<p>“Imessage uses wifi, not data.”</p>
<p>It uses cellular data and works when you are connected to the internet via your data plan. When your iPhone is not connected to a wifi, iMessage still works if your phone has a data pack. Works in Sweden, works in Usbekistan, works in Korea… and so on. </p>
<p>DD1 is in France and so far we’re using WhatsApp and OneSim (dual-number Sim Card) to stay in touch.</p>
<p>I told her to simply put her iPhone in Airplane mode and turn on WiFi only. No data or cell use. She uses the plentiful French WiFi spots. Even at the Louvre, Eiffel Tower, etc.</p>
<p>She has a few weeks in Italy and WiFi is a big issue. The hotel has 200mb/day allowance for WiFi ( :(( ) and there is nowhere as much free WiFi if you’re not Italian. (their public WiFi requires an Italian cell number to send a code to…)</p>
<p>OneSim works fine, 50c a minute her calling us or 20 or 30 not sure cents a min us calling her in a Texas number which rings on her cell. Not a bad deal. She has a second feature phone with her that has the card, the benefit is that sure you carry two devices but the feature phone requires a charge once a week. </p>
<p>So far it has worked well. </p>
<p>Skype video messaging and chat seems to work best for us. Got Viber as well but got frustrated because it is dependent on wifi and we did find find free wifi everywhere in France or Switzerland.</p>
<p>Last summer I was home in the US, my husband was in Afghanistan, one son was traveling through Europe, and the other son was in Malawi. We all had iphones, and kept in touch with email, facebook messages and especially Facetime. We loved being able to see each other. Even when the vidio connections failed we could talk. I am astounded, daily, at the technology, and how much we take for granted.</p>
<p>It uses cellular data and works when you are connected to the internet via your data plan. When your iPhone is not connected to a wifi, iMessage still works if your phone has a data pack. Works in Sweden, works in Usbekistan, works in Korea… and so on. >></p>
<p>How does it work with an iTouch that has no data, or with an old iPhone that has no data plan? Those only work in wifi. Or is that what you are saying?</p>