Originally Posted by
canadiancow
That's false.
Due to some strange combination of incompatibilities, you cannot use Messages for web (
https://messages.google.com/) with Google Fi unless you disable RCS on your account.
I send about 90% of my SMS on my laptop, (obviously) without a cellular connection.
Let's not even get into SMS gateways in general...
Or the fact that basically every cell provider allows calls/SMS over wifi, which definitely works at 35k feet with the cellular radio off.
No, it is true.
SMS uses the cellular network. When you are sending an "SMS" from your laptop, or in the air with the cellular radio off, you are not sending an SMS. You are using some kind of something-over-IP protocol (RCS, WiFi calling, or proprietary stuff like iMessage, WhatsApp, etc.). Your phone OS might make it look like an "SMS" in the user interface, and in some cases (e.g. WiFi calling) the other end might receive the message as an SMS, but you are not sending an SMS.