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OMG Did U C What U R Paying 4 Texting?
theodp writes "If you thought gas prices were rising too quickly, writes CNET's Marguerite Reardon, check out what's been happening to text messaging. Since 2005, rates to send and receive text messages on all four major carrier networks have doubled from 10 cents to 20 cents per message. If the same pricing was applied on a per-byte basis to a single MP3 song download, it would set you back almost $24,000 according to one estimate. So why are carriers gouging their customers so? Because they can, concludes Reardon."
I just emailed Sprint asking for free text messaging and got it. I have done this for about 10 extra things on my account for free. I have 500 free text messages a month and never used half
i have an AT&T phone - i don't have a text message plan because i have the data plan and juse AIM/ICQ on my phone...
i get charged 25cents for each incoming text message - there is no way for me to disable incoming text messsages...
that is bull shit - i don't want them - but they don't have a way of disabeling them coming in - and yet they will happly charge me for incoming...
if they are going to charge on a per message basis - the sender should play flat out, oh wait they do... then why the hell am i paying to recive?
right now at AT&T the rate (if you don't have a messagling plan) is 35cents to send and 25cents recive..
that is 60 cents per message..
are they trying to tell me that they are so damn bad at delivering small bits of data accross the cell network that it costs them more than the oh so inefficent us postal office does to send a first class letter physicly accross the country (42cents)
the phone compaines are full of shit.. as soon as there is a better way - I.e. a company that doesn't screw everyone over .. i will be more than happy to switch
'...if only "Jumping to a Conclusion" was an event in the Olympics.'
U.S. Cellular is fairly unique among readily available providers in WI in that they don't charge for incoming text - only outgoing. They've raised their outgoing prices along with everyone else, but they proudly advertise the fact that incoming text is free for everyone, even if they don't have a text plan. Any other national or regional carriers that do this?
Wait a minute. Do you pay when you receive text messages!? Do you also pay for receiving calls? What if you don't even answer? Why are you expected to pay for other person's decision of messaging with you? Is that even legal!?
Your head a splode