Why am I receiving messages without data/WiFi on?

[DocDouglas]

Hi guys!

So, just a couple hours I was out of home and when I checked my phone it had received a couple messages through Whatsapp with my data off the whole time, how is it possible?

WiFi was on, but it was a place without any open or known access points that the phone could have connected by itself, and even though, it should not connect automatically to an unknown network, right?

This is bugging me because I was travelling a couple days ago and used my phone on a lot of different WiFi networks, so when I got home I reset all network definitions, and now I'm worried that this may have screwed up my phone somehow...

Any help is much appreciated guys!

 

[mhinc]

There is physically no way you would be able to send a message without either data, wifi or being connected to a hot spot.
Nothing is messed up that is simply the only explanation.

 

[DocDouglas]

There is physically no way you would be able to send a message without either data, wifi or being connected to a hot spot.
Nothing is messed up that is simply the only explanation.

I know it's physically impossible... That's why I was curious on why my phone received a couple group messages through Whatsapp with no WiFi nor data on...

Which means that my phone either connected to an open hotspot automatically, which is unlikely to happen, or my data was working, somehow, even toggled off...

I've been searching, and found a couple of complains like this, where people got emails and Hangout notifications on their phones with no WiFi nor data networks on, so I guess it's possible to happen... I just wanted to know the cause, if it is just a bug, or could be a malware or something like that...

 

[kramer5150]

Its a carrier thing, not a device thing. In the case of Verizon (my carrier) I will continue to receive txt messages even with cell, wifi, and location data turned off. With Verizon, all text messages are forced through cellular-voice data. So the only way to turn them completely off is airplane more... I'm pretty sure. Let others correct me on this though.

Side note... My biggest complaint about Verizon is they do not allow me to force EVERYTHING over a wifi connection. So I can't send/receive txt message picture attachments and voice mail unless I have cellular coverage. As slow as 3G is, and as spotty as 4G coverage can be in my areas... this is a major problem.