stewped
join:2003-02-05
Spring Hill, KS
2 edits | it isn't a necessity, it is a frivolity. the truth of it all is that SMS is not a data service. SMS is a relic of the old 2G days, i mean 1985! if it were an IP-based service, then it would be included in the unlimited data plan. but it isn't. it is completely different. i don't believe a single carrier charges for IM services (IP based), yet all of them offer IM clients on phones - included in the unlimited data (IP) plans.
the main thing you're all avoiding is something called the free market.  if $0.15 per message or $15 a month were too much, people wouldn't use it and the cost would be lowered. people use, and OVER-use, text messaging - even choosing to subscribe to joke-a-day text messages at an additional $9.99 a month or $0.50 or even $0.99 a message! as long as people are willing to buy something, there is no such thing as overcharging. if no one bought it, the price would be lowered or the product would be eliminated. its how the market works. and $15 a month is a helluva lot better then a few hundred bucks some parents see when their kids abuse this type of archaic email. if its too expensive, call up your carrier and have them block it.
anytime calls up complaining of SPAM SMS they get credited. in instances of a $100 or more bill, carriers will credit them that month if they sign up for an unlimited plan. if you repeatedly get a huge bill and want credited, you're abusing your relationship with the provider.
if the subject is so important you cannot wait for a face to face, why not just give them a call?  it isn't just an SMS device, after all. it includes a phone feature as well.  |
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| I don't know any carrier that sells a device with an IP based IM client on it, all of them are SMS based and the incoming/outgoing IM's are charged just as text messages are, which can eat up even a 1000 message plan very quickly. There are IP-based clients that are available, but most of them are $30-40 to purchase.
Now if you purchase an unbranded phone, that's a different story. Sony provides a program called "My Friends" on thier phones, which is IP/GPRS based, but the carrier's remove this and replace it with an SMS based IM program. How nice of them. |
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| My old Nextel phone had an AOL IM client on it that was part of the data plan back as early as 2003. |
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 Bink63Tweet THISPremium
join:2002-10-06
Everywhere
 ·AT&T U-Verse
| reply to stewped
said by stewped: it isn't just an SMS device, after all. it includes a phone feature as well. Funny you should mention that...
I have a Sprint BlackBerry 8830 with ONLY the unlimited BB data plan & no voice plan and my Nextel i880 has unlimited calling and PTT, but no data services. My Mogul has unlimited text, EVDO data and picture mail included with my 500 anytime minutes.
Being in the technical field has some perks! |
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