The Rising Cost of Texting

[viewfly]

Originally Posted by bobolito

Comcast had a $2.99 unlimited SMS plan. This was later on bought by SBC to form Cingular in 2000. So a Cingular predecessor had unlimited SMS for $2.99, and early Cingular had it but it was in this area only because they inherited it from Comcast. Remember that early Cingular was a "melting pot" of carriers and often times they had different prices and offers in different markets.

But the bottomline here is that all across the board, messaging prices have gone up, regardless how we look at it.

Well, SBC people would have been grandfathered in, just like the old AT&T people that had free incoming SMS. But as a rule when Cingular acquired these entities, like SNET in CT, they don't offer these great buys to new subscribers. So it is not a good example. I've been with SNET, Cingular, and at&t since 1995 and never saw a $2.99 unlimited SMS plan.

But I will concede the point that individual SMS rates have gone up, that they are way too expensive per byte when compared to data rate (1cent per kb),and that at&t is quite clever at not offering SMS plans to match people usage, and thereby force them to buy up. For example my kid uses 500 sms per month...but that is between the 200 and 1500 package so I have to buy up or go with family sms plan for $30.

I just think the original article is a bit off only looking at the cost of no plan/package SMS rates which is very high compared to packaged sms's on a per message basis. That has not changed very much. But the forced jump from 200 to 1500 messages is quite steep, without something in between the two. Even though the old iphone data rate included 200 messages, that really is not very much on the average, for the kind of user that would buy an iphone...

So Bobolito, I take it from your tone in several post over several threads, you lose your itch for the 3G iphone?

[bobolito]

Originally Posted by viewfly

... I've been with SNET, Cingular, and at&t since 1995 and never saw a $2.99 unlimited SMS plan.

Because that was a local feature. Remember that you are in CT and I am in NJ. Two different markets. Comcast Cellular was a very generous carrier and even after Cingular formed, they still had some of these goodies available. It went away after about a year after Cingular formed. Yes, of course, whoever had it was grandfathered. I guess SNET didn't have that so you didn't enjoy it in your area.

Even though the old iphone data rate included 200 messages, that really is not very much on the average, for the kind of user that would buy an iphone...

That's correct. But me, rather than giving in to their demands for money, I adjusted the way I use messaging and for me 200 messages is quite adequate. Every time someone IMs me I just go to the computer and login to the messenger so I don't have to use my SMS bucket.

So Bobolito, I take it from your tone in several post over several threads, you lose your itch for the 3G iphone?

Yep... when the iPhone came out last year i said I was going to buy it when the 3G version comes out and now there you have it. Although I'm not going to be sitting at 3AM on July 11th outside the nearest AT&T store. I'm going to wait a couple of months more before I get it to allow hackers to develop the unlockers and jailbreakers that I need.

I'm planning to use the iPhone 3G at iPhone 2G prices....

[Gamer03]

Originally Posted by bobolito

I use text messaging in other situations where it is the most proper way to communicate, such as in places where it is too loud or too quiet to use a cell phone, like in venues, libraries, restaurants, meetings, etc. I also use it to save information that is hard to remember and I don't have pencil and paper around, like product models and prices or account numbers and even mailing addresses. It is quite handy for those situations when you want to retrieve that information and you don't have to memorize anything.

I also use it in the locations you mentioned bobolito. I have also been known to use it a few times to send myself reminders either from my PDA to my email or from my email to my PDA. Another instance where SMS has come in handy is when I was in my group projects. I would text with each of the members in my groups to keep up to date on meeting reminders and any questions that we had for each other as well as and any day, time, or location change for each of my meetings.

[Barciurek]

I use text messaging to contact Europe.. easier than paying $1.60 per minute!

Anyway, it now costs $9.50 a gallon for gas in Germany.. but texting is much cheaper than here. Evens it out

[Quint101]

I use my prepaid phones to send international text messages since it only cost normal SMS rates to do so, versus $0.25 per sent International SMS and $0.20 per received international SMS from my contract Verizon phone.

I do agree intl SMS is WAY cheaper than intl calling!

[bobolito]

Originally Posted by Barciurek

I use text messaging to contact Europe.. easier than paying $1.60 per minute!

Why on earth would you not use one of the many prepaid VoIP services on the net? It's very cheap or free to call many countries in Europe and definitely cheaper than text messaging. I use poivy.com. They have a NYC access number which I can dial from my cell phone and from there I dial the international destination number.

[KyleAndMelissa22]

Originally Posted by Quint101

I do agree intl SMS is WAY cheaper than intl calling!

Alltel offers a $3.99 optional feature for reduced int'l calling rates.
Calling most countries without this feature are $0.65 - $1.50.

But with this feature, intl rates are alot cheaper; about $0.20 - $0.35 to most places.

With this feature I'd do way more int'l calling than texting.

[SmArTeStChIlD421]

SPrint offers this feature to their mobile customers at $4 and Verizon landline service also offers this discounted international long distance at $4 as well

[bobolito]

Originally Posted by SmArTeStChIlD421

SPrint offers this feature to their mobile customers at $4 and Verizon landline service also offers this discounted international long distance at $4 as well

I never understood why I should pay them more money just to receive a lower rate.

[SmArTeStChIlD421]

Originally Posted by bobolito

I never understood why I should pay them more money just to receive a lower rate.

i know it doesnt make much sense but hey it is cheaper so ill pay it!!