.

If you, too, think about whether you can still text with cellular data off or what apps you can use without using data, this article can help. 

So let’s read the article to understand if you can send and receive text messages or even calls without cellular data. 

What is cellular data?

Cellular data is the default offering by the carrier that provides access to the internet when you do not have a WiFi network available. 

Simply put, cellular data is your iPhone’s ability to establish a connection to the internet via dedicated networks and mobile phone providers. When your phone is connected to the internet via cellular data, you don’t have to connect to WiFi. 

Can You Send Text Messages With No Cellular Data?

So can you still text with cellular data off, or do you need to wait for the service to become available? 

The simple answer to this question is: yes, you can.

When you see an error message similar to iPhone no internet connection cellular data, you will not be able to use apps, but you can still send messages or make calls. When your mobile data is unavailable and you see a No Service error, your carrier is at fault, and there’s nothing much you can do other than wait for the network to resume. 

People often consider cellular data as their backup when WiFi is not available. When you notice that cellular data is off, check if it is accidentally disabled. By turning off cellular data, users won’t be able to receive chat messages, emails, or app notifications. 

Moreover, you cannot access web pages, app downloads, or YouTube videos on your iPhone or Android phone. Cellular data, also known as mobile data, is billed separately from your phone calls. Text messaging, or SMS, is a separate service that is included in your phone plan. 

So, when cellular data is not available, you can send SMS from your iPhone to any contact, given that you have a sufficient amount available in your prepaid plan. If you have a postpaid plan, you can send countless messages and make unlimited calls. 

Your carrier will bill your usage accordingly, and you will be charged at the end of the month. While prepaid plans give you control over your monthly usage, prepaid plans allow you to use as much data or other services as you wish. 

No Service or SOS Only on iPhone: What to Do?

The Searching or No Service notification in the status bar indicates that your iPhone is not connected to cellular data. Other than that, if you see SOS Only, you are allowed to make emergency calls from your iPhone.

Check the coverage area.

If that happens, the first thing that you should do is check your coverage area. In that case, make sure that your phone is within the network coverage area. Turn cellular data off from the control center and then turn it on. Alternatively, tap on Settings and click Cellular or Mobile Data to turn it on.

When traveling abroad, make sure that your iPhone is set up for international data roaming. To enable roaming services on your iPhone, go to Settings, tap Cellular, select Cellular Data Options, and then click Data Roaming. 

Update Carrier Settings

Carrier setting updates are likely available that you haven’t installed yet. To tweak carrier settings, make sure that cellular data or WiFi is enabled and the signal is strong. Go to Settings, click General, and then tap on About. See if any updates are available. If yes, you can see the Update button to install the latest version of carrier settings. 

If you wish to check the current version of carrier settings on your iPhone, navigate to Settings, tap General, and then click About. In the window that appears, you can check the version next to Carrier. You can learn more about updating carrier settings to understand it in depth.

You might be wondering, When is the right time to update carrier settings? Right? You must update carrier settings when a new version is available. When you change the SIM card on your iPhone, you must download the carrier settings for your new provider. 

The Conclusion

Although having cellular data is important when you are traveling to access the internet, it is not required to send an SMS or call. So, you can use your phone’s basic functions when the cellular data is turned off. To use apps or browse the internet, make sure to turn it on.