I just setup a text message block on my phone. As a cell phone customer, I have two options:
- Buy an unlimited text plan, for which I’ll never use.
- Pay 20 cents to send and 20 cents to receive each text message.
The unlimited option is a total waste of money for me, which leaves option 2. I have no problem with paying 20 cents to send a text. My issue is that I have to pay to receive texts. For 20 cents, I can buy a banana. So every time I get an idiotic text, it is like someone reaching into my kitchen window and stealing a banana.
Yeah I know, I’m an old man. I don’t IM either. I am not a fan of short burst communication. It is almost all noise with very little signal. Feel free to call me, email me or even write me a letter. I pick and choose the technologies that benefit and enrich my life. Texting is not one of them.
Andrew
Sep 5, 2009 — 12:23 pm
Most phone companies also offer in between options, where you pay like $5 for 500-1000 messages. So basically, you get cheaper text messages up to a certain limit. I think for you, the no text message option is best, but you shouldn’t misrepresent that there is no middle ground.
MAS
Sep 5, 2009 — 12:32 pm
I was unaware of such plan and it wasn’t mentioned to me as an option. After your comment, I went to the AT&T site and found a plan called MESSAGING 200 for $5.00. That seems fair. I wonder why they didn’t tell me about it?
David Buhler
Sep 5, 2009 — 1:03 pm
I was going to text you about the MESSAGING 200 plan, but…
TigerAl
Sep 6, 2009 — 10:53 am
They probably did not tell you to make up for all the secret ways that you save money with AT&T and Vonage:
https://criticalmas.org/2009/07/secret-ways-to-save-money-with-att-and-vonage/ 🙂