Verizon To Charge Content Providers $.03 Per SMS

An anonymous reader writes "It appears that Verizon is going to start double-dipping by charging both consumers AND content providers for SMS text messages. Verizon has informed content partners that it will levy a $.03 charge for messages sent to customers, effective November 1. From RCRWireless: 'Countless companies could be affected by the new fee, from players in the booming SMS-search space (4INFO, Google Inc. and ChaCha) to media companies (CNN, ESPN and local outlets) to mobile-couponing startups (Cellfire) to banks and other institutions that use mobile as an extension of customer services.'"

Comments

Re:Yay for double-dipping

[mcgrew]

I think this is a GOOD thing. It costs me a dime to read a text message. My phone has several messages in it right now, and I'm not going to read them; everyone I know knows if they want to talk, call, but I'm not spending twenty cents to read a text message (a dime for the message and a dime for the airtime).

If a business wants to spam me, let them pay for it. But I still won't read it; send me an email.

Now, if I had unlimited airtime and free texting it would be different.