T-Mobile falls in line, finally raises SMS rates
We've been waiting for T-Mobile USA to follow suit and raise standard text messaging rates from 10 cents to 15 cents each, and that wait is now over. Effective June 1, 2007, the fourth-largest mobile carrier in the U.S. will make that rate change for its wireless subscribers who want to use the "casual" text message (pay-per-use) instead of subscribing to a text messaging plan. With competitors AT&T, Verizon Wireless and Sprint Nextel having already made the rate increase, at least the last carrier has now fallen in line. The good news: like with the other carriers' changes, you might just be able to dump T-Mobile come June with no contract breach early-term fees since this is a material change to the contract of probably every current T-Mobile USA subscriber. But hey, the carrier's at least dropping that MMS rate from 25 cents to 15 cents on a pay-per-use basis. Joy.[Via Wirelessinfo.com]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
dz @ Mar 21st 2007 8:00PM
I love how Alltel customers dont have to worry about junk like this. Alltel 4 LIFE (well... until they get bought)
Nick @ Mar 21st 2007 11:05PM
Glad I have an unlimited plan, then. Still, I can't really find any other provider to jump to, at least not one that'll give me $20/mo unlimited internet and $15/mo unlimited texting on a family plan. I'd be unloading $160/mo on Cingular to get something even close to what I have now, and there's no chance I'll go CDMA.
Phoenix Enigma @ Mar 22nd 2007 12:03AM
I really don't get this. Why are they increasing the SMS rates at all. Considering the average SMS is about 195 bytes, including headers and all the other network overhead, we're paying a insane amount for these things. If you do the math, it's the equivalent to paying over $50 per minute if each SMS cost just $0.15.
What gives? Do they need ever MORE profit?
Walter Francis @ Mar 22nd 2007 10:01AM
Nick,
It's exactly $34.99 for: Unlimited data, Unlmited Cingular Video, 1000 SMS/MMS, UNLIMITED Mobile to Mobile SMS/MMS (Outside of AT&T network comes out of 1000 SMS/MMS above).
If you rarely text outside of AT&T, you can drop $10 and get 200 SMS/MMS, the rest stays the same.
Jesse @ Mar 22nd 2007 10:24AM
In some countries I think this would be called price fixing. But hey, that's just me and my pinko communist ways. Proceed with your free market gentlemen.
MrLuna @ Mar 22nd 2007 10:30AM
Francis,
It's exactly $20 for Unlmited data, unlimited email, unlimited text messagin' on a sidekick, 10$ more for other data devices (still 5$ bucks cheaper. $15 unlimited on a fam plan for all parties involved.
We could go back and forth all day on advantages of one over the other, it's called preference. Live with it, or get over it.
Walter Francis @ Mar 22nd 2007 11:01AM
MrLuna,
Touchy touchy.. Price is the same on Cingular. Point was he said there was no way to get away from T-M without the price hike, I stated that wasn't true.
Settle down.
Chris @ Mar 22nd 2007 1:40PM
So what are the chances of me being able to drop T-Mo and go to Cingular in June without an ETF?
elgee02 @ Mar 22nd 2007 5:48PM
@ Jesse
I suppose having the government put a price ceiling on SMS rates is the way to go huh? No one is forcing you into paying for anything. If you are seriously affect by a 5 cents pay-per-text rate increase then you should already be subscribing to a text package.
Anh Lai @ Mar 22nd 2007 5:51PM
Nick:
Tmobile Unlimited SMS/MMS for family plan : $10 covers all 5 handsets. Covers SMS/MMS to ANYONE on ANY carrier as long as it is domestic.
Cingular generally charges more, especially their unlimited Blackberry service, which is like $15 more then tmobile.
Jesse @ Mar 23rd 2007 4:21PM
@ elgee02
No, it does not effect me at all. I'm not even in the US. I'm saying they're artificially inflating the price to match the higher price of their so called competitors. Any economics class will teach you that prices are supposed to go down, not up over time. The fact of the matter is they're raising the cost for no reason other then because they can with the overall lack of competition amongst the wireless carriers. It generally makes me very suspicious of the wireless providers for potential under the table collaboration.
Long @ Mar 24th 2007 7:32PM
Sprint has a deal for called SERO. It gives you 500 minutes and unlimited Vision and Power Vision which is free internet for $30 bucks. It was suppose to have unlimited text, but I heard that they might have changed that. You can do a search at www.fatwallet.com to find info about the plan.
baxter @ Mar 25th 2007 3:00AM
hey how can i get outta my tmobile contract in june and get me an iphone?
Gabe @ Mar 28th 2007 11:47PM
In order to get out of your existing T-Mobile agreement you would need to cancel you data (sms/mms) plan and pay for at least one message at the per rate charge. You can then confront T-Mobile about the change and try to get out of your agreement. It's the same thing that happened with sprint. Verizon and Cingular were smart and made a clause in their agreement keeping customers from using that loophole.