 
ninjatutle
Premium
join:2006-01-02
San Ramon, CA | Ppl U dont have to use txt! | |
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Julio
Bachatero y Que?
Premium
join:2003-03-19
Brooklyn, NY
clubs: | Re: Ppl Yeah but you Can't block incoming txt messages. So you still get shafted. | |
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TKJunkMail
Enjoy the sun
Premium
join:2002-03-03
Avalon, NJ
 ·Sprint Mobile Broa..
 ·Comcast
| Re: Ppl said by Fox McCloud  :said by Julio :Yeah but you Can't block incoming txt messages. So you still get shafted. As far as I know, with Sprint and Verizon, you can block incoming text messages; not sure about T-Mobile or AT&T. You are correct. And I do block incoming on Verizon.
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My BLOG .. .. Internet News .. .. My Web Page
Ask yourself one question: 'Do I feel lucky?' Well, do ya punk? | |
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BF69
join:2004-07-28
Camden, TN
| Re: Ppl said by TKJunkMail :said by Fox McCloud :said by Julio :Yeah but you Can't block incoming txt messages. So you still get shafted. As far as I know, with Sprint and Verizon, you can block incoming text messages; not sure about T-Mobile or AT&T. You are correct. And I do block incoming on Verizon. yeah for a convenient $4.95 per month fee. I know I have verizon too. | |
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jmn1207
Premium
join:2000-07-19
Reston, VA
 ·Verizon FIOS
| Re: Ppl said by BF69 :yeah for a convenient $4.95 per month fee. I know I have verizon too. Are you saying that Verizon charges a $5 fee to block text messages? If true, that is bordering on criminal.  | |
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BF69
join:2004-07-28
Camden, TN
| Re: Ppl said by jmn1207 :said by BF69 :yeah for a convenient $4.95 per month fee. I know I have verizon too. Are you saying that Verizon charges a $5 fee to block text messages? If true, that is bordering on criminal. If you want to block ALL texts no that's free. But you have to call or go to a Verizon store. You can't do it online.
If you still want to have texting but only want to block certain people from texting you then yes, it's $4.95 a month. | |
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sprintuser
@fsparchitects.com
| Re: Ppl said by TKJunkMail :said by BF69 :If you want to block ALL texts no that's free. But you have to call or go to a Verizon store. You can't do it online.If you still want to have texting but only want to block certain people from texting you then yes, it's $4.95 a month. Yes you can do it online: » https:// text.vzw.com/customer_site/secur···king.jspNo, you can use the web site to block certain phones and it doesn't cost extra. You can block text msgs on sprint, online. Signon, there is a section at the lower right of the screen for sending text msg's. There is also a link for BLOCK TEXT MESSAGE. They also don't charge to block text msgs' but you loose SMS and internet/IM etc.. access. It's free. So, want to GROUND your kid(s) when they get out of control? Call them and they will block anything FREE. All 3 of my kids (yes, I have 5 sprint, 1 nextel phone just for the record) have UNLIMITED text. 14 year old sent 17k (that's 17,000) text msgs last billing cycle. Thank god for unlimited. When users like that, standby for CAPS on "unlimited" texting..  Oh and also for the record. I've had Sprint for 10 years. Had one billing issue and it was on my LD service, not cell.. So JD powers and CR.. your low ratings of can KMA..  | |
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tc1uscg
join:2005-03-09
Saint Clair Shores, MI
| Re: Ppl said by sprintuser :said by TKJunkMail :said by BF69 :If you want to block ALL texts no that's free. But you have to call or go to a Verizon store. You can't do it online.If you still want to have texting but only want to block certain people from texting you then yes, it's $4.95 a month. Yes you can do it online: » https:// text.vzw.com/customer_site/secur···king.jspNo, you can use the web site to block certain phones and it doesn't cost extra. You can block text msgs on sprint, online. Signon, there is a section at the lower right of the screen for sending text msg's. There is also a link for BLOCK TEXT MESSAGE. They also don't charge to block text msgs' but you loose SMS and internet/IM etc.. access. It's free. So, want to GROUND your kid(s) when they get out of control? Call them and they will block anything FREE. All 3 of my kids (yes, I have 5 sprint, 1 nextel phone just for the record) have UNLIMITED text. 14 year old sent 17k (that's 17,000) text msgs last billing cycle. Thank god for unlimited. When users like that, standby for CAPS on "unlimited" texting.. Oh and also for the record. I've had Sprint for 10 years. Had one billing issue and it was on my LD service, not cell.. So JD powers and CR.. your low ratings of can KMA.. Your right. I did the same thing. Signed on, blocked a couple of inbound txt's on my kids phones. Works like a charm. Anyone who says you can't do it is full of crap.  | |
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jmn1207
Premium
join:2000-07-19
Reston, VA
·Verizon FIOS
| said by sprintuser :said by TKJunkMail :said by BF69 :If you want to block ALL texts no that's free. But you have to call or go to a Verizon store. You can't do it online.If you still want to have texting but only want to block certain people from texting you then yes, it's $4.95 a month. Yes you can do it online: » https:// text.vzw.com/customer_site/secur···king.jspNo, you can use the web site to block certain phones and it doesn't cost extra. You can block text msgs on sprint, online. Signon, there is a section at the lower right of the screen for sending text msg's. There is also a link for BLOCK TEXT MESSAGE. They also don't charge to block text msgs' but you loose SMS and internet/IM etc.. access. It's free. So, want to GROUND your kid(s) when they get out of control? Call them and they will block anything FREE. All 3 of my kids (yes, I have 5 sprint, 1 nextel phone just for the record) have UNLIMITED text. 14 year old sent 17k (that's 17,000) text msgs last billing cycle. Thank god for unlimited. When users like that, standby for CAPS on "unlimited" texting.. Oh and also for the record. I've had Sprint for 10 years. Had one billing issue and it was on my LD service, not cell.. So JD powers and CR.. your low ratings of can KMA.. Just make sure you don't ask to have text messages blocked/unblocked too many times in a short period of time or Sprint might just terminate your service. | |
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ShadowMastr
Master Of All Shadows
join:2001-09-01
Fort Pierce, FL
 ·AT&T Southeast
·Comcast
·CenturyLink
| said by sprintuser :said by TKJunkMail :said by BF69 :If you want to block ALL texts no that's free. But you have to call or go to a Verizon store. You can't do it online.If you still want to have texting but only want to block certain people from texting you then yes, it's $4.95 a month. Yes you can do it online: » https:// text.vzw.com/customer_site/secur···king.jspNo, you can use the web site to block certain phones and it doesn't cost extra. You can block text msgs on sprint, online. Signon, there is a section at the lower right of the screen for sending text msg's. There is also a link for BLOCK TEXT MESSAGE. They also don't charge to block text msgs' but you loose SMS and internet/IM etc.. access. It's free. So, want to GROUND your kid(s) when they get out of control? Call them and they will block anything FREE. All 3 of my kids (yes, I have 5 sprint, 1 nextel phone just for the record) have UNLIMITED text. 14 year old sent 17k (that's 17,000) text msgs last billing cycle. Thank god for unlimited. When users like that, standby for CAPS on "unlimited" texting.. Oh and also for the record. I've had Sprint for 10 years. Had one billing issue and it was on my LD service, not cell.. So JD powers and CR.. your low ratings of can KMA.. Wait a minute.....
if your billing cycle is 30 days, 17000 text messages is 566 A DAY??!!?? In a 12 hour period, that would be 47 text messages an hour??!!??!! When would that child have time to do anything else at all??
anyone else but me boggled by this?? | |
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jmn1207
Premium
join:2000-07-19
Reston, VA | Re: Ppl At that age, I believe it. Remember that any text message sent to multiple people counts for each person being texted. (yeah, I did have to look up the correct past tense usage for text) | |
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| | | | | | | | | YayOtters
join:2004-06-12
Monroe, NC
·RoadRunner Cable
| 46 texts in an hour isn't really all that many when you look at it.
Talking to multiple people, using aim-over-sms, multiple messages for multiple responses, etc.
And the 17,000 count may even include incoming texts, I have Sprint as well, but I can't remember if the text count includes both sent and received or not. | |
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| | | | | | | | | quintin3265
join:2008-06-07
State College, PA
·Comcast
·Verizon FIOS
| Re: Ppl Remember, these texts aren't being sent over a 12-hour day, because five of the seven days are taken up by work or school, making the time available to send text messages considerably less.
When I was in high school, I went to class from 7:15 to 2:10, and then did homework until 5:00 or 6:00, then ate dinner. I went to bed at 10:30. So assuming that the parents aren't going to allow the child to send texts during meals, that means that four hours per weekday is available to send texts, and then the 12 hours on Saturdays and Sundays. That means that the total amount of available time is 44 hours per week now, which is much less. I don't have time to do the calculation, but I would guess that means that someone is sending/receiving 80-90 messages an hour during those periods.
I don't see how that's humanly possible. While it's easy to type in text with a keyboard, using a cellphone keypad would make it impossible to send that many coherent messages in an hour. | |
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jmn1207
Premium
join:2000-07-19
Reston, VA
·Verizon FIOS
| Re: Ppl said by quintin3265 :Remember, these texts aren't being sent over a 12-hour day, because five of the seven days are taken up by work or school, making the time available to send text messages considerably less. When I was in high school, I went to class from 7:15 to 2:10, and then did homework until 5:00 or 6:00, then ate dinner. I went to bed at 10:30. So assuming that the parents aren't going to allow the child to send texts during meals, that means that four hours per weekday is available to send texts, and then the 12 hours on Saturdays and Sundays. That means that the total amount of available time is 44 hours per week now, which is much less. I don't have time to do the calculation, but I would guess that means that someone is sending/receiving 80-90 messages an hour during those periods. I don't see how that's humanly possible. While it's easy to type in text with a keyboard, using a cellphone keypad would make it impossible to send that many coherent messages in an hour. Last billing cycle could have still been the summer vacation for many students. This is how teens communicate now, even when they are in the same room. | |
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| | | | | | | | | wierdo
join:2001-02-16
Tulsa, OK
 ·Future Nine Corpor..
·Teliax VOIP
| said by ShadowMastr 47 text messages an hour??!!??!! When would that child have time to do anything else at all??
[/BQUOTE :It doesn't take very long to wham out 160 characters, even with T9. If you've got a qwerty, forget it, you can hit 47 messages in an hour and still have 59 minutes left over. You might only have 57 or 58 minutes left over if you have to use T9. I can't say I do that regularly, though. In a heavy month I might send and receive a total of 600 messages. I'm sure there are times when the rate approaches 47 an hour. That's when we'd be better off talking on the phone. Of course, one can text when one can't talk, so there is that. --
It's wierdo, not weirdo. Yes, I know that's not the 'proper' spelling of the similar english language word.  | |
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BF69
join:2004-07-28
Camden, TN
| said by TKJunkMail :said by BF69 :If you want to block ALL texts no that's free. But you have to call or go to a Verizon store. You can't do it online.If you still want to have texting but only want to block certain people from texting you then yes, it's $4.99 a month. Yes you can do it online: » https:// text.vzw.com/customer_site/secur···king.jspNo, you can use the web site to block certain phones and it doesn't cost extra. sorry that link doesn't exist when I log into my account. I have never seen that before. And trust me I've checked.
they do offer THIS for $4.95. and if one can block txt for free then how do they expect to sell this feature? hmmmmm.
»https://wbillpay.verizonwireless.com/vzw···home.jsp | |
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BF69
join:2004-07-28
Camden, TN
| said by TKJunkMail :said by BF69 :If you want to block ALL texts no that's free. But you have to call or go to a Verizon store. You can't do it online.If you still want to have texting but only want to block certain people from texting you then yes, it's $4.95 a month. Yes you can do it online: » https:// text.vzw.com/customer_site/secur···king.jspNo, you can use the web site to block certain phones and it doesn't cost extra. By the way that only works with the MAIN number on the account. We have 3 numbers. | |
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digitalfreak
join:2005-12-09
49533
1 edit | said by BF69 :yeah for a convenient $4.95 per month fee. I know I have verizon too. nice | |
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VegasMan
Are We There Yet?
join:2002-11-17
Schaumburg, IL
·AT&T Midwest
| Re: Ppl said by ke4pym :said by BF69 :yeah for a convenient $4.95 per month fee. I know I have verizon too. This is false. I have all messaging blocked and they don't charge anything to block messages. I had to call to block all SMS and it didn't cost me anything either. I was getting sick of the spam SMS.
With Verizon.
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In need of a Vegas vacation.
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| | | | | bignate
join:2005-12-05
Austin, TX | att will block all messeging for free. it has been blocked on my wifes phone fro years. | |
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| | | Stu Pidaso
join:2006-10-12
West Islip, NY
| said by Fox McCloud :said by Julio :Yeah but you Can't block incoming txt messages. So you still get shafted. As far as I know, with Sprint and Verizon, you can block incoming text messages; not sure about T-Mobile or AT&T. Sprint cannot block incoming text. I have called Sprint once a month for TWO YEARS (no kidding) to get incoming text charges removed and turn off all texting in and out. That reminds me, need to call them again for text charges again this month.  | |
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dcurrey
Premium
join:2004-06-29 | Re: Ppl Try again they will do it.
My plan details have this listed.
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CDMA SOC 2 Way SMS Blocking Included
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| | | | | CHIEFSFAN
The Muffin Man
join:2000-11-01
Saint Ann, MO | Re: Ppl I concur, i also have sprint and asked them to turn off all text, incoming and outgoing. Took about 2 minutes since i emailed customer support to get it done. No cost either. | |
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| | | | | | robewhitener
join:2001-06-22
Asheville, NC
·AT&T Southeast
| Re: Ppl I had no problems blocking text messing in/out with Sprint a couple of years ago for three phones. If I recall correctly, I had to end up being passed from a CSR to tech support for it to work, but it only took about 5 minutes.
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Knutsont
join:2003-12-10
Durham, NC
| I have also had it blocked. About a year ago, I would periodically get some incoming messages. I calmly explained to them that I did not authorize the message transaction, and I was not given an option to ignore the message (you get charged whether or not you read them), so I was not liable for the charge. I asked them to either block the messages or refund the fees. They continued to refund the fees for about two months (I had to call each month), after which, they implemented an option to block the messages. I have been text message free, and fee free, for over a year now. | |
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jmn1207
Premium
join:2000-07-19
Reston, VA
·Verizon FIOS
| said by Julio :Yeah but you Can't block incoming txt messages. So you still get shafted. I know that T-Mobile does allow you to completely block IM, SMS, and E-mail, but this is an all or nothing solution. They need the ability to only allow certain people on a user-created list to send text messages. | |
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bjl
Premium
join:2002-05-02
Newport Beach, CA
| Re: Ppl said by jmn1207 :They need the ability to only allow certain people on a user-created list to send text messages. I agree. I don't send text messages or receive many. Really the only ones I want to receive are from my work's (a university) emergency notification system. I don't mind paying the 20 cents for those.
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flickr gallery
photo blog (rarely updated) | |
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jmn1207
Premium
join:2000-07-19
Reston, VA
·Verizon FIOS
| Re: Ppl said by Jovi :said by jmn1207 :said by Julio :Yeah but you Can't block incoming txt messages. So you still get shafted. I know that T-Mobile does allow you to completely block IM, SMS, and E-mail, but this is an all or nothing solution. They need the ability to only allow certain people on a user-created list to send text messages. I just asked T-Mobile two months ago to block all text messaging, and I was told they cannot do it, because the phones use it to upgrade and I could end up with a useless phone.  Refer the CSR to this page: »support.t-mobile.com/knowbase/ro···3533.htm | |
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Jovi
join:2000-02-24
Mount Joy, PA | Re: Ppl Thanks. I'll give it a try. | |
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en102
Canadian, eh?
join:2001-01-26
Valencia, CA
1 edit | Yes you can. I have all text messaging blocked/disabled.
This is similar to telcos charge of $5 for Caller ID on a phone line.
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Canada = Hollywood North | |
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en102
Canadian, eh?
join:2001-01-26
Valencia, CA
·RoadRunner Cable
·DSL EXTREME
| Re: Ppl You're right.. they've gone up
Caller ID with Name and Number
See who's calling before you answer the phone. $9.99 per month
Sad thing is that caller ID costs more than metered service
Measured Rate** (Measured Rate customers are charged per minute once usage exceeds a $3.00 per month call allowance.***)
per month $5.83
Flat Rate*
per month $10.94
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Canada = Hollywood North | |
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ReVeLaTeD
Premium
join:2001-11-10
San Diego, CA
| Re: Ppl said by en102 :You're right.. they've gone up Caller ID with Name and Number See who's calling before you answer the phone. $9.99 per month Sad thing is that caller ID costs more than metered service Measured Rate** (Measured Rate customers are charged per minute once usage exceeds a $3.00 per month call allowance.***) per month $5.83 Flat Rate* per month $10.94 SBC's gone loony since I left that job. Charging $10/month for a calling feature per month is ludicrous. I also noticed the non-published listing fee went up quite a bit too - that's really silly. For the record, Caller ID used to be $6 and some change.
On top of that they charge an activation fee for calling services...I remember that somewhat, but I don't recall it being $7 and some change. More like $4 if I recall.
That, my friends, is true greed. | |
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| | | | | openbox9
join:2004-01-26
Alexandria, VA | Yep. It shouldn't be too difficult for the telcos to figure out why they're loosing POTS customers to cable, VoIP, mobile phone, etc. | |
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dvd536
as Mr. Pink as they come
Premium
join:2001-04-27
Phoenix, AZ
| said by en102 :Yes you can. I have all text messaging blocked/disabled. This is similar to telcos charge of $5 for Caller ID on a phone line. When it costs them like 2 cents/sub to offer.
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When I gez aju zavateh na nalechoo more new yonooz tonigh molinigh - Ken Lee | |
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| | openbox9
join:2004-01-26
Alexandria, VA | A simple call to your wireless provider will prove that statement wrong. I've blocked all text messaging with my VZW account. | |
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Do Right
@comcast.net | You can call CS and have them block text.. Sprint allows you to block whoever you want online when you log in to your own account. Believe me I use it all the time. | |
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| | wierdo
join:2001-02-16
Tulsa, OK
·Future Nine Corpor..
·Teliax VOIP
| said by Julio :Yeah but you Can't block incoming txt messages. So you still get shafted. Sure you can, at least with at&t. Some CSRs don't know how, I grant, but that's a training issue, not a policy issue.
That doesn't mean I think the current rates are anything short of ridiculous, though. I thought 10c a message with free incoming was somewhat expensive, but maybe that's because my first plan with Cingular (TDMA, no less) had free text messaging. Like completely free. No charge for any, period.
Of course, back then, inter carrier messaging was quite the crap shoot and a good number of the phones out there couldn't send them, only receive, and one carrier's phones didn't support them at all, unless you used their "wireless web" to do it.
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It's wierdo, not weirdo. Yes, I know that's not the 'proper' spelling of the similar english language word. | |
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| | flyingjoey
join:2005-11-07
Jersey City, NJ | Sprint allows you block in/out Text Messages. I had that enabled one of my phones.
They did say, Emergency or public safety txts will get through though. | |
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| | LowRider
join:2006-06-23
Dallas, GA
·Charter Pipeline
| said by Julio :Yeah but you Can't block incoming txt messages. So you still get shafted. Actually AT&T you can. you have to call to get it disabled. And if i remember right you can do the same on Alltel. | |
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n2jtx
join:2001-01-13
Glen Head, NY
·Optimum Online
| said by Julio :Yeah but you Can't block incoming txt messages. So you still get shafted. I blocked SMS on my T-Mobile account. I cannot send or receive any SMS messages. I continue to receive free important messages such as Amber alerts but all chargeable SMS messages are gone. | |
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| quatrix
Premium
join:2005-02-11
Davie, FL
| said by ninjatutle :U dont have to use txt! Exactly. It's all about supply and demand (in a sense). They charge 20 cents per message because people are stupid enough to pay it or buy messaging bundles that often end up costing more per message because they don't use it enough. | |
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jmn1207
Premium
join:2000-07-19
Reston, VA
·Verizon FIOS
| Re: Ppl said by djrobx :I don't text that much, but it's conveient in certain instances. The problem is when you encounter someone who has unlimited texting and starts firing out texts as if they were sitting on an instant messenger. What cell carriers are charging IS absolutely ridiculous. I can relate to this. I average maybe 10 messages every month. My sister had another baby, and that day alone I must have received 50 or more. | |
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sholling
Premium
join:2002-02-13
Hemet, CA
| That's true and I block text messages. But this is exactly why consolidation (mergers) should never be allowed in any industry. Why bother to compete on price, quality or features when you can just buy up the competition and jack up prices.
All of the wireless mergers of the last 10 years should be broken up.
This is also why it's important not to allow penalty fees for switching carriers. It has to be limited to recovering a prorated cost of the handset subsidy. This fosters competition and is a true free market approach.
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"Government is the great fiction, through which everybody endeavors to live at the expense of everybody else."
--FREDERIC BASTIAT--
Proud recipient of the Sean Hannity lifetime boot. [img]»www.vpsingles.com/pics/nyah.gif[/img] | |
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Smith6612
Premium
join:2008-02-01
united state | Exactly. A family friend of mine got busted for making their cell phone bill get raised by $60 for texting. He's gone to Instant Messaging now that the account holder got VZW to turn off texting completely. IM via Internets = win! | |
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Trinijoy
Premium
join:2005-09-12
Brick, NJ | Well FInally with T-mobile you can turn off text messages on your account online.
FINALLY. | |
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tiger72
SexaT duorP
Premium
join:2001-03-28
Saint Louis, MO
clubs: | Switch! If your current carrier sucks - stop renewing and SWITCH to a cheaper one! We don't need more regulation and government interference. Consumers are the ones who agree to these plans, so they're the ones who should make a stand. | |
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See 19 replies to this post |
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jc1350
join:2004-09-23
1 edit | buyer's fault - most of the time While I agree that people perpetuate these continuous cost increases by not canceling the optional text plans, there is one big problem:
People who chose not to buy a plan can still get screwed with fees for incoming messages.
Either the cell phone companies should not charge for incoming messages or they should find a way to allow people to completely block incoming messages.
It's not right/justified to charge someone for an "optional service" when there is no way to PREVENT the "use" of that service. | |
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TKJunkMail
Enjoy the sun
Premium
join:2002-03-03
Avalon, NJ
·Sprint Mobile Broa..
·Comcast
| Re: buyer's fault - most of the time said by jc1350 :Either the cell phone companies should not charge for incoming messages or they should find a way to allow people to completely block incoming messages. It's not right/justified to charge someone for an "optional service" when there is no way to PREVENT the "use" of that service. Verizon allow you to block all incoming text msgs, which I have done.
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My BLOG .. .. Internet News .. .. My Web Page
Ask yourself one question: 'Do I feel lucky?' Well, do ya punk? | |
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R4M0N
Brazilian Soccer Ownz Joo
join:2000-10-04
Glen Allen, VA | Context is such a beauty Kinda makes that windfall profits tax on oil's 8% profit margin seem pretty ridiculous... Doesn't it? | |
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mrchris
We don't miss you Bush
Premium
join:2002-10-01
North Babylon, NY | IM This is why instant messaging was made. | |
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keason
Premium
join:2002-05-02
Ann Arbor, MI
·Sprint Mobile Broa..
| Price is based on perceived value, not cost Companies take these tactics to increase revenue per customer. The real problem is charging for incoming text, which consumers have no power to stop (with most carriers, you can ignore a call not be charged) without completely disabling the service. This is an invitation to regulation.
I think that this is a good example of why MetroPCS, cricket, etc are the fastest growing segment in wireless. | |
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| Kearnstd
Elf Wizard
Premium
join:2002-01-22
Mullica Hill, NJ
| Re: Price is based on perceived value, not cost Perceived value is what drives the cost of lots of things. a Cadillac Escalade is a glorified Tahoe but it costs $60,000 because of the name on it makes its have a higher perceived value.
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[65 Arcanist]Filan(High Elf) Zone: Broadband Reports | |
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jmn1207
Premium
join:2000-07-19
Reston, VA
·Verizon FIOS
| Competition? Surely some smart, hard-working, individual will start their own wireless business that will compete with the major corporations that currently seem to offer consumers no legitimate choice.
Let's see, to have even a remote chance of surviving they will need to design and build an entire infrastructure to support their protocols and services. Probably will need about 500 lawyers and at least half as many lobbyists to handle the legal and political aspects of this endeavor. Oh, and a billion dollars needs to be set aside for marketing and advertising. The "American Dream" is still viable, but only if your line of work happens to be an actor doing a commercial for some corporation operating in an oligopoly. | |
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bgraham
join:2001-03-15
Smithtown, NY
·Verizon FIOS
| If you don't want to pay the rates dump them. My cell phone bill was $35 for a 200 minute plan and I used it about 5 minutes a month. $7 a minute was a pretty hefty profit margin so I just dumped it. There is really no one that I need to call or hear from that was worth $7 a minute. I used to delete all incoming text messages without opening them and I am not sure now if I paid for it or not.
Kids seem to be obsessed with texting and I am sure that the millions of text billing dollars these kids rack up every day are not exactly vitally important either.
Is it possible to get a phone without text messaging? I thought one of our friends did this when their kid started running up hefty bills. | |
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TKJunkMail
Enjoy the sun
Premium
join:2002-03-03
Avalon, NJ
·Sprint Mobile Broa..
·Comcast
| Re: If you don't want to pay the rates dump them. said by bgraham :Is it possible to get a phone without text messaging? I thought one of our friends did this when their kid started running up hefty bills. Yes, you can still get cellphones without any text or data capabilities at all - voice only.
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funchords
Hello
Premium,MVM
join:2001-03-11
Washington, DC
·Verizon Online DSL
·Skype
| Re: If you don't want to pay the rates dump them. said by TKJunkMail :Yes, you can still get cellphones without any text or data capabilities at all - voice only. I don't know whether that's technically true on the major networks, anymore. Even if there is no TXT UI exposed to the customer, I think the phones have to have some capabilities in order to be activated.
Correct me if I'm wrong, but I think that CDMA phones rely on TXT for some under-the-hood stuff, including Assisted E911 triangulation. I can't find a non-data phone on the VerizonWireless site.
(I don't know if the same reliance applies to non-CDMA networks.)
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TKJunkMail
Enjoy the sun
Premium
join:2002-03-03
Avalon, NJ | Re: If you don't want to pay the rates dump them. I know it is possible from other service providers. In fact I just got an offer yesterday for a voice only phone from AAA auto svc with no contract, no ETF, and a prepay for minutes you want per month plan. | |
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NetAdmin
CCNA
join:2008-05-22
| said by TKJunkMail :Yes, you can still get cellphones without any text or data capabilities at all - voice only. True, but you will have to go outside of the carriers distribution channel to get one. All of the phones that I have ever seen at cell phone stores can text. You almost have to get a Jitter Bug to get a phone that does nothing but make calls.
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Eleven years of carrying The Clue Bat... | |
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jmn1207
Premium
join:2000-07-19
Reston, VA
·Verizon FIOS
| said by bgraham :...There is really no one that I need to call or hear from that was worth $7 a minute... Cell phones have significantly improved our way of life in many ways, and it is one of the greatest tools created in this age of communication. But for some people in certain circumstances, there is little justification for owning one.
I agree to a certain extent, however, I almost always take my cell phone with me whenever I go out, even if I never turn it on. The same companies that sell most of us wireless service have ripped out just about every pay phone that once stood on each corner and at every business. It's for convenience in case of an emergency, if nothing else. I'd say that I could live without a cell phone just as I did for several decades before they were popular, but that was when I could easily find a public phone without too much effort.
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cchhat01
The Guru
join:2001-05-01
Elmhurst, NY
| Adopt the Eastern Model Why can't carriers in the US just simply look at their counterparts in Europe and Asia and understand that Incoming is not something anyone should be charged for. If I initiate a call, I should be charged. If I send a Message I should be charged. Not the receiver.
I think people would be so much more satisfied if they had more freedom with their incoming plans.
And on topic about messaging rates, at once I was not charged for any incoming messages on my AT&T TDMA (wow I wonder is anyone still remembers that old technology) and here I am being shafted for 20 cents for all incoming messages by the same carrier (AT&T). I love the coverage, but there is no excuse for charging so much for messaging. Compare with say a network in India (Vodafone). While using their prepaid service (Vodafone) I was able to send a text back to the US for only about 10 cents. Their local messaging rates are around 3 cents or so. Combine it with a promotional plan and you don't even think you're spending anything. Did I mention that incoming calls/messages are FREE.
AT&T, Verizon, TMO, etc: Learn something. There is no reason why the US should digress further from the rest of the world in this respect.
Chirag
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pnh102
Reptiles Are Cuddly And Pretty
Premium
join:2002-05-02
Mount Airy, MD
·Comcast
| Meanwhile Back in the real world...
1. Gas prices are still too high.
2. Illegal immigrants still infest our country.
3. Food prices continue to climb.
4. Unemployment is increasing.
It sure is nice that Congress is focused on the serious problem of "overpriced" text messages that people can choose to not pay for if they so choose.
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Dogfather
Premium
join:2007-12-26
Laguna Hills, CA | Man, if only they... If only someone would make one of these texting devices with a phone in them. Then you could actually just talk to the person you're texting. | |
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Karl Bode
News Guy
join:2000-03-02 | Re: Man, if only they... Or you know, if they could somehow find a magical way to design a smartphone that would allow people to use GMAIL and other services to circumnavigate SMS...oh wait.... | |
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Dogfather
Premium
join:2007-12-26
Laguna Hills, CA | Re: Man, if only they... People hit themselves in the head with a hammer, then complain that it hurts. | |
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| | wierdo
join:2001-02-16
Tulsa, OK
·Future Nine Corpor..
·Teliax VOIP
| said by Karl Bode :Or you know, if they could somehow find a magical way to design a smartphone that would allow people to use GMAIL and other services to circumnavigate SMS...oh wait.... The problem here is the network effect. I can send a text message to almost anyone and they will be able to receive it without much, if any, interruption and respond at their leisure.
I could send an email to that person, but it may not get a response for several hours or a day, depending on whether I send it to their personal account or their work account. Some folks don't even have email accounts they check often.
The same issue arises with various IM services that work over data.
With either, you are presuming that data service is reasonably priced, which it is generally not. At least not at a price point where most people will purchase it. It's cheaper to buy 1500 SMS than it is to buy more than 5MB of data from most carriers.
As others have noted, the biggest problem is the charge for incoming messages.
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It's wierdo, not weirdo. Yes, I know that's not the 'proper' spelling of the similar english language word. | |
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BF69
join:2004-07-28
Camden, TN | For the 20¢ they charge for 1 text message costwise you should be able to send 10 BILLION text messages. Just to give you an idea how much people are being ripped off. | |
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texans20
Weapons of Masturbation
Premium
join:2002-09-28
Texas!
clubs:
| I'm Alarmed I'm alarmed for several reasons:
First, America is a free-market society. Companies are free to charge the prices they want and consumers are free to use the services they want. The government controlling the cost of text messages encroaches on pure freedom. If text messaging is a service you use, just pay for the package.
Second, I'm insulted our politicians are wasting time with this. With all the challenges we face as a nation the focus of some people in Congress are how expensive text messages are. Really? Go figure it's a damn Democrat too.
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SillyRabbit
@tds.net
| Re: I'm Alarmed said by texans20 :I'm alarmed for several reasons: First, America is a free-market society. Companies are free to charge the prices they want and consumers are free to use the services they want. The government controlling the cost of text messages encroaches on pure freedom. If text messaging is a service you use, just pay for the package. Second, I'm insulted our politicians are wasting time with this. With all the challenges we face as a nation the focus of some people in Congress are how expensive text messages are. Really? Go figure it's a damn Democrat too. I'm alarmed too. I don't care what PARTY affiliation the Congress person is. My problem is that you're concerned about the freedom of corporations who have been given, or purchased, or whatever their way into the market place going back a long time ago, and that there is no free market. A small carrier can not get into the market and become a force that offers chioce. The cost of entry is now too high. So we have what we have, and the government is supposed to be there to protect the citizen, not the corporation. There is the problem. Goverment sanctioned monopolies/oligopolies getting anything they want from the people who are supposed to protect us from 'card sharks'. That's a BIG concern and is a problem through out society in America today. | |
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join:2004-02-17
San Antonio, TX
| Re: I'm Alarmed said by SillyRabbit
I'm alarmed too. I don't care what PARTY affiliation the Congress person is. My problem is that you're concerned about the freedom of corporations who have been given, or purchased, or whatever their way into the market place going back a long time ago, and that there is no free market. A small carrier can not get into the market and become a force that offers chioce. The cost of entry is now too high. So we have what we have, and the government is supposed to be there to protect the citizen, not the corporation. There is the problem. Goverment sanctioned monopolies/oligopolies getting anything they want from the people who are supposed to protect us from 'card sharks'. That's a BIG concern and is a problem through out society in America today.
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While I agree with your post in general I still think that for LUXURY items/services a company can charge whatever the market will bare. A cell phone with all of it's services while nice to have it is still a luxury item. | |
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NetAdmin
CCNA
join:2008-05-22
1 edit | said by texans20 :The government controlling the cost of text messages encroaches on pure freedom. First, pure freedom only exists in an ideal world. Pure freedom is called anarchy. However, since a good portion of society has a problem with acting maturely and responsibly, pure freedom can't exist because you have to create rules and standards to limit people's behaviors.
Two, this isn't about government controlling texting rates, it is about government looking into why texting rates are price so far out of touch with reality and actual costs, probably at the requests of their constituents. Anyone who believes that 20 cents per text is a reasonable cost needs to be acquainted with how much a text message actually costs the providers. And what this investigation may do is finally force the cell providers to disclose an actual number, which frankly, is a good thing.
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funchords
Hello
Premium,MVM
join:2001-03-11
Washington, DC
·Verizon Online DSL
·Skype
| said by texans20 :First, America is a free-market society. And ensuring that wireless companies do not collude to fix prices ensures that the free-market is allowed to do its job efficiently. said by texans20 :Companies are free to charge the prices they want and consumers are free to use the services they want. The wireless companies use the airwaves, which they do pay for under lease with certain terms and conditions that are meaningless unless monitored and enforced.
The Communications Act requires carriers to only charge fees that are just, reasonable, and non-discriminatory. This is not new -- this is enforcing existing law.
Can you argue that the final cost of a 160 byte text message ought to be $0.40?
said by texans20 :The government controlling the cost of text messages encroaches on pure freedom. Holding a hearing is not controlling the cost of text messages. If the wireless companies have falsely fixed the prices, then the only freedom being protected is their own. If a free market exists, then customers and providers alike have freedom.
said by texans20 :Second, I'm insulted our politicians are wasting time with this. With all the challenges we face as a nation the focus of some people in Congress are how expensive text messages are. Really? Go figure it's a damn Democrat too. I can respect that, but also consider that there are 535 Congress Critters up there. I don't mind if someone carves out an hour or two to look into questionable business practices by an expensive industry that 84% of all Americans use on a daily basis!
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BF69
join:2004-07-28
Camden, TN
| said by texans20 :I'm alarmed for several reasons: First, America is a free-market society. Companies are free to charge the prices they want and consumers are free to use the services they want. The government controlling the cost of text messages encroaches on pure freedom. If text messaging is a service you use, just pay for the package. what world do you live in? first of all we have PRICE GOUGING laws. We have had them for years. Second if you think we live in a true free market society you're ignorant. | |
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RARPSL
join:1999-12-08
Suffern, NY
| The actual cost to receive a Text Message When you receive a text message, the network cost to the Cell Company to send it to you is $0.00 since it is piggybacked onto the "I'm Here" Handshake Message that your cell phone periodically sends so the network knows you are available to receive calls. Thus the charge to receive (and send?) messages is pure profit since the size of the handshake is the same if there is message text or not and thus there is no extra load on the network to deliver the message. | |
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Broken Back
Premium
join:2002-05-19
Dallas, TX
| Cell Carriers Together But when all the Cell Phone Companies get together and raise prices to match each other it sounds like a monopoly. It cost nothing for them to send the text by the consumer so its pure profit and they are free to keep raising it. The younger ones are supporting them. You can only raise the voice on the cell phones so much. So guess what your text is now more than your voice services.
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Over The Hill | |
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br1252b
@optonline.net | Get even Get even, don't reply to an incoming message with a text message. Call the sender back and chew up the bandwidth! A single 1 minute voice call is equal to thousands of text messages! | |
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hayabusa3303
Over 200 mph
Premium
join:2005-06-29
clubs: | one more reason why not to have a cell phone. here is your sign. | |
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NOCMan
Verizon Fios User
Premium
join:2004-09-30
Flower Mound, TX
| SMS Systems pay for themseves in months I would not be surprised if carriers are outraged by this. Were talking about a significant portion of what they post as profit per customer. There are virtually no costs to deliver SMS messages after a few months any installations and upgrades are paid for. The rest is pure profit.
It's a large portion of their data revenues. HSPDA and EvDO actually cost a lot of money to deliver and are barely profitable. SMS is actually putting a lot of money towards financing upgrades like that. In the case of AT&T it could be upwards of 5-7 billion dollars in their capital budget that can come from SMS fees though it's nicely tucked away in their SEC filings merged with data profits.
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Mac Chatter
»www.macchatter.net | |
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slckusr
Premium
join:2003-03-17
Maumee, OH
·Verizon BroadbandA..
·AT&T Midwest
| other things to worry about lame.
alltel/sprint ( that i know) will block all text messaging for you, including per user blocking.
what the government should really be looking at is the third party vendors that slam you with subscription charges
playphone, txtalerts etc... their the ones really causing problems with their deceptive subscription practices. | |
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