Why hangouts doesn't have WiFi sms?

[DacyJ]

Re: why hangouts doesn't have WiFi sms

I had an iPhone 4s for a year to see what the big deal was. The only things that I liked is that it would automatically back up the phone every night when I charged it, and the battery life.

I miss that also.

 

[BaMaDuDe87]

Re: why hangouts doesn't have WiFi sms

You 100% can send a hangouts message on WiFi. Make sure that it is a hangouts message, going through Google servers, and not an SMS, going through carrier servers. Just like imessages go through apple servers and not carrier servers.

Posted via Android Central App

 

[Jason Neri]

Re: why hangouts doesn't have WiFi sms

I don't know if people are purposefully ignoring the words being used or what..

HANGOUT MESSAGES are not SMS...he is asking why hangouts doesn't send SMS over WIFI... = NO CELL SIGNAL, NO CELL SERVICE, JUST WIFI

as far as i can tell as of this morning, you cannot send an SMS over WIFI in hangouts. it uses your CELL signal... that's the issue.

now maybe you all have been under a rock, or just for some weird reason paying for cell service AND using google voice to text and just didnt get what the point of google voice was, but that is a STEP BACKWARDS from what google voice had before.. where you were sending SMS over GOOGLES network via WIFI AND making calls over their network. so even though most of us tied google voice into our carriers phone, we really didnt need teh carrier, and like myself cancelled it. so now people like myself who have not had a cell service for a while now, wake up today with no way to text anyone because i have been using google voice for the past five years and just sending pictures via facebook messenger or other apps.

 

[jj14x]

Re: why hangouts doesn't have WiFi sms

I don't know if people are purposefully ignoring the words being used or what..
HANGOUT MESSAGES are not SMS...he is asking why hangouts doesn't send SMS over WIFI... = NO CELL SIGNAL, NO CELL SERVICE, JUST WIFI

No, not really. The question was answered correctly by more than one user. Let's review.

Question:

Really so tell me why an imessage can send via WiFi and a hangout cannot..

Answered once:

It can, and does... sending messages over Wi-Fi or Mobile Data connection is what Hangouts does.
....
If you can not send a message, it means the recipient does not have a Google account and can't receive native Hangouts messages.

Why does it work in iMessage, then? Because you are probably sending that iMessage to another iPhone user....

if you try to send an imessage to a non-iOS user, it not be sent over the WiFi connection, but instead, over the cellular connection.

Answered again:

You 100% can send a hangouts message on WiFi. Make sure that it is a hangouts message, going through Google servers, and not an SMS, going through carrier servers. Just like imessages go through apple servers and not carrier servers.

but that is a STEP BACKWARDS from what google voice had before.. where you were sending SMS over GOOGLES network via WIFI AND making calls over their network.

No - you never could send a true SMS over "Google's" network "only" to non-Android users. "Google's" network doesn't interface with non-Android users, unless they install hangouts (or Google Voice) app - and even in that case, it is no longer pure SMS - it is a 'message'. Just like how Apple's imessage works. imessage cannot send the message over the data connection (only) to a non ios user. When you try to send an imessage to a non-iOS user, it still goes over the cellular network.

Even calling via Google Voice was not entirely on Google's network - the Google voice app would make the call using your cellular radio to Google's servers and then, from there, it would interface with the telecom network to reach the person you dialed. It was not over your data connection.

Now Hangouts does support VoIP calling - but remember, it is only a data connection till Google's servers. After that, it still has to interface with the telecom network to reach the person you dialed. It is not entirely only on data (even though it may only be using data connection at your end) - slight technical difference.

so now people like myself who have not had a cell service for a while now, wake up today with no way to text anyone because i have been using google voice for the past five years and just sending pictures via facebook messenger or other apps

You CAN use the hangouts app to send SMS over WiFi to non-Google users - just like Google Voice did. Just need you to understand that it is not purely over WiFi. It goes over your data connection to Google. From there, Google will forward that message to the recipient's number over the telecom network. At the end of the day, you still get the SMS like functionality (recipient gets your message that you sent over your data network, and they can reply to it and you get the mesage), even though it is NOT technically SMS.

 

[JeffDenver]

Re: why hangouts doesn't have WiFi sms

The one thing that is lacking, and the one thing that EVERYONE is waiting for, is the ability to make voice calls to external phone numbers (VOIP).... meaning you could send and receive regular voice calls if your service sucks and you only have a Wi-Fi signal.

I can do that right now. You need a Google Voice number, but it works. I can send and receive voice calls, using normal phone numbers, on my wifi-only Nexus 7. I've been doing it for about a week now.

Edit - Sorry, just saw your post was dated from July.

 

[briire]

Re: why hangouts doesn't have WiFi sms

You CAN use the hangouts app to send SMS over WiFi to non-Google users - just like Google Voice did. Just need you to understand that it is not purely over WiFi. It goes over your data connection to Google. From there, Google will forward that message to the recipient's number over the telecom network. At the end of the day, you still get the SMS like functionality (recipient gets your message that you sent over your data network, and they can reply to it and you get the mesage), even though it is NOT technically SMS.

Can you explain how to enable this? I have the newest version of Hangouts on my phone, but I don't see any option to send an SMS using my WiFi data connection, where it will arrive as an SMS to a specified recipient. Currently, it is only sending all Hangouts-originating SMS messages over the Verizon Wireless cell network, even when I have an excellent WiFi connection and on which I can make WiFi phone calls through Hangouts (yay!).

Thanks in advance for explaining.

 

[jj14x]

Re: why hangouts doesn't have WiFi sms

You would need to use your Google Voice number to send that message (not your Verizon number). So, in hangouts, go to settings/SMS, and change "Send SMS from" to be your GV number. Now, as a test, turn your phone to airplane mode, enable WiFi, and send a message. It should go thru'

 

[neodoru]

Re: why hangouts doesn't have WiFi sms

It doesn't work like iMessage, the OP is right. You can receive an SMS on a tablet or mac associated with the same imess account that your phone is. It would be great if google did the same (receive an sms on hangouts in chrome).

 

[Ronnie Sandifer]

I don't get why hangouts doesn't include this.. Apple has I messenger and its the most missed thing from my iPhone I wish Google would have their own version. Since my lake house has zero service and only WiFi..

Posted via Android Central App

I receive all my SMS messages on my phone tablet and PC with hangouts. Phone and tablet do not have cell service. In hang outs select option to send SMS via you google number. So anyone responding to that text will be responding to your google # and not your cell number. Not sure if my phone sends its messafes via WiFi or cell service but I know my PC and tablet are. Like I say only sms messages sent to your google number will come to your WiFi only devices. I know apples system seems easier but if you go through the hell of moving from iPhone to android and not getting your messages because imessage is hijacking your phone number, you will change your mind. I spent many hours on phone trying to get it fixed!

 

[Shilohcane]

I haven't tied this but I have heard that T Mobile has a free home router that only requires a $25 deposit that will give you VOIP/SMS/MMS service over WiFi for their router you can put into your home.

This is the link but I will post the text below the link :

Wifi Calling & Wifi Extenders for Better Service at Home | T-Mobile

Now calling and texting can be done virtually anywhere

Wi-Fi is everywhere, and today, your phone connects to every single Wi-Fi connection like they're T-Mobile towers. Actually, make that your towers. Now, you choose how you connect no matter where you are, in your home, business, even beyond the reach of cellular.

And it's super easy to get unlimited talk and text over Wi-Fi. Every time you connect to a Wi-Fi network your phone is ready to go. And the great news: Your phone will automatically connect whenever you're in range. The greater news? You don't have to install an extra app, it'll just work.

At no additional cost. For all T-Mobile customers with a Wi-Fi Calling capable device.

Sadly the NEXUS 5 isn't on the list of phones but I have hope that the Nexus 6 will and their is a chance that Android L will give the Nexus 5 the WiFi VOIP/SMS/MMS ability; These are the phones T-Mobile supports on with the WiFi device that is at the bottom of the link I posted above.

 

[jj14x]

It doesn't work like iMessage, the OP is right. You can receive an SMS on a tablet or mac associated with the same imess account that your phone is. It would be great if google did the same (receive an sms on hangouts in chrome).

I receive all my SMS messages on my phone tablet and PC with hangouts. Phone and tablet do not have cell service. In hang outs select option to send SMS via you google number. So anyone responding to that text will be responding to your google # and not your cell number. Not sure if my phone sends its messafes via WiFi or cell service but I know my PC and tablet are.

Ronnie is right. I get (and send) my GV messages the same way.
If you want to use your main number, try the pushbullet app - I can see all notifications from my phone on my PC. I can even respond to my SMS (sent to my phone# - not just the GV #) on my PC with pushbullet.
(no, I'm not affiliated with pushbullet in anyway, except that I'm a happy user)

 

[Ronnie Sandifer]

Yes I do the same pushbullet is great. Now if your a cheating husband or wife your not gonna like my setup lol.

 

[jvai]

I receive all my SMS messages on my phone tablet and PC with hangouts. Phone and tablet do not have cell service. In hang outs select option to send SMS via you google number. So anyone responding to that text will be responding to your google # and not your cell number. Not sure if my phone sends its messafes via WiFi or cell service but I know my PC and tablet are. Like I say only sms messages sent to your google number will come to your WiFi only devices. I know apples system seems easier but if you go through the hell of moving from iPhone to android and not getting your messages because imessage is hijacking your phone number, you will change your mind. I spent many hours on phone trying to get it fixed!

mobile number / gv integration, seams it totally together;

w/o the integration, it kinda, remains modular, depending on whether one is on cellular, or wifi, cellular data..

 

[Alan Dice]

I know this topic is a couple months old but I have recently been looking into switching from iPhone to Nexus and my hangup is this exact issue... I use iMessage to message people quite frequently... I understand that iMessage is pretty much doing the EXACT same thing as Hangouts... But when your entire family (parents, sisters, grandparents, and even child's babysitter) have iPhones it makes it extremely difficult to see where they are equal. Our cell tower goes out like twice a week it seems like. I never even notice when it goes out when I'm home because of I just use iMessage over WiFi so it never bothers me. Using hangouts doesn't fix that for me.... With that being said I move on to the next topic...

Sending TRUE SMS messages over WiFi is not an Android/iOS thing... This is something carriers have to allow and from what I hear it is in the works. Once the carrier allows you to use your number to send messages over ANY data connection (because in theory that's all they are really doing anyway with their connection) it will make the need for ANY of these special messaging services in my eyes completely pointless. I know that's not the case for everyone because each of these messaging services have their own perks for some. I use Hangouts a little on my iPhone and I would probably use it for my SMS app on my Android device but I would love to be able to send ALL SMS messages over WiFi.

 

[James Tailor]

...Since my lake house has zero service and only WiFi..
Posted via Android Central App

Dude. You have a lake house... who cares about sms on wifi. that's why you have a lake house.. so you wouldn't have to care about anything else.

 

[Brian Torpey]

I know exactly what your trying to do and if you have Verizon as your provider, use Verizons Message + app. It does exactly what you want. Sms anyone over cell service or wifi. It also will work from your tablet and computers. Google should study Verizons app and create their own in it's image.

 

[Just Creeky]

I know exactly what your trying to do and if you have Verizon as your provider, use Verizons Message + app. It does exactly what you want. Sms anyone over cell service or wifi. It also will work from your tablet and computers. Google should study Verizons app and create their own in it's image.

I think I love you. Untold hours trying to accomplish this. No clue about this Verizon app. I did get hangouts and gv to push SMS over wifi but that is so very unfriendly.

 

[CNSHHT]

Re: why hangouts doesn't have WiFi sms

Hi, can you post the version # of your Hangouts that sends SMS over wifi? The scenario is my Android device to my daughter's iPhone. Her iPhone has SMS and I see no way to send her a txt using wifi. Google forwards my Hangouts txt to the iPhone's carrier? Really? I'd like to have them do that, but I can't get Hangouts to do that. The carrier owns the SMS, not Google. Is Apple a cell carrier? I think not, but perhaps they contract with a carrier to feed data to that carrier's SMS. If Google wants to feed data to any carrier's SMS, they are probably required to pay fees to the carrier for that. Google seems to have decided not to become a carrier, or to pay carriers the fees they'd rightfully demand (a carrier should at least recover the costs of running the SMS.) It seems that because my daughter does not have a Google account, Hangouts will not facilitate an SMS being sent to her iPhone. If she gets a Google account, and then installs Hangouts on her iPhone, then my Android device can send her Hangouts app txt messages over wifi (if she uses has wifi or mobile data and Hangouts.) But is that txt message using any carrier's SMS (Short Message Service) ? I suspect not. If she is somewhere without mobile data or wifi, despite her iPhone's SMS being fully operational, my Android Device will not be able to send her txt over wifi... UNLESS my Android device's carrier faciliates my access to their SMS. Someone said Verizon does that... hmmmm.... "Verizon Messages" (I don't see a "Message +" app on Google Playstore....) Oh, hey, look, Verizon says:
"Yes, you can send messages over Wi-Fi only without a mobile network connection from your device. Messages sent and received using Verizon Messages over Wi-Fi will count towards your smartphone's messaging plan."
I take this to mean that no, you cannot use your plan's data or a wifi connection to send an SMS without paying a fee for SMS.