Using iMessage on iPhone to text people outside the country. Problems?

[Prof.]

Has anyone on here used iMessage to text a friend in another country? I ask because sometimes iMessage doesn't send using data, and sends via text. This would be a problem when texting people outside the country. The person would have to pay $.25 for that text. Do you think it's a good idea to text a friend who lives in another country using iMessage? Both of us have an iPhone 4S.

 

[fullojellybeans]

Educated guess here: if you just put in their email and not the phone number you might be good to go with using iMessages internationally but I'm not 100% sure.

 

[Prof.]

Educated guess here: if you just put in their email and not the phone number you might be good to go with using iMessages internationally but I'm not 100% sure.

That sounds logical. Can anyone confirm this???

EDIT: I bit the bullet and texted my friend via his email and it worked. We're using data/wi-fi and not SMS.

 

[Jarre]

I'm in florida at the minute and using imessage to talk to my girlfriend in the UK its free as i'm using wifi we have also used facetime and skype. I turned off the send imessage via text automatically as it is about 50cents a SMS if i do that!

 

[lecturenotes]

I'm in florida at the minute and using imessage to talk to my girlfriend in the UK its free as i'm using wifi we have also used facetime and skype. I turned off the send imessage via text automatically as it is about 50cents a SMS if i do that!

I do exactly the same thing with my friends in other countries. I highly recommend pairing imessage with skype and facetime.