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What Does “Sent as Text Message” Mean? (Explained)

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What does “sent as text message” mean on iPhone?

study published on Statista shows that Americans spend about 5 to 6 hours daily on their mobile gadgets, indicating their essence. Mobile phone users assume that they can communicate with others across the world 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, irrespective of existing circumstances.

The role of mobile and cellular service communication in modern, everyday life makes it critical for text messages and phone calls to always go through. However, the two can fail due to various reasons. A text message, for example, may fail if the recipient has blocked your phone number.

Before you get upset or confused about your notification, let’s find out why the messages you send may fail to complete.


Why Are My iMessages Sending Texts to One Person?

When you send an iMessage, a blue bubble shows that it has been delivered. If your message is “sent as a text message” instead, you’ll see a green bubble. This shows that your message was sent as an SMS or MMS due to various reasons. They include:

  • Your contact doesn’t own an Apple phone.
  • iMessage is off on your recipient’s device. Click on “Settings” then “Messages” and select “iMessage” to determine if it’s on or off.
  • Your contact has blocked your number.
  • iMessage is not available either on your contact’s device or your mobile phone.
Sent as Text Message Explanation


Sent as Text Message – Am I Blocked?


Does sent as text message mean blocked?

Various mobile programs can block the messages you send, preventing them from being completed. Mobile devices have the ability to block particular phone numbers. Whether you own an Android or an iPhone device, you can block specific numbers to stop receiving text messages from them.

Similarly, the recipients of your messages can block your phone number, resulting in undelivered or failed messages. It’s important to respect the person’s decision unless there’s a legit reason to contact them using other communication methods.

The recipient may block your messages due to several possible reasons. Some of them include:


Spamming the Recipient With Many Short Messages

You may have previously spammed the intended recipient with many short messages, forcing the individual to block your number on iMessages. This could save them from receiving multiple notifications.

Send longer messages to give your recipient time to process them and avoid getting blocked. Develop texting etiquette to make your recipients more responsive to your messages.


Recipient Lacks Unlimited Text

A hitch on the end of the receiver may also cause your message to fail. A depleted text plan can prevent your contact from receiving your message. 

The person must reset their plan to continue receiving messages. Consider reaching your contact over the issue to get it fixed on their end.


Contact Traveled to Another Country

If your contact is traveling internationally and isn’t roaming on a local network, your messages may fail. Most carriers require users to make certain changes to continue communicating while abroad using their phone numbers on a local network. This usually attracts higher charges.


Delivered vs. Sent as Text Message


Delivered

When your messages reach the phone of your contact, you receive a DELIVERED notification. Although the message is already in your contact’s inbox, the person is yet to open it.

Your service provider receives the confirmation notification first and then relays the same to your own phone. If your mobile network isn’t sophisticated enough, the status of your message may read as “sent” even after delivery.

Sometimes, you may get delivery reports, yet your contact hasn’t received the message. In such a case, it’s possible that the recipient has full memory or inbox. Therefore, the person must clear their phone’s cache and restart it to receive “pending” messages.


Sent as Text Message

What does “sent as text message” mean in green?

A “SENT” notification shows that your carrier or mobile network has successfully received your message for delivery to your contact. Although the notification gives an impression that your message has reached your contact, it’s just the start of transmission.

“SENT” isn’t a confirmation of message delivery. This explains why you may send a message asking your taxi to pick you up from a certain place, only to find out later that it failed and was never delivered.

Therefore, you need to know that a “SENT” message has arrived at your contact’s service provider’s server, but not the recipient’s phone. A drop in your internet connection can cause the message not to reach the recipient. As a result, you’ll receive a notification that the message “failed to send.”


Why Your Message Can Remain on “SENT” Status Without Delivery


Busy Periods

Mobile networks use adaptive routing systems to ensure that your messages reach the recipient. However, services may fail during busy periods or even stop the service completely.


Contact’s Phone is Switched Off

Your messages may fail if the recipient’s phone is off, but it goes through if the device is turned on within 3 days. Messages expire within a timeframe of 72 hours, meaning you’ll have to send another one if the phone isn’t turned on within that period.

However, if you don’t receive a “failed” notification within the period, the message will likely reach your contact.


Contact Phone Busy or On a Call

Your message may also fail to deliver if you send it while the recipient is on a call. Wait for about 72 hours for a confirmation message before you try to resend the message.


How Do You Know If Sent as a Text Message Was Delivered?

Your “sent as text message” is delivered when you receive a “DELIVERED” notification. However, this doesn’t mean that your contact has read the message. Instead, it means that your message has arrived on your contact’s device.


Conclusion

iMessages are sometimes sent as text messages through SMS or MMS. This happens if the recipient doesn’t have an Apple device, has traveled abroad, iMessage is turned off, or if your contact has blocked your number. Although you can contact the person using other ways, it’s important to know why your messages failed.

A “SENT” message has reached the servers of your contact’s service provider but is yet to hit their inbox. However, a “DELIVERED” notification shows that the message is already resting in your contact’s inbox or mobile phone. Whichever is the case, wait for 72 hours before you resend your message to avoid spamming your contact.

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Pigtou Editorial Team

A group of tech enthusiasts who find pleasure in troubleshooting and resolving various issues. When we're not engaged in writing, we typically enjoy playing table football or spending time with our office dog.
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